Ministry
Hard to believe month three in Nicaragua is almost coming to a close with just a week left. What a month it’s been! My team has been on our own this month and we have been working with an organization called ‘Breaking Chains.’ Their primary focus is to fight for freedom of innocent women and children who have been caught in the chains of prostitution, sex trafficking and sexual abuse.
Every week day there are about 15 women who arrive at our home (aka: The Castle) to participate in a 90-day program that trains them to become disciples of Christ, but also teaches them responsibility, life and work skills necessary to achieve independence as well as education depending on each person’s individual situation. Our team has been helping with this morning ministry in various ways each day including cooking lunch, preparing an art and craft, fun activity/game and my favorite … taking care of the babies and toddlers of these women. The six month and three month old baby boys have become my favorites for the month!
After the women leave for the day around 1pm, our ministry day continues as the live-in daughters and family has arrived home from school. The afternoons are filled with helping with homework, babysitting the little kids (recently moved into The Castle), playing in the pool, soccer, walking, coloring, worship and various other activities before a quick dinner snack and off to bed they go!
Currently there are four live-in teenage daughters living in The Castle. They all come from past sexual abuse or experiences and living here provides them with a safe environment. These four girls range in age from 11-15 and each has their own individual story of hurt, rejection and stolen innocence. About half way through the month another young mother and her three children arrived on the scene and have been living with us. The mother is now participating in the women’s day program in addition to learning responsibility and how to parent her children in a loving and appropriate way.
We have grown to love these kids so much and in many ways our team have become like part of their family, as we interact with them on a daily basis. We have also taken them on some fun outings like shopping and to the movie theater (which for some was their first time ever to experience).
Spiritually:
This has been a month where evil has tried to grip us and take the joy out of us at times through various situations, but thankfully we are not alone in the battle. Our Heavenly Father has overcome all of our trials and challenges on this side of heaven (John 16:33). We can press on in the journey, because there is obvious fruit being produced. The enemy doesn’t like the rescuing and restoration that is happening, but it is bringing these women to a new found freedom from their past with hope through Jesus Christ’s saving grace.
