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Newsletters - May 2009
Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua
Evangelism Through Relationships
Halle and Kathy August, Missionaries
amen@ibw.com.ni
www.alongsideministries.org
May 2009
(See Pictures attached)
Dear Friends,
Greetings from Nicaragua! Almost like clockwork the rains have begun once again. While it’s not as dramatic as some of the changes in the seasons that you all enjoy up in the states we still enjoy the subtle changes – a bit less dust, the vibrant green of the trees now that all the dust is washed off and the green haze that begins to cover the baseball and soccer fields. That green haze will quickly turn into healthy grass that almost seems to grow overnight and this summer’s volunteers and team members will all have an opportunity to push a lawnmower around the outfield for a bit. I don’t think anyone understands how big a baseball field really is until they stand in the outfield behind a little 21” lawnmower. That’s still all ahead of us for the next seven months. We’d actually like to look back a bit and share what’s been happening here at El Salero (our sports/community center) during the past few months.
One of the biggest projects we’ve had going on around here for quite awhile is the covered basketball court. It has been a long process to watch the whole thing come together but two of the gifts God has blessed Halle with are the gifts of vision and perseverance. That’s just what was needed to see this project through to completion. The final phase of the construction – pouring the concrete floor – has just been completed. This month-long process of pouring the concrete, had a few bumps along the way but the final result is a great looking floor, ready for basketball, indoor soccer, badminton, pickle ball… the possibilities are endless. In fact, the floor was finished just in time for a Managua Christian youth program which used our facility to host over 600 youth for an all day event here at El Salero. They brought in their own stage, sound system, chairs, tents and everything else they needed to have a day of praise and worship, learning, and playing. We
anticipate that this facility is going to get a lot of use, especially after the basketball backboards and hoops are installed. Once that’s done and the floor is painted it should be officially done. Yea!!!
Another important facility here at El Salero is the ranchon – our palm covered meeting area and kitchen. It is a beautiful facility that is used for youth programs, women’s exercise class, English class, meetings, and serves as our dining room for teams. Thankfully, before the rains returned, we were able to get the roof re-thatched and once again enjoy dry meals and meetings. We want to thank the over-and-above financial gifts from St. Paul United Methodist church, First Presbyterian Church in Sudbury and a donation from Manna Project Int’l. Without their financial help we’d still be dodging drips and tripping over buckets. Thank you!!
The other 2 main facilities here at El Salero are the library and computer lab. Our library, under the leadership of Rosemary our librarian, is running on a regular five day a week schedule and is a busy place every single day. This month has seen the addition of another El Salero employee. Josue is now manning the computer lab, offering beginning computer skills classes, providing supervision for kids who want to play computer games, youth who need to access the internet for their homework and others who might be checking their email. It is great to be able to offer this facility to the community. Once again
our thanks go to Manna Project Int’l for securing grant money that is helping to pay the salaries of both Rosemary and Josue.
So much of what goes on here at El Salero wouldn’t be possible without the hard work and sweat equity invested by our teams and Manna Project volunteers. In March we hosted an Episcopalian College Student group from Texas. Some of them braved the heights of the covered basketball court to paint the zinc roof while others worked below hauling out dirt to level the floor in preparation for concrete and still others weeded and helped with some of maintenance projects that are necessary to keep this place looking good.
We’ve had a little break from teams in April and May but are gearing up for “team season” starting in June. It will be busy and fun as we host and get to know folks from Washington, California, Texas, and Missouri. When are YOU going to bring a team down? We’d love to have you join us!
As always, thank you for your prayers and support of us and our ministry. Please continue to pray for:
- Nicaragua: the government, the ever-developing and sometimes declining infrastructure of this country, those living at and below poverty levels, the crime. All of these things are intertwined and affect us in our daily lives and ministry down here.
- the effectiveness of our ministry as we continue to try to live and love as Jesus would have us do.
- steadfast hearts to continue in ministry.
- our family in the states.
- those preparing to travel here over the next several months.
- Evelin, Dina and their families. They are sisters who recently lost their mother to cancer and continue to face a mountain of personal and financial difficulties. Please pray also that we would know the best way to help them.
Before closing we want to look a little further into the future. We’re already booking teams for 2010 and are so thankful for those who are acting on the promise, “all things are possible with God.” We understand how the future financial outlook might place travel and missions on the back burner for awhile but want to encourage you in your faithfulness, trust and obedience as you seek what God would like to do through you in these next few years. Stepping out in faith, trust and obedience we have decided to proceed with a library expansion project. We already have a team lined up in January 2010 with plans to help with construction but we are prayerfully seeking the funds necessary to do the pre-construction work that will be needed before the team arrives. Please pray with us regarding this project. If you feel led to give directly to this project please clearly mark your donation “library expansion” so we’ll know to apply it in the right place. Thank you!
Serving Together,
Halle and Kathy August
AMEN
Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua
Thank you for supporting our ministry in Nicaragua.
Your gifts, sent to Eastside Development (formally The NEO Foundation),
will be used for our general ministry activities or wherever you designate.
Eastside Development
PO Box 301471
Portland, OR 97294 |