Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua (AMEN)

In 2011 MVPC included Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua (AMEN) in their support towards the Scholarship Program.

Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua (AMEN): www.alongsideministries.org

Evangelism Through Relationships - Halle and Kathy August, Missionaries
Alongside Ministries is an independent ministry started in 2002 with the purpose of making a difference in the lives of the poor community of Chiquilistagua and Cedro Galan by sharing the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Their mission is to come alongside those who are hurting and in need, supporting them, helping to lighten their load and encouraging them along life's path.  As they provide help and support with the physical needs of people, they hope to keep clear, the path to the cross.

• AMEN has several branches to their ministry including El Farito and El Salero
• El Farito (the Little Lighthouse) - MVPC is supporting the Alongsides Ministries Scholarship Preschool Program to assist students attend a higher quality Christian elementary program at Covanic. The scholarship helps provide tuition, fees, uniform, shoes, backpack, textbooks and some supplies. The hope is to help children establish a foundation on which to build their future.
• El Salero is a faith based sports center that provides a safe, clean and fun environment where people can experience God in a fresh new way, especially in the area of sports and playing together as a team (http://www.salero.org/vision.htm).  The ministry center includes a computer lab, library, basketball courts, soccer and baseball field.  They desire to present the Gospel as something that changes lives, gives hope for the future and is relational. Their hope is that this outreach and ministry center will challenge people physically, spiritually and mentally.

Their greatest desire is to hear and respond to God in obedience, to share His love with others, and to encourage others in the relationship with Christ. 

Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua (AMEN): www.alongsideministries.org

April 2012 Update after MVPC's visit.

Dear Friends,

It has been quite some time since we last communicated with you all but we hope you know that you are never far from our hearts and minds. We give thanks daily for the provisions God provides to continue working in ministry here in Nicaragua. And those provisions are not just the things we receive or have around us. Those provisions include the intangibles such as your prayers, your friendship, your communications and words of encouragement. Those are the provisions that actually sustain us during the difficulties and hardships that are simply a part of the life we live, as do you, in a fallen world. We are so very thankful for you all!

What’s been happening at Alongside Ministries in 2012

Life here is a little like running wind sprints (a running drill Halle used to do in college track) where we work hard, giving all we’ve got, and then . . . ahhhh… a bit of a rest before we gear up to do it all again.

January 2012 brought back our loyal team from St. Paul United Methodist Church in State College, PA with the faithful regulars and a few new faces in the mix as well. This year’s team, like those in the past, was all hands-on and ready to put their all into whatever presented itself.  They were certainly not afraid to get dirty and that’s just what they did digging and cleaning out a collapsed French drain. Started by teams previous to them this team finished the job of digging out a large hole down to sandy soil and then refilled the hole with construction debris, concrete chunks and rock. It looked like a work of art and, just last night during a rare, (for this time of year) and very hard  rain storm, we discovered it works as well as it looks – perfect!!!  Another hard and dirty project was using a jack-hammer to remove  part of the original concrete basketball court  that had cracked and had become unlevel due to tree root pressures. After cleaning up the debris (it all went into the hole!) and preparing the site they helped to pour concrete back into those areas and also poured a concrete slab for our sports center entrance area.

For those who didn’t want to get quite so dirty this team offered sewing classes to some of the women (and one man) of our community. They brought beautiful fabric and several simple patterns so the participants could choose what they wanted to make. Several beautiful skirts, aprons, hand bags and even a bolero vest were the result of their hard work and perseverance. Sewing is a handy and marketable skill down here so it’s fun to offer at least an introduction to sewing for some of these folks. In past years this team has donated a machine to one of our ladies who, since then, has used her machine to earn some money. She actually sold $300 worth of aprons to one of the team members this year who took them home for friends and her church kitchen.

This team is also a strong supporter of our educational programs, particularly the back-to-school backpacks that we provide for the local children. This year they helped pack and deliver over 500 backpacks and helped with the distribution of books and supplies for the children involved in our scholarship program as well.

Thank you so much St. Paul. Your faithfulness and hard work are always a wonderful way to start every new year.

After a short week or so to catch our breath. . .

Another faithful group of supporters and good friends, a team from Maple Valley Presbyterian Church headed up by Steve and Janis Foss (of dessert auction fame) joined us for a week of work and hands-on ministry/evangelism with the children and youth of our community. Maple Valley have been generous supporters of our feeding program so while they were here they hosted a special celebration lunch so this team could get a first hand glimpse of the feeding program itself as well as get to know some of the beautiful children that are blessed to receive a free hot lunch twice a week. After a lunch of hotdogs, chips and watermelon the children had the opportunity to decorate a cookie for Valentine’s Day and make a Valentine card to give to a special someone. Down here Valentine’s Day is translated the Day of Love and Friendship and it couldn’t have been more aptly celebrated than with a team demonstrating their love and friendship. Being “Jesus with skin on” is a lot of what our ministry is about down here and Maple Valley did just that during their time with us.

Sharing their love and friendship continued as they hosted a youth game night here at El Salero – with more cookies and cards as well as games for the youth of our community.

In addition, this team used the donations given in memory of Steve Foss’ parents, to build, paint and install four benches out in the viewing area of the soccer field. Shaded by tropical trees, these benches are a popular place to sit, relax and watch the action around the sports center. They are a great addition to the center and a wonderful way to remember and celebrate the lives of those that have gone before us. The Maple Valley team also got a chance to play in the “mud” as they finished the concrete pour in the sports center entrance, started by the St. Paul’s team a couple of weeks earlier. It all looks so nice!

Thank you Maple Valley for your support of our ministry activities, for your prayers, and for the friendships that have grown over the years of our involvement together. We hope to see you down here again sometime!

Typically in the spring we host fewer teams from the states but that doesn’t keep Halle from running. The maintenance and general management of the sports center falls squarely on his shoulders and it’s quite a job. He does it so well, keeping our Nicaraguan employees busy, allotting the funds for the completion of various projects, and, oh yes, picking up the trash – an on-going job. Through it all he smiles and laughs and continually gives of himself for the glory of God and for the people of our community.

This summer, as always, promises to be busy. We will be hosting five back to back teams – a couple of them the biggest we’ve ever had. Please pray for us (as mentioned below) as we gear up to invest in these teams as they are here to invest in the people of Nicaragua.

Thank you.

Please continue to hold us up in prayer:

1.       Please pray for Spiritual protection to surround us and those closely involved in ministry with us. We know we are vulnerable to Satan’s attacks both physically and spiritually but that our God is stronger and, with Him, we stand victorious. The battle, however, continues to wage on a daily basis and it’s for protection and wisdom during these battles that we ask for prayer.

2.       Safety for the several teams that will be with us over the summer months. Also, that through their short term mission experiences God will be glorified in them and through them.

3.       Ministry direction, particularly for Kathy, as she considers where God would want to use her. Also, contentment to be used as He desires.

4.       Praise God with us as we enter our 11^th year of ministry here in Nicaragua. We praise God not only for what He has done in our ministry but also how He has protected our marriage and our sons as each of them have stepped out into independent life (college, marriage, family life and careers) over the past 10 years.

For ten years . . .
Blessed to be Serving Together,
A.M.E.N.
Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua
Halle and Kathy August, Missionaries
Contact us at:
amen@alongsideministries.org
All donations given to our ministry will be used for current ministry needs or will be applied to the specific area of ministry you designate.