The stories, the joy, the heartache

Well, we have been home for a week and the emotions and the adjusting are in full swing.  I love trips... I love the people... I love the team... I love the place... I love being the hands and feet of Jesus... I love seeing the difference Fox River has and continues to make in this country, in this community.  But, man the emotions that come with saying goodbye, leaving (your baby sister make it even worse), adjusting back to 'life' are tough to swallow.  I am so thankful I serve a God that holds my heart and knows the pain and the joy that comes with missions! 

With all that being said, let me share what God did...

You might have already read some of this, but bare with me and keep reading...

WE SAW 84 PEOPLE GIVE THEIR LIVES TO CHRIST!!!  In just 6 short days 84 people became part of the Kingdom!!  REJOICE!!!! We have new believers to celebrate!  And that number is only a portion of the hundreds of patients, kiddos and families that we came in contact with, that we had the opportunity to share and plant seeds into their lives that could change their eternity.

We had a year of firsts in the midst of all the 'normal'. 

Our Medical team was the first team that was working in the clinic when a baby was born!  Some of our medical gals got to be hands on! So cool!

We had a movie night for the first time... So much fun!  Something that was a treat for the people of La Esmerelda!  We watched 'Inside Out' in espanol. 

We Celebrated 5 years of the clinic being open and all of the work God has done through that time!

We were able to go, see and pray over the land that Fox River purchased for a new church in Las Nubes!  You might only see green, but we were able to hear the vision of this land... God has BIG plans for this community!

We swallowed children with a giant whale!  Oh, the laughter that came from those sweet kiddos!

We rode in a cattle truck, on motorcycles, bus and in the back of a pick-up (and that doesn't even include all the walking/hiking)!  SO many forms of transportation that made for lots of laughter, muddy backsides and a few bruises! 

And so much more...

Through all the fun, tasks, and work that we do there the best moments consist of getting to know and encourage the Nica team!  We couldn't do what we do without them and I know the time we spend in their community, in their life is such fuel for them!  Yes we get to see people come to Jesus and we get to see babies being born, kiddos laugh when another gets 'swallowed' by a whale, we get to give out hygiene packs and bless those people... But then we leave (even when our hearts don't come with us).  The most important thing we do while we are there is encouraging and supporting the ministry that Pastor Denis and his team work hard at everyday, day in and day out!  If I could only describe to you exactly the amount of gratefulness and heart felt love that these people have for Fox River's partnership and teams you would be in tears.  God has formed such a strong bond between our churches that the only way to describe it is 'Family'!  Language has NO power over the love that we share through OUR God!!  We laugh, we cry, we share, we pray, we love TOGETHER!!

We had to ask so many people to join us to make this trip and this week a reality, and we are so grateful for them and all the work they did with us and for us!  From translators to kitchen ladies we had quite the team of Nicas that stood beside us all week.  The people of La Esmerelda are so very special to Fox River and we can feel that that is a shared feeling!  If you ever wonder how the blood of Christ connects his people you should come to Nicaragua!

I can honestly say that leading a team is one of the most exhausting yet rewarding jobs I have ever been given.  From the tiny details to the giant spiders I have had to 'handle', I'm glad I have a team to laugh at or with me, to cry for or with me, to pray with and for me... My God has such wonderful plans and I in the midst of all the rain, mud, tears, laughter, goodbyes, heartache, joy, 'colored' tent poles, bugs, rats, bats, snakes, and on it goes... am so glad to be a part of this ministry! 

Para mi Nicas~ Te amo y muy profundamente a todos de menos.  Estoy muy agradecido de Dios escribiria una historia como la nuestra.

To my Fox River family~ THANK YOU!  You make this all possible through your giving and prayers!  You are not unnoticed!

To those of you just following along~ I hope you see what the power of Unity in Christ can do!

You have read our stories, yet there is still so much to share... so ask us!!  Ask anyone of the team members, I promise they have something you haven't heard yet!

Commissioning and packing

COMMISSIONING

Last weekend the Nicaragua team stood before the congregation as Pastor Guy lead them in prayer. The feeling that comes with knowing your church is praying over you and each of your team members is a feeling that can only be experienced!  Fox River sends off teams fully covered in prayer, support, and encouragement!

The team buckled up for a full weekend of being loved on by our Church.  We loved being able to hop back and forth between our Waukesha and Muskego campuses, knowing that Waterford campus is praying over us as well!  

 We were also able to join the church as we prayed over and sent Kerri (who is now safely in Nicaragua)! What an awesome experience to be able to gather around her and send her off!

Will you join us in praying as we go?  

Here are some certain areas: 

• Travel- timing, customs, safety, and everything in between
• Health- that we stay well rested and fight off the travelers sickness
• Luggage- we need our supplies, can you pray them there for us? 
• People-  Our team members as well as each person we will come in contact with!  For us to allow God to shine brighter than us. That the Nicaraguan people will have open hearts to the message of Christ. 
• Our Events- Clinic days, VBS, Women's Outreach, Teen Night, Movie Night, 5 year Celebration, Hygiene packs, Field day.  

You can find prayer cards at any Fox River campus!  >>>

 

 

 

 

PACKING!!!

Today we came together as a team to pack up all of our supplies. ALL. OF. THEM.

What a packing day entails...  We start off by standing and looking at the heaping piles of supplies that we somehow have to fit in our limited amount of suitcases that can only way 50lbs.  We spread out our suitcases.  Then we get to it... next step would be to get rid of all the bulkiness we can... taking things out of boxes, wrappers, etc.  Ziplock bags are our friends and we use 100's of them!  We spend a couple hours packing, weighing, shifting, repacking, reweighing, and on it goes until each suitcase weighs in right around the 50lb mark. 

It might take a lot of work, patience,  and a whole lot of GOD power for us to get all the things we need into these suitcases, but we love the time we get to be with our team and to see how God makes it all fit.  All of these moments are what builds the experience we will talk and share about for a lifetime! 

These supplies are what build up our events, the hygiene packs, and so much more.  It is so important that they all make it there!  This is a big area we would love you to pray about with us.  Customs can be a little tricky at times and the airlines have so many bags to make sure get to the right places with the right people.  We know we serve a God that has bigger plans than ours and that He has gone before us and is coming with us, but we also know that He listens to us when we cry out!  Will you cry out over our supplies?

5k Run for Love is right around the corner

We are now one month away from the mission’s team fundraiser 5k Run for Love to support our team heading to Nicaragua in June. Early bird registration is good until April 30th, and then the prices increase…so make sure you register today! Runners, walkers, and everyone in between are welcome to participate. And remember even if you are unable to participate that day, you are still able to donate to the team by purchasing hygiene packs at the booth in the gym after services throughout the month of May.

Hygiene packs are extremely vital to the people of La Esmeralda because it allows them to have access to everyday items that would otherwise be difficult to come by and more importantly it allows them to feel the love of Jesus.

We hope to see you there! 

Register today!

Preparation- Nicaragua team

A lot of preparation goes into the trips that we take.  We spend months planning, making decisions, getting our supplies, fundraising, getting to know our team members, and on it goes!

When we get to Nicaragua Fox River will join the Nicas and form one team.  Part of our team will be working in the Clinic and the other part will be out in the communities.  Although we will be doing some different things while we are there we are all just one team.  We go as ONE body, each given different gifts and abilities in order to fulfill the same task > Sharing the love of Christ.  (1 Corinthians 12)

I’m going to share with you about how the Nicaragua team is preparing to go…

We prepare for the tasks that we will be doing, physically for our health, for the environment we will live in, and most importantly we prepare spiritually to be open to what God has for each of us.

Some of the best moments we have as a team are our monthly meetings.  As a leader, there are so many details that need to be looked over with a fine tooth comb on a regular basis, having a team to help with planning and cultivate ideas is the greatest thing ever!  Don’t let the title ‘leader’ fool you, I have the great privilege of walking beside and among them as they plan and take ownership of the trip as a team!   At our meetings we have groups who work on certain tasks and we have moments where we come together as a whole and discuss.  We have groups for music, games, crafts, stories, and the medical group. EVERYONE is a part of the planning!  I am so grateful for my team!  

Our music group teaching the rest of the us the dance for VBS. 

My absolute favorite part of all the preparing, planning, and craziness is the time I get to sit with the team and get to know them.  We take time at each meeting to hear each others stories, to hear what they are excited about or maybe even what they are nervous about.  

Intentional prayer! 

Pastor Guy praying over the team. 

Then we spend time in what we call ‘Intentional prayer’, we give our worries, and praise to our Creator!  We want to make sure we are always working with God and not apart from Him.  We pray for our planning, our team members, travel, we pray for the people we will work with, for their planning, we pray for all the people that our team will come into contact with, we pray for the clinic and church in La Esmeralda, for our supporters, we pray that our hearts will be aligned with God’s plan, we pray for the unknown…  Will you join us in praying? 

God is already at work answering prayers of support and partnership.  He is working in the hearts of all of us and of those we will come into contact with. Supplying the needs we have as we prepare to go some obvious and some that we didn't even know we had.  Giving courage and peace to those of us who have fear and anxiety, and giving patience to others who can't wait to go see friends and make new ones. We have such a great God who loves us with an everlasting love, it is His desire that we come to Him to fulfill our needs.  Let this team be a testament that He does in fact meet our needs and bless us greatly.

Counting down the days until we get to see all the planning come to fruition! 

Introducing Pastor Denis and Karen

Let us introduce you to our partners in La Esmeralda, Pastor Denis and Karen. These two are the hands and feet of Christ everyday up in the mountains of Nicaragua. As Fox River, we are partnering with Denis and Karen to carry out God’s mission in La Esmeralda. There are many different areas where this takes place and we can see the fruit that God has produced. We have the honor and blessing to see how he is working in and through the lives of the Nicaraguans.

What does that exactly look like? Let us try to paint a picture for you and give you a glimpse of what they do.

In church

Each week they offer three services for all of the community to be a part of.  Pastor Denis preaches at the services.  Karen leads the childrens classes during these services, she also attends and supports Denis as he preaches and leads the congregation.  A service generally includes, music, a time of greeting, and a message.

At the clinic

In the clinic, every patient, before they are ever seen is given the opportunity to hear the gospel. On average in a year, the clinic sees 10,000 people.  That is 10,000 people who might not have heard the good news, and got to because of the clinic and the ministry Pastor Denis and Karen have built. As a church, supporting the clinic not only means the medical side of the ministry, but also it means that we are supporting the kingdom of God here on Earth.

How cool is it to know that when you partner with Fox River Missions, you are having an eternal impact?

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Youth Group

Youth group is a night dedicated to the teens of the community and reaching them where they are. This includes games, a message, and small groups. Denis and Karen are investing in the lives of these teens which is extremely important at such an opportune age where they start making big decisions that will impact the rest of their lives. It offers them a better place to go rather than getting caught up in the pressures of their peers.

Women’s Ministry

Karen leads a bible study for the women of the communities. Often times the women are behind the scenes in the community taking care of their families, so this is a great way for the women to come together, to dig into God's teachings, and to learn how to be a woman of Christ.  It refreshes them so that they can do the ministry of being a wife, mom, cook, etc.

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Sports Ministry

The sports ministry meets outside of the church walls and reaches youth that would not be involved in church otherwise. As a result, we have seen many lives changed through this ministry. Six of these athletes have come to Christ and are serving in the church in other ministries. This ministry is growing at a rapid pace and we expect to see much more growth as it continues to reach more and more people in and around the community.

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Pastor Denis and Karen are a vital part of Gods plan for the community of La Esmeralda. Their love for Christ and his people is truly inspiring. 

Would you join us in praying for them and their ministry?  

Meet our Missionary Partners in Nicaragua

Introductions

Brian and Rachel Weed started Familia Avance Nicaragua in March of 2002 and have raised their three daughters Karly, Abi, and Brynna while doing the ministry God called them to.   

The Weed Family

Donna Woodson joined the Weeds in Nicaragua in Janruary of 2004 and has been serving along side the Weeds for 12 years.    

Donna Woodson

Familia Advance Nicargua

Familia Advance Nicargua began as a church planting ministry and kicked off in May of 2003 with their first plant in the city of Managua. Since then they have planted 9 churches across the country of Nicaragua.  Now Familia Avance Nicaragua has expanded beyond church planting to feeding centers, sports outreach programs, teen outreach programs, Rancho Nicaragua (a working farm which is being developed into a camp/retreat center), a Christian school (classes will start in 2017), seminary, and a medical clinic.  Their ministry continues to grow as they follow the direction in which God is leading.  

Churches Planted in Nicaragua

Partnership with Fox River

In 2004 the mission started a church in the very remote community of La Esmeralda.  In the spring of 2009 Pastor Guy along with some others took a survey trip to Nicaragua and met up with Brian where they were extremely convinced through God's promptings that Fox River was to partner in starting the medical clinic in La Esmeralda.  We broke ground for the medical clinic in the fall of that same year.  The medical clinic opened its doors in June of 2011, since the doors opened it has impacted the lives of over 32,000 people that did not have the medical care necessary.  Not only has it impacted their physical lives but also their spiritual well-being as the medical clinic partners with the church, each person who visits the clinic receives the gospel message before being treated.  Fox River also partners with the church in their sports outreach program which gives opportunity to reach even more people of that same community.  We are so excited to watch God continue to work and grow these ministries.  What a blessing to be a small part in God's grand plan of reaching the nations!

Clinic in La Esmeralda, Nicaragua

Where does the money go?

It's a safe bet that you've heard about the International Missions that Fox River supports in Kenya and Nicaragua (especially considering the fact that you're reading our blog). 

You may have heard about Fox River Missions in a weekend service at Christmas time when we talk about My Gift for Jesus. Perhaps you've had a friend go on a missions trip and you followed their journey on this very blog. Maybe you're even considering partnering with us by financially supporting the missions.

But have you ever wondered, "Where does the money go? What does Fox River actually do in Kenya and Nicaragua?"

Glad you asked.

Nicaragua

• Partner with churches in La Esmeralda to bring the love of Jesus to their community
• Build and staff a medical clinic that sees about 10,000 patient visits per year
• Created and organize a sports program to reach youth in La Esmeralda and surrounding communities

Kenya

• Partner with churches in Vipingo and Bomani, two villages north of Mombasa, to bring the love of Jesus to their people
• Build and staff two K-8 schools that provide an excellent education
• Serve two meals each day to students on school days 
• Provide basic medical care for students age 3 through grade 8
• Bring free clean water offered to the communities surrounding the schools
• Offer literacy classes to adults in the villages 
• Fund a farm project to provide milk to the school children

God is certainly at work in Nicaragua and Kenya and we are excited to be a part of what He's doing there. Whether you are praying with us for the people we serve or are ready to join us in financially supporting these missions, you are touching lives around the world and serving Jesus himself as He said:

“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

— Matthew 25:40