Serve  in  Nicaragua.

St. Lukes has been involved in mission with the Nicaraguan people through our covenant missionaries Ronnie and Angi Hopkins for many years. Through our prayers, presence through mission teams, and our financial support, we are able to connect God's message of love to our Nicaraguan friends. Through person to person, church to church, and community to community connections with these Christians of another way of living, we grow ourselves in learning of God's love for all people and in our own discipleship. Find out how you can become involved in the sections below or connect with any member of our Nicaraguan Mission Planning Team: Kevin Clark, Bill Garrard, Beth Osbahr, and Beth Steelmon. They have stories to tell of how God works through us and in us in our mission with the Nicaraguan people. 

Meet  Our  Missionaries

Hopkins_Newsletter_2020_01-03.pdfRonnie and Angi Hopkins have been in Nicaragua for over 16 years. Their connection began as they would take mission teams to Nicaragua from their Hopkins_Newsletter_2020_01-03.pdf in the Red Bird Missionary Conference in western Kentucky. Then they found their love for the Nicaraguan people was so strong that God called them to be full time missionaries. So in 2005 they came under the auspices of The Mission Society (now TMS Global). St. Lukes has  supported them since the beginning. Angi is a nurse practitioner who works in health education and with women in bettering their economic and spiritual life through creating craft groups. Ronnie's focus is working with youth leadership development and community development in equipping Nicaraguans in remote areas with better health, education, and spiritual life. The Hopkins have immersed themselves in the lives of the Nicaraguans who serve with them and are great hosts to our mission teams.  Their life has been immensely enriched with the addition of "Peanut" as their Nicaraguan foster child. They are people of immense humility and kindness. Listen to them share about their work. Here is a summary of their work from 2015 - 2018.  Read their latest newsletters updates on the work with the people on the River Bocay: 

2019 February, A Medical Mission Team; 

2020: Jan-Mar, April-June,

Listen to the school kids in the remote area of Rio Bocay play their band "instruments."


Latest Update on Our Mission Work in Nicaragua:

Two Hurricanes Strike Nicaragua in Nov. 2019

 

The people of Nicaragua continue to struggle in their impoverishment, complicated with the impact of the corona virus pandemic, plus they had two hurricanes come ashore in November, 2020. Our missionaries Ronnie and Angi Hopkins continue to do the Lord’s work with their Nicaraguan colleagues in spite of these most trying circumstances with tangible aid and spiritual support in response to these multiple disasters.

 

Although the clinic and training center in the remote region of the Rio Bacay was not seriously damaged in the hurricanes, many people’s homes were, along with damage to their crops. So relief supplies have been provided.

 

Ronnie and Angi place their hope and trust in God’s grace in the midst of our adversity as they shared in a recent email: “As we approach the end of this tumultuous year, with hopes of a calmer 2021, we want to express our deep gratitude to all of you who have partnered with us during these difficult times. All of the ministries, as well as the current relief work, is made possible because of the generosity and sacrifices on the part of our donors.”

 

If you would like to contribute to Nicaragua disaster relief, please mark your donation to St. Luke’s as “Nicaragua Relief.”  Alternatively, a check may be sent to Acts 1:8; P.O. Box 23; Cedartown, GA  30125. (Acts 1:8 is a 501 3c non-profit organization for projects in Nicaragua)

 

  Bill Garrard, Global Missions Coordinator  


Nicaragua in Crisis

 

Although our national media has not really covered the fact that Nicaragua as a nation is in the midst of social and political upheaval. Beginning in May 2018, there were protests and violence with over 200 people killed and many others injured and difficulties continue for the economy and the people. The issues are far from resolved as suppression continues and the economy suffers as tourists and work teams are no longer coming.

 

Of course the work of our missionaries Ronnie and Angi Hopkins have been affected.  They are trying to continue their work while helping those with whom they work live through this most difficult time. Because mission teams are not coming, many of the people who work with them as translators, coordinators, support personnel, etc, are not receiving remuneration. They continue to work with the people and are providing relief help for those in crisis. We have suspended sending any teams but continue hel with salary support as well as sending funds for relief work. 


Please pray for them and the people of Nicaragua and give to support them in this time of crisis as you are led.

 

Blessings,

 

Rev. Bill Garrard

Global Missions Coordinator


Our Last  Mission  Team  Was November  6-15  2017

TO THE RIVER BOCAY

Trips will resume when team safety is assured.

OVERVIEW: Many people have had life changing experiences by serving on one of our mission teams to Nicaragua. Although you are going from a place of familiarity and relative comfort, God goes with you to show you how God is already working in the lives of people different from you. Teams need all kinds of people with all kinds of skills to work with the Hopkins to show love and to equip the Nicaraguans to build better lives. In doing so, team members are blessed with new relationships in the family of God and grow in their insight and understanding of their own place of calling and service in the Kingdom of God. Teams are led by the Hopkins and experienced team leaders from St. Lukes and include Nicaraguans who serve as part of the team. Here are some newsletters describing what some past teams from St. Lukes were about: August, 2016;     November 2014;  August 2013. Each team is prepared for what the experience is to be like as well as how we are to be in mission . For help in listening to God about your going on a team, we have prepared this brochure which gives you a lot of information. Better yet, talk with one of the many people who have already made that trip including Dr. Kevin Clark, Beth Osbahr, Beth Steelmon, Tom Stewart, Jeff Kerley, Bryan Clark, Kyle Clark, Bruce and Becky Beerbower, Vicky and Raymundo Villanueva, Janice Garrard, Betty Gast, Pat Anderson, Chris Duncan, and more. Scholarship help is available and we believe if one is called, God will find a way. Here are some more ideas on how to fund your trip.  


In general, the estimated cost of a trip is between $1500 and $1700 depending on the price of the airline tickets and how many are on the team. Some scholarship funds are available. The deadline for a deposit of around $800 is required several months before the trip which will enable the purchase of airline tickets which are nonrefundable. The balance will be due shortly before the team leaves. 


We pray God will bring together just the right people to serve on our teams including the Nicaraguans who join us when it is safe for teams to resume.








our  school renovation Project  in the

sivivas community on the Rio Bacay

We committed to raising money for the renovation of a once abandoned two room primary school at Sivivas, a community on the River Bocay. The school is now being used, but when we saw it in August of 2016 it was abandoned with squatters living in it. The cost of renovations was around $8000 with another $1000 for equipment. We worked diligently  to help with this project asking groups and individuals within the church to help raise the funds to provide the children in this community a good environment for learning. 


Basic education has been lacking for the people all along the river and they are eager to build or repair schools themselves if those from the outside can provide the funding. Our teams have observed teens that were just beginning their primary education because education had not been available before. 


Praise the Lord! By November 2018 through the generosity of many, we have raised the funds to pay for this school renovation and so grateful to God for what this means to the children and their families to have an education. 


  • Here is the current update on the project: 


Repairs are almost completed on the school. A solar system to provide electricity for lights and a computer will be added in January  2018 when the new school year starts.  The community has built the fence around the school and will finish the roof soon. Two days of training for the women were provided to help with in their sewing projects including making the children’s school uniforms. Many thanks for helping to make this a successful school.  The kids are doing great!

Blessings,

 

Ronnie Hopkins


We were also able to provide the children with nets to protect them from mosquito borne illness. And water purification filters which use five gallon buckets for each of their families.


Latest follow up from our rehab of the Siviwas School:

When we were on the River two weeks ago, we visited the School, did a program, and took school supplies and sport equipment. We saw the kids filling up the water buckets out of the River to use for drinking and cooking. We are so thankful for your water buckets and filters which makes the water safe. Maybe down the road we can do a water project for the Siviwas community. - Ronnie Hopkins February 2019

Dipping_water_our_of_river.jpg




If you have more questions about this, talk with Bill Garrard, Global Missions Coordinator.