Most families average seven people and live in what we would consider a run down storage shed or chicken house, one small room with a dirt floor. Most don't even own an outhouse. There are virtually no jobs, and the people have to scratch out a living any way they can.

In spite of all this, the people for the most part, seem to be happy. They do not complain, and while they are grateful for help, they do not expect a handout to cost them nothing. They are not lazy, they just have no way to better themselves on their own. I went on a few more trips, working with an excellent organization called the Rainbow Network, until I began to realize God was calling me in another direction. In February, 1998, I made a decision to follow God's lead, hoping to find someone who could evangelize and disciple the people in His word.

It was an intimidating task. I hoped to enlist local pastors to help, but most of those in the rural areas had only a few years of grammar school and no formal religious training. Also, this was Nicaragua, and I couldn't even speak conversational Spanish. How would I find someone qualified and willing to do this thing? I didn't feel qualified myself. I began to question my mission. Here I was on an airplane to Nicaragua and I really had no idea what I would do when I got there!

During the flight, I was working on a bible study lesson and was interrupted by a Latin man as he walked down the aisle. He had a heavy accent, but he told me he had the very same bible study I was using, only in Spanish. His wife had done that very same bible study that I was working on. We introduced ourselves and I discovered Alvaro Alvarez was a native of Nicaragua, trained in the U.S. to train pastors and teach them how to disciple others! I was so excited, I could hardly speak!

I explained to Alvaro the reason for my visit, and that I felt that I was being sent by God to do it. Alvaro was more than willing to help, and we agreed to keep in touch.

The first day out was crushing. I went to the rural areas with only an interpreter, but my ideas of beginning a bible study were met with rejection everywhere I went. How could I have been so wrong? Had God sent me all this way just to experience rejection? Had I not heard him correctly?

Alvaro joined me the next day, yet the responses were the same. I was using the same interpreter as before, and midway through the day, Alvaro asked if he could speak to the people. Suddenly their mood changed from anger and hostility to acceptance and smiles. It seems the interpreter was not a Christian and was not properly translating my messages. Now, with Alvaro's help, the mission God had given me seemed to fall into place.

Years later, Project H.O.P.E. now employs two pastor trainers - Jerson Gonzales and Marvin Sanchez. These two young men travel around to communities training pastors, providing them with study bibles and material to set up local bible studies and discipleship classes. They also host pastoral seminars. In December 2005, more than 200 pastors and staff attended the first ever apologetics conference hosted by Project H.O.P.E. in Managua. Dr. Ron Carlson was our guest speaker who donated his time and his travel to be there for these Nicaraguan pastors. Pastors came from as far away as Somoto to receive this vital training in how to confront the false teaching of evolution, the new age movement, the cults etc. Several pastors filled up whole legal pads with the notes they took. Dr. Carlson will return in December 2006 for another pastor seminar.

Many people have come to know Christ as a result of these dedicated people. I thank God for them, and for the way He has allowed me to be a part of His work in Nicaragua.