This mission was organized through Beyond Partnership (as was our Guatemala mission in 2011). The cool thing about Beyond Partnership is we work with "nationals"--people who are already organized in their own countries and making a difference. That way we can partner with them, find out their real needs, meet the real people involved in the organization, and do specific things to help in real ways. This is so much better and more effective than simply sending money or doing "mission vacation" types of trips.
This time, Beyond Partnership teamed up with Missions Door, and its group in Nicaragua is running a bilingual school that also trains young men in welding, carpentry, and pottery. They also offer "beauty school" courses in hairdressing for women. Generally, the students are teens who have fallen into gangs and drugs, and this school is their chance to leave that lifestyle and learn trades that will give them skills to work and provide for themselves financially.
Here are some pictures of the school and farm (La Finca Belen), the boys, and our work there:
Here are some pictures of the school:
Notice he's wearing flip flops. Gotta love the harsh regulations in other countries.
Napping on the bus on the way back to the hotel:
And more to follow. :)
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