Happy holidays to everyone!
I just finished typing all of this and realized how long it got, and want to apologize in advance, but I have been so out of touch I wanted to share everything that has been going on here since my last bulk email. Thanks to all of you who will read this entire report .
For those who will not read it all please read this paragraph and look at some of the videos we have posted. I will not be in the states for Christmas or New Years, but I will have 4 days in Boone, NC before taking a 2 week mission trip to Kenya, Africa. For those of you around Boone January 8-11, I would love to visit with you. Be blessed in this exciting time of year. I love you all!!
I hope that everyone has had a great Thanksgiving and is excited for Christmas and the New Year. We have had a very exciting year here in northwest Nicaragua, especially in these final 3 months. I want to share a few of the newest things going on with everyone. I believe that pictures say so much more than words, and videos do even more than pictures, plus they are probably more interesting than what I can type. So below you will see a list of different video links to a few of the many activities and ministries we have been a part of in the past 2 months.
There are 5 videos and they are listed oldest to newest by clicking on the following link:
http://vimeo.com/user1005962/
If you only have time or interest to visit one of these videos here they are in the same order:
Rural Medical Clinics with Pinnacle Church: http://vimeo.com/7427563
Wheelchair Distribution with Rotary Club: http://vimeo.com/7479013
Thanksgiving with Bice-Cindy & Dwayne-Nancy: http://vimeo.com/7861732
Santa Matilde Rice Harvest: http://vimeo.com/7983537
New Song Mission Land Tour with World Race: http://vimeo.com/7984558
For those of you that want to read more about our last 3 months…
Barbara Coupe, from south Florida, was with us at the end of August and first 10 days of September. She came in March with One Hope and had been wanting to come back to do a trip by herself, and see if God is calling her into full-time mission work. She left convinced as ever that God is calling her to long-term mission work, and that she wants to start it with us here at New Song in late 2010.
My friend from Orlando, Florida, Brittany McManus, has visited 3 times between July 2008 and January 2009. She became a Christian during her first trip here and has done her best to come back as often as possible while finishing college and working 2-3 different jobs. In September 2009, she put all of those things behind her and is now living on the land and serving with our mission full time. She teaches English classes on the weekend, and throughout the week is being a great help to me and the entire mission with the youth in our community. She is also working with Daniel to help sale and promote things from our garden, sewing ladies, and other small business projects.
For a short, but fun 5 days in September, Darrell Roberts and some young men from Living Water in Boone, NC came down to do a scout trip for their church, and later this week they will have a group of over 20 young people here spending the holidays and an extra 10 days ministering through music, construction, crafts, and much more. They are blessing our ministry with a lot of music equipment and a possible retreat in the mountains of Matagalpa.
Also in September, Lisa Smith, who was a part of the 2nd world race group to visit us, came with her family and best friend for a week. Lisa is planning to be here in January 2010 for a year or longer serving with New Song Mission Nicaragua. Her family had a good time visiting the community where she will be serving and getting to know Tommy, Linda, Brittany, and myself.
In October, the Gables and I each had trips to the states and Mexico respectively, before the big groups we had planned for November, December, and January came in. At the end of October, Jennifer Sellers and Lynda Baltzell of Pinnacle Church in Canter, NC came and helped in 3 clinics in 1 week. They did our normal Friday clinic in Candelaria, followed by rural clinics in La Isla and Santa Matilde. They were a great help and have started and continued some great friendships.
In the first week of November, The Wheelchair Foundation and Rotary Club were her to distribute 270 brand new wheelchairs in Leon and Chichigalpa. Yader and Erick from our mission staff along with a lot of our key men and youth helped build and distribute all of these in 2 days. It was a real blessing to see that plan come together and see so many needs met for people of our community and many others in the area.
Later in November, we had visits from 2 couples, Bice and Cindy and Dwayne and Nancy, who had ministry days for the women, pastors, and staff of New Song Mission Nicaragua as well as a week of training on Spiritual Warfare that we are still studying each Sunday afternoon. They have been a great help to our mission over the past year in so many ways, and this trip was a true blessing for our staff, pastors, and church community.
Throughout the entire month of November we had 2 teams from the World Race with us. Weston and his team of 7, along with Cristina and her team of 6 filled our mission house and clinic up for the whole month and were an awesome help to Brittany and I with the youth. They led nights of discipleship, fun, and made many friendships with the youth and children of our church. They also helped do some work projects including laying floor in the bedrooms of the house, harvesting 8,300 pounds of rice, and building an outdoor shower for a widow in a neighboring village. This was the 4th World Race group we have hosted, and cannot wait for another. They always, always bring such life to our community!
Overlapping with the World Race teams in the last week of November, Atlanta City Church had a group of 6 here that brought fun and powerful messages to our community. They packed their days with all kinds of ministry. From playing with children and educating the Sunday school teachers to interactive creative worship and services for personal prayer and ministry. They shared dramas, music, and messages in a new and interesting way that the church enjoyed.
We have had about 10 days now to collect ourselves and get ready for a full 2nd half of December and January.
We have a young lady coming to help in the garden tomorrow for a couple weeks, and a couple from Boone doing construction projects and living in the mission house at the community. This weekend a group of over 20 young people will be spending the next 3 weeks ministering in countless ways, including praise and worship which I am most excited about.
In January, a group of 13 college students from Concordia University will be serving with us for 2 weeks. In the last week of December we will be welcoming the first 4 of our 6 long term missionaries planning to live on the land between 4-12 months along with Brittany and I. By the last few days of January 2010, there with be a total of 8 of us between ages 20-27 living on the land and working together with New Song Mission for His kingdom. I am excited for the new friendships ahead and the help each of them will bring our ministry and me personally.
I want to say thanks to everyone and report things that are still needed for those of you who are still with me…
First of all, thank you all so much for all the prayers, interest, and support you send out way each month. This mission could not exist without all of you! The amount of people God is sending this way now, would not be able to stay with us, without all the help we have received getting the pastor house turned into a dorm and kitchen, and now into a long-term mission house. The past 6 months, have been very exciting to see the progress of the house and it is really looking great. By the end of this week we should have the tile down throughout all the bedrooms, bathrooms, and living room. We want to then go back and install ceilings throughout these same areas and paint all the interior and exterior walls; both of these will require more funds.
Our general fund, house fund, and other small business projects could all use support here at the end of 2009. All contributions are available to be written off on taxes and will qualify for the year 2009 if sent in the next 2 weeks. You can send checks to New Song Mission Nicaragua, 3355 Old Jonesboro Rd., Fairburn, GA 30213 or logon to www.NewsongMissionNicaragua.
Thanks to all of you who have read this entire report and I hope that God Blesses your holiday time. I will not be in the states for Christmas or New Years, but I will have 4 days in Boone, NC before taking a 2 week mission trip to Kenya, Africa. For those of you around Boone January 8-11, I would love to visit with you. Be blessed in this exciting time of year. I love you all!!
In Christ,
Jim Bob / Diego
John 15:13
