Nicaragua: Transformed Communities (Days One & Two)

So far it has been an amazing trip. Opportunity International is a fabulous organization that is 

changing lives for generations to come. God’s presence is felt everywhere we go. Day one was 

our agriculture day where we met with Ernesto Reyes at his Yucca farm. He is a leader amongst 

his group, and throughout his community. Through loans provided by Opportunity International he 

has been able to prosper, employ many others, and change the life of his family. Later that afternoon 

we visited with a family where OI had helped provide a new roof. Something so small as a roof 

greatly transformed the lives of many families in that community. Their house consisted of nine family 

members and was made of patched wood and dirt floors. 

Day two began our artisan day. We had direct contact with a potter named Pedro Guerrero, 

who showed us his store where we purchased his wonderful works of art followed by a visit to the 

OI technical high school for kids ages eleven through fourteen. Currently only serving kids grades 7-8, 

the school will add a grade each year, eventually serving all high school grades. The school uses a self-sustainable model, providing academic coursework in tandem with technical classes and apprenticeship within reach of people living in rural poverty. This school Is changing the lives of 

many  Nicaraguan youth. 

The afternoon artisans were two brothers who showed us their skills of woodcarving.

We learned more about how they partnered with OI to promote their sales and business. 

Geralyn Sheehan, OI Nicaragua's Program Director, and Hawell Ponce, the project manager, 

have played a major role throughout all of our travel with their vision and strong leadership. We are feeling the love and trust between Opportunity International and the community members.

Maggie Johnston (on behalf of the team).

CPC Visits Opportunity International in Nicaragua: June 2013

On Sunday a group of CPC families will depart for Nicaragua. They are being led by Missions Pastor, Paul Tshihamba, as they learn more about microfinance and the overall economic situation facing people in Granada, Nicaragua. Watch the video below to hear how Opportunity International was able to empower Rosa, a baker in Nicaragua.



Follow this blog and the stories of people from Christ Presbyterian Church as they journey to Granada, Nicaragua. 

Zambia: Justice and Mercy

We greeted our fourth day in Zambia with bright sun and the faint smell of charcoal which is used as cooking fuel. After a hearty breakfast – yes, we are privileged to have three meals a day - we drove to the International Justice Mission (IJM) to introduce ourselves and to meet its new director Claire Wilkinson and her staff. The IJM’s mission is to provide legal assistance to disadvantaged Zambians. For example, widows and orphans often face land and property grabs which means their property is taken by paternal relatives when the father of the household dies. Similar to US law property flows to widows and children, so IJM fights for those rights. Claire’s energy and passion for this difficult work was hopeful.

Our afternoon was filled with feeding program visits sponsored by three churches within a 26 church network that is supported by the Jubilee Center, one of CPC’s Zambian partners. Beautiful children crowded around, welcoming us with outstretched hands and wide smiles. Kiersti gave a two minute kids sermon, based upon Psalms 139: 14 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made”. The team all took turns cooking nshima, a thick, cream-of-wheat type staple which is often eaten at each meal. Volunteers lovingly make these meals. We are never far from seeing God’s hand at work.

Over eighty percent of the children we served today are HIV positive. Their antiretroviral drugs (ARV’s) are to be taken with food, so these feeding programs are literally life saving. The children showered us with love and joy. Though we left with nshima, dust, dirty dishwater, and sticky who-knows-what on our clothes, we left having received more than we gave.

Our evenings have closed with intimate, reflective, candlelight (due to intermittent power outages) conversation. We share what we have sensed and felt. We ask tough questions and try to wrap our heads around each day. And we also laugh. A lot. We are blessed to have Pastors Paul and Rich shepherding this trip. As Rich would say. “It’s another beautiful day in Africa.” Amen.

Anne and George West

Zambia: Humbled and Inspired

This is our first trip to Zambia and we were greeted with, “Welcome to Zambia, you are home, you are family. We are inspired and humbled by the hospitality that our hosts have shown, the stories of the people, the compassion they show to others, and their deep faith in Christ. When we arrived and saw the landscape, the condition of the streets, the housing, and the poverty, it was a shock. The longer we are here the more we have discovered the beauty within. We spent the last couple of days visiting schools that are the size of five small rooms. Some of these schools educate up to 543 kids and do it with none of the tools we have at home. Ventilation, light, and room to sit and move are not luxuries afforded them, but they do have passion, hope and a sense of duty to the kids and their communities.

We have visited sick people who are supported by the church home-based caregivers who volunteer their time and support them with food, compassion and their time. The sick have allowed us to come to their homes and sit and talk with them. I can say I am not that gracious when I am sick. We have met with members of support groups who shared the challenges they face and the support they give each other. We also have met people who are HIV positive themselves who reach out to others in their communities to support and care for them.

We have met a ton of kids who are friendly, curious about “white people”, love to show off and have their picture taken. They soak up the attention and will be with you as long as you let them. They are fun to be with too. We asked one child how was doing and his response was a simple and amazing: “Happy.” We learned something today.

The week is barely half over and we are still processing all that we are taking in. The churches and their leaders are the soul of the support we are experiencing and seeing. I feel hopeful because of them.

Karen and Dave Parrin

Zambia: Learning to Listen

What a day this has been! After a challenging start (a bus with a dead, or mostly dead battery), we began our day joined by a room full of pastors and lay care volunteers belonging to a network of 26 churches connected to the Jubilee Centre. After some time of worship and side-splitting icebreakers, Rich and Kiersti did an amazing job facilitating a training workshop focused on the art of listening in the context of caring. After a hearty lunch of authentic Zambian food, the rest of the group went to get a tour of the community elementary schools. As we process what we experienced and saw, the lessons we draw from this with continue to reverberate in our hearts for and minds.

Zambia: Unfettered Worship

After four flights, over three continents, and 27 hours, we ended our journey from Minneapolis to Lusaka late Saturday evening. The excitement of finally getting here made the long trip worth it. Worship the next morning would put it all in perspective. The nine of us (Rich Phenow, Kiersti Phenow--who flew up from Cape Town, South Africa to join us--Mike Sobol, Jeannine Kellogg, Dave and Karen Parrin, George and Anne West, and Paul Tshihamba) would split up into three groups and attend three churches in the Lusaka suburb of George, where we've been in partnership with 26 vibrant Zambian churches for the last three years, thru the facilitation of the Jubilee Centre. Three of us were asked to preach the sermon. Jeannine volunteered, while Rich and Paul weren't given a choice:).

As is typical here, the experience of worship was powerful and genuine. Beginning the week with dear Zambian friends in worship was an important reminder of ties we've forged with this community.

Paul Tshihamba

2013 Zambia Trip: Visiting Jubilee Center

On Friday, six members of Christ Presbyterian Church will leave Minneapolis to go visit our partner, The Jubilee Center, in George, Zambia. The team will be led by Missions Pastor, Paul Tshihamba and Congregational Care Pastor, Rich Phenow. CPC has a long-standing partnership in Zambia, see the video below to learn more.

2013 Easter Offering from Christ Presbyterian Church on Vimeo.

Watch their journey unfold as they post stories and pictures on this blog. They welcome your comments and questions. 

Pastor Rich Phenow making new friends in Zambia.