We have to re-think the way we “do church”, whether at home or in the mission field. The Do Good Initiative posted this link to an excellent article, and I wanted to repost it here for you… it may make you mad, but I hope it makes you THINK.
Why You Should Consider Canceling Your Short Term Mission Trip
Image credit: From Do Good Initiative website
I promised to tell you more about some of the Kingdom work going on in the beautiful nation of Nicaragua.
Global Cause Network has it’s Central American Headquarters in a sleepy little coastal town called Masachapa. God is very purposeful when He gives directions for overthrowing the kingdoms of darkness in a nation.
Masachapa was once a jewel on the Pacific, filled with wealthy landowners. Beach front vacation homes belonged to many of the elite of Nicaragua of the 1920′s-30′s, including President Juan Bautista Sacasa and some of his family. When Somoza overthrew Bautista in the 30′s, he took over the entire territory surrounding Masachapa, eliminating Bautista’s family and deporting all of Masachapa’s citizens. He then moved into the former president’s home and made it a regional headquarters, naming it Embajada de los Murciélagos (Embassy of the Bat). Somoza so despised Bautista that he ordered his troops to round up all of the poorest people of Nicaragua and bring them to Masachapa, basically dumping them into this waste of a town to scavenge for their livelihood. Somoza did this to bring disgrace on Bautista’s name and all that had been a symbol of his influence and prosperity. During the reign of the Somoza family, the house in Masachapa remained a seat of power and influence. After the Somozas were overthrown by the Sandanistas, the house fell into disrepair and ruin, blending in with the town.
In 2004, Apostle Jonas Clark found the ruined estate and purchased it for the headquarters of Global Cause International. Rechristening it Embajada La Paloma… Embassy of the Dove… it has become a symbol of new birth and restoration throughout the territory. When our ministry teams travel to Masachapa…this is where we stay. How cool is that?! The apostolic mindset is to establish government for the Kingdom of God. It’s prophetically symbolic that this apostolic ministry has taken dominion of a building that has historical significance in the political life of this nation. God’s people in Nicaragua are reclaiming places in both the spiritual and the natural realms that should belong to the Kingdom…starting with La Paloma! This beautiful house is still a seat of power and influence, only now it is a tool for the Kingdom of Light!
Tomorrow, I’ll tell you about the church and school in Masachapa.
The children of Nicaragua have captured my heart. Times with these children have produced my most treasured moments in Nicaragua. Ministry in Nicaragua IS ministry to children. More than 35% of the nation’s population is under 14. In Nicaragua, school is free and compulsory, but attendance is not enforced. Only 28% of first graders ever finish the sixth grade. Yet, it is the children – the next generation – who will restore and establish the Kingdom of God to this nation. They are brave and full of hope for a better future than what they have known. They are graced with a patience that many of us never attain, as if they have embraced the truth that through faith and patience, promises are obtained.
On my first trip to Nicaragua, we moved through the neighborhoods surrounding La Paloma inviting families to the first children’s outreach in Masachapa. Although it was during the school day, school age children greeted us at every door. At one door, parents proudly presented team members with their 12 year-old daughter. The girl was dressed as a prostitute and her services were offered to team members. Instead of attending school, the girl was trying to earn money for her family. Extreme poverty and the lack of available schools contribute to the low education rate in this nation.
You can make a difference. You can be an agent of grace, helping these children realize the promises God has for them. Your dollars can pave the way for children to receive a high quality education while the dire spiritual needs of the community are also being met. The Lord told us to “go and get the children.” That mandate has expanded from Franklin County to the children of Nicaragua. Remember the children in your prayers and your giving. They are truly our heritage from the Lord.
(First published 10.14.07)
