2015 Cambodia/Korea Mission: Healing, Hope, and Humble Service

“POSTCARD FROM THE EDGE…OF SOUTHEAST ASIA”
sent by Ken Kieffer

It was a grand day – perhaps the grandest of the Cabinet’s entire 12-day journey to Southeast Asia and back.  I was privileged to be part of a group that joined our Bishop in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a brand new sanctuary.

Ironically, it was hotter than Hades on this particular Lord’s Day in the middle of November in the middle of Cambodia.  But I was thrilled to be invited, nonetheless.  The church building itself had begun years earlier, thanks to the bold vision of NYAC’s own Randy Nugent (then director of General Board of Global Ministries), the hard work of teams of imported Youth Ambassadors, and the blood, sweat and tears of countless domestic laborers from the village of Okroch (pronounce Oh croak).

I lifted not a finger during this decade-long endeavor, and yet there I was, rising from my 2nd row seat in the VIP section with a pair of scissors in my uncalloused hands.  Everyone on the extended cabinet cut just a snippet of the ribbon, leaving the lion’s share of the scissor-work to Bishop Middleton.

Following the ceremony, those present (just about everyone in the entire village) removed their dust-covered footwear and filed in for the 2-hour service.  Once seated, we were treated to an inspiring time of small children singing, the pastor praying, and our Bishop preaching (thanks to a translator translating).

But the most striking part of the service for me was a troupe of teenage girls dancing.  Now, I’ve seen liturgical dancers perform ever since my wife was in a high school quintet at the church in which we both grew up on Long Island, but the dancers at this special service did something I had never witnessed before.

The “something” they did, though, was nearly nothing.  By that I mean that all of the girls’ gestures were as small as mustard seeds - the tilting of a wrist, the extending of a finger, the angling of an ankle.  No grand sweeping anythings in this routine.  Rather, it was tiny girls making tinier gestures that made the biggest impression on me.   Sometimes, it's the little things…

Next on our itinerary was a bit of a bus trip to the Samreth Methodist  Church’s  Susanna Wesley school for middle and high school aged students (69 girls, 9 boys).  No sooner had we weary Westerners stepped onto the premises than our hosts formed 2 columns of kids, one on our left and one on our right, and started cheering wildly for us as we passed between them.

Following this grand entrance, we met these young, aspiring scholars, toured their dormitories (they go home on weekends), and then got down to the business of a Bible study. Now, if you have never led a late-afternoon Bible study in a sweltering room full of 78 teenagers who don’t speak English, all under the watchful eye of your Bishop, you’ll have to trust me when I say that it ain’t easy.

To make matters worse, the chosen topic for our time together was the question, “Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?” (see Khmer Rouge, circa 1975).  But thanks to the students’ patience, the presenters’ perseverance, and the Holy Spirit’s presence, grace abounded and meaningful connections were made.

Officially, our program ended with the obligatory group picture in front of the school.  Since we all wanted this special shot of the students, the staff, and our fellow sojourners on our OWN cameras, this took considerable time, effort and smiling (say “kim cheese!”).  But this grand photo was small in comparison to the selfie I saw one of the female students insist on taking with her new BFF, Betsy Ott, my co-teacher in the Bible study.   Sometimes, it’s the little things…

According to our itinerary, the school was supposed to be the last stop of the day, and I for one was looking forward to taking a well-deserved nap on our long air-conditioned bus ride back to our rooms.  I could only imagine how tired the Bishop must have been, especially after having preached and speeched earlier.

Why, then, did I see her bypass the bus and head across the dirt road?  Was there another village VIP to meet & greet, another GBGM staffer who wanted a personal episcopal intro, or another grand opening of another grand building?

What could be so important?  The answer soon became clear.  After exchanging traditional Cambodian greetings with the young family of Christian converts (Cambodia is 90% Buddhist), we were told that the husband was active in the Samreth Methodist Church and the wife was active in the Woman’s Program sponsored by the GBGM and their 3 small children were, well, just active!

We were about to bid adieu when we overheard that the woman, Chhok, had a pressing health issue - something involving her heart.  The Bishop was so moved by the woman’s plight that she gently placed her hands on Chhok’s head and offered a prayer for healing in a language that the woman did not speak. But by the time the Bishop said “Amen”, Chhok was in tears (not the only one).

Sometimes it’s the little things…the tilt of a dancer’s wrist, the selfie with a newfound friend, the prayer for a person in need, and a baby born in a manger.

2015 Cambodia Cabinet Mission: Temple Ruins, Living Churches

November 19, by Matt Curry

Our last day in Cambodia was marked by visits to three remarkable temples --- culminating at Angkor Wat. These heritage sites are notable for many reasons: religious significance, artisanship, architectural achievement, popularity, historical importance, and more. I’ve been told that Angkor Wat is both the largest religious site in the world and the second most visited tourist site in the world. 

As this was our last day in Cambodia, I can’t help but look back at the entire week and draw some comparisons. We began our Cambodia Mission journey with the privilege of opportunity of dedicating the parsonage and chapel in Okroch. What Angkor Wat represents in magnificent scale and artisanal details, the Nugent Chapel more than makes up for in the intentions of the faith community; both the simple chapel and the ancient temple are monuments to faith … shared places steeped in prayer. While Okroch Methodist Church will never draw crowds by the millions, it will form the lives of the children who play in its yard and the families and individuals who pray and worship there.

I meditate on my experience in these sacred places, I can’t help but hum the song we offered in worship this past Sunday in Okroch: 

“Lord, prepare me to be a Sanctuary; 

Pure and holy; tried and true.

With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living; Sanctuary for you.”

2105 Cabinet Cambodia Mission: Different Country, Familiar Issues

November 18 by Rev. Ken Kieffer

Today we visited the Cambodia Methodist Bible School in Phnom Penh. I’m guessing we arrived later than we were expected because the traffic en route could have made even the most seasoned NYC cabbie give up driving. Picture every type of person driving every type of vehicle on the same two-lane road at the exact same time.

There are a couple buildings on the Cambodia Methodist Bible School (CMBS) compound, but it hasn’t always been that way. A few years ago, students actually slept in their classrooms, arising as early as 4 in the morning in order to prepare the room for learning and prepare themselves for early morning worship. Fortunately, thanks to the partnership of several significant sponsors, dorms were built for the students.

We met a handful of 4th year students. Of the group gathered (one young woman and 4 young men) one hoped to be a professor and the remainders aspired to become pastors. We didn’t spend a great deal of time with them, but with the courage, faith, and strength that they have already demonstrated to get even this far, they will be a wonderful blessing to the church of Jesus Christ.

After poking our collective heads out of their classroom, we stopped in the “Cabinet room” upstairs and visited with the 11 District Superintendents in the United Methodist Church in Cambodia. Despite our differences, I was struck by the fact that their problems are the same ones we in NYAC’s cabinet struggle with every day – a short supply of resources to do the ministry we would like to offer, buildings that are inadequate, and finding just the right pastor for each of the congregations under our care.

We covenanted to be in prayer for one another and considered the possibility of working together towards the lofty but shared goal of making disciples for the transformation of the world.

2015 Cabinet Cambodia Mission: Transforming Love, Fellowship and Hope

Monday, 18 November, Rev. Denise Smartt Sears wrote:

Today we moved at a much slower pace, it was still about 91 degs F but our outdoor exposure was limited. Our visit to the District Superintendent’s home was a great reminder of what the church is. A community, a place for sisters and brothers to live, learn and love God and one another. When we entered the pastors were engaged in bible study, while younger children were in a classroom (nursery school setting). Living room area is where they hold worship, some instruments were alongside the wall, and upstairs is where they live. There was a room for men, the women and another room for the DS and his family. The laundry was hanging outside to dry, the house was “full” of god, love and fellowship. Their attitudes were just as full – they expressed gratitude, love of God, love of each other. There was a genuine openness.

My mind reflected on these words: “But you are a chose race, a royal priesthood a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into the marvelous light. Once you were no people, but now you are God’s people. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10) Let your light so shine before others, so they may see your good works, and glorify your God in heaven (Matt. 5:16).  This is my prayer.

Tuesday November 17, Ross Williams wrote:

Today started with breakfast at the hotel. Around a large table we chatted about Sam’s moving recollections and reflections of his time and service under the Khmer Rouge. Hearing the stories first-hand was a sat yet valuable experience. I imagine some of us, like me, are anxious about what we will see and feel as we tour the Killing Fields later today.

We next met with the staff of GBGM who operate the only such office in Cambodia (photos). Their mission work appears to be immensely rewarding but also very challenging as they must raise much of their own financial support. It was a wonderful morning filled with praise to God in the form of Songs, devotion led by Rev. Tim Riss and spirit-filled connections.

The group went on to tour the Tuol Sleng detention center, which is now the genocide museum. My own emotions ranged from anger, disgust and a profound sadness. The museum is an important reminder of the presence of evil in the world. May the Cambodian people continue to embrace the light of Christ to prevent any such human catastrophe for occurring again.

2015 Cabinet Cambodia Mission - Words of Healing and Hope

Sunday, November 15, 2015 by Rev. Tim Riss, DS Catskill Hudson District

Today was a very big day! We went to Okroch to participate in the dedication of their new parsonage and church building, which will also be a community gathering point and maybe a school. Already World Vision has said they would hold a training event there. Many dignitaries were there – The D.D., the Mission Superintendent, nearby pastors, the pastor of Okroch Methodist Church, the chief of the village and half a dozen other official, plus a friendly Buddhist priest. Six Cambodian teen aged girls performed a dance, a dozen girls were in a youth choir, maybe two dozen were in children’s choir, and we had three adults singing groups: a half dozen singers including the pastor and his wife, a group of a dozen (including the composer) who sand a new song in honor of the occasion and the nine of us from New York Annual Conference. Bishop Middleton preached a wonderful sermon on becoming living stones (1 Peter 2:4-10) who would be added on top of Jesus, the cornerstone and Peter, the Rock (Matthew 16:13-20), to form a great building for God.

There were many prayers, and after a couple of hours flew by, we had a sumptuous feast of broiled chicken and fish (garlic and ginger on the fish), with vegetables and rice. Afterwards we went next door to see the pastor’s house and the building in which the church formerly met. A bus ride deep into the village followed. There we found the Samrath Methodist Church and the dormitories for 59 girls and 9 boys who were attending a nearby school. We toured the dormitories, and Bishop Middleton engaged the 7th through 12th grades in conversation. Eventually we went into the church building (built with help from the Louisiana Annual Conference), and we heard choirs again. Our part was to lead a Bible Study, created by Rev. Betsy Ott, DS of New York – Connecticut district. She engaged the teens in Bible Study around Theodicy, drawing from a sudden disability visited upon her son when he was in Cambodia, but later healed through prayer. Rev. Ken Kieffer, DS of Connecticut, helped the young people ask questions of God in relation to Luke 13:1-5.

Afterwards, we visited the pastor’s home (which had once housed the church as well, and a women’s economic ministry across the street. These women are taught to raise pigs and chickens effectively for market. We prayed with a woman there who was suffering with an enlarged heart. We hope her tears were a sign of her healing. We came back then to our quarters in Kampong Thom and had another wonderful meal. The weather was strange. There was smoke all around and many insects. People said perhaps it was a sing of rain – in the dry season! Climate change is of great concern here.

God has given us many blessings on this trip. It’s our prayer that we, ourselves, have been given as a blessing to the sweet, friendly people in The Methodist Church of Cambodia.

2015 Cabinet Cambodia Mission - A Growing Church, A Different World

Rev. Betsy Ott, DS New York-Connecticut District, writes:

Reflection after a long day. We learned about the growing church in Cambodia. Scholarships for boys and girls to attend college and universities -$500 a year. $800 for engineers, $1,500 for doctors. Trying to keep educated young people in Cambodia. Trying to keep them out of trouble, sex traffic in Thailand. Then we rode 4 hours to be present for the dedication of a new church and parsonage. The parsonage is a huge blessing and will help make the appointment of pastors possible. Up until now Pastors have been living in their own homes and farming to supplement their income. Elders here make $100 per month and our equivalent of local pastors, $70 per month. There is no pension or health care provided. But the church is growing and changing and changing. And parsonages will help support pastors and their families.

Our ride took us through country with rice paddies, sugar cane fields, lots of Brahman bulls everywhere. There were grass huts and small houses on raised stilts with tin or tile roofs. Shops press against the road in the cities and villages and architecture is a mix of old French style and the very new merging with Buddhist pagodas and statues of the Kingdom of Cambodia. We saw the people from our bus. Working in the fields, laying bricks, managing small family, children playing as children always do, young adults on bikes and scooters, a man peddling a huge load of wood, rubber plantations, small fishing boats on the river, a woman in her hammock on the porch of her home in the heat of the day, children selling fruit to tourists … mid ride rest stop. “Pineapple lady? Earn money – Go to school.”

There is a Boom going on here. Out of the brokenness comes beauty – life from the crash of the past. War, Khmer Rouge. The People are working hard to build their lives. And we are a presence. Blessed to be present. Ready. For what? We’re not sure but we belong to God and God will take us there. We’re on a journey. Ken said, In Incheon in ten minutes he heard fur Elise from the Motown carts, re-enactment of the
Korean king and queen from the historic past, and heard strings playing the Beatles. The world is very small and for us, getting smaller as our community becomes larger. We are learning through it all, and growing as God plans.

2015 Cabinet Mission: Building Lives of Hope for Young Cambodian Women

The 2015 NYAC Cabinet mission trip has been experiencing bonds of fellowship and support as they have been visiting the works of the Holy Spirit supported by the time, treasure and talent of New York Annual Conference members and friends in Cambodia.  Cabinet member Ross Williams has been posting dozens of amazing photos of these events, which are included in our blog photo collection. A key visit was to a dormitory for girls supported by NYAC. Ross writes:

"The Samreth Methodist Church runs a dormitory primarily for girls because most family resources are directed to sons vs. daughters. Education and options for girls in Cambodia are extremely limited. We brought and handed out school supplies and learned about the strong academic performance of the children that live in the dorm behind the church. These girls will become future professionals and leaders within their communities."

The options for young women in Cambodia are often not wholesome, so being able to intervene with the support of the dormitory is a crucial step towards creating lives of dignity and hope where neither had existed.

Also on the Cabinet's agenda is taking in the rich culture and heritage of Cambodia, to understand its ways and to get a taste - literally! - of a different way of life. Don't look too carefully at some of these offerings in a local market - not what you'd find in your neighborhood supermarket!

When people go on mission trips, they forge bonds of fellowship with local people that can last a lifetime, bonds that change lives both here and there. If you haven't already experienced a NYAC VIM mission trip or you know of someone who might benefit from this experience, consider how you might help to enable these transformations in places all over the world that transform people in this nation to see themselves and our world differently.

2015 Cabinet Cambodia Mission - A Blessed Dedication

The NYAC Cabinet team has had a wonderful day filled with many blessings, as you can see from the following photos. More photos from the dedication of the church and parsonage in our mission village may be found here:

2015 Cabinet Mission - Welcome to Cambodia!

After a long journey, with a layover at Seoul's Incheon airport, the NYAC Cabinet team is safely in Cambodia and getting oriented. All photos from the trip may be viewed here.

Betsy Ott writes:

The sleep was wonderful.  We’re in Phnom Penh today. Hot and humid – very big change from home.  People smile and are friendly. View from our hotel out the front and across the street – sunrise over the water.  Gorgeous and a gift of God to start our day.

Genesis 12 – Devotion

Galled by God to wonder and God wonders with us.  God is there when we arrive.  We are blessed to be a blessings.

2015 Cabinet Trip - Traveling to Korea

November 12, 2015  by Betsy Ott

With a variety of experiences getting to the airport, we gathered for prayer and boarded our plane.  Not sure what to expect, what we will see, taste, touch, feel, hear, smell  … only one this is certain, it will be a new experience for each of us and God goes before us to .. the way.

We have left behind our families, loved ones, friends and work to take on new responsibilities and opportunities. We are blessed.  Let’s be a blessing to others.  Off to Cambodia.  Godspeed!

November 13, 2015

An entire day in the plane to Incheon and now time for walking through the airport.  Korean cultural exhibit and photo ops (see pictures).  Walking so much as we can.  There is a chapel here!  And showers free WiFi and massages  available. Quite a cultural difference.  Raining about 52 deg F

NYAC VIM 2015 Cabinet Mission - Learning from Cambodia and Korea

The Cabinet is going to Cambodia and Seoul Korea!

Rev. Joseph Ewoodzie, New York Annual Conference Mission Coordinator, writes:

Our Bishop, Rev. Jane Middleton, along with District Superintendents: Rev. Denise Smartt Sears, Metropolitan District, Rev. Elizabeth Ott, New York /Connecticut District, Rev. Timothy Riss, Catskill Hudson District, Rev. Kenneth Keiffer, Connecticut District, and Rev. Sungchan Kim Long Island West District, Mr. Ross Williams, Chief Financial Officer, Rev. Matthew Curry, Director of Connectional Ministries, and I are headed on a Mission Journey.

Some of us have never traveled on a Mission Journey before, and some are very seasoned. Together we anticipate a very meaningful time as a group. We ask for your prayers as we take this journey. One of our many highlights will be the dedication of Okroch Methodist chapel (see photo 1) and the parsonage (photo 2) on Sunday November 15, 2015.  We plan to have Bible study and fellowship at Raksmei and Samrath Methodist churches. We will celebrate the Women’s ministry Livelihood projects. 

We plan to interact with Cambodia Methodist Bible School students and members of the Phnom Penh Methodist Church;  AND  we plan to see the Genocide Museum, Killing Fields, and Angkor Wat, a temple complex and largest religious monument in the world, considered to be the 7th Wonder of the World.

Our journey starts November 12th 2015 but the mission partnership between Methodist Mission in Cambodia and NYAC started years ago. In 2010 NYAC funded the purchase of the land at Okroch for the building of a church and a parsonage when Rev. Romeo del Rosari, the Director of MMC invited the NYAC Youth Ambassadors in Mission to worship at Okroch. (see photo 3).  Since then the relationship has been blossoming and will be strengthened during our visit.

We are excited to be part of the naming of the chapel within the new Okroch Methodist Church. It will be named Randolph Nugent Chapel in honor of Rev. Dr. Randolph Nugent. Rev. Nugent served as the Executive Secretary of the General Board of Global Ministries for many years and was the first to appoint and bless the first missionary to Cambodia Mission.

After we leave Cambodia, we will visit Seoul Korea where we will be hosted by the Incheon Methodist Church for 4 days. There we will tour the DMC, and the Appenzeller Museum which is Korea's first western style modern educational institution and was established in 1885 by the American missionary Appenzeller.

I invite you to join us on this mission journey with you prayers and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

2015 Nicaragua: Going Home, Counting Blessings!

Pastor Alex writes: Happy Day of Freedom to Live, Love, Pray & Pursue Happiness as God calls you to do!

We are on our flight from Miami to LaGuardia feeling richer and tremendously blessed by the mission journey we just had.  There were many moments of grace and deep encounters with Christ Jesus manifested in people we met, reflections we shared, work we did, nature, prayer, meals and other unexpected ways.

Everything would have been absolutely perfect hadn’t three of our team members gotten ill, but even those moments of challenge were infused with the love of Christ and the faith that they would get well soon.  Actually, specially at those moments we were able to see that God was walking with us.  We were just a 5 minutes from a fantastic lab.  Additionally, our mission partner is none other than AMC [Christian Medical Action], so we had the best care available in Managua.

Last night we got to the hotel a bit late and as we were finishing our packing some of us felt a quick tremor under our feet.  It was a 5.1 earthquake; which is a common occurrence, so we even joked that it was the land of Nicaragua missing us already.

May Nicaragua never miss us too much and our sister and brothers there be safe from all natural disasters. God knows that have already suffered enough.

This morning we have an early start, and as usual a delicious breakfast prepared by Elvis [not the reincarnate king of rock, but the best cook in Nicaragua and the most generous, friendly and kindness hotel manager ever.

Pastor Martha Vink got to spend some more time with her Nicaraguan family at the airport while the rest of the team did some more shopping, an da light lunch before going through security.  At the gate I offered a financial report, and talked about practical ways to improve the experience for next year.  Then, we enjoyed one more devotional moment of reflection, prayer and witness to all that God had done for us on this journey.

The flight to Miami was uneventful… just lots of snoozing, mouths wide open, but I’m not telling who… because I was one them.

In one hour we land in LaGuardia, but the journey continues as God keeps calling us to partner in the transformation of the world, and in the deepening of our relationship with the Divine in all there is… beautifully and wonderfully made.

I thank God every time I think of you,

Pastor Alex

And thank YOU, Pastor Alex, for your exuberant leadership for the 2015 NYAC VIM Nicaragua team - and for a successful mission! May all of you and all who you have served be blessed.

2015 Nicaragua: Days of Grace and Progress

This is the day that the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

This is the day; this is the day that the 

Lord has made.

Daryl Fitzgibbons writes:

Every day and moment of our time in Nicaragua is a blessing. We are truly thankful to be in this place of beauty, surrounded by friendly, caring and loving people. We also appreciate your support and prayers - you keep us strong.

We started this day with the "usual" fantastic breakfast: scrambled eggs, pancakes, rice and beans, fresh fruit, toast, jam, guacamole, plantains. We actually had a discussion about plantains. A plantain is related to a banana, but is larger and seldom eaten raw. Commonly, they are baked or fried. We have had opportunities to enjoy them both ways!

After breakfast, we headed for a full day at AMC. We were invited to join the staff for their weekly Devotional, coordinated and led by Dr. Francisco Gutierrez, Director of Organizational Development and the Pastoral Leader. We each joined one of three groups for study and discussion of material, presented along a timeline from the beginning of creation. My group focused on the time of Moses, his life, and his being chosen to lead the Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt. Why was he chosen? Why was he not allowed to reach the Holy Land? Some observations from members of the group: "Our minds cannot understand the greatness of God;" "God never tires of taking care of us. Good things do happen;" "Why do we do bad things when God blesses us?" and "The Promise continues for everyone."

The discussion in the other two groups differed because they were at different points along the timeline.

The Devotional ended with some updates for staff and prayer. Please pray for Tasha Pri (which means "free land ") AMC site and its coordinator, Edith. The site's water supply is being threatened by a mining project for gold and some unrest has occurred. Pray also for the churches which have burned in the U.S., their members, and the families of those killed at the Emmanuel AME church in Charleston.

We spent the rest of the day working at the future training center and meeting room. Wood was cut for framing windows, mortar was spread on walls, inside and out, and we began to paint the primer on walls that were ready. Carlos, the contractor, was his usual, patient self. When I painted a section that I shouldn't have, he laughed and said it can be fixed! It seems that even with mistakes, we are accomplishing much more than they could do on their own! We had more laughs when the rain began. We were not only very dirty, but now soaked! We had to admit, it felt good.

We enjoy our time with our translator, Freddie. He likes to tell jokes and today on the drive back to our hotel, he sang "My Way" for us.

Tomorrow we will participate in a national disaster evacuation drill. More on that to follow!

Grace and peace,

Daryl Fitzgibbons

Nicaragua 2015: Special Care for Special Children

Angela Moore writes:

Hello everyone,

First of all, did everyone say "rabbit" today?  Say "rabbit" on the first day of the month and you will have good luck for the rest of the month.

We all had another fantastic day.  Although we broke into two groups, it was evident when we returned to the hotel and listened to each other's stories, we all knew we experienced a rewarding day.

My group, Daryl, Ximena, Freddie, our interpreter, and Oscar, a representative from NRN, went to San Dino.  Daryl sponsors a special needs little girl through NRN.  Her name is Ruby.  The name of her school is Ministerial Jehova Jireh.  There are  8  students, one principal, two teachers, and one young man who volunteered.  They all wear uniforms; blue pants and a white shirt.  The name on the uniform is Agape.

We arrived at the school around 9:30.  We had just missed the horse therapy.  The students were all working on different lessons, depending on what level they were on.  The children had their snack at around 10:00.  The children bring their own drink and snack.  Most of the boys shared their drink and snack.  After snack, some played ball, while others found Minecraft on my phone.  Imagine, they recognize and know how to play Minecraft here.

After snack, the children completed a craft brought by Daryl.  It was a self-sticking cardboard cross that the students put gems and glitter on.  Everyone loved it. The children loved having their pictures taken.  They had a chance to take pictures with our phones.  School ended at 11:00.  All the children are brought to and picked up after school by a family member.  Just like home, there are a few stragglers.  While we were waiting for the children to go home, three butterflies "fluttered" by; one for Daryl, Ximena, and myself.

I thoroughly loved my visit to Ruby's school.  I felt right at home.  I met a beautiful little girl named Crystal.  She is 8 years old.  Luckily for me, she does not have a sponsor.  How great is that!

We took Ruby and her mom to lunch at Tip-Top, a chicken restaurant.  They also had a play scape, which Ruby loved.  The fried chicken was delicious!  Of course, Ruby did not want to leave.  When she heard she could show us how she rode her bike, that made it better.  At Ruby's house, we met her grandmother, uncle, and brother Ian.  We also met her dog,Baluzi.  Unfortunately for me, she did not want to come over.  Granger, a visiting dog, was not friendly either.  I was able to play with a puppy at the hotel.

Ruby's grandmother's house was very spacious; a front porch. 3 bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen.  They were cooking in the back.  It smelled so good.  Her gran other let us taste some.  They also have two corn grinders; one for corn meal to make tortillas and one for cereal.  Ruby's grandmother earns some money when people come from the neighborhood to grind their corn.  Her son cuts hair on the side to earn extra money.  They are not afraid to work.

As usual, our breakfast and dinner at the hotel were excellent today.

It is wonderful how friendly and gracious people are here.  I think I have "out-written" my stay.  Peace to everyone.

2015 Nicaragua: Building a Legacy of Hope

Leann writes:

Acción Medica Cristiana (AMC) began in 1984 as a grassroots organization that was founded by a group of university medical students in Nicaragua, who recognized the need for a Christian action group in a place where poverty was very widespread.  Their efforts were initially discouraged by others due to their youth, but they persisted in their mission to provide medical assistance and share God’s love with communities in need.

AMC reached out to communities in remote areas, focusing largely on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua- an area that did not have access to medical care.  The Ministry of Health did not have much outreach to these hard-to-reach communities, as national infrastructure was essentially nonexistent in these areas.  Transportation to a hospital could take upwards of four days, and medical emergencies typically resulted in fatality.  AMC provided medical assistance to these communities, and began training community leaders to provide their own medical care.

Thirty years later, AMC has expanded its outreach to 230 communities, and provided assistance to over 200,000 people in Nicaragua.  The organization has three areas of focus: Community Health, Food and Nutritional Security, and Risk Management.  Projects include determining sources of clean water, providing low-cost medicine through networks of community pharmacies, and teaching communities to prepare for emergencies.  Nicaragua is currently ranked #4 on the Climate Risk Index, meaning that when a natural disaster occurs, it is highly likely to become an emergency situation.  Community leaders are trained to take the lead in these projects, to ensure sustainability.              Funding for these missions is a challenge for AMC.  The organization has received support from the U.S. and Europe, but this support is declining and more restrictions are being placed on funding.  Although the majority of people in Nicaragua live on $4 a day, the country is perceived by other countries as being “less poor” than previously, and international aid is therefore being reduced as well.            So what is our team doing in Nicaragua?  AMC is working on constructing a training center and meeting room at the AMC central headquarters in Managua, Nicaragua.

This project was abandoned for several years due to lack of funding, but the hope is to complete construction within the next few months.  This building will be used to host meetings with community leaders and house future volunteers working with AMC, reducing administrative costs. It will also provide an additional source of income to AMC, as the organization can rent the space to other groups.  Our group will be finishing walls and windows, installing flooring, and painting, to make this space usable to AMC.  There is a great deal of work to be done in the next week, but we are so blessed with an amazing team at AMC and with the prayers, love, and support of our friends and family back home.  Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalece; I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.
by Leann Misencik

2015 Nicaragua: The Wonders of Cement and Managua

Ximena writes:

After a night of rest here in Nicaragua I regained all my sleep.

So waking up at 6:20AM started to become difficult. I stayed in bed for a good 15 minutes longer before I actually woke up and started my day. We ate our breakfast this morning in the mist of a princess for it was Angela’s birthday. after breakfast we went strait to work at AMC. Carlos, Henry, and Alberto took the time to teach us how to properly put the cement mixture on the wall. They were very patient with us and would not mind to show us how to properly do our work as much as we needed. The work was challenging at first, but once you get an idea and a flow of it we got better. Basically, what we did was take a cement mixture and put it on the walls as a finish in two coats. The first coat was rough for the most part and it was very hard to actually get it smooth on the wall. Leann and I were given the opportunity to redeem ourselves from yesterday's okay work of putting the first coat on a few of the walls, by putting the second finishing coat. this made us worry since this one had to be perfect and flat. Luckily for us, we were able to wet the wall and smooth it out after the last coat was put out. I got into it and was covered in cement. while we were thinking that we were not doing it as perfect as they wanted, Carlos and Henry kept telling up that it was all good and always reassuring us. Carlos was joking with us and saying that we were going to have to move to Managua and he would have to fire Henry to hire us because our work was that good.

After we were done working for the day at around 12, we showered at the AMC bathrooms, had lunch (which was so good and fresh!), and went off to do what Americans in a different country do best: we became tourist. Freddie took us to some of the places we learned about in our history lesson yesterday. We went to Samosa’s Palace (Lomas Tiscapa) where we were able to see the old and new Managua on either side of the palace. We event went downstairs to the torture room where we saw where Samosa kept all his enemies close to him and tortured them. From there, we went to the original Roman Cathedral Church (Catedral Santiago de Managua) where we took a group selfie with my selfie stick in front of the church. It was built after the 1931 earthquake. It didn't collapsed but was the only standing structure after the next earthquake, but is now condemned because it is structurally unsound. Within that location there was the presidential palace, which was turned into a national museum, and the three graves of the revolutionary martyrs. After that, we went to a boardwalk location (Paseo Xolotlan) to enjoy ourselves a bit in and walk around. There was a plane in the middle of the field for people to enter. For most of the people in Managua, that would be the only time they would enter a plane. We even got to see the mini Managua that showed how Managua looked liked before the earthquake hit and wiped everything. We took all the classic photos near the building like holding it or leaning on them (p.s. you know you are short when even the mini building are taller than you…).

We ended our day at Pops to get ice cream. I was so worried I would give them the wrong amount of U.S. dollars (the ratio is 27:1 (well technically its 27.024 to 1)) but, with the help of others, I was able to get my $3 mint cappuccino. We sang happy birthday to Angela while eating our ice cream. We relaxed at the hotel for the rest of the day and shared our views with one another of how our days went. We talked about our God moments and just conversed and laughed while enjoying dinner (seriously, the food here is great! 10/10 would eat again). God is truly working through us and is visible through how we can connect and show our true selves with one another and with others.

by Ximena B. Varas

The 2015 NYAC VIM Arrives in Nicaragua - A Beautiful Start

Pastor Alex da Silva Souto writes:

May you have trusted that God's grace was all that you needed on this Sabbath day.

We started our day enjoying an amazing breakfast at the best place we have stayed in Nicaragua.  The lodging we normally stay at was completely booked, and as God would have it, we ended up at the cutest little posada, with the friendliest staff, best food I've had in Nicaragua, and guess what ...?!??!
Front gates decorated with butterflies!!!!
Butterflies has been a great icon for us since Holy Week, and it seems to a constant on our path of faith.

We spent this sabbath morning by a cradle lake called Laguna de Apoyo.
We froliced in the refreshing emerald waters of this volcanic lake, then enjoyed a delicious lunch while feasting on the beauty of God's creation.

After breaking bread with great joy, we headed out to the Masaya artisan market. There our team members had a chance to witness the exuberant craftsmanship and artistry of Nicaragua, and support the local economy by bringing some souvenirs back home.

By now you might be thinking, aren't these missionaries going to church at all on the sabbath day.  Yes, we are faithful followers of Christ, and we did go to church to offer God all the praise that God deserves.
Sunday evening tends to be the prime time service on the week, and we were blessed to worship with the devoted members of the "IGLEMEN" Evangelical Methodist Church of Nicaragua at "Laureles Sur".

We were received with the typical Nicaraguan generous hospitality and invited to praise God for the lives of the fathers in the church and the "MaPas" [mothers that are also fathers for they children].
The reading came from the lectionary just like the readings that you were doing there at home.  The sermon was offered by a General Board of Global Ministry originally from Bolivia.  She offered a very positive positive message that invited all the generations present to reflect on their images of fatherhood.
A talented group of girls led the worship with an spirited liturgical dance, and singing from the top of their little lungs.

It was a moving celebration and delicious fellowship dinner afterwards [rice & red beans, chicken, beef, salad and tortilla].

We did quite a bit of driving today; which provided us with exposure to many different realities of our siblings in Nicaragua.  We even passed by a festive Pride Parade, and our missionary, Belinda said that they were very brave LGBTQI & allies

Tomorrow we start the day by joining the AMC weekly devotional, where the entire AMC central office staff get a chance to reflect on God's will for them as individuals and as a community.  And they also get a chance to start their week together as co-workers and faithful followers of Christ.
After devotional we get back to our hammers, power saws, brushes, brooms and other tools of concrete ministry [pun intended].

May your week start and unfold with God's perfect will,

pastor alex

Mize's Bucket Brigade Saves the Day

Phyllis Machledt writes:

After a day of relaxing at YS falls, we were back at work again moving cement at Mt. Osborn.  This time we were more efficient (Mize helped with a training session for the bucket brigade.)  Since the line had to extend pretty far back to reach the ladder, we were a little shorthanded so Brother Lawrence recruited 4 more women from his church.  They really made the difference!  Not as many people had been able to come on Saturday as he had predicted.  The ladies stayed all day and spent some time telling us about their families and Jamaican schools.

The neighbor children – Karon, Jeffrey, and Akeem – were joined by Latanya.  Veda, Pauline and Opal “supervised” them bringing back the buckets.  I say “supervised” because some 7 to 9 yrs olds have short attention spans.  However, the kids worked really hard, and they don’t even go to Mt. Osborn.  We were able to accomplish even more than we did on Thursday in terms of concrete mixed and moved.  On Monday once the concrete dries, the wooden forms will be removed and put up on the remaining beam areas.

We discovered that some of the men working were volunteers from other churches and some were paid construction professionals – which is good because we don’t have the particular skills needed for this type of construction.  Brother Lewis, the chief carpenter, will be there on Monday to finish with the forms. Because of a confusion about dinner at the church, we ended up with patties instead of dinner at the hotel.  For those who wanted a dip in the pool, that was a good move.  The hotel was hosting a wedding so there was a lot of music late into the night. Tired from the hard physical labor during the day, the team all went to bed early During reflection everyone expressed satisfaction in what together we had accomplished

Phyllis Machledt

Digging in to the work

Thursday June 18, Phyllis Machledt wrote:

The plan today is to mix and pour the cement at the church into the forms we made yesterday.  We’ll be at Mt. Osborn all day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  However, the cultural program which had been planned has been switched to Sunday.

Breakfast at the church arrived a little late, but for the coffee drinkers in our group, there was an ample supply.  They served eggs and sausages, plantains and fried breadfruit as well as fresh pineapple.
Mize, Sean, Matt and Elijah did the devotions for the pre-school, telling the story of Noah and the significance of the rainbow.  They had also prepared a craft but because of all the work going on, the teachers decided to do it back at the school which is next door.

To Americans used to cement mixers filling the forms, the whole process was very different.  The local workers began mixing the sand, small stones and cement in a big circle in front of the church door on the parking area.  Once it was sufficiently mixed with water, we started the bucket brigade.  Buckets had to be hand carried and passed along the line a hill, up stairs and up a ladder to be poured in the forms.  The buckets were heavy and it was hard, messy work, but luckily with everyone working the first part was done in one and a half hours.  Then we had to stop to make more wooden forms for other beams.  The local men, especially brother Lewis, were definitely the experts!  None of us, with the exception of Bob and Mize, had done any construction quite like this.  However, we were good, cheap labor.

Meanwhile the ladies of the church were cooking and preparing lunch and dinner for us – curried chicken and escavitch (snapper) and ackee. After a full day of work moving cement, the team came back to the hotel, tired but feeling good about the progress we made on the building.  Our only casualty was Opal’s sprained ankle (she is recovering).  However, when she was injured, we called for help in the bucket bridge.  Three women from the church stepped forward to help and worked with as for the afternoon. There was an incredible feeling of accomplishment not only from the actual amount of concrete we moved but also from the cooperation with the people of Mt. Osborn.
Would that the whole world could find a way to work together with mutual respect and with God’s love.

Phyllis Machledt