Mount Calvary’s Mission in Nicaragua
1999-2011
Our mission involvement began in 1999, shortly after Hurricane Mitch devastated the NW province of Chinandega. Pastor Sandor Arguello, the LCC Missionary in Nicaragua, and formerly the Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Rimbey, visited Canada with a heart breaking power point presentation of the damage that had been done, and the desperate situation that the people were in. He wanted to start a mission with small congregations in each of the newly created disaster relief settlement villages along the Pan American highway, by building thatched roof open air buildings called Rancheros. Each Ranchero would cost approximately $1500 USD to build, and God moved the hearts of the members of Mt. Calvary to donate $9000 towards that project: enough for 6 Rancheros. In the meantime, Pastors and seminarians from LCC worked with him to train men to become Pastors for this new mission, using rented office space and churches from other Christian denominations.
May 2002 was the first of five Mission trips from our congregation, for the purpose of sponsoring building projects and building relationships with this new church body. The team built a Ranchero in the village of El Piloto, “The Pilot”, and the congregation there chose to name it El Calvario in recognition of this newly formed friendship. Stacking lawn chairs were purchased to furnish the building, and over time, vestments, communion ware, banners and parament cloths were added. All of these items were stored each week in the living room of the local teacher, as the Ranchero was open to the weather and had no waterproof storage space. At the end of the visit, the newly ordained Pastors participated in the dedication of the church and the installation of Pastor Douglas.
Foothills Lutheran Church in Calgary joined with Mt Calvary in May 2005 to return to El Piloto and replace the Ranchero with a permanent building, made of concrete blocks and mortar, and a metal roof. A motorcycle was purchased so that the new Pastor, Marvin Donaire, would have transportation to the other churches in his three point parish. The bond of friendship grew, through the hands on construction work, VBS activities for the children and banner making with the women.
The next trip was in January 2007, and big changes were underway. A Mission Center was built to hold offices for the staff and provide space for teaching the seminary classes for Pastors and Deaconesses. The construction project for this trip was the building of a Dormitory for the Seminary. The Sunday School at Mt. Calvary began sending their annual offerings to sponsor the children of El Piloto who were now able to attend Christian school in the afternoons with a Lutheran trained teacher. A wooden baptismal font was gifted to our friends at El Piloto. Several churches were visited with craft materials for their VBS program.
In January of 2008, the founding convention of the newly formed Synod of the Lutheran Church in Nicaragua (ILSN) was held.
May 2008 was the largest mission trip to date; pairing with LCC congregations in Chilliwack and Maple Grove, BC, 26 team members led the new Synod in their first Youth Gathering, on a rented campus in Chinandega. 150+ youth, Pastors & Deaconesses traveled from all over Chinandega and Costa Rica to attend this two day event, participating in Bible Study, music, drama, crafts, games, fellowship & worship. In addition, a new permanent church building was started in the village of La Joya, and a new bond of friendship began with the congregation. Members of the BC sponsor congregations returned a year later to finish the building and it was dedicated and named Iglesia de Dios en Jesu Cristo: Church of God in Jesus Christ. The international food crisis hit this country hard, giving opportunity for LCC and Mt Calvary to send funds for the Emergency Relief Fund, allowing Pastors and Deaconesses to receive additional pay to purchase basic groceries for their families.
From 2008 to 2011, a portion of our “Birthday Gifts for Baby Jesus” Christmas offerings was sent to the emergency relief fund and for education sponsorship.
January 2011 was the most recent visit, with a return to La Joya, where we were glad to see the church building filled with children for VBS, and a vibrant congregation under Pastor Marvin’s leadership. The construction project was to build an expansion on his house, where his family of 10 was residing in cramped quarters. The expansion would serve the dual purpose of also housing a small store, to supplement the family income. A gift of a small Toyota truck gave Pastor Marvin the opportunity to serve his three congregations and his village in a more resourceful way. Team members also visited five congregations, taking craft materials for their VBS programs. Afternoons were spent teaching the La Joya children Bible stories through flannelgraphs and coloring pages.
To date, there are 22 congregations in the ILSN and a new class of seminary students began their two-year program in October 2011 to become Pastors and Deaconesses. At the January 2012 Synodical convention, Pastor Marvin was elected by his peers to be their Synod President for the next two years. Pastor Sandor Arguello passed away the same month in Managua, after a long illness. The mission continues to grow and collaborate with LCC. Where the next opportunity to visit leads is not known to us, but we know God has a plan, and we will be open to His calling, for His love for this place and these people knows no bounds.
Glorios de Dios: To God Be the Glory!
May 2002 was the first of five Mission trips from our congregation, for the purpose of sponsoring building projects and building relationships with this new church body. The team built a Ranchero in the village of El Piloto, “The Pilot”, and the congregation there chose to name it El Calvario in recognition of this newly formed friendship. Stacking lawn chairs were purchased to furnish the building, and over time, vestments, communion ware, banners and parament cloths were added. All of these items were stored each week in the living room of the local teacher, as the Ranchero was open to the weather and had no waterproof storage space. At the end of the visit, the newly ordained Pastors participated in the dedication of the church and the installation of Pastor Douglas.
Foothills Lutheran Church in Calgary joined with Mt Calvary in May 2005 to return to El Piloto and replace the Ranchero with a permanent building, made of concrete blocks and mortar, and a metal roof. A motorcycle was purchased so that the new Pastor, Marvin Donaire, would have transportation to the other churches in his three point parish. The bond of friendship grew, through the hands on construction work, VBS activities for the children and banner making with the women.
The next trip was in January 2007, and big changes were underway. A Mission Center was built to hold offices for the staff and provide space for teaching the seminary classes for Pastors and Deaconesses. The construction project for this trip was the building of a Dormitory for the Seminary. The Sunday School at Mt. Calvary began sending their annual offerings to sponsor the children of El Piloto who were now able to attend Christian school in the afternoons with a Lutheran trained teacher. A wooden baptismal font was gifted to our friends at El Piloto. Several churches were visited with craft materials for their VBS program.
In January of 2008, the founding convention of the newly formed Synod of the Lutheran Church in Nicaragua (ILSN) was held.
May 2008 was the largest mission trip to date; pairing with LCC congregations in Chilliwack and Maple Grove, BC, 26 team members led the new Synod in their first Youth Gathering, on a rented campus in Chinandega. 150+ youth, Pastors & Deaconesses traveled from all over Chinandega and Costa Rica to attend this two day event, participating in Bible Study, music, drama, crafts, games, fellowship & worship. In addition, a new permanent church building was started in the village of La Joya, and a new bond of friendship began with the congregation. Members of the BC sponsor congregations returned a year later to finish the building and it was dedicated and named Iglesia de Dios en Jesu Cristo: Church of God in Jesus Christ. The international food crisis hit this country hard, giving opportunity for LCC and Mt Calvary to send funds for the Emergency Relief Fund, allowing Pastors and Deaconesses to receive additional pay to purchase basic groceries for their families.
From 2008 to 2011, a portion of our “Birthday Gifts for Baby Jesus” Christmas offerings was sent to the emergency relief fund and for education sponsorship.
January 2011 was the most recent visit, with a return to La Joya, where we were glad to see the church building filled with children for VBS, and a vibrant congregation under Pastor Marvin’s leadership. The construction project was to build an expansion on his house, where his family of 10 was residing in cramped quarters. The expansion would serve the dual purpose of also housing a small store, to supplement the family income. A gift of a small Toyota truck gave Pastor Marvin the opportunity to serve his three congregations and his village in a more resourceful way. Team members also visited five congregations, taking craft materials for their VBS programs. Afternoons were spent teaching the La Joya children Bible stories through flannelgraphs and coloring pages.
To date, there are 22 congregations in the ILSN and a new class of seminary students began their two-year program in October 2011 to become Pastors and Deaconesses. At the January 2012 Synodical convention, Pastor Marvin was elected by his peers to be their Synod President for the next two years. Pastor Sandor Arguello passed away the same month in Managua, after a long illness. The mission continues to grow and collaborate with LCC. Where the next opportunity to visit leads is not known to us, but we know God has a plan, and we will be open to His calling, for His love for this place and these people knows no bounds.
Glorios de Dios: To God Be the Glory!
