Amazing People from West Virginia

   

   God works in many ways and through many people!  The reason this is only my second blog from this trip is because I have been having problems with my computer.  I can get on the internet just fine…but once I get there it takes 2 to 3 minutes after every click to get anything to work.  It took me over 4 hours to get the last blog in.  Yesterday morning I used another computer to check my email and had an email from 2 friends that read the blog and they were lead by God to send us $3,500 to build another house.  I was so moved I cried, but that’s nothing compared to the family that I got to tell that they were going to get their house built.  This family is a husband and wife with 3 children.  The husband is the brother of the lady we are currently building a house that Barboursville Rotary paid for.  He is one of the block layers and has a piece of land that Len Rogers purchased for him a couple years ago.  Through generous people like this….I am the lucky person that gets to tell people they are getting a new home.  We also told a lady that has 3 children, one daughter named Jinny who we have know since she was 2 years old, that if we raise the money, we will build her a house next trip.   What a wonderful Christmas these families in Vera Cruz will have this year! 

     On Saturday we went to the Vera Cruz Public School graduation.  Their graduation takes a lot longer than ours does.  They start out by gathering at the school and then marching to a Catholic Church about 2 blocks away for a Church service that took over an hour.  Then they march back to the school and each student, with their escort, is announced and walk down the aisle to their seats.  The escort is generally the Father or relative of the girls and Mother of the boys.  Then the number 1 and 2 students in the class give their speech and the dignitaries give their speeches.  After that they are called up individually, with their escorts, and receive their diplomas.  While on stage, the escort presents their student with their class ring, if they were well off enough to purchase one.  Then each student and their escort are announced and walk back down the aisle to exit.  We arrived at the service at 1:30 and left at 5:30.  Afterwards we went to a graduation party of a beautiful girl named Hazel, who we had built her family’s home several years ago.  While at the party I was really honored when a wonderful girl named Salina, who I have known from the beginning, ask me to be her graduation escort next year.

     Sunday morning we went to the Remar Church with the children from the Remar Orphanage.  We left there and went back to Vera Cruz to the New Jerusalem Church for the Christmas party for the kids there.  The numbers were a little down this year, we ended up buying gifts for only 66 children this year.  They played games, and of course the gringos, (Len, Rick and I) had to lead each game off.  Then they had their piñata, and as always, they blindfolded me and laughed as I tried to hit it.  Len videoed this and wants me to put it on the blog…..but I don’t think so.

     Monday was back to work, the second house, with help from Bradford White, was started and the first house is almost finished.  We have had little problems with getting materials or labors for either house.  The biggest problem so far was our welder for the roof of the first house was broken.  At home this wouldn’t be much of a problem, but here getting parts isn’t as easy.  We had to go to the Oriental Market (black market) to find the parts, and also make sure they sell us the right parts.  This is the biggest market in Central America.  It is somewhat dangerous to go there and many of the people from here will not go there.  Len and I have been there many times, but this was Ricks first time.  Anyone who knows Rick, ask him what he impression of the Oriental Market was, I don’t think he wants to go back.

     Well we had better get to work….my computer in now working better.  I got rid of Internet Explorer and downloaded Firefox and everything seems fine.  I want to thank everyone who makes all of this possible.  Without your support none of this would ever happen.  Our 501c(3) organization is the Nicaragua Education, Shelter and Health Fund, Inc.(NESH), P.O. Box 731, Barboursville, WV  25504.  Adios for now and I will write more later.  

GOOD BLESS YOU ALL !!!

Hola from Nicaragua

Hola Family and Friends,

     After four days in Nicaragua things are going great. It has been very busy....leaving early and getting in late.  We have purchased materials for two houses and one has been under construction for two days.  It should be finished Tuesday or Wednesday.  The second house will begin construction on Monday.  It is a little bigger than what we normally build, so it will take a little longer.  The houses we build are 18 X 18 foot cinder block room with a tin roof and cement floor.  These are the 28^th and 29^th houses we have built.  Our group this trip consist of three old men from Barboursville Rotary, myself, Len Rogers and Rick Keaton.  Since two of us have bad backs, we have to hire most of the labor.  We pay two block layers $300 together, who run the job, and pay labors $8 a day.  We know all of them and they all need the money to feed their families.

     We took five Sunday school teachers from the New Jerusalem Church shopping Thursday to buy the presents for the children’s Christmas party which will be Sunday.  There are 66 children on the list for this year’s party.  This will be the eighth year we have had this Christmas party, and the gifts they receive will be the only gifts some of them will get this Christmas.  The first year we bought toys, but after that they ask if they could buy clothes instead. 

     The group from my Church, Fifth Avenue Baptist, left Friday morning.  On Thursday evening Remar Orphanage had a party to send off the team and for all of the children to receive their Christmas presents.  Fun was had by all.

     Dennis, our boy in Medical College, had dinner with us on Wednesday night.  His last final was Tuesday and he has now finished his forth year.  His sister Dini finished her first year in Nursing school and brother Donnie graduated from high school and is taking the test next month to start Dental school in March.  We sponsor all of them.  Luckly, they get free tutition, but books and other things cost us around $100 a month per person.

     Today we are going to the Vera Cruz High School graduation.  One boy named Daniel, who we sponsor, will graduate.  There are also a couple kids graduating that live in houses we have built.  It is very rewarding to see these kids graduate since a very low percentage of them do.  Daniel came to me the other day and said he wanted to go to college to become a Mechanical Engineer and ask if we could continue to sponsor him.  Mechanical Engineering school does not have free tutition.  He has been offered a 50% scholarship but needs the other 50%.  We are checking on the cost.  It is wonderful to see any of these kids wanting to further their education, but raising more money gets harder and harder.

     Time to go….I will write more later.  I want to thank everyone who has helped with our Mission here in Nicaragua.  As always, all contributions are greatly appreciated.  Our 501c Non-profit organization is the Nicaragua Education Shelter and Health Fund, Inc. (NESH).  P.O. Box 731, Barboursville, WV  25504.

God Bless You All.

Jack
jackmease@measecpa.com

Nicaragua Trip December 2012

Dear Family and Friends,

     On December 10^th we leave on another trip to Nicaragua and will return on December 21^st.  This trip started out to be a Rotary trip, but ended up with only three of us going.  By hiring some Nicaraguan friends, we will be able to get everything accomplished.  Please keep us in your Prayers.  I want to thank God, and all my family and friends, who have made all of our past trips very successful.  This will be my 15^th trip, and going at Christmas is always a wonderful time to be there. 

     Over the past 9 years, through our Mission work at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church and your help, we have put a roof on and a floor in the New Jerusalem Church, which didn’t have either when we first got there.  We have drastically increased the health and education of all of the children that have lived in the Remar orphanage.  With the help of family, friends and several members of the Barboursville Rotary Club, we sponsor over 13 children in the community of Vera Cruz, and provide school fees, books, and school clothes so they may have a better education.  Since I helped a wonderful family 8 years ago to rebuild their falling down house, we have built a total of 27 homes.  Again, I want to thank you for all of your help and prayers!!!! 

     All of the kids are doing well in school.  In a few weeks, Dennis finishes his 4th year of Medical College and is doing very well.  As a doctor in Nicaragua, Dennis will start out as a “Medical Student.”  He will have five years of studying, two years of internship, and two years of residency.  He speaks perfect English and after his father became a Pastor at a Korean Presbyterian Church, he also speaks Korean.  It is great to get emails from him and talk to him on the phone and know what is going on down there.  He is just like our kids; he is on Facebook, but he posts in three different languages.  Daniel, a boy (young man) that I previously sponsored at Remar Orphanage, is doing well.  His father has given him a couple acres of his own and he is growing corn, beans and coffee.  We paid for bean and coffee plants, so I guess we are now in the farming business.  Other non-profits sell coffee in Nicaragua, so maybe we can do the same in the future.  Since Daniel finished level 14 in English, he is being considered to teach English part-time at the high school in his little mountain community.  As you can tell, I am very proud of Daniel and Dennis.  The other 12 children we sponsor are in various grades and are doing well.    

     This year we have two houses to build -- as long as we raise enough money.  A house costs around $3,500 to build.  This includes the materials and 5 or 6 local laborers we pay.  Barboursville Rotary Club is again helping by paying ½ the cost of one of the houses.  The houses we build are 18 x 18 foot cinder block with a tin roof.  I know it is not much, but it is better than they have now.  The New Jerusalem Church recommends a family with children from their Church for us to build a house. 

     On our first day we will join a group from Fifth Avenue Baptist Church and take children from Remar Orphanage to the market to buy their Christmas presents and school clothes for the upcoming school year.  The group from my Church arrives a few days before we do and will take some of the children from Remar to the market on other days as well.   

     I will be checking on the 13 community children we sponsor in school and will have the annual Christmas party for around 87 children at the New Jerusalem Church.  This will be the 8^th year for the Christmas party.  We try to buy the children an article of clothing and, for some, it will be the only Christmas present they receive.  I usually budget $500 for this party.  I would like to increase that amount because it doesn’t go very far for 87 children. 

     The past few years have been very successful and growing for our work in Nicaragua.  Because of the various things we are now doing, we have moved some of the projects out of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church and three years ago started a 501(c)3 non-profit organization called “Nicaragua Education, Shelter and Health Fund, Inc.” (“NESH”).  We did this in order to help with fundraising and because of all the people outside of our Church helping with our work.   

     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!!  We haven’t raised all of the money yet to build the two houses, pay for the children’s Christmas party, and pay for school clothes 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 27 houses, 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.  Since I send money for school 11 months a year, contributions anytime during the year are greatly appreciated.

     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 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, would be truly grateful.  You can make a tax deductable check to “NESH”, and send to NESH, P.O. Box 731, Barboursville, WV 25504.  You will receive a letter confirming your contribution. 

     Again, I want to thank everyone for their past and present support, and ask everyone to please pray for our safety and our work.  I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and to remember what Christmas is all about.  In Nicaragua, Christmas is quite different; they celebrate the coming of our Lord for several hours on Christmas Eve, set off fireworks at midnight, go to bed and wake up to few, if any, presents on Christmas morning. 

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

Jack