Satisfied Wages for Nicaragua

"Thankswhat?" On my way to Matagalpa, Thanksgiving Day of 2016, I saw a few Turkeys hanging out in front of houses along dirt roads. These turkeys were strutting and gobbling in front of everyone without a care in the world. It's good to be a turkey in Nicaragua. Here they don't need to run from the ax, at least not on the third Thursday of November! Thanksgiving Day is not celebrated in Nicaragua. So on my first Thanksgiving here I was left with a lot of baked turkey dreams. All those turkeys looked so delicious! At the end of our trip, we settled for fried chicken, on Thanksgiving day?! In April the whole country of Nicaragua changed. Protests against social security reforms have turn into a political crisis. Hundreds of people have lost their lives, thousand have been injured or disappeared. Thousands have lost their jobs too. All of our past posts this summer have had something to do with the situation of the country. It has been a life changing event for ...

It has been a long time since Jari and I have had a chance to meet up with some of the entrepreneurs in Chinandega. I have tried to call a few of them but phone connections and times were not very good. Since the start of this political crisis in Nicaragua it is very dangerous to go on long trips away from home. The trip to Chinandega can take up to 2 hours. You also have to pass through the city of Leon on your way there. Leon has been a hot spot of violence, roadblocks and protests. So when a fellow missionary said she was going to go to Chinandega to meet with some of the pastors she works with I decided we should all go together. We decided, "Vamos a Chinandega, con cuidado." Let's go to Chinandega, but carefully. Like any trip in Nicaragua it is an adventure. You don't know what you'll encounter on the way there. However, in these days it can be more dangerous. Our trip was going well, we arrived safely to Leon, but this highway bypass showed the scars of p...

It is tourist season in Nicaragua. Many good people from North America come to enjoy the sun, others come to see different ministries and lend a helping hand. I often hear the same questions mixed in with a commentary about Nicaragua, "Why don't they just.... (fill in the blank)?" It is easy to think you have solutions during a two week visit. I am guilty of the same mentality, born and raised in the United States, I can share the same 'Why don't they just...?" attitude. However, I knew my stay in Nicaragua would be much longer than two weeks and so it was time to not ask questions, but listen. When I was in my early twenties an old Tool & Die journeyman, Mr. Terpstra, once asked me in the same commentary styled question, "Jesse, you can't listen with your mouth open can you?" I never asked many questions of Mr. Terpstra again, I just listened, watched and learned! AECNIC's Business Mind! I was recently able to facilitate a bus...

Association of Christian Entrepreneurs of Nicaragua board During the summer of 2016 when I was telling a good friend Paul Pierson I was leaving for Nicaragua and so I needed to close my company Satisfied Wages, Paul said, " Jesse, your not closing. Your going international!" With that new perspective I was able to stay encouraged and make the move to Nicaragua a little bit smoother for Jari and I. Soon I saw the plan God had for my business was the same it always has been. Coach and mentor people in their personal and business finances. I was doing what I have been doing for years, just in a different place! We have had a great first year in Nicaragua. Jari and I have been able to stay encouraged and feed off the energy of entrepreneurs. We've taken day trips and stayed over night in hot hotels in the cities of Leon and Chinandega for business mentoring with the board member of Association of Christian Businesses of Nicaragua (AECNIC). There have been very fe...

I stayed over night at the Hotel Campestre "La Terraza"after the AECNIC Celebration  because we had an early morning board meeting with AECNIC (Asociacion de Emprasarios Cristianos de Nicaragua). It was a time to get input from the board on their progress and offer some advise, but also a time to testify about the great things God has done for them. AECNIC's final recognition from the Nicaraguan government is on its way and soon they will be able to sign up more members. They know a lot of people are interested and have set a goal of growing by 100 members in the next 2-3 years. Board president Elizabeth says "We are brothers & sisters with a Biblical Worldview and pioneers with this structure." They have a vision to help Christian business because they see the need of God's people to be trained in topics of business as missions. Unfortunately, there is a belief in Nicaragua that business people are only looking to make money and they walk away from...

I was able to attend the 1st assembly of the Asociacion de Empresarios Cristianos de Nicaragua, AECNIC, (Association of Christian Entrepreneurs of Nicaragua) celebration. This was held in the city of Chinandega. It was a great reunion of all the current 24 members of the association, AECNIC is getting very close to finalizing their official recognition by the government of Nicaragua. During the assembly the members gave thanks to God and the Biblical Worldview business training they received through the partnership of the Nehemiah Center and Partners Worldwide. The training helped reassure their calling from God as Christians in the marketplace. Luis from Chinandega said "I am only a worker in this business, it belongs to God and so does the property, I thank God for the blessing and opportunity to serve Him!" Lesbia from Leon said " Thank you to Partners Worldwide and the Nehemiah Center. I learned about finances and business plans. I also learned accounting and...

I have started to participate in our mentoring program for the business owners of the Asociacion de Emprasarios Cristianos de Nicaragua (AECNIC). There are 24 members of the association and we have chosen to start with the associations 7 board members. Each business has already received six months worth mentoring earlier this year, so my work will build on this and God willing, bring a new perspective to the participants. If any of you are familiar with my previous work, I was on a Business Affiliate team for SpringGR in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a few years. This team consisted of Christian business men and women who volunteered their time and wisdom to help mentor SpringGR alumni. Here is a link to learn more >  SpringGR  It's a great program, and get involve if you are in the Grand Rapids, MI area! I hope to put my previous experience to work for AECNIC. Of course, there will be plenty to learn from AECNIC as well. I can't wait to see how these entrepreneurs resp...

Jari and I have finally settled into our apartment. We have been blessed with a home close to where we will be volunteering. The Nehemiah center is only 3.5 kilometers from where we stay, a short 10 minute bus ride. Amos Health and Hope is only 200 meters away from the Nehemiah Center for Jari. Being close allows us to take a bus, bus to caponera, or even walk if needed. After orientation and my first week of Spanish lessons I was able to take a trip and meet the Junta (board) for the Associacion Empresarios Cristianos Nicaragua (AECNIC). This is a group of 24 Christian business men and women who have completed business as mission training done in collaboration with the Nehemiah Center and Partners World Wide. The meeting started at 9 a.m. in a city to the north called Chinandega! Quick Shot inside This was our first time being all day on a bus to another city. Most of the buses in Nicaragua are old school buses. We stopped the bus from our taxi, and boarded the bus. It was...