A team from the Rock Church and El Taller del Maestro Ministry, conducted outreaches along the Rio Coco in September. The journey from El Jicaro to San Andres (accessible only by boat) can be challenging! The drive to Wiwili (where the departure point is along the river), takes approximately 3 hours to navigate along rugged roads depending on weather conditions. Once at Wiwili, supplies are loaded into the boat. Each boat can carry 6000 lbs of supplies (including the team).
Once aboard the boat, the trip along the river can vary greatly. It usually takes 2-3 days to reach San Andres when waters are low throughout much of the year, but this trip was considerably faster due to high waters from an overly wet winter in Nicaragua. While the high waters decrease travel time significantly, a swollen river poses dangerous challenges such as rapids, submerged trees, poor water visibility and large amounts of floating debris that can easily damage the boats outboard motor. Fortunately, we serve a God who protects and cares for us in every situation! The young men who provide the boat services are very skilled in navigating the river and take safety precautions as needed!
Rough Waters On The Rio Coco!
In San Andres, meetings were held with the Agricultural Co-op that the ministry has been developing since early this year. The Co-op is a group of about 25 members who have agreed to work collectively together on community projects. Initially the Ministry provided the supplies, expertise and resources establishing Cocoa Production in San Andres. The young plants were propagated onsite from seed and are now inter-planted in their permanent locations among the shade of plantain trees.
The Co-op members agree to return a portion of the harvest from the Cocoa production to the ministry for redistribution to other families along the river. The hope is to replicate this project along the entire length of the river increasing food and financial security among communities.The mentoring and training process within the Co-op offers the Ministry opportunities to share the Gospel and provide guidance on how to live an abundant life, found only in Christ. Philosophies such as Team Work, Generosity, Accountability, Strategic Planning, and Stewardship will help to move individuals and families into futures no longer bound by self-defeating patterns of behavior.
San Andres is emerging as a hub for the team along the Rio Coco. Connections with key community members have unfolded providing opportunity and open doors for ministry.
La Pintada Outreach-Rio Coco
The ministry has been partnering with the community of La Pintada since it began work along the Rio Coco. The community is located strategically as a final stop along the river as teams are headed back to El Jicaro.
The community leaders and Pastor bless the team with wonderful hospitality each time they visit the community. Coffee is always available, as well as boiled corn for afternoon treats and delicious sweet corn tamales! The team has assisted the community with materials for a new baño and a permanent church building onsite, beans for planting, medical clinics, and a variety of other outreaches. During the current visit, the ministry team preached the Gospel, provided copies of the Gospel of John, and food baskets to families identified by the community leaders. Nearly 100 were in attendance, including lots of children excited for a swing at the Piñata.
The Rock Church team and El Taller del Maesto team members handing out bags of candy, making sure everyone gets some treats! Continue in prayer with us, for safety, influence, continued opportunity, and new believers as the team continues outreaches along the Rio Coco
Jesus said, go to the ends of the earth and preach the Gospel....And so we do!
Prayer Teams Focus
Pray that God will continue to open the windows of heaven wide over the ministry providing abundant resources for the continued development of projects along the Rio Coco and surrounding communities.
God would raise up leaders of integrity in the communities
Lives would be radically transformed by real encounters with Jesus.
Pray for continued safety for teams as they travel the river
That projects would mature and replicate along the river transforming the culture and economies of the indigenous people creating economic sustainability.
Pray that the next generation would be raised in Godly homes and given opportunities for education and business development. That they would remain along the river to help build strong and healthy communities for the future.