Foothill Vineyard - Missions: October 2011

Sunday, October 9, 2011

This is Hannah and Emma with the Youth Pastor Uriel from "Cread" Church (white shirt). Next to him (black shirt) is our new friend Ryann. He is the Youth Pastor for Dave Waters' Church in Virginia.

Sunday in Nicaragua

We attended Sunday morning service at "CREAD" church. They invited the Nicaragua Missions worship team to join in with their worship band, "They (we) rocked the house". What was pretty cool was that the Cread worship band was familiar with the songs we were singing. Pastor Mike brought the message with Dave Waters interpreting. After the service many congregants came forward for prayer.

Later that afternoon on our way back to the church for a Distribution, we encountered a tropical downpour.

We handed out 40 school paks to kids from the community who waited patiently for more than an hour for our arrival. What a humbling and joyful feeling to see the expressions on the kids faces when they opened up their backpacks full of school supplies.

This special young man’s name is Noel. As a result of an accident when he was 8 months old he lost both of his legs. In spite of his disability he had a positive disposition. At 13 years of age he’s at a second grade learning level. He was blessed by the school supplies, which will help him advance in his education, as his desire is to become a teacher.

It’s a privilege for us to hand out these backpacks that are not only filled with school supplies but with HOPE…and these smiles are result of the efforts and generosity of you…The Foothill Vineyard Church and friends! The smiles on everyone’s faces are your smiles…and they truly say it all.

This is P. Mike, Mike R., Sarah & Karla signing off...till tomorrow as we will be traveling to Managua...

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Loading all the School Paks at the airport in Managua

Here's a collection of photos of the first day of distributions to 80 children in the villages of Cayantu and San Lucas in Northern Nicaragua. In some cases the children and their parents walked up to 2 hours to come to the events. Our worship team of Karla Walters, Bill Pope, Mike Ramirez and Hannah Ramirez sang some songs - Pastor Mike gave a greeting and the children were presented with a Gospel message from our friend and partner Pastor Jerson Gonzalez. There were faces filled with joy and excitement as they opened their Paks, with many thanks to all of you who provided them.

After the distribution we visited the home of a boy who was not able to attend due to a spinal disease. The team gathered around and prayed for his healing and the well-being of his family.

Submitted by Craig Walters

Thursday, October 6, 2011

10/6/11

Hello from Nicaragua Central America. After departing LAX around 1:30AM Thursday and successfully getting all school paks checked in we were asked to rearrange the contents of our "carry on" items according to some "new airline rules". Basically it was like plating musical chairs with our carry on clothes and personal items. ("Hey you take my shoes and I'll carry you shampoo and toothpaste.") We must have done alright because they let us board. With a short layover in San Salvador, (which only involved switching planes once!), we were on our way to Managua, Nicaragua. After landing and meeting old friends Jerson and Elias, our driver extraordinaire, we had lunch and a looong drive to Somoto for the night. It's a good thing he's and excellent driver 'cause he scares us to death. Bill (or as we fondly call him, Beeel) was asked to preach and sing at a local church while the rest of us had dinner. The folks at the restaurant changed the Spanish music to some 70's classics just for us. Go Bee Gees!

We then spent a short time packing around 50 paks for our first school pak distribution at a local village tomorrow morning. Lots of challenges today for sure, but none of them were a surprise to God who was faithful to bring us through. Gotta go, I think there's only two showers in the whole hotel so I'm talking mine tonight to avoid the MORNING RUSH! If you'd like to join us, meet the team in the hotel lobby at 8AM sharp.

This is Mike Ramirez for the 2011 Nic Missions Team.

We've arrived! On our way to Somoto

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

2011 Nicaragua Missions Trip

The 2011 Mission Team leaves for Nicaragua in 2 DAYS! This will be our 3rd year working with Mira Ministries Internationl to bring school supplies and uniforms to the children of Nicaragua. We will arrive in Managua on Thursday, October 6th (meet up with Harrison and Alias again) and head to Somoto, our first stop.

Our mission this year also includes visits to Esteli, Bosquecito Orphanage, Matagala, La Concha, Granada and back to Managua.

Please come back to the blog, as we will be positing pictures and video throughout our journey.
The Team is EXCITED to see what the Lord has in store for us this year
!
Blessings, Sheila Barnett

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WELCOME!

Welcome to Foothill Vineyard's
Nicaragua 2014 Missions Blog

This is the sixth year of Missions to Nicaragua. There, as in many Latin American Countries, families that cannot provide the basic supplies and a uniform for their children are denied access to school. Life in this Country is difficult at best for the working class, and without a basic education the options to improve one's standard of living is almost impossible.

The past five years, the Foothill Vineyard Church community has generously provided the materials and funds for 1,250 Paks. This year we'll be supplying an additional 200 children with the means to go to school. The Paks are filled with school supplies, uniforms, and a bible. This year's trip will begin on November 2nd.

We will be visiting the area surrounding the city of Ocotal, near the Northern border with Honduras. This part of Nicaragua is described as the poorest city in the poorest region of the country. In addition to the school Paks, we will again be conducting a Mini-VBS in the afternoons with bible stories, crafts and games. Last year one mother came up to us as we were leaving and said "Thank you for bringing a day of happiness!"

Thank you for your Interest, Support and Prayers!

Craig and Debra Walters

Craig Walters has worked 30 years in television production specializing in Christian and humanitarian documentaries. He has lived in La Verne California all of his life and has traveled the world extensively with his work.

He first became aware of Mira Ministries through Dave and Pam Waters and went with them to the Ecuadoran rainforest and visited a remote village bringing the children School Paks. Together with his wife Debra, they initiated the Missions project to Nicaragua in 2009.

Debra Walters is a retired Registered Nurse. She has always has a heart for ministries. Even as a nurse working in hospice she was able to minister to her patients through prayer and sharing the good news of Christ our savior.

She enjoyed sharing God's love through the school paks which contain a first bible for most of the children on two previous trips.

We believe in showing God's love through actions. By helping these children access education, doors are opened to a better life.

Mike and Sheila Barnett

WOW! We are off and running again on our amazing trip to bring hope to families in Nicaragua. What a huge honor to represent the wonderful body of believers who are the Foothill Vineyard Church. To see the children's eyes light up and the parents expressions of gratitude is unforgettable. To receive their own Bible and a full box of school supplies is an unbelievable surprise. There is hope for tomorrow!

James, who wrote in his epistle that pure religion was to care for orphans, must have experienced something that captured his heart, just as we have. This for me is a gratifying intersection between my years as a school administrator and pastoring. Thank you Jesus.

Doug Shepherd

2014

It doesn't seem that a year has passed and now for the third year I am thrilled again to be a member of the mission team. This year we will be serving a new area in northern Nicaragua, known to be less well-off. I have been praying that we will be strong in the Spirit and see His powerful healing hand in action as we meet with the children and their families distributing the school packs and sharing the Gospel with them.

I also pray that those of you that would follow us on this blog would also hold the team up in prayer, that His Kingdom work will be done in Nicaragua. We go to bring hope and the love of the Lord to the people of Nicaragua - especially the children!

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8~9

Beth Murphy

2014

What can I say, but "I am hooked on bringing Hope to the people of Nicaragua!" I am excited to go for the third year in a row with our Mission Team. I look forward to seeing the many smiles put on the faces of the Nicaragua children and their families when handed a Pak of school supplies. My heart is blessed to be a part of God's hands and feet to spread his message of LOVE and HOPE.

Please pray for our travel, health, safety, and most of all for the people of Nicaragua. I thank you for all your support in purchasing the school paks and for all your financial contributions. We are the CHURCH! Love and blessings to you all.

Mike and Ana Huyck

I am Mike Huyck, born April 17 1955, a third generation Californian. Asked The Lord into my life in about 1984 at the constant nagging of my mother and sister. A nominal Christian at best, understanding that I would be not be able to follow in the way, a single male with all the lusts and desires thereof, I prayed for a wife, not having any prospects at that time. I met Ana in July 1986, she coming from Peru and not speaking the language, our first date was one of few words and not a likely match. But we overcame the language barrier and I asked her to marry me at Christmas in 1986, She said yes, we were married March 28,1987.

We started our family soon there after, our first son Michael was born premature in November due to Toxemia . The Lord blessed us and used my son to change my life. Two years latter our second son Robert was born, My wife was restricted to bed the last two months of her pregnancy, due to going into labor prematurely.

When my oldest son was three is when my life was changed forever. It started as I was coming home after stopping to get some Mexican food at my favorite restaurant. I was pulling into the horseshoe driveway and saw my son standing behind the wrought iron gate in between the house and garage. I waved to him, pulled alongside the wall at the north end of the driveway and backed the truck into the spot where I parked. I heard my son moan, I stopped the truck and looked and to my horror found that I had parked the truck on top of my son. I had nowhere to turn but to God, to make a long story short life is full of miracles and the love of God. I watched as God turned everything that could go wrong into life and that more abundantly. My son recovered with no limitations, my eyes were opened to the truth that is in God. After God did this for me, I felt the need to do something for Him. And seeing that the church we were attending needed paint, I volunteered for the job. As I was painting I thanked Jesus for allowing me this time to serve him, He then Baptized me in the Holy Spirit and my life was changed for ever.

My next job came, and needless to say I had to tell of my experiences with God. The lady I was working for had lost her husband just as they retired and after that she had a stroke and her left side was paralyzed . She was angry with God and did not want to have anything to do with Him.

I had told her everything I could and she would not budge. Then The Lord spoke to me and told me to tell her of my daughter. Well at the time I had no daughter, but found out the week before my wife was pregnant. So I told her, she said I had a wild faith,I said my god is who he says He is,and He does what He says He does. And I told her when my daughter is born I will show her. My daughter Melissa was born in October, a month after she was born I took her to show the lady, She gave her heart back to The Lord. I am thankful that Jesus Christ is my Lord , and have found that you can not out give God. If you don' t believe me you need to read this again. All I have I owe to Him.

Larry Green

I have recently retired from the workforce after 40+ years. I have developed several outside interests since them but the interest that has been calling me the most is the Nicaragua Mission trip. I have been fortunate over the years with a steady job, a loving family, a growing faith and loyal friendships. I want to give some of that back and thought putting some of my free time to good use helping the children of Nicaragua with their faith and education would be a way to do that. Pray for our team as we reach out to those less fortunate.

Laura Fleming

I am privileged to be traveling with the Nicaragua Missions Team for the first time this year. I am very excited for the opportunity I have been given to love on the children and families in Nicaragua. As part of our distributions I will be helping to facilitate a craft time for the children as well as joining the worship team with my violin.

God has put a passion in my heart for children, so naturally this opportunity tugged at my heart from the very first time I heard about it. I am overjoyed that God made a way for me to go to Nicaragua this year. My prayer is that I would be able to show theunsurpassable love of God to the children and families that cross our path. I am very grateful to the many family and friends who have generously supported me through prayer and resources as I prepare to travel to Nicaragua.

I am excited to see what the Lord has laid before us on this journey.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” –Isaiah 6:8

Karla Walters

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to be part of the third Missions Trip to Nicaragua. I am so excited to see what God will do this year. God is amazing! I will also be part of the worship group along with Mike and Bill. We have had an amazing time selecting and rehearsing the songs we will be singing for our kids in Nicaragua. Please keep our team and our families in prayer. Leaving them is not an easy thing to do, but they know this is a Mission that God has assigned to us.

Lastly, I want to thank those of you who have contributed to make this Mission happen!

Blessings and see you upon our return!

Karla Walters =)

Mike Ramirez - Previous Trips

I feel so privedged to be part of this mission team to Nicaragua. Helping kids has always been a big part of my life whether in a class room, teaching Sunday School, on an athletic field or just in my own home. But to be able to travel to villages in Managua and Matagalpa to give hope to a couple hundred kids is is both exciting and humbling. I have truly fallen in love with this team of wonderful people who have given their time and resources to give these kids and opportunity to get off the streets and into school.

I get to play guitar and sing with the worship team. We've learned a handful of Vineyard songs in Spanish to sing at each distribution event. Thanks Karla and Bill for helping me with the Spanish words and thanks to Brian for help with the Spanish chords :O)

I am especially thrilled about traveling with my oldest daughter, Hannah. She is becoming a beautiful young woman of God and has risen to the many challenges we've had along the way. We had both wanted to make the trip last year but were unable so going this year is really special.

And thanks to all our family and friends for your emotional and financial support in helping us get there. You have truly helped us tough the hearts of these beautiful kids for Jesus!

Mike

Kelly and Sydney Ynzunza - Previous Trip

I have wanted to do missions work for a long time and felt God leading me to join the team this year. We are blessed with so much in our country that I am really looking forward to this opportunity to help give back a small portion of what The Lord has given me. I have two awesome children and nieces and nephews that are so fortunate to have the opportunity to go to good schools and get an education. I am so excited to be sharing this experience with my daughter Sydney as she finishes her last year of high school.

I hope and pray that our work in Nicaragua will provide this same opportunity for education to many children that will be a blessing to them and their families and that they will use this blessing to follow the Lord and be a blessing to others.

- Kelly

After spending four years studying Spanish, I'm ready to go out and use my skills to benefit others. I've been blessed to be able to miss school for a week to do something I strongly feel that God has called me to do. I am looking forward to being able to have an experience that I know will change my life.

- Sydney

MISSION TRIP 2014