Grace Church has partnered with Christ for the City International (CFCI) in Nicaragua since 2002 through short term trips that focus on medical and construction needs, and has recently expanded to biblical training for church leaders and pastors. CFCI’s vision to work through and empower the local church to evangelize and serve their local communities mirrors what Grace is striving to accomplish in the Greenville area.
In 2008, our partnership expanded to two medical/construction teams, two teaching/training teams, one Student Ministry team, and hosting a marriage retreat for the couples that are part of the CFCI staff. With growing interest from our congregation to participate on one of these trips we are anticipating that the number of teams will increase over the next year or so to allow more people to experience these life changing trips.
Our partnership with CFCI has given us the ability to expand our world and Christian perspectives as we experience the difference between our two cultures and see first hand how God is working in other parts of the world to change lives through his word and the work of the local church.
April 08 – Ciudad Sandino
On our first trip of 2008, Grace Church sent a 16 person team (medical, construction and children’s ministry) to Ciudad Sandino to work with a local church to provide free basic medical care, including prescriptions, to the community. Our team also worked on an expansion to the church and provided children’s activities for the children who came to the clinic and to those in the community each day. Each person who visited the clinic received one-on-one evangelism from the sponsoring local church and follow-up discipleship opportunities in the weeks after the clinic.
July 08 – Villa El Carmen
Our second trip of the year was to Villa El Carmen. Our team of 22 people provided medical care, construction assistance and children’s ministry activities for the community. Once again we had the priviledge of working side by side with a local church that has a passion for serving their community both spiritually and physically. Evangelism and discipleship was a main focus of the week for the church as the North Americans provided free medical assistance and laughs through broken English-Spanish conversations.
February & October 08 – Teaching/Training
Two times a year Grace sends a team (3-4 people per team) of pastors and other leaders in our congregation to provide biblical teaching and training to Nicaraguan pastors and church leaders. Over a four day period this team provides intensive courses aimed at increasing biblical knowledge and providing a spark for spiritual growth. We have teamed with a local university in the Managua area and with local churches in more remote areas to provide this much needed training.