By Dr. Sarah Mielke, WEGO Board Member
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
-Mark 12:30
Since my first trip to Nicaragua in 2022, I have personally seen WEGO’s commitment to fulfill these words of Jesus in the lives of children in the Roman Esteban community. After multiple trips and, now as a board member, I am even more grateful for our twenty-four-year history of serving this under-resourced neighborhood because it is filled with my friends. As you know, last year ushered in a new season of ministry when we made the difficult decision to hand over the operations of New Hope School to become a public institution. But our focus on giving children and their families every chance to succeed in Jesus has not wavered. We desire and continue to work for the day when every child and student in our community develops a yearning to love the Lord with their heart, soul, mind, and strength. This is the calling from Jesus for every believer and the new chapter He is writing for us in Nicaragua. The Lord has allowed us to continue our Bible Clubs in the community, and the Ministry of Education has invited us to continue our outreach to the students of New Hope School through a monthly devotional on campus. As we encourage the children in our ministries to love the Lord with their minds, we also desire to continue to support and resource students once they graduate from High School.
We currently have three graduates of New Hope School who, because of your generosity, are receiving financial support for books, materials, and transportation expenses as they continue their education in the university setting. Miriam, our local WEGO missionary, meets with them for Bible study and helps check in to ensure their academics remain strong in college. These students also have the opportunity to follow the second command Jesus gives to us in Mark 12:31 by loving their neighbors. As a part of their scholarship commitment, they serve in our Bible Club to help younger children experience just how loved they are by Jesus through music, Bible stories, snacks, and activities that promote healthy habits and spiritual growth. Not only are our college students loving the Lord, but they are also loving their neighbor, as they give back to the community that has been so influential in their lives.
These practical ways are how we express our commitment to their educational efforts and their development as disciples of Jesus. Let this work and the following stories of our three university scholarship recipients be an encouragement to you in your pursuit of loving the Lord, as well. Praise God for their lives and perseverance, and join us in praying for them!
How You Can Pray
FROM LAURA SANDINO:
My name is Laura, and I am 17 years old. God has greatly shown Himself in my life. When I was 9 years old, I began to have tests from God. One of them was the loss of my mother. It was so hard to see the process because she had liver cancer. In a second, my life was changed. I decided to go to church and find God’s purposes for my life. I committed to following Jesus and was baptized two years later. That year, my father got sick with cancer, and I decided to take him to church. I told him that for God, nothing is impossible, and he began to believe more in God. He accepted Jesus and was baptized while sick. His pains became strong from his illness, and I prayed for him. He said he felt relief and healing. He did not deny the will of God and left us a legacy of following God with his passing. It was such a hard and unforgettable moment.
Five months later, my sister believed in God and was baptized. Then, even more difficult trials came. Yet we still didn’t stop going to church because we knew it was part of God’s process. I focused more on my studies at New Hope School, which taught me to have more intimacy with God through the Bible classes. What I accomplished at school was very hard without the help of my parents. But I thank God and my sister, Gloria, for being able to move forward with faith and hope. With God, nothing is impossible.
Graduation finally arrived! For me, it was a special moment I was able to share with Zach and Amy. They sat with me and my sister at the graduation lunch, and I got to know both of them in a deeper way. Thanks to God, WEGO has been a great blessing in my university life. You are helping me pursue my goal of becoming an English translator. For me, WEGO is very beautiful because it helps the children in the Bible clubs and the university students. It is a blessing for our lives. Today, I am a young woman blessed by God and those who support me. I am very grateful for this entire journey of my life. It has been part of the Lord’s plan to nourish me spiritually and to help me be brave in the face of any obstacle. God has been good in my life and has not abandoned me.
HOW YOU CAN PRAY FOR LAURA:
Please pray I can learn English in school so I can have better opportunities for my life and career. Also, please pray for the physical health of my sister and me, and for my heart to know Jesus more every day.
FROM VERÓNICA LANZAS:
I am 19 Years old and live with my parents in the Roman Esteban community. I am studying English at the university and attend Getsemani Church. I have one sister and she is younger than me. I serve the Lord in my church as the youth leader. It is difficult, but God is the one who gives me the strength I need. I thank WEGO because it has been a fundamental part of my life both spiritually and economically. I have no words to express my gratitude. I have come this far through God’s and WEGO’s help. WEGO has played a part in my life since I was in high school, where I learned about Jesus’ love and mercy. Thank you, WEGO, for all of your support. May Good keep blessing you all!
HOW YOU CAN PRAY FOR VERÓNICA:
Pray with me to be able to finish college successfully so I can help my parents. I also want to pray for my spiritual growth and for the health of my family.
FROM JOSÉ ANTONIO MEDRANO GUEVARA:
I am 21 years old and live in a community called La Pita. Once I finished high school at New Hope School, I decided to start college at UNAN University in Jinotepe. I am studying industrial engineering. This is my final year, and I am so excited. From a very young age, I have had the desire to improve myself and to be able to build a better future. I have always been motivated to be a professional and to get a decent job. I feel deeply grateful for everyone who has been a part of my journey and who, in one way or another, has contributed towards my goals. Without your support, I would not have been able to make any of this possible.
WEGO has been a great blessing in my life and has supported me through these important years. I am moving forward with my academic training and getting closer to finishing my degree. I am so grateful for all the support you have given me. Jesus is the one who is giving me hope
HOW YOU CAN PRAY FOR JOSÉ:
I really want to be able to get a good job so I can provide for my family. Also, please pray for my family’s physical and spiritual health and for me to finish my university degree with good grades.