A Decade of Prayers Answered
Since before we arrived in Nicaragua, we have prayed for the dump community interestingly named Nueva Vida or New Life. Our first encounter with this community ended with a threatened robbery that did not come to fruition but the level of danger that we were working with was well noted. During our first year, we were blessed to be able to start a women’s Bible Study deep within the area that would host over 100 women every week however, it required armed guards to accompany us. Our prayers deepened as we came to individually know the people within the community. Their homes were made of whatever they could find from the trash dump. Surrounded by trash every day, they would pick through the garbage looking for anything of worth in order to buy some food for the meal that day. Every single day.
We were truly surrounded by the poorest of the poor and, yet, each time we would ask for permission to build for this community, the answer we would get would be, “No.” The explanation to that answer was due to a variety of reasons. It was simply too dangerous to bring a team in. The land that they were “squatting on” was government land. They were like “gypsies” and wouldn’t stay in one place very long. And, yet over time, we began to build relationships with the people within this community. When our daughter, Taellor, passed away, this community was perhaps the hardest hit. They wanted to know who was responsible in order to get revenge but we were able to share with them that the cost had already been paid on the cross. This is why we were here to share Hope with them. God was still good. This seemed to level a playing field that was incredibly daunting.
Throughout the years, we’ve been able to not only start children and youth Bible studies but also the Center of Hope, which provides a safe haven for the women and children along with their one meal a day, tutoring, a library and an abstinence program. When we started in this community, most girls ages 11-12 were either pregnant or with older men. Today, we have had three high school graduates and one currently in University with twenty currently in the program. God is truly transforming a community.
In August of last year, the mayor’s office asked to walk through the community with us. He told us about how they have noticed change in this community since the ministry has started. There is less crime, the children are in school, the parents are involved and, “YES!”, we could build here!!!!! In August of this year, we broke ground on the first of 45 houses in the dump community! It was one of the most amazing experiences. One of the ladies said it well, “Tammy, I remembered when you first prayed for houses for our community years ago. We thought you were crazy and look at what God is doing! He has answered our prayers!” There were many tears that first week as we were building on Holy Ground.
It is such an honor and privilege for our family to continue to serve in Nicaragua with Project Hope. It has been a most uncertain couple of years, but during this time, we have seen the ministries thrive as the faithfulness of our Father and of you, our sending church, continue ever so much. We thank God for you.
If you would like to hear more about the Stearns and their ministry, they will be at Ridgecrest along with many of our Global Impact Partners during Global Missions Week in October 2022!