During ourcatch up class in February the Nehemiah Center was blessed by a few generous individuals and churches! The Nehemiah Center director Luz let Freddy and I know there were sufficient funds donated in the beginning of this year to be able to hold another Finanzas para el Reino class!
Freddy's back in action!
I asked Freddy if he was up to the task of leading another course. He has been participating in some pastoral care for his depression and it has helped him very much. He also bought some reading glasses. These glasses helped him get back into reading his Bible and feeding his soul! As always Freddy was ready for another round of facilitating the Good Sense course! He says it keeps him busy and blesses him with some income now that he no longer works for the Nehemiah Center. He is on a contract bases until his health is back to normal, and funding permits. Please continue to keep Freddy in your prayers, they are working!
Jari's going to share the vision!
We decided to hold another vision conference. This time with a sector of Nejapa that Luz thought we should invite. Over the past few months friends and clients the Nehemiah Center works with in other areas have been asking about the program. They wanted to know when was the next course going to begin. (I consider this a very good problem to have, more demand!)This group was local pastors in the Nejapa area of Managua, where the Nehemiah Center is Located. On February 27, 2018, twenty-one people showed up to hear what is the vision Finanzas para el Reino. A good turnout on a short notice!
Currently we are now holding our second Good Sense course! Eight individuals with great interest turned in their required prerequisites. Four of these participants are lead pastors in Churches in the Nejapa area. We have another Nehemiah Center employee with us and a volunteer. The volunteer is the sole women of the group. This group will finish the first week of April.
I have noticed a lack of men participating in the Nicaraguan church activities. I am sure there are many reasons, some men have to travel long distances from home to find work. If they do find work, it often includes long hours. Maybe its a macho culture? Perhaps church activities are too soft for them? The subject of finance has caught their interest, and they show a desire in hearing what God says about money. One of the pastors brought along a friend, who was hesitant to take the course. At the end of the first session he signed up, bought his book and committed to the next two weeks!
The men improving their stewardship
This man Juan asked to share a small testimony with me. "I came with pastor Jorge, I really didn't want to come. I had a small interest but thought there was nothing for me here. But after our break God was talking to my heart, and he said 'Take the course'. What your doing means so much to us brother, God bless you!" Juan is a professional marketing consultant who runs his own business, and a co pastor of a local church.
Thank you to our faithful Lord Jesus, who provides enough resources for us to continue this work! Amen!
There is a change in our method of working with businesses in Nicaragua than when we first arrived in 2016. It is easier to explain this difference with a story! Five years ago I started working with the Association of Christian Entrepreneurs of Nicaragua, (AECNIC). An association started out of the Nehemiah Center. You can read about this association in older blog posts. (I don't know why the pictures do not show up anymore, blogger website problem?) I spent a lot of time mentoring the business owners who made up the board of directors for the association. Hours were spent helping these individuals get a stronger accounting system and flow process in their businesses. I loved working with all of them. Their positive attitudes and faith was, and still is, inspiring today. In 2018, Nicaragua went through its political crisis. During those months many businesses were hurting and barely surviving. I met with Erica* to see how she was coping with the crisis we were all living through....
Jari and I arrived back home in Jinotega late December, just before Christmas time. We took a few days to rest and recover from our travels and a small cold that traveling brings. We couldn't wait to go and see the field of beans now that it was almost harvest time. Up to this point, we only saw the field in pictures, but now it was time to be present and see the beans flow in the wind! The plants did not disappoint us in person. They were healthy, bushy with big leaves and plenty of bean pods maturing to a nice deep reddish color. Some of the plants leaves had started to turn yellow as they were reaching maturity and dying off, putting the last of their nutrients into the beans. Darwin had done a great job caring for the plants and now he was preparing for the harvest, but when would they be ready? The answer was, wait. A test of patience. In the first week of January we saw large portions of the bean field dying off. Since this was Darwin's first time planting beans he wasn...
Our ministry is based on a simple but profound concept, work as worship! The Hebrew word AVODAH,( עבדה ) means service. It carries two other meanings, work and worship. In the Old Testament this word was used when the nation of Israel was called to serve God, and worship him. It is also the same word used to describe work! We can say this word, Avodah, is spiritual service. (Exodus 23:25) This concept is expressed again by the Apostle Paul in Colossians 3:23. When we “work” as unto the Lord it is an act of spiritual service and is also worship. Whether we are giving a workshop in the Jinotega Chamber of Commerce, or in a farmer’s field of beans, the concept of Avodah is what we live out and teach. It is in this field of beans where we have the most potential to reach our region of Nicaragua with the Gospel! We are now purchasing a small farm to invite farmers to experience avodah with their own senses. We have certified red bean seed, sorghum and hybrid corn availa...
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