Meet Darwin B.

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We have an apprentice! His name is Darwin B. He has a degree in agronomy from the National Agronomy University in Managua. He was born and raised in Jinotega, Nicaragua. I met Darwin through our friends at Comunidad de Estudiantes Cristianos de Nicaragua - CECNIC. This is a Christian discipleship group within the universities here in Nicaragua, connected with Intervarsity. The past director of CECNIC, and another leader, Lester, were part of our original class of Buen Sentido in 2017. 

When we arrived in Jinotega I knew we would need someone to help us with our work here. I called Lester and asked him if there was any CECNIC alumni in Jinotega. A few days later he gave me Darwin's phone number. When we were getting closer to going public with Discipling Marketplace Leaders I gave him a call. We met at a coffee shop a few times and conversed about life and the testimony of his Christian faith. 

Lester, Darwin, and myself finishing Buen Sentido!
In July 2021, we scheduled a Buen Sentido workshop at a local church. I invited him to participate in the course. He successfully completed the course and some of the group mentoring. Soon afterwards he started working on his personal budget. Even though he did not have much income or expenses to budget from, the habit was created! Darwin has a good church he is active in and shares his knowledge of Biblical Stewardship with his friends at church.  

When Jari and I finished the translation for DML presentations, he learned a lot as we went over our introduction and foundational workshop materials together, one session at a time. We discussed various aspects of the material and made grammar edits to the translations. 

Darwin worked at his brother convenience store, helping his family and earning a small salary. After our revision of DML materials, I asked him how he felt about his work at the store. He had so much to say, I can only summarize it! He said before he looked at his job only as a way to earning money, a place to help his family. He used to pray and ask God for work in a ministry or church, to become a pastor so he can live out his faith better. Now he knows he is a minister for God where ever he is at, especially at the convenience store he worked in. He has prayed for and encouraged customers who came into his brothers store. He says, "If our Lord Jesus did carpentry work, how can a carpenter say his work is secular? No all work for a Christian is sacred, all our businesses are God's businesses!" 

Darwin running the bean machine 1st day in
His agronomy degree fits well in our ministry, since Jinotega is an agricultural region. However, he was having a hard time finding work as an agronomist. I knew we had to get him somewhere he could put his education and love for farming to good use! So I contacted our friends at La Semilla ministries in Jinotepe, Nicaragua! The crew at La Semillas have been good friends of ours since 2017 and their staff are facilitators of the Buen Sentido finance courses. (Read a post of some of their past work in the theme of finance here.) 

In March we drove south to reconnect with our friends and let Darwin see and learn about their work with farmers. In our discussions, La Semilla offered to give Darwin an internship for three months so he can learn hands on! La Semillas was also considering options for expanding their work outside of the department of Carazo. Darwin took time to pray and accepted the offer for the internship. His internship is from May to August of 2022. How wonderful is our Lord, making all these connections and working within our ministries to share our time, treasure and talents for His kingdom! 

Preparing a field for bean planting

When Darwin returns in August, we will plan on the integration of our ministries, teaching farmers about working with integrity and unto God, and helping bi-vocational pastors to implement these themes in their churches too. Agrobusiness for God's kingdom!

Over the last four years I have been praying for an apprentice. A young man who I can share my knowledge, experience, and also be able to learn from. I was an apprentice for many years in Michigan as a young man, taught by Christian men who shared their faith with me while we worked in tool and die shops. Then pastors and former missionaries also spent time to disciple me in Bible studies, always using workplace examples. Now I have the opportunity to do the same! May God bless our friendship! Let all of us who are Christian, Go! and make disciples! 

He's in Granada on a weekend trip

Location: Jinotega, Nicaragua

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