Nicaragua

Ministry Description

Since 2007 Word of Life Nicaragua has been committed to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the only answer to the great spiritual need of the Nicaragua youth. Jesus Christ offers forgiveness of sins and a place in Heaven, but also a new life, guided by biblical principals, where they will find God´s will for them.
We focus our ministry on Bible Clubs, where we train local church youth leaders to minister to the youth, win souls for Christ and disciple them in the Word. Summer Camps, Sports activities, School ministry, evangelistic campaigns, open-air evangelism and many more tools are used by our team to make this happen. Right now we have three families and one single girl on staff, with six part time collaborators. We need more workers to take full advantage of the many opportunities!

In March 2017, we started "English for Life" - this is the name given to Word of Life evangelism and discipleship centers that utilize English as a Second Language (ESL). English for Life began in Asia more than a decade ago. We operate in four locates currently, with plans underway to expand into three additional Asian countries. The original name was SYME stands for School of Youth Ministries in English, but in Nicaragua we will use English for Life.

English for Life has been a tremendous blessing to each field where it operates. It is an effective evangelism and discipleship tool. It makes young people aware of the possibilities of additional Word of Life Bible Institute training (We have 13 Bible Institutes all over the world). It gives them a burden to serve the Lord through Word of Life in their home countries.

English for Life is designed as an English-immersion program, usually operating Tuesday through Friday each week. Students are required to speak English only for most of each day (7:30 am to 8:30 pm). Upon entry, students are tested for placement using the Michigan Placement Test (MPT). At the end of each term, we also post test using the MPT. Our program has been very successful, raising the MPT scores of all our students.

Students do not have to be Christians upon entry to English for Life. However, our schools usually maintain only a small percentage of non-believers. At the same time, nearly all who complete the program (8 months altogether), and who began as unbelievers, become believers before they are finished. This is one of the reasons why we say that English for Life is a very effective evangelism and discipleship ministry.

TYPICAL DAY
An English for Life day begins with students doing their Quiet Time (in English). This is followed by breakfast, which is then followed by Family Time. Family Time is where the students talk about their Quiet Time with English for Life staff. Next come the various classes for the day. The English for Life program features Bible classes, Christian life classes, Ministry classes, and English conversation, reading, and writing classes. At the end of the morning, just before lunch, a daily chapel, featuring Bible memory verses and various discipleship themes each week. Students are assigned “jobs” for chapel each day to train them in ministry and to provide a platform for them to use English publicly: song leading, Scripture memory leader, testimony, and translator. As for translation, one chapel a week is translated into the native language of the students. Testimonies are also translated.

In the evening, students are allotted study time, and they enjoy conversation with each other and with staff in English. There are also additional group and ministry training times in the evening. For example, there are “men’s” and “women’s” nights, along with times of singing and devotions in their native language. On weekends, students are required to serve and involve with their home church serving the Lord in several areas like Word of Life Bible Clubs, Sunday school teachers, evangelism and discipleship. The English for Life program is 8 months long. These eight months can be divided into terms of 1-2 months at a time as desired.

Country Description

Nicaragua, "The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes", is located in Central America, between The Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Bordering Honduras in the North and Costa Rica in the South, it is the largest Country in the Central American isthmus, with a population of close to 6 million people, of which 52% are under 25 years old. This new generation did not live the struggles of a 45 year old dictatorship, a two-year long revolution, and almost a decade of civil war, plus and earthquake that leveled the capital city in 1972, but were raised by a generation deeply affected by those hardships. The youth in Nicaragua are looking for hope. 60% are willing to leave the Country to look for a better future, due to poverty and underemployment, the two biggest problems the current government is facing. False religions and cults find a great opportunity in this environment, since many Nicaraguans seek God, but are very much confused by all of them.

Contact Information

Mailing address:
Palabra de Vida Nicaragua
P.O. Box MJ-22
Managua, Nicaragua

E-mail address: pvnicaragua@gmail.com

Landline phone: +505-2265-8694
Cell phone: +505-8462-2067
Skype: gjaguilar
US phone (rings in Nicaragua): 1-904-297-1226

Career Missionaries

Short-Term Missions - Cross Cultural Interns and Launch