COUNTRY CONTEXT: The Republic of Nicaragua is located
in Central America and is home to 5.7 million
people. Nicaragua won its independence 
from Spain in
1821 and established itself as an independent
republic in1838. During the 150 years that
followed, the country endured corrupt governments,
natural disasters, and civil wars. Only since 1990
has the population of Nicaragua experienced any
prolonged peace, opening the door for long term
transformational development and economic growth. Nicaragua is the second poorest
country in the Western Hemisphere, with nearly 1/2
of the population living on less than $1 a day,
while 1/3 of children suffer from severe
malnutrition and other chronic health problems. In
addition, the national education system ranks
weakest in Central America. Former President and
Sandinista leader Daniel Ortega was reelected in
2006 to the presidency for a 5-year term.
FH COMMITMENT: Since 1971, FH has
been calling local churches and Christians worldwide
back to their historic, Biblical responsibility to
minister wholistically and sacrificially on behalf
of the needy in their communities and beyond.
FH first became involved in Nicaragua in 1972
following a devastating earthquake in the capital,
Managua. Long term development work began here in
1994, collaborating with local organizations and
churches to strengthen their efforts to promote
wholistic development. In 1999, FH/Nicaragua was one
of the founding partners of the Nehemiah Center for Transformational Development,
whose aim is to engage and equip "agents of
transformation" in every area of Nicaraguan society
(families, churches, schools, government,
arts/media) for the Christ-centered development of
communities and the nation. FH
continues to respond to emergencies created by
natural disasters, such as Hurricane Felix in
2007.
Specific strategies used for
promoting wholistic community development include:
consulting & training for local
non-profits,
biblical worldview seminars for church & lay
leaders, developing local health promoters, self-funded international staff placed in roles that
strengthen local communities and institutions,
hosting short-term service & learning teams, and
distributing donated medical supplies and equipment
to much-needed areas.
Our
organizational values
Christ-centered (Eph 1:20-23)
Wholistic (Luke 2:52; Col 1:19-20)
Stewardship (1 Chron 29:10-14)
Grace (Matt 25:14-23)
Excellence (Col 3:17,23)
Servanthood (Phil 2:1-11)
Justice (Micah
6:8)
God
called and we responded until
physical and spiritual hungers ended worldwide.
