Nicaragua Mission Work Tour Report

Since 2001, David and Laura Parajon have served remote rural communities in Nicaragua through the training and support of village health leaders. These health care providers staff clinics in their communities to diagnose and treat the most common illnesses, teach nutrition and hygiene, and coordinate diverse community-oriented projects to improve health and prevent disease. They have significantly reduced deaths among children and women in their communities. David and Laura, American Baptist missionaries serving through AMOS Health and Hope, have also been receiving short-term mission teams that work in construction projects alongside village members.

On January 16-25, ten people from the Central Region joined Les Pierce on his fifth mission trip to Nicaragua.

The AMOS Health and Hope headquarters are in Managua where the mission group spent several nights after arriving and before leaving Nicaragua. AMOS volunteer, Josh Kutter, met the group upon arrival in Nicaragua. Josh, a member of First Baptist Church, Topeka, will be in Nicaragua for a year.

The group spent five days in the Nacascola Nicaragua village. The week began with joining members of the First Baptist Church in Managua for worship. The well-known Dr. Gustavo Parajon is pastor of that large, active and influential congregation

The group's major work project was to paint a newly constructed medical clinic. They also painted and redecorated two nearby school buildings and conducted a Bible school for the children. Volunteers Jerod Metcalf and Ben Walker supervised a daily athletic (baseball) program in the late afternoon for boys in the area. Other participants included: Pastor Jim Zier, Pastor Gordon and Patty Roberts, Darla Carter, Monty Metcalf, Jill Carr, Sheilla Curtis and Dr. Marshall Schirer.

“We painted the clinic, the schools, school desks and blackboards; hung doors on the latrines, hung windows and secured locks. But, the focus was always on the people. Bonds of love were made. We will never forget one another. It was a hard trip and often exhausting, but for each of us, possibly it was the best time that we have ever had,” said Sheilla Curtis.

The Nacascola Clinic was one of 26 that is served by Laura Parajon. She has recruited and trained health providers in each of the villages. They work to bring health, hope and healing to impoverished and vulnerable people in Nicaragua.

On Jan. 16-25, ten people from the Central Region joined Les Pierce on his fifth mission trip to Nicaragua. The group's major work project was to paint a newly constructed medical clinic.

Haiti Earthquake Crisis — Bulletin Inserts

International Ministries has produced Haiti flyers entitled, "Haiti Earthquake Crisis, American Baptist Report" that churches can use in their Sunday bulletins.
Bulletin Insert

Upcoming Mission Trips

The Central Region is sponsoring a Mission work trip to Kodiak, Alaska,
(Woody Island) June 6-21, 2010. If interested, please contact Bob Turner
at 245 S. 8th St. R301, Salina, KS 67401 or call 785-643-1756.

In July, a mission group will spend eight days in the Mexican village of Maravillas where a larger church building is needed. Rev. Rick Neubauer, Manhattan, will be leading the trip and will have more information available at the Annual Gathering in Junction City.


Xtreme Team Going to Egypt

Egypt is the destination for 2010's Xtreme Team. The group will start off the experience with an orientation, then spend three weeks in Egypt experiencing mission firsthand. They will then return for debriefing and cap off their experience by joining the ABWomen's Conference in Columbus, OH.

Xtreme Team members aren't told what they will be doing on a daily basis. They aren't told who else is going on the trip. All they know for sure is the country they are visiting and when they will arrive and depart. The rest is a mystery, and Xfiles (clues about what is coming next) are provided by the leaders to direct team members to their next mission exposure.

Trip dates are June 16 to July 13, 2010. For a video and brochure, contact Angela Sudermann, coordinator, Volunteers in Global Mission, PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482, 1-800-ABC-3USA, ext. 2164, or angela.sudermann @abc-usa.org. To view photos from previous Xtreme Team adventures, visit www.xtremeteamonline.org.


"Judson Portraits" Available to Region Churches

Rose Mathews Christensen, author of "Judson Portraits," is sharing her work with Central Region churches. Based on the book "Bless God and Take Courage: The Judson History and Legacy" by Rosalie Hall Hunt, (copyright 2005 Judson Press, Valley Forge, Pa.), Christensen's script was first performed by members of Judson American Baptist Church, Bella Vista, Ark. Soliloquies drawn from the Judson journals depict the life, work and struggles of the Baptist missionary to Burma, Adoniram Judson, and wives — Ann, Sarah and Emily. "Judson Portraits" is a copyrighted script. The author expressly states that a maximum of seven copies may be used for each production, and no admission can be charged.
"Judson Portraits"