Ometepe Island is the largest island in Lake Nicaragua. Our ministry this month has taken team ZEO to this beautiful land that was formed by two towering volcanoes. Concepcion looms right behind where we’re staying and tuffs of smoke leak from the top as a reminder of its active prescence. Maderas is smaller and off to the oposite side of the island, covered in trees and plants highligting its dormant state.
Our team is living at the CICRIN orphange in between Los Angeles and San Jose, not to be confused with the more popular cities of those names. There are 25 kids ages 6-17, of various backgrounds living dorm style at the beautiful campus. Each day they wake at 5:30am to get ready for their day full of morning devotions, school, homework, chores then free time till bed time at around 8pm. The kids, many are groups of siblings, all have their own stories of how and why they are here at the orphanage. I am eager to learn and share their stories and the hope they now hold onto so tightly.
We have conected with a dynamic pastor and his wife who have a thriving church here on the island. They pour their lives into their people. Much of their focus is put on small cell groups that they have started in several towns in the area. They have a total of 17 cell groups with ones for women, men, teenagers and young adults. Each group has a leader that is being discipled by others in the church and they are accountable for the structure and progress of their cell. Several of us had the opportunity to sit in on a couple cell groups the other evening and we were all impressed. The teenage cell group had a 15 year old boy leading the group and he was more mature and passionate about what he was doing than many older people we know. They groups often discuss the last weeks sermon, which encourages everyone to attend the services and establishes accountabitlity.
We are here this month to come alongside the pastor and help in outreach into the communities he hasn’t been able to spend a lot of time in and start up new cell groups. We will also be serving the orphanage in anyway possible and mostly just loving on the kids. We are excited to be a part of what God has planned for the people of this community.
Please pray for clarity of God’s vision and purpose while we are here, for the salvation of people and freedom from bondage.
To HIM be all the glory!
