"As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him." - Psalm 18:30

June-July 2010 Chinandega & Leon, Nicaragua campaigns

Report for the June 25 - July 3, 2010 Nicaragua campaigns.

Two teams were formed due to a large number of participants.

The first team was originally planned for the Azarias church in Leon. The work in Azarias and the preacher, Mario Rojas, are supported by the Buford, GA church of Christ, so the U.S. team was made up of Buford members. Since the numbers were suffucient from Buford for Azarias and others wanted to go, we formed a team for Chinandega as well. The Central Ave. church in Fairborn, OH supports the work and the preacher, Maximo Mendoza, in Chinandega and most of the team was made up of Fairborn members. Others came from the Wetumpka, AL church, Central Union church of Christ in Monroe, NC, Henderson, TN, church of Christ, and LAM staff members, Sarah Dutton, Roger Leonard and Phil Randolph. Interperters came from Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama. All of the local Nicaraguan preachers supported through LAM, along with some who are not, participated.

Nicaragua campaigns final reports: Azarias church in Leon: 146 Bible studies, 17 baptisms and one restoration! Two marriages. The Filadelfia church in Chinandega: 71 Bible studies, 6 baptisms and one restoration! One marriage. Glory to God!! (Two of the baptisms in Chinandega occured soon after after the team left.) Four preachers were left to work on Thursday and Friday with the new converts in Leon.
 
Other work accomplished on the trip:
 
Before the team came in, brother Guillermo Hernández, Phil Randolph and I visited an elderly couple, Donato and Maria, and brother Carlos Morgan, who were baptized in the April 2010 campaign. They are still rejoicing and faithful!
 
I had two separate visits with a preacher we are supporting to try and settle some issues.
 
Mike Watters (deacon from Central Ave. in Fairborn) and I met with the preacher from the Central church in Chinandega and abother member to try and settle some issues between them. We felt progress was made but follow-up is needed.
 
I had a meeting with all the preachers on the team in Chinandega to encourage them to look very serioulsly toward the future and develping maturity in the local congregations. I did not have time to do this with the preachers helping on the Leon team so I will send them a video of the same message.

There is one prospect from Nicaragua for the Bible School of the Americas in Panama. We will be talking with him further before he is accepted for the 2011 2012 school years.

We have been working on the Personeria Juritica (corporation) for the church in Nicaragua about three years and it was finalized in May. The entire board is made up of Nicaraguan preachers. Now we can register properties,etc., and did register two while I was there during the campaigns.

One of the preachers was lacking copies of the Gospel Advocate commentaries printed thus far, so I "brought him up to date" will all volumes.
 
There is waitress in the Hotel Las Mercedes that I have known since about 1996. I gave her the phone number of brother Guillermo Hernandez and a copy of How to Become a Faithful Christian (by Eddie Cloer) in Spanish, and a Bible she had asked for. Her name is Jaquelin. Please pray that the seed finds good soil!
 
Photos may be viewed here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=175009&id=587318946&l=4ed507922b

A couple of videos may be viewed here:

Baptism of Sandra Rojas

Baptisms of Anielka and Meri

To God be all the glory!!
 
Roger Leonard