Projects Nicaragua Hurricane Felix Recovery Continues
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Hurricane Felix Recovery Continues Print E-mail
Monday, 19 April 2010 22:04
By John Otten

Flying over Nicaragua 7000 feet above the ground in a Cessna Caravan provides plenty of scenery. As we flew, we saw many abandoned farms, a result of the political violence of the 1990’s. We also saw vast tracts of empty land dotted by only a few broken and twisted trees, scars of Hurricane Felix that devastated Nicaragua in 2007. Word & Deed began working in Nicaragua after the hurricane by rebuilding homes and cleaning wells. In December 2009, I accompanied Bernie Pennings and Eric Pennings to oversee the progress and impact of these projects.
A vital part of the ministry of Word & Deed is to encourage people to help themselves. Teaching people to fish will have a greater impact than simply giving them a fish. However, relief workers realized that the hurricane had destroyed so many homes that we needed to help people find shelter and clean water before we could help them develop a new way of life.
The first village we visited was Santa Marta. Word & Deed provided wood and nails for 30 houses in this community, as well as material to make 30 wooden well covers. Over 140 contaminated wells were cleaned. Upon arrival we were greeted by about 25 people, mostly widows who had received houses from Word & Deed in response to Hurricane Felix. Imagine their joy at receiving a new home! Though they seem very basic, they do what our houses do for us: they put roofs over heads, give shelter from the weather and a place to call home. The judge in Santa Marta had the promoters stay at his place when they came to assess the work. Through their conversation he heard the gospel and has become a Christian.
On Friday we took a two-hour boat trip on the choppy Atlantic Ocean to Dakura to see more than 100 homes built in response to the disaster. Word & Deed only provided the materials, not the labor. The people hauled their own material and constructed their own homes. If help was needed, the community was encouraged to assist. One feeble elderly man was not able to carry the wood Word & Deed provided from the beach to his home a mile away. Santiago, one of the promoters who had opportunity to preach in the local church, made the need known to the congregation. The next day the church teamed together, brought all his wood and freely constructed the house for him.
After we saw some of the homes, the town mayor called a meeting by loudly clanging an old disk and everyone convened under a tree in the town square. The conversation had to be translated from the local Misquito language to Spanish to English and back again. When asked what their most important need was, the people decided it was a wire fence so that they could close in a large area of land for growing vegetables. Fishing, which was their main source of food and income, had drastically changed since the hurricane and people would have to look elsewhere for their livelihood. Dakura residents gather in their town square after the mayor called a meeting by clanging the old bell hanging from the tree.

There is presently very little agriculture because the cattle run loose and destroy the crops. Some people have closed in small areas with wood for their gardens, but the hurricane destroyed so many forests that even wood is a limited resource. Before the need for new homes had been fully met, promoters realized that the greatest need was provision of food. This was made apparent when some of the people began selling planks of wood for something to eat. Land is community owned and the town leaders decide how it is used. It was good to have the community think through their challenges and come up with solutions they felt would work.
We are impressed with the Nicaragua team’s effort to have the community participate as much as possible on the projects. They also see what an important opportunity these projects provide for bringing the gospel. On Sunday Pastor Eric Pennings preached about Daniel standing firmly on the Word of God. He used Daniel, Jesus, Luther and current examples to show how we must stand firm in Jesus. Trials will come, but God will bless these for His glory and the benefit of His people. Santiago, one of the Nicaraguan relief workers, told us that Nicaraguan churches typically have very weak leadership, and that one of the biggest struggles of church members is living out what they profess to believe. As we continue to minister to the physical needs of the Nicaraguans we are encouraged to pray for their spiritual needs as well, as we also bring them aid through the Word of the Living God.

Word & Deed provided the materials for more than 100 homes in Dakura
John Otten sitting with an elderly man in his newly constructed home.

John Otten is the Director of Administration for Word & Deed Ministries
 
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