Community Development The Mission is involved in a number of community development projects. Early in the Mission's development the need to develop a local council became apparent, we needed the direction of the local community if we where to realize our goal of total empowerment. Together with the local council the leadership of the mission plans and develops a number of projects from the building of home shelters to a comprehensive water system assessment. Missioners get involved in all phases of the projects from painting to maintenance to food distribution. To make a donation to build a home shelter or help the Community Development project, visit our Donations page.
Home Shelter BuildingMany people in Chiquilistagua have no homes of their own and are forced to live with relatives bringing the total of many dwellings to over a dozen people living in cramped one-room quarters. Together with local volunteers we have we have constructed over 400 home shelters and repaired over 50 roofs. The homes often will house six or more people and do not have running water or electricity. The cost of a single shelter is $650, and we have received numerous donations from school children and families. Some people have donated a shelter in memory of a loved one while others are honoring friends and family members with a gift in their name.
Food DistributionWe call it Rice and Beans. Every mission trip we collect funds to purchase a few days supplies of rice and beans for the community's most needy families (about $160 for a bag of rice and a bag of beans). It is a chance for our missioners to get out into the community to see how the people of Chiquilistagua live. It is a very emotional experience and, for most, is the chance to see first-hand the devastating poverty of Nicaragua.
Sustaining CommunityVarious gardens have been created at Nino Jesus de Praga School in Chiquilistagua with the ultimate goal of providing self-sustaining, nutritious food choices for feeding the children at the school. Another aspect began in February 2008: the planting of a moringa tree with every home shelter constructed. This is a growing (literally) project of the Mission and is the future of empowering the residents of 'our' village for years to come. Find out more on our ECO projects.