In April I’ll be traveling with a Twelve Churches mission team to Nicaragua and your support will be greatly appreciated.

We’ll be sharing (and experiencing) the love of Christ with the community of Leon, Nicaragua.  We will also be doing some work with churches in that community.  One of the ways that we help is to install computers for English language learning and economic development.

Our cost is $1,200 per person.  Your help in offsetting this is greatly appreciated.

During our time in Leon, I’ll post stories of our progress here.

Thanks,

Jason Hickey

Men Working

Our team arrived safely back in Tallahassee on Saturday.  (Just in time to trick-or-treat with the kiddos).  One tense moment on Thursday when the US Embassy was closed because of a riot.  We later learned that it was a staged unrest by protesters that were bussed in by the Sandinista socialist party.  We witnessed some ugly political behavior that would turn your stomach, (including bribery for the sake of a little girl’s life but I digress). 

On Thursday afternoon several of our team walked through the neighborhood ‘Ruben Dario’ and visited with some of the residents on our way to see the completed swing-set and play with the kids.  One scene has stuck in my mind.  A mother was sweeping her floor while her kids played games in a hammock.  The floor was dirt but she was sweeping away debris nonetheless keeping her home tidy.  Dad was just coming home from work.  He looked like he had been mixing concrete, probably working for a mason.  He cleaned himself up and started playing with the kids.  This family scene looked so familiar.  Here are a mom and dad trying their best to raise a family with what they have.  The whole thing unfolded in about 2 minutes but illustrates how similar we really are.

The culture shock of our two societies is very evident upon arriving back in The States.  Karen and I have had numerous conversations since coming back about our family and how we can continue support.  Our local congregation has a heart for the city of Leon’.  So far we already have 3 teams prepared to go back in 2010. 

I have failed to mention how we are plugged in to the community of Leon’.  We have a ministry called “Twelve Churches”  (Doce Iglesias).  http://www.twelvechurches.com/.  Our trips to Nicaragua are in support of these 12 pastors and their respective congregations.  Each location of the medical team or VBS or construction is at or near one of these churches.  Spreading the gospel of Christ is paramount and supporting these 12 congregations is how we have been led to do so.

This past week our team saw around 800 kids for Bible school and approximately 600 patients in the medical clinics.  All held within some of the 12 churches.  The construction team erected brick walls for Pastor Erbin and his family.  A contractor has been hired to pour the floor and put on a roof.  And a swing-set for Pastor Wilfredo’s church.

Hope you have enjoyed the updates.  I have certainly gained some healthy perspective and appreciation from the trip.  Our team has a site where we share pictures.  You can find them here:  http://nicaraguakumc2009.shutterfly.com/26

In Christ,

Jason Hickey

I realize it has been a couple of days since the past update.  Our team has many things going on at once.  Construction on Pastor Erbin’s home continues.  Walls are going up.  It seems everything in this country is built with concrete and mortar. 

Our medical team has seen and treated somewhere between 450-500 people so far and its only Wednesday night! 

The VBS team is overwhelmed with kids.  Jim Flury and I have been “floating” from different projects the past couple of days.  We started on construction and have also worked with VBS.  But one of our projects has been a swingset which we completed today.

The swingset was built at Pastor Wilfredo’s church.  As it was being built 3 very young kids around 3-5 years old sat almost right under us patiently waiting.  Wilfredo’s daughter was one of them.  They kept asking if it was done yet and he would tell them to wait.  Finally we drilled the last screw and he said “Finito”.  He no more got the word out of his mouth and they jumped up immediately and got on the swings.  I think they spent the rest of the day there playing.

We have so much going on and I’m keeping a journal each morning.  Tomorrow will be back to construction.

Thanks again for your support.

Jason

This past two days have been a sprint!  Flight Tallahassee to Miami to Managua then a bus ride to Leon.  We arrived at El Ayudante somewhere around midnight Saturday night (2:00am Eastern time).

Sunday we enjoyed worship just a few blocks away at a Methodist church.  Bill Krizner and Tim McAbee shared a skit from UpStreet with the Sunday school.  A few of us tried to sing some songs in Spanish.  HA!  That was a joke.  They looked at us confused and one girl just downright laughed.  We probably butchered the words with our southern accents. 

Then in the afternoon most of the construction team and others took the kids from the Child Protective Services out for pizza and a movie.

Some of these kids come from atrocious backgrounds.  Personally, my heart breaks because the government is not open to the idea of adoption.  However, we had fun goofing off and sharing pizza with them for the afternoon.  I cannot describe how much they crave affection. 

Work begins today! 

Construction on Pastor Erbin’s home, medical clinic, vacation Bible school. 

I’ll also post pictures on Facebook as the week goes on.

http://www.facebook.com/jrhickey73

Love In Christ,

Jason Hickey

The last one on the list unfortunately gets pushed aside.  I spoke briefly about preparations in my last note “40 Days“.  Hoping I could spend a quiet time with God and allow Him to prepare my heart and mind.  Well it seems 40 days have come and gone.  Although most of the items on the checklist are completed, I’ve neglected to purposefully seek our Lord’s council.  Only in the past few days have I purposefully spent time praying to prepare for our trip.

Ready or not, Saturday afternoon 27 of us will board a plane bound for Nicaragua.  I’m anxious to see what He has planned for us.

I’m on the construction team.  My friend Chris Smith was able to get some pictures of the house we will be working on. 

This is Pastor Erbin’s home.  They live in the open area just to the left of this concrete building which also serves as a church.

Kitchen Area

This is the Erbin’s open air kitchen area. 

Sleeping area

 This is their sleeping area where their family of 5 sleep (2 adults, 2 teenage daughters, and a brand new baby)

Work has already started on this living space.  Next week we hope to lay a foundation to build a new home in that space for the Erbin family.

Our team will also have the opportunity to provide medical care and Vacation Bible school to folks in the area.  I’ll journal each day and try to post those here so check back next week.

In Christ,

Jason Hickey

nicaragua-map

GOOD NEWS!  I’ve raised the money required for the trip.  Your support has been greatly appreciated and any further donations will be used for much needed supplies.

In 40 days our team will be in Leon, Nicaragua.  Last night was our final team meeting and we are finalizing our plans for service.  Our team consists of three separate parts.

• Medical Team
• VBS Team
• Construction Team

Our congregation at KUMC has sent several teams to Nicaragua over the past few years.  We are watching Almighty God call His church to service.  Although several of us, including me, have never been before.  Jim Flury and I talked last night and both of us are anxious to get down there and get started.

40 days to finish the stacks of paperwork, shots, vaccinations, travel plans, passports, and other various technical details.  I pray that our hearts are prepared and God be glorified.  May we be transformed.

In Christ,

Jason Hickey

Matthew 25:40 ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

www.nicamissions.com

Greetings,

A couple of years ago I was reading my devotion in the morning.  I came across Romans chapter 12.  The beginning of this chapter speaks of “being transformed” and do not conform to the ways of this world.  Then Paul continues to say that we all have different gifts according to the grace given to us.  This passage hit me right between the eyes and the question came to mind… “How am I actively using the gifts that I’ve have been given?” That same day I began to look for opportunities to serve.

In October I’ll be traveling with a mission team to Nicaragua and your support will be greatly appreciated.

HOW TO FOLLOW THE MISSION?

I’ll be posting pictures and writing about our trip daily while we are away.  Please send me your email address and I’ll be sure you are included on the posts.

You can also find updates on the web here:

http://jrhickey73.wordpress.com/

http://www.facebook.com/jrhickey73

Thanks in Christ,

Jason Hickey