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| Marta & Jenny at their old house before it was torn down. Roof had so many holes in it during rainy season it was more like a shower. |
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| Marcos standing in the doorway. |
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| Jacqueleen Alexandra |
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| Father Walt from Fairmont, WV with Jacqueleen Alexandra |
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| This is Marcos who helped up put roof on Church when he was 16. | |
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| For some reason this hog wanted me dirty before the Graduation! |
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| Leaving for Selena's graduation |
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| Len Rogers and Selena |
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| Christmas Party at New Jerusalem Church, Vera Cruz, Nicaragua |
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| Suzanna, Selena's little sister, receiving her Christmas present. |
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| Jacqueleen Alexandra at her 3 year old birthday party. |
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| Suzanna relaxing. |
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| Marta, Jenny and David now have a new home. |
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| Jenny doing laundry. |
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| Christmas Party at Holy Mountain Presbyterian Church, Masaya, Nicaragua |
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Hola Family and Friends,
Len Rogers and I are home from our 16th
and very rewarding trip to Nicaragua.
One house was almost completed and the Parsonage at the Holy Mountain Presbyterian
Church was started 2 days before we left.
Escorting Salina in her graduation, the 8th annual Christmas
Party at the New Jerusalem Church and the first Christmas Party at the Holy
Mountain Church are memories I will never forget. If you could only see the looks on the children’s
faces as they receive their gift, you would go back year after year. As always it is hard to get into Christmas
once I return. Going to the mall and
seeing all the people carrying all their packages isn’t the same after knowing
the children we just left will only have the 1 present we gave them. This
Christmas I ask my family not to buy me any gifts but to write a check to NESH
instead. A few years ago my Daughter Sarah and I spent
Christmas in Nicaragua and it was a very interesting experience. On Christmas Eve most everyone goes to Church
and at midnight they shoot off tons of fireworks to celebrate the birth of Our Savior,
Jesus Christ. For years I was amazed at
how these people, being so poor and living in the second poorest country in the
Western Hemisphere, could be so happy.
But their Faith and Love for Jesus outweighs their lack of material
things.
The
Christmas parties for the children were again wonderful. There were 80 kids at the party at the New
Jerusalem Church and everyone left happy.
With 80 kids this party cost more than usual, but it was well worth
it. Angelica, the lady who oversees the
children that we support in school, is now the Administrator of the Children’s
Sunday school. She kept strict roles of attendance
to make sure the kids attended regularly to be able to come to the party. Of course, with the children coming to
Church, the mothers would come also.
This Church really grew this year.
My last blog talked about how Enrique has grown the Holy Mountain Church
and there were 30 children at their party.
After this blog, there are two short videos from this party that you
will enjoy watching.
This
past year we supported 23 children in school.
That is 5 in college and 18 in primary and secondary school. I said I had to learn to say “no” and not add
any additional children unless someone would do really bad in school or quit
and would drop off. Everyone did well
and no one dropped off. I now have a
waiting list of 15 waiting for someone to drop off. I do have to admit, that list has now grown
to 25. The Pastor of the New Jerusalem
Church asked if we could support two special teenage girls that are Sunday school
teachers for the children. One girl is
in the eighth grade and her family has no income, and the other will be in the
seventh grade and didn’t go to school this past year because she didn’t have a
uniform or supplies. How could I say “no”?
This
year, Pastor Enrique, will have all 3 of his kids in Medical College. Since Dennis finished his 5th
year, he will begin his internship and will make a little money. That will free up money for Dina to start her
second year in Medical College and Donnie will start his first year in Dental
College. Now all three of these kids
speak English, which makes it much easier for me. I mentioned this will free up money, well
that is if I can raise the money again this year. If anyone would like to sponsor one of the
kids in Medical or Dental College, I and they would very much appreciate
it. It cost $200 a month for each of
them and I Pray that I can find a couple people that will do this. It cost $200 for the year for the kids in
Primary of Secondary School. That is
unless they are graduating and then it is another $100. The other kids in college cost $30 a month.
Salina’s
graduation was wonderful. I was so proud
to escort her; you would have thought I was her Father. Escorting her to her seat, then across the
stage and then out. I am sure, as you
can see in the pictures; I am beaming as much as she is. The sad thing is, there were 48 kids
graduate, which as you can figure, is a small percentage when you consider there
were 80 children at the Christmas party.
Salina is a special young lady.
If you will read past blogs, you can find out why. I mentioned walking her across the
stage. This stage was built by people from
Fifth Avenue Baptist Church on one of our first trips. The entire cost of this came from a very good
friend of mine that I grew up with in Charleston. I can never put into words what this friend
has meant to me in my Mission work in Nicaragua!
Our
first trip in 2002, we put a roof on the New Jerusalem Church. There was a 16 year old boy named Marcos that
helped us. We were all amazed at some of the things he would do and he even
slept inside the Church to make sure no one stole any of our materials. A few years ago he moved out of town to find
work. He is now back, is married and has
a 3 month old Daughter. We went to his
house and you would not believe the deplorable shape it is in. There are a few pictures after this. It is 4 small trees, anchored at four corners
holding up old tin and burlap. Other
small trees cross the top holding up tin and burlap for a roof. It is a little bigger than the bed inside of
it. I desperately need to raise about
$2,500 to build him a house. With the
use of family and friends there will be no labor cost and his Dad has a few of
the materials.
Now comes the part
where I ask for YOUR help. God says you
won’t receive if you don’t ask, so I am asking!! I haven’t raised all of the money yet to pay
for school clothes, supplies and fees for the upcoming year in school, which
runs February through November. Many of
you have helped with our Nicaragua work in the past and I could never tell you
how much I, the people in the 32 homes, the kids in school, and especially
Dennis, appreciate it. I already call
him Dr. Dennis and, every time I talk to him, I can’t count how many times he
says to me, “God bless you Jack, and all your friends.” I know he is going to make a very good
doctor.
You are all invited and I wish you could
all come with me sometime to see and experience how grateful these people
are. It really makes you realize just
how blessed we are to have been born in the United States. If you have any interest in ever going to
Nicaragua, please let me know. I will be
going again next December. So you have a
whole year to plan, get your shots and save the money. I like to go in December because of the Christmas
parties, the weather and the kids are out of school for their summer break. In December the temperature get to about 90
in the day and around 70 at night with little or no rain.
I know the economy has been bad and everyone’s budget is
tight, but if you could find it in your hearts to help me and all the people I
just talked about, I, and they, will be truly grateful. You can make a tax deductable check to “NESH”, Nicaragua Education,
Shelter and Health Fund, Inc. and send to NESH, P.O. Box 731, Barboursville, WV
25504. NESH is a 501c(3) Non-Profit
Corporation, Incorporated in the state of West Virginia. You will receive a letter confirming your
contribution to use a your tax receipt. As long as your check is dated December 31, your contribution letter will be for 2013. I need to raise $3,000 in the next couple weeks to pay for school clothes, supplies and beginning fees. I would like to raise $2,500 for Marcos house as soon as possible. Then I need $600 a month to pay monthly school fees. I guarantee to you that NESH has no administrative costs because they
are paid by the Kroger Corporation through their Gift Card program where we
receive 5% of the money put on these Gift Cards.
God Bless you
all (Dios Te Bendiga) and I Pray that everyone of you have a Happy and Prosperous
New Year.
Look at the
following pictures of Marcos’s house.
NESH, P.O. 731, Barboursville, WV 25705
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