Christianity.ca - Nicaragua: A Country of Potentia

Nicaragua: A Country of Potential
It's a vast country with a large population, but only recently have missionaries begun to evangelize and preach the Gospel there.
by Kyle Wilson

Nicaragua is Central America’s largest country, spanning 129,494 square kilometres. It is slightly smaller than the state of New York and is approaching six million souls. Its history is one of hardship and disaster.

Children reading a Bible verse.

An earthquake in 1972 destroyed most of the prosperous and growing capital, Managua, and a civil war that began in 1979 and ended in 1990, greatly affected the progress of the country.

The history of the Nicaraguan people is one of perseverance with seven out of ten Nicaraguans making less than two dollars a day. The people need to hear the clear Gospel message – the message of forgiveness of sins and peace with God. A message we know can liberate those who are held in Satan's grasp. It is this message that is slowly being proclaimed throughout this vast country.

Although Nicaragua is a country with so much to offer, it is a place that often is forgotten, with countries such as Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica being more popular and in demand. Sadly enough, when it comes to the preaching of the Gospel, only in recent years have missionaries begun to evangelize and teach New Testament principles here.

In September 2003, I made my first trip to Nicaragua. After I graduated from high school and while I was waiting to go to university, the opportunity opened up for me to help in a new work in a small town called Dolores. I helped out for eight months, learning the language and culture while also getting a first-hand glimpse at Gospel work.

Being involved at ground level and seeing God work in that small town, changed my life. A burden to make my life count for God and for eternity grew stronger. I returned two more times in 2005 and 2006 before being commended to full-time work and moving permanently to Nicaragua in August 2007.

Each time I was in Nicaragua I had worked closely alongside CMML missionary Mark Bachert and his wife Brenda who share a similar burden, vision and love for this country.

God provided a way for me to leave the assembly in Dolores when Tony and Danelle Flett, also CMML missionaries who moved there in 2004, dedicated themselves to work in Dolores and the outlying region. This assignment fulfilled my desire to bring the Gospel to a new area. It allowed Mark, Brenda and me to look at new areas.

One of Nicaragua's many volcanoes.

Mark and I also discussed allowing other young men to help with the Gospel work here in Nicaragua. In the short time that I had been saved, the Lord gave me opportunities to work alongside different experienced workers. It was something I greatly appreciated. These experiences formed me and my walk with the Lord.

The truth is, thousands of young men are giving years of their lives in service of false religion, spreading false hope throughout this world and this country. Should not we, who have been given the truth, encourage young people to be more involved with spreading the truth?

We invited 12 young men to come for a one-year commitment starting September 2007. The Lord answered our prayers and three said yes.

August 2007 arrived, and I moved to Nicaragua with just a few belongings. Mark and Brenda had just moved into a remote area called El Valle, about 45 minutes from Dolores, where our team would spend the next year.

Our first goal was to study the language. I needed to touch up my own language skills and the team needed to learn Spanish. We wanted to provide the team with a good language base so they could communicate in a simple way with the people. We began our studies at a Spanish school five minutes down the road.

During that time we also prayed that the Lord would lead us to a new area where we could preach the Gospel. In the evenings we began home Bible studies on the book of Acts. As we looked at the early Church, we wondered about things like, Is it possible for the Lord to work like He did in the book of the Acts? Is it possible for people to be saved, baptized and taught in a matter of months like Paul must have done throughout his missionary journeys?

Little did we know that the Lord would soon respond to these questions.

A child picking coffee beans.

As we continued to study the language, opportunities to witness to our teachers arose. It seemed that after each class we all had exciting stories to tell of the interest we saw in our Spanish teachers. Some days we didn’t open any Spanish textbooks. Instead discussions about the Lord, eternity, and salvation took up all our time.

We quickly realized a need for a home Bible study. One of our teachers opened her home each Thursday night. In the fourth week of our studies Francisco, a contact from the community, understood through Genesis 22 the great truth of what Christ had done for him. He was the first to profess faith and in excitement told our neighbour, Erickson about his salvation. Erickson, burdened about his life, asked if he could attend a Gospel meeting in Dolores. He heard the message of the Gospel for the first time, bowed his head at the end of the meeting and humbly asked God's forgiveness. In less than two weeks God had given us two men.

God was evidently opening up a new work, and in the most unlikely place. El Valle is not a city or town, it is a cluster of 200 to 300 homes spread throughout the countryside. At first glance the houses aren’t visible, but as you go down the hidden side-roads and pathways, they appear.

We decided to hold Gospel tent meetings and found the perfect location. We made and handed out invitations, erected the tent and bought the sound system. We were all ready, but we didn't know what would happen.

In late October 2007, we began what turned into eight weeks of Gospel preaching each night. The response from the small community was great, and many nights the tent was filled. Over the eight weeks a good number of people professed faith in Christ, and the meetings ended with a baptism of six from the community. Over the next several months we visited, preached, witnessed and taught. God was working in a way that was evident and special. What a privilege to see God at work with our own eyes.

On a quiet Sunday morning in February 2008, we sat down with a small group of Nicaraguan believers and for the first time obeyed the Lord's command concerning communion: "This do in remembrance of me." More than a year has passed since the assembly was first planted. We could see the evidence of God at work. Fourteen Nicaraguans now formed the church. To God be the glory!

Men on top of a plantain crop.

So far we’ve looked back over our two years of missionary service, but it also helpful to look forward.

I look forward to, and am burdened about the need to continue preaching the Gospel in this country, and about the growth of the eight existing assemblies.

I am burdened about who will go, and who is willing. Thankfully God has provided, and is providing other workers to take the Gospel into hard-to-reach areas. I think about areas where we have recently traveled, and pray that the Lord will one day open more doors.

In looking forward I am burdened for this wonderful country, but alongside the burden, I sense excitement.

I look forward to seeing God working again like He did in Dolores and El Valle.

I look forward to seeing God meet needs that we could never meet on our own and provide in ways we could never provide for ourselves.

I am blessed with a wonderful fiancée whom I will marry in January 2010. We will be working together, with God's help, to make a small difference in this great country.

The need is great in this country, but in the little time I have been here I have learned this simple truth – our God is greater!

Kyle Wilson and Allison Williamson are from Vancouver, Canada. Kyle was commended to full time missionary service by Carleton Gospel Hall in Vancouver.

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