Updates – One Body Global Ministries

August 11, 2021August 11, 2021

Heat & Humility: Part 2

As promised, this is the second part of the update of our core pillars of Mind, Body & Spirit since our visit to Ometepe.

July has been a heavy month both here in the US and with our extended family in Nicaragua. In uncertain times like these, we are challenged more than ever to reflect God’s light and grace. The fact remains we are ALL the same: imperfectly perfect in God’s eyes. We are called to love Him and love one another every day. Despite the simplicity of how this sounds, our humanity (and ego) gets in the way. How is it working for you? For us, it takes an intentional practice of daily gratitude, bible study, contemplation/meditation, movement and prayer. We fall way short, yet we experience consistent peace and clarity of God’s purpose in our lives.

With this clarity, we will both return to Nicaragua on September 10, with TJ staying through September 30 and Rochelle until October 15. There are a few ways you can help (see below) and they don’t require much resources or time. We hope you’ll join us!

Thanks for your continued prayers and faith in God’s vision for Ometepe.

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. – Hebrews 13: 1-3

We are seeking donations of UNLOCKED smartphones to bring to Ometepe in September for students and new microbusiness owners. The phones can be used and might even be sitting in a drawer at home! If it’s in your heart to purchase a refurbished unit, we have some listed on our charity Amazon Wish list and will direct ship to our address in Cocoa Beach, FL.

MINDS: SEEKING ONLINE VOLUNTEERS

The July Nicaraguan school break is over and OBGM’s children ESL program has resumed. As you may know, speaking English provides greater employment opportunities for Nicaraguans.

YOU can help change a child’s life by providing online pronunciation support to our English teacher, Hilder, for the Level 3 ESL kids. It’s an amazing feeling to be in a Nicaraguan classroom with the kids and see the difference in them over time. No experience is necessary to participate in this one-hour commitment.

WHEN?
Wednesdays from 11:30 AM –12:30 PM ET: August 4, 11, 18, 25 & beyond…You can sign up for as little as one class or multiple classes.

HOW?
Please email Rochelle for an assigned date & instructions. A Google email account is required to participate and Rochelle will be on each video call with you. If you have a smart device, we recommend you download the Google Meet app

**SPIRIT:** Passing
Pray with us for the souls of Vicente (photo on R) and Mercedes (photo on L) and for their grieving families. We will miss their presence at future home visits in Santa Cruz.

BODY: The Great Chicken Run

Thank you to everyone who sponsored a chicken in the Miskito Coast village of Boom Sirpi. We hope you enjoyed your personal chicken/rooster photos! Our colleagues, Stacy & Cory Martin drove them out there under the cover of darkness in record time. They had to arrive before the sun came up or the chickens would overheat and perish. Cory made the trip in a record 10 hours! The hens started producing eggs within hours of arriving. This egg program will have an enormous impact on the nutrition and development of the children there.

BODY & SPIRIT: OMETEPE ARTISANS PROJECT We are delighted this project is growing and blessing many families in the Santa Cruz community. Please visit the Ometepe Artisans Etsy Shop containing nearly 50 listings from three indigenous artisans sharing their craft and culture. Items are added weekly. Last week, the shop reached 100 sales! Prices range from $7 – $35, depending on the materials and detail.

In addition to earning a regular income, artisans have also received tools (see below), business cards & packaging materials through the ministry. Our teen ESL & college students are excited to model the jewelry for the rest of the world to enjoy Ometepe’s natural beauty & culture. With the exception of shipping from the USA, our long-term goal for Ometepe Artisans is to be 100% sustainable in Ometepe.

July 9, 2021

Heat and Humility

Hello Everyone! The June visit to Ometepe Island, Nicaragua was filled with lots of heat (not from hot flashes) and humility. There is much to share in terms of our core pillars of Mind, Body & Spirit that we decided to split this e-newsletter into two parts. Part two will arrive in July.

Current travel to/from Nicaragua is confusing and frustrating due to the country’s rules on Covid-19 testing. We welcomed visitors, Jim & Cady G., from Maryland, but they departed Ometepe early due to these travel restrictions. Their visit was still a success, as their presence & gifts blessed two communities on the island. Meanwhile, we are thankful there is no current Covid-19 outbreak in Ometepe. The same is not true on the mainland, especially near Stacy & Cory’s community of Diriamba (see their e-news).

The physical drain from June’s heat on my middle-aged body & mind (and ability to speak Spanish) was exhausting despite electrolytes. God reminded me that feeling sorry for myself was not an option as my struggle is nothing compared to the reality of the families in Ometepe. Most families here continue small crop farming for basic survival. However weather patterns caused more than a 40% decrease in yield, while at the same time, the wholesalers are paying significantly less for crops like plantains. It’s so unfair. Some of these hardworking families have children who are malnourished and coming to OBGM for temporary food assistance.

Erlin & I revisited the remaining Cosecha Ometepe budget (raised in late-2020) and came up with a plan to invest the remaining balance to help qualified family farmers diversify their business (and skills) through a microlending program. We identified three projects (pigs, chickens & a brick oven for a bread baker) all of which will yield a good “return” especially as tourism returns to Ometepe. See below for specifics. We are seeking support to help fully fund the first three families.

Each and every family we encountered during this visit met us with an outpouring of gratitude, prayer and love for YOUR support. We opened our new personal home in Santa Cruz and I am now 5-lbs “gordita” from all the blessings of avocados, eggs, mangos, lime, gallo pinto (rice & beans), bread, jewelry, cultural dancing and LIVE music from our local community. I am still welled up with tears just thinking about the abundance they shared in thanksgiving to God, despite having so little. I am also humbled by our local staff and volunteers who continually seek out and focus on the interests of others and walk the path of Christ on a daily basis (Philippians 2:3-5).

Prayer Requests:
Please pray for OBGM’s staff (Erlin, Hilder & Leydi), their families, Stacy & Cory Martin & family, Francisco Valverde (late-stage cancer), families in our food, medicine & milk programs, peace for the November elections in Nicaragua and continued protection from the pandemic. We hope to see some of you in July. Thanks for your continued prayers and faith in God’s vision for Ometepe.
Love,
Rochelle & TJ

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:3-5

BODY & SPIRIT: OMETEPE MICROLOANS

You can help improve the living conditions of a family in Ometepe by becoming a microlender. All loans are tailored to small farmers or microbusinesses which will expand a family’s earnings. Each family and business opportunity is vetted through an application process and receives mentoring by OBGM during their business cycle until the loan is repaid. You can help supply a healthy piglet for as little as $50, or to start a basic farm of four (structure, 4 piglets, food, vitamins & vet care) for $1,500, however any amount helps. Families will repay their 0%-interest loan over a 1-3 year time period. When the loan is repaid, you can choose another new business to reinvest in here in Nicaragua. See below profiles.

Ometepe Microloans

MINDS: Earlier this year OBGM installed fiberoptic internet & wifi to a community school to enhance learning for the 130+ students, grades pre-K to 6. This also enables OBGM supporters to volunteer in our children’s English program providing pronunciation support to Hilder, our amazing English teacher, who is native to Ometepe. The kids are on BREAK early July and we’ll advise when sign-ups for online class instruction resumes.

BODY: Welcome. Take a tour of Marta’s new home! Thank you to all who made this possible to keep her family safe during rainy season. A special thanks to Tom Fritz of Island Breeze Ministries who provided a lot of hard work, donated supplies and construction oversight. Thank you also to Maderas Artisans Mission Collective (Cory & Stacy Martin) for extra support and love. We are united as One Body in Christ.

May 10, 2021May 10, 2021

April – May 2021 Update

Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours. – Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support during a difficult month for our family. As April comes to a close, we’re grateful to share God’s progress and future plans for Ometepe and beyond (see below). In case you missed it, here is a link to the early April newsletter on the Miskito Coast. At the timing of this writing, the village of Boom Sirpi just received seed and they are distributing them now for planting. In the coming weeks, we look forward to the delivery of chickens to help feed the kids (below). How amazing it is when we unify with Christ’s compassion to be His hands, feet, eyes and body. Also, this was only possible because of the countless hours of multi-ministry coordination by our colleagues, Stacy & Cory Martin. Their selfless servitude and faith are an inspiration.

Prayer Requests
We’re requesting continued prayers of comfort & peace for our immediate and extended families. We also ask for continued prayers for the people of Nicaragua who are dealing with a resurgence of the Covid-19 virus as well as those suffering on the Miskito Coast.

Lastly, we are finishing construction of our personal residence in Ometepe. It’s a small living quarters with lots of outside space for hosting future ministry activities with the children and families in OBGM’s programs. We hope to share photos soon. Pray the remaining construction goes smooth, as Rochelle will be in Nicaragua June 1 – June 27, 2021 and hopes to stay at the house. Of course, travel protection prayers are also appreciated.

Love & Peace,
T.J. and Rochelle Scott

BODY: Home for Marta Update
“Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world “ – Teresa of Avila

Thank you – we reached the fundraising goal for a new home for Marta! Construction is still in progress of the new bedroom attached to her mother’s house. As you recall, Marta’s home was falling down and would not survive the upcoming rainy season (click for video). Thank you to Tom Fritz of Island Breeze Ministries for his major contributions and overseeing this entire project during THE HOTTEST season in Nicaragua. We look forward to sharing more photos of the house and Marta when Rochelle returns in June.

Not Your Ordinary Mother’s Day Gifts …
If you want to honor a Mom this Mother’s Day with something unique that supports sustainability and other deserving moms, we have two great idea

Shop new items in the Ometepe Artisans Etsy Shop.
The Spring Collection is here! Many one-of-a-kind creations represent Ometepe Island life and culture. Many items are proudly modeled by some of our college scholars and family,
If you can’t purchase anything, will you help these artisans by SHARING the Etsy link with your friends & family on social media?

Sponsor a Hen in Boom Sirpi

Sponsor and gift a hen in honor of your mother, mother-in-law, or grandma this Mother’s Day and name it after her. It’s $20 to sponsor one fertile egg-laying hen. We promise to send you reports as to your hen’s productivity in her new coop.

MIND: English Program
In April, we launched our ESL remote pronunciation lessons via Google Meet with the Level 3 children in Sintiope, Ometepe Island. It was a huge success! Volunteers of ALL ages participated, and no previous teaching or Spanish experience is required. See a brief video example below. Will you volunteer with us? Your participation is a huge blessing to these students.
HOW?
Please email Rochelle for an assigned date & instructions. A Google email account is required to participate. If you have a smart device, we recommend you download the Google Meet app
WHEN?
Wednesdays from 11:30 AM –12:30 PM ET or Fridays from 8:00 PM ET – 9:00 PM ET Christ has no body now on earth but yours – Teresa of Avila

March 29, 2021

It’s Miskito not Mosquito … March Update 🌷

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For it they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.
Ecclesiastes 4:9 NRSV

It’s been a few weeks since Rochelle returned from Nicaragua on March 10. We are grateful to have amazing staff (Erlin and Hilder) on the island who continue to oversee OBGM’s outreach and English programs. See below for an update on some specifics and exciting news on how YOU can participate in the mission field from the comfort of your home.

If we had to summarize this past visit in one word, it would be “community.” Life in the field is so much better when we do it with others in the unity of Christ. In addition to many locals and staff, we spent time with the Martin Family, who joined OBGM’s canopy in October 2020. We were eager to learn more about each other and visit our respective communities since we serve different geographic areas. What happened was incredible! From co-teaching each other’s English classes to planning a hurricane relief trip to the Miskito Coast (see below). With God’s help & community, we accomplish more, we share our burdens, and we share the celebrations. We are so encouraged to see the Mission of OBGM come together so seamlessly with them and old friends, Tom & Esther Fritz, of Island Breeze Ministries, on two special projects (below).

A Prayer Request

At the time of this writing, Rochelle’s father, Blase Cinque, went home to Jesus. He was 88 years old and surrounded by family at his death. Please pray for Roe’s mom, Patricia, and her siblings. We also ask for continued prayers for the people of Nicaragua, especially on the Miskito Coast, for a resolution to the hunger, clean water and shelter crisis.

MIND: English Program
On March 7, we enjoyed a fun beach picnic with our Sintiope English students and their families at San Juan beach in Ometepe. In addition to swimming and games, the kids received their hard-earned Level I and Level II certificates. We are so proud of the hard work these kids put in 2x/week to attend English class and study in between.

What’s next? YOU are invited to participate in the mission field from the comfort of your home! No teaching or Spanish experience is necessary!
WHEN & HOW? On Wednesdays from 11:30 AM ET – 12:30 PM ET we’re hosting pronunciation lessons with our Level 3 English students via Google Meet. You will work in a small group, or 1 on 1, over your computer, smartphone or tablet. The session will be facilitated by our local teacher, Hilder and Rochelle who will be there to assist. A Google email account is required to participate. If you have a smart device, we recommend you download the Google Meet app. Please email Rochelle for an assigned date & instructions to take part. The first available date is April 7. It is so fun for us, and very valuable to the students.

A Home for Marta

Marta is our next-door neighbor in Santa Cruz, Ometepe Island, Nicaragua. Her home is falling down and will not survive the next rainy season (click video). With the help of Island Breeze Ministries, OBGM would like to finish the construction of a new bedroom onto her mother’s adjacent brick home which is only 30 yards away. Our budget of $1,200 includes labor, cement, bricks and roof. Will you help build a Home for Marta?

Donate to Marta

BODY, MIND & SPIRIT: Miskito Coast Hurricane Relief

As you recall, the east coast of Nicaragua was hit by two major hurricanes in November 2020. This geographic area is called “The Miskito Coast” not because of the insects, but because it remains home to the pre-colonial, indigenous Miskito Indians who originally inhabited, and continue to populate, this region. It is a remote area with little institutional presence. However, the Martin Family’s ministry has ties with a Nicaraguan-based mission church and family in the village of Boom Sirpi (population ~ 300) near Puerto Cabeza, Nicaragua, and they’ve been sending aid since December.

Since that time, we’ve received several more donations. In a March 7 meeting, we learned that hunger and lack of clean water remain an urgent problem in Boom Sirpi. The Martins and Tom Fritz, of Island Breeze Ministries, will travel to Puerto Cabeza (March 28 – April 3) to visit and minister to those impacted by the hurricanes. On March 25, a large truck with the food aid and other supplies donated by other churches and BMDMI (Baptist Medical Dental Mission International) made the 20-hour drive to the Miskito coast. (INSERT VIDEO)

Please keep all of the above in your continued prayers, especially those indigenous to the Miskito Coast.

Ometepe Artisans (“OA”) Project

The Spring handcrafted jewelry collection is coming to the Ometepe Artisans’ Etsy shop in mid-April. The rollout will include a new indigenous artisan who blends native seeds, stones, metal work and macramé to his jewelry. 100% of the sale profits are passed along to each artisan, with a small percentage reinvested back into raw supplies, business cards or small tools for the artisans. Follow the OA Instagram or Facebook page for more frequent updates and a sneak peek at the Spring collection!

February 22, 2021

Unexpected: Feb 2021 Update

“The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps”
Proverbs 16:9 NRSV.

UNEXPECTED

Greetings from Nicaragua, everyone. This visit has been all about the unexpected. It has included many challenging including losing expected days to truck repairs or minor illnesses. We remain grateful, as these experiences are shaping our hearts to God’s path for OBGM.

The best part of the “unexpected” are stories like this one about our friend, Marlon (see below video). Marlon is the husband of a good friend who was hosting the mission house when Rochelle arrived in January. He’s also a pastor and bean farmer in his village, which is near the Costa Rican border. The entire village goes to sleep around 7pm because it has no electricity. Prior to leaving the US, TJ sent a message to some local church friends asking if anyone had an extra men’s wristwatch (a gift for Marlon) that would be of great use to him. When no watches emerged, TJ went to the Goodwill but found only ladies’ wrist watches there. As TJ was leaving the store, a church member texted TJ saying he had a watch. It was a diving watch that, when new, cost $500. WOW! We were so honored to deliver this unexpected treasure to Marlon.

At the time of this newsletter, TJ returned to the USA while Rochelle stayed in Nicaragua until March 10, to meet personally with all the families in our programs. Scroll below for an update on the steps we’re taking to deliver on our core pillars of Mind & Body and HOW you can help. There is LOTS more to share about what’s happening here – we suggest you subscribe to and follow our Instagram/Facebook feeds for more stories, videos & updates. On this trip, we were also happy to have some in-person time for planning with our colleagues, Cory & Stacy Martin, who are currently serving in Masatepe, Nicaragua. They’re already an essential part of the OBGM team on Ometepe (see Stacy below) and hope to be on the island one weekend a month to help out. Click here for their latest newsletter. We’re also grateful to Tom & Esther Fritz of Island Breeze Nicaragua for opening their home to us in this phase of OBGM’s ministry.

Thank you for your ongoing prayers for OBGM. Please continue to pray for provision and wellness for our communities in Ometepe. THEY are praying for YOU! We hear it from their lips during our visits. Their unshakable faith touches our hearts.

We hope it moves your heart like God moves the wind.
Love, Rochelle & TJ

**MIND: PRIMARY & HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARS**

Ometepe school children started the new school year on February 1. In three days, we managed to get the majority of the 53 kids, who were enrolled in our primary & secondary scholarship program, “ready” with the required uniforms, shoes backpacks and supplies. It was a whirlwind, but the kids had a blast riding in the truck & shopping with their parents! During our interview process, we’re able to determine if certain children have specific needs. For example, one student will receive 1:1 tutoring for reading & writing to help ensure his long-term success. We still have some students who are not yet sponsored, click here for more info on this program.

MINDS – ENGLISH PROGRAM & VILLAGE SCHOOL

Our kids’ English classes resumed on February 15, and the adult evening classes in Santa Cruz will follow soon. For a taste of a typical class, join our Facebook Live Stream on Wednesday, February 24, from approximately 9:30-10:00 AM ET. During the stream, we’re seeking donations to help pay for the fiberoptic internet for the school which serves 130 children and four teachers. This will HUGELY impact learning in the Primary School. The wifi connection will also bless the secondary school students & college kids in the entire village by providing a place to conduct online research. OBGM will use the wifi in future English classes to enhance learning AND engage volunteers abroad. Our Facebook Address is: https://www.facebook.com/onebodyglobalministries

Level Two Kids’ English Class: Lesson on can and can not / can’t

MINDS: COLLEGE SCHOLARS

Our 5 college scholars & staff met the other day to discuss challenges during this pandemdic. Online learning is not natural for most Americans, but add the challenge of having to navigate computer programs like Word, Excel or online conferencing with ZERO computer experience. All of the students had to find, borrow & share computers while learning on the fly. They DID it, and we are proud of their endurance. In addition, these dedicated young adults work all week & currently attend in-person classes on Saturdays (4am-7pm incl. travel). They are all disciples of Christ through their humble service to their families & church community. Each student is required to achieve good grades, set goals & volunteer.

OBGM is still seeking monthly sponsors for one existing student & one wait-listed student.- See below – It’s a $50/mo commitment to cover tuition, travel, supplies & food. There is also a $250 upfront cost for the Chromebook laptop which is a necessity and not a luxury. If you can only sponsor a Chromebook, you can direct purchase it from our Amazon Charity List.

Sponsor a College Student

**Cynthia** is 19 years old living in Santa Cruz and is starting her second year majoring in Accounting. Click here for a video update as Cynthia shares her dreams to use her education as a professional to further Ometepe Island. She attends college on Saturdays, starting her day at 4:30 am to catch the bus & ferry to Rivas (mainland) attending day-long classes returning home by 7/8pm.

**Heydi** is 23 years old and has already finished two years of college. She is studying Tourism and hopes to help manage hotels in Ometepe one day. Tourism is the #1 source of employment on the island. She had to stop her studies in 2018 when she had her daughter, Alison. If Heydi is able to attend college from 4:30 AM -7PM on Saturdays, her mother has agreed to babysit Alison. In addition to caring for her daughter, Heydi also helps her family in the fields with farming.

BODIES: FOOD PACKAGE PROGRAM

Many of our friends on Ometepe Island have returned to farming since the onset of the pandemic. We’re seeing lots of small crops of rice, wheat, beans, plantain and even veggies to help meet their most basic needs. Despite this, we continue to see malnutrition amongst the very young, sick and elderly. These are the people our 2021 food & baby milk distribution program will continue to reach. We are always seeking monthly support for this program. A donation of $20 provides a family of 4 food package of rice, beans, oil, sugar, salt & coffee for 7-10 days.

January 22, 2021

VLOG from Ometepe Island

November 25, 2020

A Sincere & Heartfelt Thank You

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We want to share our heartfelt gratitude to God and to YOU for your prayers, generosity, and unconditional love during this time of unprecedented need.

THANK YOU FOR

PRAYER – Your tireless prayers for protection and for providing aid to comfort those impacted by two Major Hurricanes:

15 Family Bean Farmers re-sowed & will reap new crops
10 Family Plantain Farmers will regrow their crops from scratch

GENEROSITY – Not giving up on Ometepe Island, Nicaragua despite your own needs during this pandemic to help:

30 Families each month receive a visit & food packets of rice, beans, oil, sugar, coffee, dog food, COVID-19 kits/soap to stay nourished and clean
5 Babies receive milk each month to prevent malnutrition
4 Families receive medical assistance each month to improve their quality of life
2 Families earn an income through the Ometepe Artisans Project

LOVE – Placing others before yourself to empower those with the gift of education:

53 Elementary school children receive supplies, backpacks, uniforms & shoes so they can study
40 Students attend English classes 2x/week to improve their employment options
4 College students receive a monthly scholarship to help end the cycle of poverty

November 2, 2020

OBGM Oct-Nov ’20 Update

Hello Everyone. We are so grateful to God and to all of YOU who participated in our recent campaigns to expand our outreach in Ometepe through the end of 2020. Thanks to you we met our goals and the impact is incredible (see adjacent infographic)

Each act of giving is an example of how together we can do something beautiful for God.

Speaking of TOGETHER, the Martin Family in Masatepe, Nicaragua (known as Maderas Artisans Mission Collective) fully onboarded to the OBGM family effective October 1. In future posts, we will be sharing more on their hearts for Christ and impressive talents (see video below). Click here for a copy of their most recent e-news.

We pray you all remain safe, patient & grateful during this challenging season.
Love, Rochelle & TJ

Hurricane Eta

We urgently ask for immediate prayers for our friends & family in Nicaragua. A Category 3/4 hurricane, named Eta, is expected to hit landfall in the coming hours. Heavy rainfall is expected to last for days inland and across Central America. It will likely cause landslides and crop damage.

Future Visit to Nicaragua . . .

We are praying about a brief visit to Nicaragua in early December. Will you pray with us that doors will open when God’s timing is right?

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Romans 12:2 NRSV

Can You Spare a Laptop or Unlocked Smartphone?

Our college scholarship recipients are either sharing or borrowing laptops to continue online learning during the pandemic. This is really challenging given that most of these young adults have tremendous responsibilities in addition to their studies.

WE ARE SEEKING WORKING LAPTOPS and UNLOCKED SMARTPHONES.
If you have an item to donate, please email us.

We’ve reached 50+ sales at the Etsy Shop

Shop small & shop early for the Holidays.

Proceeds from past sales have been a huge blessing to Rosita, Gladys and their families. Please share their Facebook or Instagram feeds with friends and family.

September 19, 2020

September Update

“The harmful effects of this pandemic will not be distributed equally. They are expected to be most damaging for children in the poorest countries…” – Unicef

Hello Everyone. Thanks to God and those of you who have participated in July’s Campaign 33 to expand our food distribution program through the end of 2020. We reached our initial goal and want to expand the program.

Food and medical assistance have become increasingly urgent in developing nations due to the pandemic’s impact on food systems and livelihoods. We have seen this first hand in Ometepe, with the borders closed around Nicaragua until recently. Families who relied on farming crops for income had little or NO market to sell their August harvests. Also, crop prices plummeted, while the cost of living in Ometepe for other food items and necessities have increased.

Photos from August Outreach

During August’s outreach, it became obvious that more of our families are in need of baby formula/milk or medicine. We’ve seen children in the village of Sintiope, specifically, under- or malnourished. Eight (8) families have been identified and we can help as the Body of Christ.

What Can You Do?
Will you join us to pray for provision for these hardworking families? If you are in season to give financially, consider participating in our Milk & Medicine Campaign.

We’re already half way to our financial goal! This is only $20 per family from August – December 2020. 100% of your support is directly sent to Ometepe and is tax deductible.

In August, our kids’ English Program resumed in Sintiope with some modifications due to the pandemic. On the first day, 14 kids showed up eager to learn. The young adult evening program resumes next week.

We’re excited to share that 4^th Quarter classroom instruction will be partly conducted online with volunteers providing pronunciation help to the students in Nicaragua from here in the USA. If YOU are interested in volunteering with us (from your own home), contact us for details.

No experience is necessary. Just a heart to a serve Jesus and a laptop computer or smartphone

Do you have a spare Chromebook or Laptop?

Our college scholarship recipients are either sharing or borrowing laptops in order to meet the new requirements of online learning during the pandemic. This is really challenging given that most of these young adults have tremendous responsibilities in addition to their studies. If you have an item to donate or you’re a College Scholar Sponsor who wishes to help, please email us.

Thank you First United Methodist Church of Cocoa Beach

On September 20th, FUMCCB will launch it’s Fall Engage Project to help Sponsor the 4^th Quarter of our English program. See video for details.
You don’t have to be a member to participate.

July 30, 2020

July Update – Campaign 33

Hello Everyone. We hope this newsletter finds you safe & strong. We are filled with gratitude as our family and friends remain healthy, despite reports from other communities in Ometepe that COVID-19 is rapidly spreading and families are losing loves ones. We are also grateful we live in an age where technology allows for the OBGM team to work and pray together on where we can maximize our gifts to those most in need. We invite you to pray with us for this discernment and the continued strength for those in Ometepe and throughout Nicaragua.

During July, our amazing team of staff and college scholarship recipients coordinated a food package distribution to each child from our Primary Education Sponsorship program (see photos below). This was made possible from the support we received from some of their sponsors. THANK YOU. All the kids are doing well and are continuing with their studies as school remains open in Ometepe.

Unfortunately the need and urgency for food assistance is on the rise in our communities due to mass unemployment and skyrocketing food prices. It’s obvious that the

expanded food program needs to continue beyond August. Our budget to cover 30 families is $333. This amount provides a family of four with enough rice, beans, oil, sugar, coffee & salt for 7-10 days. One way you can help is by by participating in our Campaign 33. If ten people donate $33, or one person gives $333, it would cover the month of September. If 20 people donated $33, then September & October will be covered, and so on .We will continue this campaign until we can ensure a consistent distribution through the end of 2020 with God’s help.

100% of your donation is tax deductible and directly benefits the most impoverished in Ometepe Island, Nicaragua. If you can not financially give at this time, please pray for Nicaragua. “Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not fail you nor forsake you.: Deuteronomy 31:6

July’s distribution covered families in our Primary Education Sponsor Program. We have 53 kids in the program.

God VS Everything
Sometimes we don’t know how & when God is working through us to impact others. We were honored when TJ’s high school friend sent us these (and other) T-shirts in gratitude for helping him during a difficult season. We love these comfy God-centered T-shirts and the inspiration behind them: He is greater than any battle in this world. There is no easier way to spread that message, and hopefully impact, than wearing it on your shirt. Check out GOD VS EVERYTHING.

OMETEPE ARTISANS “ON LOCATION” & ETSY

We continue to be amazed with how God is moving in the Ometepe Artisans project despite this challenging season. Both Rosa & Gladys have earned a consistent income since April, empowering each woman to support their families by selling their handmade jewelry. In addition to the online Etsy shop, there are now two (2) Space Coast, FL businesses carrying these handmade treasures! (see below). We hope you visit these “local” small businesses in the near future. No matter where you shop,100% of all profits go our deserving artists. If you have any questions email or message us on social media @Ometepeartisans.