We Have Arrived!

Hello everyone!  Praise the Lord, our team made it safely to Nicaragua on Friday, June 2, 2023.  After a delay with our airplane in Atlanta due to a mechanical issue, we were told we would have to reschedule our connecting flight from Miami to Managua (which would mean losing at least a day of our trip).  God provided however, and we were able to make our connecting flight just in time!  Upon arrival at the Managua airport, two pieces of our luggage were flagged for inspection.  After a 45 minute wait in line, a $10 fine, and signing three handwritten government documents explaining our violation, we were on our way.  We went to "Dave's office" in Nicaragua (a local mall with a food court) for dinner and time spent with Regan and Blanca Downs (our ministry partners here in Nicaragua) to discuss some adjustments to our plans for the trip.  After this, we drove to Veracruz to get settled into our home-away-from-home.  Typically, we reside at Casa Bernabe Orphanage, but due to some events that occurred several days before we left, we had to make other arrangements for this trip.  We are still staying in Veracruz, but in a small house near the center of town, right beside the police station that was established here a couple years ago.  After a little more time spent with the Downs, it was time to turn in for the evening.

Saturday, June 3, 2023

Four of our partner churches have outreach events planned over the next two days.  So after breakfast, we headed out to the first one at Iglesia Hermanos en Cristo (Brothers in Christ Church).  When we arrived, the church had music going and the ladies of the church had already been working for several hours to prepare a huge pot of soup to serve at the event.  This outreach event targeted "homeless" men in the community.  These are men who have families in the area, but who have alcohol and/or drug issues and many of them basically live on the streets as a result.  An informal service was held where Pastor Cerillo and another leader of the church spoke to the men while final preparations were being made on the soup.  Once the lunch was served, we were able to sit down with the men and have conversations.  Some of them appeared to be under the influence while they were there and several expressed reservations about coming onto the church property in this condition.  They were welcomed in and listened to the messages.  

One of the men wasn't eating his soup, but was sitting quietly and not interacting much.  I (Katy) asked him why he wasn't eating and one of his friends told me that he was saving it to take to his sister who was pregnant.  We had plenty of soup, so I got another bowl so he could eat as well.  When I gave him the second bowl, his whole demeanor changed and he began talking and sharing more about his situation.  After lunch, Regan also shared the Gospel with the group as a whole and he got a number of good questions from the men in attendance.  Everyone was invited to a Crusade scheduled for that evening.  After the meal and program, those who wanted to (about half of them) were able to get haircuts, provided by two of the church members.  They looked like new men!   During the haircuts, we were able to continue Gospel conversations with the men and they expressed appreciation that we would take the time to talk with them.  Several that I spoke with at length did not know Jesus personally, but said they were listening to everything that was being said and they planned to attend the evening event.

After this wrapped up, it was time for the team to get lunch.  We dropped off two bowls of soup for the groundskeeper of the house where we are staying and his family on our way to Valenti's, a nearby pizza restaurant.  Since I was here last, they have enclosed their seating area (it used to be an open-air restaurant) and the air conditioning was a wonderful respite from the heat!  While we were at the restaurant, the afternoon rain came in.  The second event hosted by Iglesia Rey de Gloria (King of Glory Church) was planning to be held in the middle of the "Red Zone" (high crime area where many of these men congregate) of Veracruz.  Because it was not being held at the church, when the rain came in, they had to adjust their plan.  One of the church members who lives in that area opened her front porch and home to host the event.  When we arrived, the soup smelled fantastic!  Regan decided he was going to taste-test all of the church's soups and give an unofficial award to the church who had the one that tasted best.  

Because the churches in town are relatively close together, on the way there, we passed several of the men we had met at Iglesia Hermanos en Cristo earlier that morning.  Several of the men I got to know there made their way to the second event as well.  They were well fed today - both their stomachs and their spirits!  Pastor Moises David opened the event with prayer and a message.  Quite a few members of the church shared powerful testimonies of how they came to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.  The testimonies were interspersed with lively singing of songs and hands-on prayers for each individual in attendance.  The men who were also in attendance at the first event were extremely engaged, actively listening, and singing along while the new men were a bit more reserved.  They were all willing to talk to us and open to hearing all that was shared.  In the middle of the service, two more men whom we had met at the first service came up.  Both of them were intoxicated.  One of them was the man who told me that he was saving his soup for his pregnant sister.  We were told that he might have taken the second bowl of soup to sell for money to buy alcohol.  He was so intoxicated this afternoon that he could barely stand.  We tried to get him to sit, but he eventually stumbled away and met back up with his friend.  After the service ended, his friend came back and apologized and we were able to have more conversation.  He has attended King of Glory church before, and knowing the Pastor, he explained that he was very embarrassed for Pastor Moises David to see him in that condition.  During this service, a Police pick-up truck with four officers inside came around and made their presence known.  As the event was breaking up, they came back around again, so we gave them each a bowl of soup. 

It was evident that God was doing a mighty work in many of these men's hearts today.  Several of them had tears in their eyes as they were talking with us about the changes occurring in their hearts.  The Pastors and leadership of the churches have a lot of work to do in following up with each of these men.  Since this event was slightly delayed due to the rain, as soon as it was over, it was time for the evening Crusade.  This was a collective service of the four churches that we are partnering with for the outreach events.  When we arrived the event had already begun.  The singing and music was even louder and more lively than at the previous churches.  This service was originally planned to be held in the Veracruz park.  The government however, ended up denying the permit for them to gather there.  Since it was a Christian event, they were not allowed to gather in public.  Therefore, the Crusade was relocated to one of the partner churches.  In addition to the music, the four Pastors each made remarks, and they had invited a Pastor from Nindiri (a nearby, larger town) to serve as the main speaker.  We estimated over 500 people were in attendance.  The entire church was filled, each door was overflowing with people, and the main entrance had people outside, all the way up to the very edge of the road.  It was a BIG day in Veracruz!  The name of Christ was being proclaimed all over!

After the Crusade, we had dinner at a new restaurant just outside of Veracruz and then went back to the house.  Because we are not staying at the orphanage this time, we do not have the support of laundry or anyone cooking for us.  Thankfully, we do have a washing machine here, so I don't have to scrub our clothes in the outdoor lavanderia.  As soon as I hit "send" on this email, I am headed out to hang our laundry on the line to dry and get myself cleaned up.  Dave and Bethany are bathed and in the bed.  Please pray for all of the men we met today, that God would release them of the strongholds of addiction they are currently in and draw them to Himself.  Also, please pray for Juana, an 80+ year-old church member who we saw walking down the road in flip flops with her granddaughter.  She is having shoulder problems and specifically asked us for prayer regarding this issue.  Today has been fantastic!  It was uplifting, and a very encouraging way to begin the trip by serving and worshiping alongside so many friends and other people in the community!  

Thank you for reading and covering us in prayer while we are here.

In Christ,

Katy