Nicaragua Mission Update
Dear Brethren,
Thank you for your prayers and financial support for my recent mission effort in
Puerto Cabazes, Nicaragua. Much good was accomplished during the time
there, and more fruit will come forth in the coming days.
After arriving in Managua on
Friday evening June 15, we met with the mission team and discussed assignments
and travel schedules. Saturday morning we flew in shifts from Managua to
Puerto Cabazes on the local airline’s 18 passenger planes. After arriving in
Puerto Cabazes we went to the trade school where we stayed and set up the
medical stations.
We began Sunday morning with a devotional then we went to work. Several
evangelism teams went out about 9:00 A. M. going door to door to advertise the
medical clinic, the nightly gospel meeting, and to set up Bible studies.
We would door knock until about noon when we would return for lunch. Then around
5:00 P. M. we returned to prepare for supper. After supper we met at 7:00
to sing until 7:30 when the local
congregation would assemble for the nightly meeting. This was the normal
routine except for Monday and Thursday. On Monday the crowd assembled
outside the gate waiting for the medical clinic to open, they
rushed the gate each time it was opened and we “gringos” were unable to get
out to evangelize. I spent this day helping with crowd control for those
entering and leaving the medical clinic, although some Bible
studies were conducted inside during this time. Wednesday was different
because the President of the country arrived in town for a campaign speech to be
held Thursday morning. The campaign coordinator felt it best we be in by
11:00 A. M. when the militia were deployed in the streets for security. We
opened the clinic at 6:00 A. M. and the evangelism teams went out early.
The following numbers are what was accomplished during the week. The
medical clinic saw 2,752 patients and distributed about that many prescriptions
from the pharmacy. Everyone entering the clinic was first directed to a health
class where personal hygiene classes were taught. Each person was then
issued a bag containing a tooth brush, toothpaste, and soap. 490 people,
mostly children, had their heads scrubbed for lice. 313 people saw the
dentist. He was only able to pull teeth, no fillings.
There were 240 Bible studies conducted during the week and 14 were baptized,
which doubled the size of the church. The attendance during the nightly
meeting ran from 114 to 210. Classes were taught for children in the
morning averaging 30 in attendance, afternoon averaging 150, and evening
averaging 50. There were also teen classes held with an average attendance
of 38.
I want to ask you to remember three people from this campaign in your prayers.
The first is Myritza. We studied with her twice and she attended the
evening services. She is the 15 year old daughter of a Catholic father and
Seventh Day Adventist mother. She wanted to obey the gospel but her
parents would not allow it. We encouraged her to attend the church
services and pray for her parents to see the truth one day.
The second is Mirta. We studies with her on Sunday and set a second study
Monday morning, but we could not get out. When we returned to her home on
Tuesday we learned she had studied with two Nicaraguan preachers on Monday and
was baptized. We then studied a little about worship and Christian living
with her.
The third is a young lady named Nayda. She studied with us three times and
saw the truth. She was confused about how long she needed to study before
she could be baptized. We showed her the eunuch and the jailer, but she
feared she could not live like she needed to yet. She thanked us for
studying with her, even saying she believed God sent us to her and assured us
she will be baptized soon.
Please pray for these and all the others who studied the Bible during this
effort. We planted, the brethren in Nicaragua will water, and God will
give the increase.
May God bless you in your many efforts for Him.
Gratefully Yours,
Denton Landon