COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

It is not the lack of talent in the poverty stricken regions of the world that accounts for the lack of decent facilities.  As those who have been on mission will tell you, they have had the opportunity to work with some very talented people who live in the region.  However, it is the lack of resources that holds back the ability of the people to use their talents to provide for the facilities and infrastructure that we in the developed world take for granted.  Adequate shelter, clean water, sanitary facilities – all of these things are a luxury in certain barrios that the North Country Mission of Hope serves in Nicaragua.

Among the programs that we support are:

Home Shelters:  Many of the people in the various barrios that we serve have no homes and are either forced to live with other family members (with in some cases over a dozen persons living in one room) or have no place to live at all. Working with local volunteers, we have constructed over 500 shelters and repaired over 50 others.  The homes are generally sponsored by individuals or groups with the labor coming from the people receiving the homes during a mission trip.  Work crews are supplemented by missioners.  The cost of sponsoring a home shelter is $650 for the year 2016, and are frequently dedicated to a loved one as a memorial.

Food Distribution:  Referred to as “Rice and Beans”, this program gets the missioners out into the barrios to meet with the neediest families and provide them with a few days worth of rice and beans.  It is frequently an emotional experience for both the giver and the receiver.  With each bag is a notice attached that informs the recipient how to contact the mission for other services that the mission offers.

Sustaining Communities:  The North Country Mission of Hope has taken on numerous construction projects at schools, hospitals, community centers, women’s shelters, and a disability center to help improve the conditions in those facilities.  Some projects can be as simple as painting and gardening, which provides a face lift and a more pleasing atmosphere for the patrons of the facility.  Other projects that the mission has taken on have involved providing water to schools, upgrading facilities to be used as school kitchens, plumbing and electrical improvements in hospital and rehab facilities, and constructing bookshelves for schools and orphanages.

Whether it is working in the inner city of Managua or in the outlying barrios, the North Country Mission of Hope Community Development Program is striving to improve the quality of life for the people of Nicaragua.