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