OUR BELOVED NICARAGUA IN CRISIS!

As they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." This picture captures the face of the battle, young people fighting against a ruthless government with makeshift weapons, intense bravery, and a deep yearning for so much more.  

THE BACKGROUND STORY

     Friends, you may or may not know, since international news coverage has been scarce, that Nicaragua is a country in DEEP CRISIS. What started on April 19th as reasonable protests by University students and senior citizens over social security reform has evolved into an outright revolution for freedom and democracy.   Nicaraguans are fighting for change and there is no turning back. These brave people will not give up even if the cost is great. They want peace but only if it is accompanied by freedom and justice. They will not forget the over 140 men and women who have already lost their lives and the hundreds who have disappeared or been injured in this fight for a better life.

     On June 5 the crisis reached the city of Granada where we live and work. Mortars, gunfire, machetes, rocks, and other makeshift weapons were used to fight against attacking police and paramilitary groups recruited by the government to repress its own people. The people fought back; casualties resulted, followed by the burning of buildings and looting of businesses by vandals and opportunists. Now they face severe food and gasoline shortages coupled with a stalled economy due to road blocks, the loss of tourism, and resulting loss of jobs.

     Those of us serving with El Puente and the Granada Christian Education Center were instructed by our sending agencies to leave Nicaragua immediately. We found ourselves scrambling to evacuate in the midst of what felt like all-out war, while trying to set up systems and contingencies to keep the ministry afloat with the help of our local staff and leaders who we’ve been discipling, equipping, and working beside for many years.

SO, WHAT NOW? 

     The vast majority of the people we minister to had already been living on an average of $2 – 4 per day, mainly tied to the tourist industry. At this point tourism in Granada is NON-EXISTENT. People who merely survive each day have no savings to help weather the storm. For those of us who have been serving in Nicaragua as long-term missionaries, this is deeply personal. We love the Nicaraguan people, and we’ve walked alongside them for years in an effort to share the gospel through Christ-centered community development projects. We have laughed with them, cried with them, hurt with them, been scared with them, and more importantly, learned about who God is in our lives with them. 

    God is not done with Nicaragua, El Puente or the Granada Christian Education Center!  With over 12 years invested, this is a growing and flourishing ministry discipling hundreds of families in and around the city of Granada and its outlying barrios. We employ over a dozen full-time Nicaraguan ministry partners and many seasonal workers through construction projects, the maintenance and repairs of existing buildings, and the operations associated with running a church, sports program, and growing school.  We are only able to do this by the grace of God through partner donations and visiting teams. Teams especially, while giving so much of themselves to minister to the local people, also help meet financial needs through room and board while staying with us. For clear reasons, we have had to CANCEL visiting teams this year, resulting in a significant LOSS of revenue. We have no way of making that up and sacrificed our reserves to pay our staff several months in advance so that they can make emergency provision for themselves and their families.  We have no idea how long the protests and violence will last. We do know though, that even if peace were achieved today the negative impact to the country, ministry and people will be felt for years. 

   In the midst of all this and in obedience to the Lord's specific calling and leading, we, at El Puente and the Granada Christian Education Center, remain committed to our programs and community, but we NEED your help.  We are sensing a new eagerness for the Word and spiritual answers. Would you please consider PARTNERING with us to help Nicaragua survive this crisis? Will you help us continue the Lord’s work? Would you help us keep the church pastor, guards, caretakers, teachers, and other workers employed and continue to meet the physical and spiritual needs of our church and community members? Would you help us continue to educate and provide a place of refuge for over 100 kids and their families? Would you help us continue to reach out and disciple local at-risk children and youth through our growing sports program? Would you partner with us in doing this good work? We have set up management and accountability to ensure that needs are met in an honest way. You can help us continue what we’ve been doing for the last 12 years.  The time to help is now! Below are CRITICAL needs and ways you can help financially.  Please partner with us in this cause. Nicaraguans deserve this and so much more!

HOW CAN I HELP?

• EMERGENCY Crisis Management for food, medicine, gas, and other daily provisions: $10,000
• SALARIES for the balance of this year: $20,000
• CRITICAL, ongoing operating expenses for 2018 AND 2019 including  construction, road improvement projects, and SALARIES for 2019: $155,000 (ongoing construction and improvement projects would help us keep many locals decently employed during this difficult time)

   This seems insurmountable to us, but we know that with God’s help, together, we CAN do it. For example, if every person who was planning to come to Nicaragua as part of a short-term team chose to donate the money they were going to pay during their visit with us, we would be half way there. If others would come alongside that with additional giving, fundraisers, etc. we could easily meet the needs of the projected 2-year budget for emergency provisions, salaries, ongoing operating expenses, repairs and construction projects.  The need is obvious, but we need your help and if you are so moved, please use the link to start that process.  In advance, we want to thank you for partnering with us in this good work and worthy cause. 

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS

All donations made to the Granada, Nicaragua Crisis Fund through the Global Outreach giving campaign platform are 100% tax deductible. Any giving over the campaign amount will be used to meet ongoing ministry needs of El Puente Ministries and the Granada Christian Education Center. 

For more information on the GCEC, please visit www.granadaeducation.org

For more information on El Puente Ministries, visit www.thebridgegranada.org

Funds donated through this campaign will NOT be used for any of the El Puente and GCEC U.S. missionary staff's personal, living, or account management expenses. 100% of the funds collected will go to meet the immediate, mid-term, and longer-term financial needs of the ministry associated with the church, sports, and school.