Help Feed and Educate 300 Nicaraguan Children

Club Cristiano La Esperanza (CCLE) has been reaping beautiful results from a summer and fall of hard, faithful work and generous donations from donors all over the U.S! This summer we began tackling some big projects including a security fence arond three parts of the school's center to keep our kiddos safe and focused on work (and play!) apart from nearby distractions.

Another area of big project progress is the work on the Dining Hall/Tutoring Center. This is the building that was half abandoned on the original property.  We are right in the middle of installing all of the electrical system.  It is tough work to go back and cut walls that were built without the electrical installed.  But, it is getting done…one cloud of concrete dust at a time!  We really are excited about this and hope to have the building in use come next school year.  Next steps are mudding the walls, putting the roof on, tiling the floor, then doors and windows.  Please keep praying for progress…it is going to be a great building!

We're also undertaking a small-scale agriculture project to grow healthy foods to supplement the meals we provide everyday for more than 300 kids. We received an agricultural grant from Austin Samaritans, a great nonprofit that's been working in Nicaragua for several years, and friends from Heritage Baptist Church helped put in a preschool garden. It's a great way for the kiddos to learn from an early age how to grow healthy food - an important part of becoming all God desires for them to be! The first crops that went in were cucumbers, chiles, tomatoes and a local squash called pipiyan. The kids helped harvest the pipiyan and loved it! Next up? Corn!

We're also grateful for the opportunity to host a prenatal counseling workshop for local pregnant mothers with another nonprofit ministry partner - ORPHANetwork. The women were encouraged with practical information from a nutritionist about how to best take care of themselves and their baby while pregnant and were given prenatal vitamins. What a blessing to be able to come alongside these mothers at the earliest stages of their children's lives to encourage them with truth and hope!

We are fortunate to have your partnership and continue to be amazed at all that we get to be a part of through CCLE. Thank you for your continued financial investment and prayer - it is all gratefully received and producing good fruit!

Life has been fun and exciting as of late and we wanted to share about some of the things that have been going on at the Club. After the miracle of raising $26,000 in less than a month to finish paying for the new location we’ve been working to finish the second building that was left unfinished by the previous owner. It is a big shell of a building that we hope turn into our Tutoring Center/Dining Hall. A multipurpose building…remember “Cafetoriums”???

We had a group of High School Students from Atlanta come down with a friend and they took the first crack at working on the building. Clearing the trees that had grown inside, leveling the floor and laying a concrete floor inside - these kids were troopers, working in the blaring sun in the hottest time of year here in Nicaragua.

The team also had lots of fun with the kids at the Club. A father and daughter combo took care of lunch one of the days. He works as a distributor for McDonalds back home so we made the contact in Managua and gave the kids a really fun treat….MickeyDzzzz at lunch time!

Following up on the Atlanta team was a group from Austin Samaritans in Texas. They busted some concrete work too and “threw mud” at all the unfinished walls for the final layer - lots of hard work and another step towards finishing the building.

The Austin Samaritans group also brought the drama…in the form of the story of the “Good Samaritan.” Costumes and all, they taught the children one of the great parables that Jesus taught. A very important lesson for children to learn at a young age, do not just pass by those who are in trouble. Stop what you are doing, help the ones in trouble, and go beyond what you think you are able to do! It was hard not to smile at all the cute little robbers though!

A blessing from the US Embassy Auction…we were able to get two giant tents for 1/4 of the cost at auction. We put one up inside the building we are working to finish since there is no roof yet. This way we could use the space since we have the floor poured now. We used the other tent for shade by the kitchen so the kids don’t have to stand in the sun when they wait in line for lunch…shelter from the Sun. They will provide shelter from rain too, which will be great during the rainy season. These tents will also give great shelter for the students in our tutoring program that used to meet outside under a tree. The tree wouldn’t have worked for the rains hahaha!

Thank you for your continued prayers for Club Esperanza - with your help the lives of young people are changed! If you know of people who want to support the Club please let them know that all NEW recurring monthly donations pledged on July 16 will be MATCHED 30% by an anonymous donor to Global Giving. That means if you commit to giving $100 per month it will be raised to $130. If you have any questions please contact our ministry partner Katie Adams at katieadamsmd@gmail.com.

We are excited to see all that God is doing at Club Esperanza and are grateful for your continued partnership!