Kingdom Partnerships and New Homes Coming!

Alex on our 'build a wall' project for
House of Hope with Samantha and Erica

The Leadership Team (Board) of Life in His Name is thrilled that our movement towards partnerships with the Church in places of need is happening in a good way!  We've been exploring ways that we could make an impact with the resources we had available. So at our February Board Meeting, Alex Fanjul, a dear friend joined us.  Alex and his wife Judy served as missionaries with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) in Latin America.   The end result is that Alex traveled to Nicaragua with me on the Virginia Wesleyan Spring Break Mission Trip and two homes are being built in the mountains of Nicaragua through a new partnership with YWAM!
Alex and Judy live in Suffolk, VA and run a couple of their own businesses.  They are passionate about lifting people in need and seeing them experience the love of God in Christ!  They know the crushing poverty in Latin America having lived there as well as adopting their daughter, Joselyn from Nicaragua.  When Eileen, our children and I spent a month in Nicaragua in 2011, the Fanjul family lived across the street from us.  

Partnership with YWAM Nicaragua - New Homes Coming

Some of the Team with Lillian in front of her current house.
Lillian is holding her grandson, her daughter is on her right

In addition to Alex Fanjul being on the Spring trip, Robin Jones came to serve as well.  Robin and Jeff Jones are friends that go back to the beginning of the Grace Harbor congregation in 2002.  Robin has traveled to numerous places to serve Christ and the people.  We were blessed to have her with us.  This was the largest team I have taken anywhere.  We had fourteen students as well as Alex, Robin and me.  Seven of the students had traveled to Nicaragua with me in the past including Devon Killian who was on her third trip with me.
A new stop for us this year was the mountain city of Diriamba, an hour drive south of Managua.  Alex and his wife Judy served at the Diriamba YWAM base years ago.  So it was a homecoming of sorts for Alex as he knew many of the missionaries serving there.  Marta walked our Team to a nearby neighborhood where YWAM is serving.  It was beautiful as she knew all of the people and children by name.  Their smiles and hugs showed us of the loving connection their ministry has with the people.  Marta was announcing the children's ministry for the afternoon.

Our team with Migdalia (the YWAM base director in red),
Marta and her daughter [JUCUM is YWAM in Spanish]

We were invited into a home that was put together with corrugated sheet metal and wood.  It was about the same size as the dorm rooms of the students.  We learned that Lillian, her two daughters and granddaughter all live there.  Behind the house was a large dirt hill.  Marta shared that during the rainy season water flows down the hill and through their house.  Yes, through their house. We learned that YWAM has helped to build numerous houses in the same neighborhood out of cinder block.  We saw some of these homes as they stood out as sturdier and more secure than the others.  Marta told us that for $3,000 Lillian's family could have a new house and the rain water could be diverted.  The Team took that as a challenge and skipping meals in the airport and raising funds when we returned.  It was incredibly moving as students brought their paychecks to me, desiring that their money go towards Lillian's house.  We reached the $3,000 goal early this summer!  The Board of LIHN matched this gift so that 2 houses can be built!  So thank you to all who give financially to LIHN!  We will continue to seek the LORD for guidance as to where we should use the resources that  we have been given.

Partnership with House of Hope Nicaragua 

With the women and children from House of Hope

The Team traveled again to serve at the House of Hope with  April Havelin.  The House of Hope is a ministry to women and children coming out of prostitution.  They minister to the women and children in beautiful ways sharing Christ and helping the women to know His transforming love and providing a business opportunity through making jewelry, greeting cards and other items so that they have another form of income.  You can find out more about House of Hope at their website:
http://www.houseofhopenicaragua.com/

This is always a difficult yet rewarding part of the trip.  During our lunch break we again heard a number of testimonies of the women and their children.  It's shocking to hear even when you know it is coming.  For the students there hearing for the first time, it really shakes them.  We spend time in the mornings and evenings processing and praying together.

Unloading concrete walls for a new
building at the House of Hope

It was Holy Week while we were there and so in addition to the manual labor that was needed, we were asked to take the women and children from the House of Hope to the beach for a fun day.  Wow, this was a great privilege for us, so we provided the transportation and food for the outing.  We decided that one way we could serve the women would be to provide child care during the day so they could relax and enjoy themselves.  It's no problem to lift a smiling child over a few waves . . . however, when it's the 500th wave it's another thing!  What was amazing is that the LORD gave our Team joy and strength so that the children and mothers were served the whole day.  I was amazed at the kindness and the servant-like hearts of our Team!  It was a moving time and the hearts of our team were touched deeply by our day of fun together.  

Hydration - Jonathan Smith needed a drink!

Mindy, a VWC student and Gaby

Partnership with Hosanna Church, Gaby & Gioconda
We thank God for our friendship with Gioconda and her daughter Gaby.  Gaby traveled for the whole week with the Team for the second year in a row.  She is a great blessing to the team helping us with translation and interpreting the culture.  I met Gioconda on my first trip to Nicaragua with Jason Gilliken more than  6 years ago.  
Again, thank you for your prayers, support and encouragement. May His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!

Greg West

More pics follow and if you would like to see more you can take a look at the VWC Nica Missions Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/vwcnicaragua

Wheelchairs being loaded for the trip to Masachapa

Robin Jones eating a traditional
Nicaraguan dish called Nacatamales 

This man was unable to walk, his son standing behind him
carried him to our location so that he may receive a wheelchiar