Recently a Relationships for Christ ministry team traveled to Managua, Nicaragua, to participate in a missions conference with Iglesia Pentecostal del Nombre de Jesus and work with Abretumano al Pobre, a ministry that gives assistance to people living off the garbage landfill in Managua. In addition to the conference, Pastor Timothy ministered at several churches in the villages around Managua.
Iglesia Pentecostal del Nombre de Jesus is an organization of Spirit-filled churches throughout Nicaragua. Recently they have expanded their organization by commissioning Pastors for several new church plants. At this year's annual conference they honored Pastor Timothy Vowell and Relationships for Christ Ministries for the work the ministry has been doing in Managua.
While in Managua for the conference, the team spent a day ministering to the people who live off the garbage landfill. Inside the perimeters of the landfill is a small village of huts made from scavenged materials such as board and tin scraps, as well as card board. The people living in this shanty village survive by scavenging the garbage dumped in the landfill for anything useful. Plastic bottles and metal cans are sold to scrap dealers, food scraps are eaten, wood and tin are used to expand their housing.
"The living conditions in this village are perhaps the worst I have ever seen", remarked Pastor Bismarck Quinto, founder of Abretumano al Pobre. Many of the children in the village are sick and in need of medical attention. There is no public school available, but if there was it would be of little use to the children who spend nearly all of their time scavenging to survive.
The houses made of scrap leak terribly when it rains. There is no floor so most of the people sleep in hammocks to keep off the muddy ground. The best houses are on high ground, but many of the poorest of the poor live in what could only be described as hovels on the low ground where water running off the landfill actually flows through their house when it rains. One mother of three was raising her children in a house less than 10' by 10'.
The Relationships for Christ team was able to distribute flour, rice, beans, sugar and oil to over a seventy mothers with children. Along with the food we distributed 200 Spanish New Testaments. It was encouraging to see how excited the people were over the New Testaments we distributed. The Word of God is cherished in these developing countries.
Relationships for Christ is continuing its work with Abretumano al Pobre. We are currently preparing for a return trip in November of 2007 to take additional food, Bibles and clothing. If you would like to participate in this trip either by going or giving to help someone else go, please contact Timothy Vowell at 832-646-0168. You cannot imagine how important you are to those in need. Please get involved today.
