27 Jun Medical Team Helps Nearly 2000 Persons in Nicaragua

The Nicaragua medical team.

The trip was led by Robert and Fonda Cassidy, from Mt. Olivet UB church in Mt. Solon, Va.

The team found time for some zip-lining.

A medical team of of 25 people spent June 13-21 in Nicaragua conducting medical clinics. They came from 10 different states, from Kansas to the east coast, and ranged in age from 14 to the 70s. The initial plan was to conduct five clinics in the area around Masaya, where the Nicaragua Conference is headquartered. However, circumstances reduced that to just three clinics. Nevertheless, they were able to treat 1428 patients, and get another 552 persons fitted with eyeglasses.

Robert and Fonda Cassidy, from Mt. Solon UB church (Mt. Solon, Va.), led the trip. They had led summer medical teams to Honduras for many years. Fonda, a nurse, has served as a volunteer in a variety of countries. Requests had come to expand the medical ministry to other Central American countries, not just Honduras. This was the first attempt at that.

Team member David Gregory, associate dean of the University of Mississippi School of pharmacy, at Rancho Ebenezer, a large facility located in the mountain outside of Masaya. This is where the team stayed.

They arrived on a Friday, with plans to conduct the first clinic on Saturday. But there were complications, as Fonda Cassidy explains.

“At the beginning we had some difficulty dealing with the government, who would not released our meds to us for the first days. We had completed everything they had asked prior to our arrival, but oh well, they wanted a lot more. Everyone rallied and prayed and sent messages home to family, church families, and friends to pray for the situation. Jeff Bleijerveld, director of Global Ministries, rescued us from the US side and had a lawyer respond to some legal needs. We worked feverishly, and as God would have it, they finally released to us our medicines.”

The first of the three clinics was finally held on Tuesday, June 17.

“God was glorified, and our clinics were awesome,” says Fonda. “We worked with Juan Pavon (Nicaraguan superintendent) and Pastor Jesus Vega. They were truly the rock and stayed by our side for support and guidance. Our team was flexible and continued to be upbeat about our situation. As all situations are learning, we learned a lot. God kept us healthy and protected us as we traveled in country.

“With many acts of love and medical care, we felt that we were truly able to share God’s love and helps of healing to the many doors in Nicaragua that we walked through, shining the light that God gave us to carry!”

27 Jun Poland Team Leaves June 27

A team of 13 persons leaves today, June 27, for Poland. There, they will help conduct the annual English Camp in the city of Kutno, alongside UB endorsed missionaries Arek and Donna Delik.

The team includes:

• Jason and Donna Hollopeter (New Hope UB church, Huntington, Ind.).
• Roger and Sharon McDonald (Corunna UB church, Corunna, Ind.).
• Darrell, Tammy, and Brooke Snyder (Corunna UB church, Corunna, Ind.).
• Kyley Proud (Corunna UB church, Corunna, Ind.).
• Patsy Harris (Hopewell UB church, Auburn, Ind.).
• Al and Linda Carter (First UB church, Columbus, Ohio).
• Hope Grube (Corunna UB church, Corunna, Ind.).
• Kaleb Peters, a non-UB from Wheeler, Mich.

26 Jun Update on Roger Reeck

Roger and Marilyn Reeck, endorsed staff with Global Ministries, serve in Honduras with Wycliffe Bible Translators. For the past couple years, Roger has experienced much pain in his left foot. He recently underwent a bone fusion operation, which was successful. However, the pain has persisted. So while in San Antonio, Roger made an appointment at a pain clinic.

The doctor concurred with what a surgeon in Honduras had previously detected–that Roger has Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. This refers to “a chronic pain condition in which high levels of nerve impulses are sent to an affected site and results in a dysfunction in the central or peripheral nervous systems.” It is also called sympathy nerve.

The doctor in San Antonio agreed with the meds prescribed by the Honduran doctor.

Marilyn wrote on June 26, “At the pain clinic, they are also doing an intervention in the spine to see if this will help the problem, but it will take awhile to see if it is effective. In the meantime the pain level remains high. He is receiving physical therapy and will remain in the US for awhile. He can do a lot of his consulting work online.”

25 Jun Nichie Parrish Joins the Global Ministries Team

Nicole Parrish–“Nichie,” as she is called–is the newest member of the Global Ministries team. She is preparing to serve long-term in South Africa with an organization called Impact Africa. Nichie is from McCallum UB church in Delton, Mich.

Nichie tells about how God grabbed hold of her heart.

“I grew up in UB churches and started participating in short-term mission trips in 1994. Sixteen years later, the Lord led me to the place I would come to love. In 2010, I traveled to South Africa for the first time as a leader on a two-week mission trip. It was then that God began to change my heart and life.

“After returning to the States, I couldn’t get South Africa off of my heart or out of my mind. I would often wake up from dreams filled with the faces of children I had met in Africa, and would be reminded of the stories of heartache and brokenness I had heard. This only broke my heart more for the people of South Africa, and increased my deep yearning to return.

“The Lord opened the door for me to return in the summer of 2011 as a volunteer. It was during my two months there that I answered the call to a life of fulltime missions. I didn’t know what it would look like, but I was willing and listening for the voice and direction of the Lord in my life. I was then invited to return to South Africa for the summer of 2012 as a summer volunteer. Late that summer, the Lord made it clear where He wanted me.”

In 2013, Nichie began discussions with Global Ministries, resulting in her being accepted as a sojourn staff. These persons raise support and are employees of Global Ministries, but are assigned to a partner agency–in this case, Impact Africa. Global Ministries will pay Nichie’s salary, health insurance, pension, and all other benefits. Impact Africa will direct her ministry while she’s on the field. A common description would be to say Nichie is being “seconded” to Impact Africa.

Nichie will serve in Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, with a population of over 7 million in the greater metropolitan area. Her role will include coordinating the baby abandonment center, where mothers in desperate situations have an alternative for their unwanted children rather than dumping them in a garbage bin or leaving them in a field. Nichie will be a part of a team ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of 300,000 people who live in the section of the slums, or squatter camps, near her.

For the next year, Nichie will be based in Michigan while engaging in pre-field preparations and raising support. If you are interested in finding out more about her work and possibly coming alongside her as a supporter, contact Global Ministries.

20 Jun World Refugee Sunday – June 22

This Sunday, June 22, is World Refugee Sunday. Persecution, violence and war have forcibly displaced over 45 million people in the world today.

As millions of men, women and children seek refuge, the pain of their displacement impacts countries both near and far. Often pitied, but rarely welcomed, refugees struggle to survive far from home.

The response to their need requires more than the services of humanitarian relief agencies. It requires long-term recovery work that serves to strengthen community, build capacity, facilitate healing, promote reconciliation, and generate hope. This is IAFR’s strategic part in seeking the welfare and protection of forcibly displaced people in the world today.

It’s worthy to help make your congregation aware of the plight of the world’s refugees, and of ways they can help. A number of resources are available on the RefugeeHighway.net website.

17 Jun Update on the Nicaragua Medical Team

Tuesday 1:50 pm update from Jeff Bleijerveld, director of Global Ministries about the medical team in Nicaragua: “I just received a text from Donna Hollopeter. They are at the Ministry of Health offices and need to finalize a few things, but it appears they are ready to proceed. They hope to hold some clinics yet this afternoon if it doesn’t take long to wrap things up in Managua.”

17 Jun Medical Team Still Waiting for Supplies to be Released

The Nicaragua medical team is still without their medical supplies. Customs hasn’t released anything. The Nicaraguan government has laid out some hoops we must jump through, and Global Ministries is scrambling to comply. Meanwhile, the medical team is trying to keep busy with some other non-medical chores (like some painting). Pray that this situation can get resolved VERY quickly.

16 Jun Nicaragua Team’s Medical Supplies Not Released by Customs

The medical team consisting of 26 people from the United States arrived in Nicaragua on Friday, June 13. However, customs did not release the medical supplies they brought into the country. Everything has been confiscated.

Today, Monday, an appeal is going to a top official to get the supplies released. Pray that no governmental or spiritual obstacle will stand in the way of this mercy ministry. The team was scheduled to conduct five clinics in rural areas near Masaya.

12 Jun Nicaragua Medical Team Leaves on June 13

A group of 26 people will leave for Nicaragua on Friday, June 13. They come from all over the denomination–from Kansas to the east coast. They’ll meet up in Houston and continue on to Managua together.

For many years, we have held annual medical clinics in Honduras, led by Robert and Fonda Cassidy (right) from Mt. Olivet UB church (Mt. Solon, Va.). Requests have come to expand the medical ministry to other Central American countries. This is the first attempt at that. The Cassidys are leading this Nicaragua team. Donna Hollopeter, associate director of Global Ministries, is also participating.

The team will be based at Rancho Ebenezer, a large facility located in the mountains outside of Masaya, Nicaragua. They will hold five clinics in different locations, starting on Saturday, June 14.  They will return to the United States on June 21.

On June 27, another team will head to Poland to conduct an English camp with missionaries Arek and Donna Delik. Donna Hollopeter, along with her husband Jason, will also take part in that trip.

23 May Honduran Missionary Candidates Approved

Commissioning the Pachecos–the first missionaries to be sent from Honduras Conference.

During the recent gathering of the Honduras Administrative Board, a new item of business appeared on the agenda. They were interviewing a couple for missionary service.

Since United Brethren ministry to Spanish-speakers began in 1951, Honduras National Conference has grown to more than 115 churches, an international school, a retreat center, and a theological institute. They sent one short-term volunteer to Haiti to participate with Canada in a construction project, but sending missionaries overseas has been an ambition yet to be fulfilled.

The “junta” (their governing body) interviewed and approved Milton and Erika Pacheco for ministry in partnership with Global Ministries. The location is yet to be confirmed, but Thailand is a serious consideration.

The Pachecos are active members of their local UB church. Milton has an undergraduate degree in business administration and a graduate degree from the conference seminary. He currently works for Habitat for Humanity, and he regularly ministers as a singer/songwriter in local churches. Erika is working this with Marilyn Reeck this summer with the Summer Institute of Linguistics. Both Milton and Erika plan to spend about a year at Huntington University studying missions before going overseas.

Although they will serve with Global Ministries, they will be considered missionaries of Honduras National Conference. Global Ministries’ goal is to serve as partners and facilitators in the process.