Kingdom Business Training

"Fortaleciendo Negocios Para El Reino”…“Strengthing Businesses for the Kingdom,” is the name of the education manual to be used this week in Boaco with some of the farm Partners as well as some of the health comities. This manual was written by members of the Nehemiah center, here in Managua. The collaborative work of many of our organizations in community development is resulting in opportunities for growth in micro businesses and those on a larger scale. Out of this need a desire grew in my heart to assist the Nicaraguan people with tools for real success. My business knowledge is small in comparison with many professionals since my vocation was in nursing. So I can defiantly empathize with our Partners in the rural areas of Nicaragua, and joyfully will be taking the classes with them.
For four years now David and I have been working in Nicaragua with farm Partners. We have some who are packaging coffee, and with women who have started to bake bread in a brick oven with the intention of selling it. One farmer is trying to form his own co-op. Many women have taken out loans for sewing machines, with the idea of selling clothes or crafts for their family financial security.
Business can be a frightening thing to those who find it difficult read and write. Accounting can be an insurmountable task. Many of the partners we work with are shy and live outside of a modern city. Most have no water or electricity, but eyes are opening for the importance of saving for their future and other essential business principals.
Some of the references for this material came from authors such as Larry Burkett’s book “Business and the Bible.” In the writing of these materials, biblical principals are integrated into every lesson. At the end of 12 weeks the trainee should feel comfortable with basic accounting, business language, and attain the confidence to be able to write a simple business plan.

Please join me in praying that God will use these lessons for the benefit of all involved. Pray that the lessons are simple and understandable.
We will be traveling to two different communities for these trainings. Pray for driving safety as well.
Thanks

Work in Zambia, Africa

Greetings all,

Just thought I would share a photo of the working road side market in Zambia. David is there working on finding Zambian Partners to build a training farm facility possibly in conjunction with an Orphanage. Thru the help of Sunnyside Farmer to Farmer, they are in the prosess of digging a well.

Please pray for saftey for David, in travel and work.

Disaster Relief

Greetings friends and family,
While David is out of Nicaragua the damage reports of Hurricane Felix continues. I happened to be in Boaco visiting our coffee farmers and there was a small land slide on the main road. While this specific act of nature did not effect traffic, my heart goes out to this type of thing happening all over Nicaragua where there is heavy rainfall. The farmers of Mombachito joined us in praying for their brothers and sisters. Life in the mountains without news papers and without telephones is difficult, so a news paper was delivered and prayers said. Thanks so much for your continued prayer.

Down below there is an FYI for disaster relief.
Christian Reformed Relief Committee has already dispersed aid this morning.

Blessings
Wendy
_________________________________________________________________
Dear supporters and friends of the Nehemiah Center,

Greetings from Nicaragua. As many of you have heard, Hurricane Felix, a category 5 hurricane, hit the north Atlantic coastal region of Nicaragua with all of its fury on the morning of September 4, 2007. Major damage was caused not only in the port city of Puerto Cabezas, but also in many inland communities, affecting the lives of about 70,000 people. Even in good conditions, access to and communication with this region of the country is difficult; since the hurricane’s passing, the area has become even more isolated, as only the airport in Puerto Cabezas is functional and the one land road blocked due to flooding, fallen trees, and road damage.

While the Nehemiah Center does not have any permanent programs in this region of the country, we are responding to its relief needs in this time of crisis through one of our national partner organizations, Accion Medica Cristiana (AMC). AMC does have a long term program and staff throughout the region. Locally in Managua, we are helping with the collection of food, water, clothing, and blankets. At the international level, we are working with our collaborating organizations to raise awareness of the needs and secure funds as well as medical supplies that can be sent to support the relief efforts. Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and Food for the Hungry have already secured roughly $20,000 for a first phase response. These funds will be directed toward providing food, water, and shelter reparation in two communities where approximately 80% of people lost their homes due to wind damage.

What can you do? Along with our current efforts, we are also looking to collect funds that will serve as a second phase response. This region of the country is largely populated by subsistence farmers who were just beginning to harvest their rice crop for the year. With the passing of the hurricane, the rice in their fields, as well as a large portion of what they had already harvested, was lost. These farmers and their families will need long term assistance to restore their agricultural production abilities and provisions for their immediate needs until the next harvest. We ask you to prayerfully consider a donation to support these efforts to help the people of Nicaragua’s north Atlantic region.

To donate to the Hurricane Felix relief and rehabilitation efforts:

- In the US, you can donate directly on the FH/US website by clicking the donate to Hurricane Felix relief link on site’s front page www.fh.org

- In Canada, you can donate by calling the Canadian FH office at 1-800-667-0605 and tell them it is for Hurricane Felix relief.

- Contact us at the Nehemiah Center and we will help you find alternative ways to donate.

Here are links to photos from the affected region.

http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/2007/09/06/galeria/huracan_felix

http://www-usa.laprensa.com.ni/archivo/especiales/galerias/interno/index.php?id=281

Attached you will also find the latest report from Accion Medica Cristiana regarding this situation.

On behalf of the Nehemiah Center and the people of Nicaragua, we thank you for your interest and support of the Hurricane Felix recovery efforts.

The Nehemiah Center
AP 1076

Managua, Nicaragua
Phone: +011 (505) 271-2958

www.nehemiahcenter.net

Hurricane Felix update

We are fine here in Central Nicaragua. There were heavy rains that lasted for about 6 hours last evening. When it rains here it only takes about an hour and you see evidence of flooding. Praise God the damage is not worse. Please join us in praying for the Moskito people who are struggling at this time.

Down below is a news release.
Wendy

Nicaragua declares state of disaster after Hurricane Felix

MANAGUA, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega declared a state of disaster Tuesday in the country's North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) after Hurricane Felix killed three people, destroyed 5,400 homes and left 38,000 homeless there.
Ortega called on the international community to help those who had lost their homes and harvests due to the massive storm.
He said water, food, construction materials, medicine and general supplies are needed.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Felix made landfall in northeastern Nicaragua at 6:00 a.m. local time (1200 GMT) on Tuesday, with wind speeds of 260 kph, making it a category five hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
It has ripped off 80 percent of roofs in Bilwi, the capital of the RAAN. In Managua, a hospital and a church were tumbled, but there were no victims as both buildings had been evacuated.
Colonel Mario Perezcassar, head of the nation's civil defense body said that 13,000 people had been evacuated.
Also on Tuesday, Honduras' President Manuel Zelaya offered to send army helicopters to Nicaragua to help with the rescue efforts.
In Puerto Cabezas airport, 500 km northeast of the capital Managua, the hurricane ripped off the roof of the main building and brought down the communications tower.
The victims included a new born baby who had died in a hostel in Puerto Cabezas' Morava Church, which is being used as an emergency shelter, according to Rogelio Flores, the deputy head of Civil Defense in the North Atlantic region.

Hurricane Felix

Greetings everyone,

Just an update on Hurricane Felix. We wanted to let you know that the storm is actually North East of us and not affecting central Nicaragua where we are. Probably just heavy rains today and tomorrow.
Praise God that David was able to fly off to Africa this morning safe and sound.
He will be in the states for a week before he actually leaves.
We are asking for prayers for safty and healath.
Laura our daughter who teaches at a christian school here and I will stay behind.
We will keep you updated on new findings.
Please pray for those on the atlantic coast who are losing their homes from winds and flooding.
Blessings
Wendy