Nicaragua Campaign--Day 3 and 4

On Monday and Tuesday of the campaign, we shared one-on-one in the mornings in the neighborhoods we would be visiting in the afternoons.  We've found this an effective way to reach more people.  As a result, the attendance at the family festivals is much greater than when we just show up to invite in the afternoon.

Here are some pictures from the two days.

Nicaragua Campaign--Days 1 and 2

We spent last week in Nicaragua for a campaign with our two church sites in Managua.  Unfortunately, the Internet at the hotel was wolefully lacking so I wasn't able to keep the blog updated.  I managed my daily upload of pictures but only if I did it after midnight or before 6:00 a.m.  The delay might have been due to the fact that there were 37 team members at the hotel and every one of them had at least one device (some had a phone and a computer) they wanted to connect.  

We flew over on Saturday morning--the flight is only 45 minutes!  Pastor Felix and his son were there to pick us up.  They took us to the hotel and our room was ready!  Our friend, Misha, rode the bus over with the Salvadorans, but stayed in the hotel.  The three of us walked to the mall for lunch.

Before the Saturday evening campaign in the Villa Venezuela neighborhood we paired up the translators and the team from North Carolina.  The rest of the team did not arrive until after the campaign.  Even with only 18 people, the team was able to go out and talk to many people in the neighborhood, share the gospel at the door and invite them to the family festival.

  
One of the new things we have added to our family festival is a group dance activity.  This holds everyone's attention after the kid's games are over and the second time through, people from the crowd are invited to join us.  Right on the heels of the dance is the drama and then the gospel presentation.  There were 35 professions of faith on Saturday evening.

Sunday morning we all worshipped together with the Bolonia church, at their new location.  They were able to rent the auditorium in the Chamber of Commerce building; there's also a large parking lot.

Half of the team, 14 from First Baptist, Van Buren, Arkansas, were "newbies," there were 12 high school/college kids and two adults.  Even though they were new, they were excited about sharing the gospel so on Sunday night the entire team of 37 shared one-on-one before the family festival.  

 Another 30 people asked Jesus to save them!  Pastor Felix and Pastor Rodrigo are excited about the response to the gospel!  Follow-up started the next day!

El Vive! He Lives!

It was great to be back in El Salvador to celebrate Easter with Iglesia Bautista Vida Nueva this morning.  Unlike in the states, Easter Sunday services are not well attended.  Because most of the country is on vacation during Semana Santa (Holy Week), anyone who is able to "get out of town" does so. 

Nevertheless, we celebrated the risen Savior today. 

 Pastor Julio preached from 1 Corinthians 15.  

14 And if Christ be not risen, then [is] our preaching vain, and your faith [is] also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith [is] vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Everything is different because He Lives.  Let's live like we believe it!

750 Beans in the Jar

Joseph came to Managua from North Carolina, leaving a wife and three darling little girls at home.  It was his third (at least) trip and we've had the pleasure to work with him all three times.  In order to help his girls understand why their dad is spending 8 days away from them, he and his wife came up with this idea.  A jar painted black is filled with beans.  Another jar (clear) is empty.  At the end of each day Joseph called home to tell the girls how many professions of faith were made . . . . and they moved the beans from the black jar (dead in their sin) to the clear jar (washed clean by the blood of Jesus.)  

We didn't get an update for the week before the team left, so I sent Joseph (and several others) the total.  This morning I got a FB message from Joseph which read, "750 beans in the jar!  Enjoyed serving along side Vida Nueva."

Praise the Lord for Joseph and the 40 others who invested a week sharing the gospel in Managua.  

Leaving Managua

We will be on the road at about 2:00 a.m. in the morning and should be at home by late afternoon.  

It was a great a week--more about that later!