Doug Going back in May!

Dear Friends,

 I am really encouraged, and even excited about what God is doing through Vision Nicaragua!  Please allow me to explain.   I know that each one of you have been in the right place, at the right time a few times in your life; you get the privilege to see God use you to impact other people’s lives for the good.  As the younger people say today, this is “WAY COOL”.   This is where we are right now with Vision Nicaragua.

God is doing wonderful things through you and me.  Kids are going to school.  Families are being helped by the medical clinic and Doctor Michael.  The sponsored widows of the village are having their basic needs met.  The Sick Men (from the pesticides) are being seen by a kidney specialist and getting their vitamins and medications.  And over 20 of the able bodied now have jobs through the project to help support their families.  And, continue to give out both food and gift bags for children to these poor families during every trip we make, and are going to other outreach villages in the surrounding area.

As you all know, my journey through Vision Nicaragua has been focused on the “Project” where we have our micro-enterprises of the block company, welding shop, used clothing store, and now the Mission House which is being used by many local Christians for God’s glory.  Many of you saw a few of the photos I included in my return report last time.   

We have a vision for them to grow and employ even more people in the future, keeping the men and women out of the toxic sugar cane fields.

See the photo below (before we made it safer) which used to have a normal gable roof shape to it.   This is a one-time opportunity to help with a permanent structure, and the need is now with the storm season approaching. 

  Another big need is to purchase medicine for the families to see the doctor and special clinic visits for the sick men.  As you know, medicine is very expensive, and we are ministering to the village of Bethel.  This costs about $2,300 per month, and adds up really, really fast and consumes a large portion of our ministry budget.  

These are big items that God has entrusted to just a few faithful people to step forward to help. 

But everyone can be a part.  We have a big bunch of kids that need sponsors for $10 a month, and trade school students needing $20 a month.  Everyone can do this.  You can start sponsoring a kid at our website at www.visionnicaragua.org.  Please donate toward this, and we will send you a child’s photo.  (Sorry it isn’t the other way around yet that allows you to choose a kid, but we are working on it.  Please don’t let this deter you from ministering to a kid.)  Below is an example of a kid that you can sponsor.  I think this young lady is already sponsored, but we have about 200 kids needing our help to go to school: 

I am returning to Nicaragua twice in as many months – Once in May, going by myself to work with the micro-enterprises, and then returning in June with a group from my home church, bringing many first-timers to Nicaragua!  This is a life-changing experience.  I am very serious about this.  If there is one thing that made the most impact on my life as a whole after becoming a Christian, it was going on my first mission trip to Mexico back in the 1980’s.  This has been such a significant part of who I am now, that it has given me a whole new focus to bring others along.  If you or your loved ones have never been on a short term foreign mission trip, I urge you to please consider choosing “yes”.  We have a few trips ahead of us in October and December that are not yet full, and are open now.  We will be giving out food to poor families, gift bags to kids, and possibly giving out shoes to the barefoot.  Many trips also include a field trip for a group baptismal in a river, and we may also take a trip to the local dump where several families are living.

 Or, if you prefer to donate on-line using PayPal, you can do this via our website at www.visionnicaragua.org.  There is a “Donate” tab at the left, and you can choose how you want to help.

Thanks again for your partnership!

 Your friend,

 Doug Van Wirt