We love it when team members share how they have seen My Gift for Jesus come to life! Check out how Mark has seen the impact with his own eyes…
When I hear “My Gift for Jesus”; the words Hope, Joy and Love are the first things that come to my mind. I was blessed with the opportunity to join a mission’s team from Fox River on a trip to Nicaragua earlier this year and was able to see the Hope, Joy and Love that is a result of our support to the community of La Esmeralda. The support helps to provide staffing and supplies at the Medical Clinic and this year it also funded the construction of a Children’s center and Restrooms at the Church.
The Medical Clinic is a blessing to the men, women and children throughout La Esmeralda and the neighboring communities. For them to have the ability to receive medical care is something that was not easily available to them prior to the existence of the Medical Clinic. One major function the clinic is providing is prenatal care. By having a nurse and doctor available to a pregnant women or her infant is priceless as this country tries to decrease its infant mortality rate. The thought of losing a child at birth is something we rarely think about or encounter here in the US, but in Nicaragua the rate is nearly 18 out of every 1000 births that this will occur. There is a level of Hope of Survival that I cannot even comprehend!
Another type of Hope that is being spread through the community is Salvation through receiving Jesus as their savior. The church in La Esmeralda is spreading the Gospel of Jesus and sharing with God’s love with the community. By adding the Children’s Center there is a new ability to reach the young children and have an early impact on their walk with Jesus. This Hope of Salvation is priceless.
This Hope of Survival and Salvation has brought Joy to this community. In my visit to La Esmeralda, I was taken back by the amount of Joy I saw and heard from all of those I encountered. Despite the fact that they live without the conveniences we have I saw Joy like I’ve rarely seen before. Even as we labored to dig holes, move earth, stack blocks or mix mortar there was laughter and smiles.
The Hope and Joy that I witnessed in La Esmeralda is so amazing and it is possible because of the Love that we have shared with them. Over the years we have sent numerous teams to help reach the community and improve the environment. All of this is possible because we say yes to God and give our support through financial gifts, our time and our prayers. All of us here at Fox River play a role in this Hope, Joy and Love I witnessed in Nicaragua. I ask that as we celebrate the birth of our Savior that you will pray and ask God what your role in providing Hope, Joy and Love to the people of Nicaragua is.
~ Mark Gitlewski
Thanks for sharing Mark! The Hope, Love and Joy that you have shared through your willingness to be a part and say yes to God’s promptings has touched many lives!
There is always time to get involved!