March 2012 Newsletter

Buenas Nuevas de Nicaragua

It’s March 31, 2012. I’m reminded that 22 years ago today, God moved me out of my comfort zone into the unknown regions of… Arkansas!!! This was the first step in obeying God’s call on my life to follow Him wherever and whenever. I can look back and see His hand in guiding me on this journey. I can also see His hand of protection, forgiveness and patience as I often detoured from His plan and made choices on my own. He is forever Faithful!!

As I live here in Nicaragua, I also find myself thinking about the two years that God called me to NYC to live and serve Him. So much of my life there is similar to my life here. The material circumstances are worlds apart, but the experiences and relationships are very similar. Just survival and living a very simple, frugal and thankful life. I’m so grateful that God has brought me every step of the way. And I know that He has plans beyond today, for which I am excited to see revealed.

I’ve been back in León for over a month now. Time does not have the same feeling for me here. I don’t feel like I’m marking off the days between trips. I just ‘am’. This is where God wants me to be and I’m so very comfortable in my heart and soul to be here.

The ministry is growing a lot. God is opening so many doors. It’s awesome to see. We do our best to keep up. There are changes every week and we are all very excited to be a part of God’s plan for the people of Nica.

I’ve started teaching Women’s Bible studies at ROSCC church again on Fridays, and will start the Wednesday classes at La Quimera in another week. I’m teaching Sewing classes for the women of ROSCC church on Thursdays. Mary is teaching Evangelism classes to the women of both churches on Mondays and is teaching Sewing classes to the women of La Quimera on Tuesdays. We have our afternoons all filled with classes and still have more to add. Mayela is our translator for the classes and we keep her busy!!

I get to work with Mayela every weekday morning going out to the Feeding Centers that VOH is a part of. As of the end of March, we are a part of 4, with another getting ready to start within weeks. Mayela and I will oversee sponsorships, and communication between the kids and their sponsors, for the first 6 Feeding Centers. Mary and a future translator will oversee the same for the next 6 Centers in the future. We will be visiting a different Feeding Center each morning (M-F) and then rotate. We will take pictures of the kids who have been sponsored and help write letters to the sponsors back in the states. It will be fun to keep up with how the kids’ lives are changing and improving from these sponsorships. (Contact me for info on becoming a sponsor - $45 per year will feed a child)

The church at La Quimera finally has a completed building. The concrete brick walls go a little over half way up the sides and there are metal latticework pieces above those. This allows for air circulation and some natural light. The building is now secure and we can keep ministry supplies, chairs, feeding supplies, etc., stored there. Pastor Brian will begin his ministry there this Sunday. He is very excited that we already have classes for Bible study, Evangelism and Sewing for the women. There is a Sunday School class for the kids each week, too. And the Feeding Center is going really well. I’m excited for Pastor Brian and his family to get started.

ROSCC church is going great as always. The Feeding Center is good, the Women’s Bible study classes are going great. The women finally got the Bibles that they have been praying for. A Paragould AR church donated the money and it took months to get all the details worked out, but the shipment finally arrived this week. The women are so thankful. And I was thrilled to hand them out on behalf of VOH. I’m getting to know these ladies better each week and I love their wonderful faces so much. I am blessed to know them!

The inaugural service for the church at Monte Horeb (aka Sewer Ponds) was this month. There are still no walls or a roof, but the people were happy to have the church start. The Spring Break teams from AR and OK were able to attend this service (and to help do some of the construction). The Feeding Center there is doing well. Women’s Bible study, Evangelism class and Sewing class are all being prayed over to see how we can fit them into our schedule. It’s been many years of serving at Monte Horeb, and many teams have been a part of the ministry out there. It’s exciting to see God’s plans being revealed for these people.

Spring Break week (3/17-3/24) brought teams from FBC Rogers AR and FBC Yukon OK. It was a great week for me since FBCR is my home church and the Pastor Leader of the OK team was Nate McConathy, whom I served with at FBCR in the past. They were great teams to work with. 432 Salavations that week, plus much construction, Fiestas, a VBS day, Feedings and a lot of Street Evangelism. The teams shared testimonies and messages in many churches that week. They all had a great time and we surely enjoyed having them here. It was a great kick-off for our 2012 year of teams.

Personally, I’m doing well. I’m trying not to push myself too much physically like I have done before. The heat really takes a toll on a body here. I’m trying to be wise with my time and energy. I’m feeling good. Sherry has Lydia, our cook, making lots of ‘American’ food, so I’m not eating as much veggies as I ought to, but it sure is yummy! My schedule and the heat don’t allow me to walk for exercise like before, but I have some workout videos I can do in my room. Staying disciplined is my hardest challenge. Pray that I stay diligent!

I went to a Nica beauty shop this past week. Through Lesly, my friend and translator, we explained how I would like my hair to be. It was hard for her to understand just by looking at the crazy grown out ‘do’ that I was sporting. She did perfectly! She trimmed then thinned my hair like I wanted. When she pulled out her straight razor to give me a kind of wispy-around-the-edges look, I was in heaven. It was perfect! I gave her a tip and it still only cost me $3.50 in US money! Woohoo!

I’ve been driving our little SUV, which we just call ‘the car’. It’s an automatic, so that makes it easier. Even though I can drive a stick shift, trying to keep track of which streets to stop at and watch traffic and pedestrians and trying to shift would be a little challenging. I’m thankful for the automatic. Of course, the first time I drove it, I backed into a tree and have not lived down that incident. It’s unusual for women to drive here, especially since few people have drivers’ license anyway. (very few people could afford to own a car, so why bother?) Alberto, our guard says I need more practice. Haha

I haven’t had the time to take more Spanish classes (I still have 6 hours of class time credit), but I’ve been able to practice a lot with our translators, full-time workers and others. Most people who know me are aware that I am learning and that I want to be helped and corrected, so they are very accommodating. I still have my hearing problem in my left ear and I can tell it limits me some, but I’m getting used to it. I’m going to conquer this language thing even with one ear!! God will make it happen! I also want to spend more time helping in the English classes.

Mary and I have been getting our sewing donations in order for our classes. We have been very blessed. We are excited to get the women to the point of using the machines on their own and turn them loose to make all kinds of things for their families and things that we can sell for them to buy food.

I am trying to plan my time better so that I can visit my friends here more consistently. I love living here and I have some good friends who feel like family. My work schedule, the difficult travel, the heat and the lifestyle make it hard sometimes to get together. But we manage when we can.

The Hulseys are doing well. Buster the dog is, well, a dog… Scratch the cat is disabled (due to Buster being a dog) but he gets around pretty well. Manuel has homeschool classes 4 afternoons a week. He is so handsome in his school uniform. He wanted one like the kids here wear to school. He’s growing up! Mary is doing well and loves teaching the women.

I’m still working on my website vickiecline.com. A friend is helping me with it, and so far it’s just linked to my blog. But it will eventually have pictures, stories about people here and much more. One of these days…

God is moving in many ways here (as He is all over the world) and it’s so fun to be a part of it. I’m thankful that He has brought me where He wants me to be. I’m thankful for you, too, for being a supporter and prayer partner. Thank you for being obedient to God’s call to help me be here. I share the blessings with you!


Pictures can be seen on my Facebook page. (and soon on my website)


I can be reached at vickiejocline@yahoo.com, facebook, twitter, skype,
US cell 479-270-0727, personal mail: PO box 567, Rogers AR 72757



I can be supported through: (be sure to note the funds are for my support)
Voice of Hope Ministries FBC Rogers
PO Box 1780 3364 W Pleasant Grove Road
Rogers AR 72757 Rogers AR 72758
centralameriahope.org (donate button)


Praises:
VOH team is growing (many workers are needed)
Everyone’s health has been pretty good so far
God opens doors as fast as we can walk through them
So thankful to be a tool for God to use in Nica
432 Salvations over Spring Break week
Hundreds of kids being fed daily at the Feeding Centers
Improved (but far to go) language skills in Spanish
Meeting new friends all the time
Thankful that God has put the desires and passions in my life to prepare for His work


Prayers:
Health and safety for me and the VOH staff
Financial support for the ministry
Financial support for me personally
Improved language skills
Discernment and wisdom when teaching classes
Safety (for everyone) when I’m driving in Nica
Future VOH workers
Discernment and Wisdom for the Hulseys as they lead the ministry
That I not miss even one opportunity to share Christ


Romans 9:17
“I raised you up for this very purpose that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

Thank you for helping proclaim the Name of Jesus to all the earth!!

¡Bendiciones!

Following Him Always,
Vickie