Rainy Season News and Our Work Progress

Hurricane Felix

As you know Hurricane Felix, a category 5 hurricane, hit the Northern Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua early Tuesday morning. It is believed that 8,000 homes were destroyed and 18,000 Nicaraguans are without shelter. We live in the Southwest section of the country and therefore felt very little effect. We are currently working with our local Nicaraguan church to send food and clothing to a missionary contact in the Northern Atlantic Coast Region. If we receive information of a container being shipped from the U.S. we will post the information here on our blog as you may wish to support in the relief effort. The needs have always been great in that region of the country and now more than ever food, shelter, and clothing are needed. We will keep you posted on what we find out. Below are excerpts from a Rueters article listing facts of the effects of the hurricane in Nicaragua (the pictures of the hurricane are from Rueters and CNN):

The death toll from Hurricane Felix, which tore into the Nicaragua-Honduras border area this week, has jumped to about 130. About 70 people still were believed missing after high waves drowned fishermen and battered coastal villages. The dead were mainly Nicaraguan Miskito Indians, including some fishermen whose bodies washed up in Honduras. Hundreds of people were unable to evacuate before the storm and had only their flimsy wooden shacks for shelter. Some tied themselves to trees or boats in a bid to withstand Felix's 160 mph (256 kph) winds, local fisherman said. It mainly hit the turtle-fishing Miskito Indians who live cut off from the world in sparsely populated marshlands dotted with lagoons and crocodile-infested rivers on the coasts of Nicaragua and Honduras.

Following are some of the things we have been involved in these last few months:

EFI ISOM BIBLE COLLEGE

The Bible College that we have begun is now going on it's fifth month. We recently had 26 students complete their first mid-term exam. Please take a moment to double-click on the brief video clip of the school at the bottom of this page (once you double-click you should get a message that the video is loading. It will then play automatically). You will see the school in action!). This term includes the following classes: Fundamentals of Faith, Supernatural Living, New Testament Survey, Praise and Worship, and The Fear of The Lord. Their total mid-term exam grades were derived from exam true/false and multiple choice questions, essay questions, and practical hands on ministry participation. We had 9 A's, 2B's, 13 C's and 2 D's. As you can see, some barely passed while others passed with ease, but the bottom line is all are learning and developing and all are getting hands on experience. Mark is thoroughly enjoying facilitating the classes. The instruction is sound and clear. The Word of God brings freedom and the students are experiencing this freedom personally through the classes. The Word of God also challenges us. The students are being challenged to pursue the calling God has for each one of them.

Below are some of the special things that have happened in the school:

A student by the name of Lester Lopez Avellan was healed by the Lord Friday night after we completed the class on "Supernatural Living-The Gifts of Healing". In response to the class instruction, the class corporately prayed and we began to declare the healing and receive of the presence and healing of the Lord. As we prayed, Lester got Mark's attention and indicated he had something to share. He said that, as we were praying, the Lord spoke to him and told him to swallow three times. Lester said he had been suffering with a throat infection, tonsillitis, that week and his throat was extremely sore. As he swallowed the third time he said all the pain was gone. He said he had never experienced anything like that before. The next day when he came into class I made it a point to check and see how his throat was. He said he had no pain. On Saturday a gentleman named Arnolfo Salinas shared that he really sensed the power of God the night before when we had prayed concerning healing. He said as he went home he could still sense the presence of God so strong even as he entered his home. He explained that he has a daughter that has had some mental troubles and he was impressed that night that he and his wife should declare the healing of the Lord over their daughter. He said when they did, the power of God was so strong that he could hardly handle it and that he believes God is doing a real work in his daughter and in his family as a whole. As Arnolfo shared this he began to cry and share freely. I could sense God's presence in his brokenness. People in the class began to come over and pray for him and hug him and he broke more. It was a sweet time for him. Throughout the sessions others shared how, for the first time, they are getting a new revelation of God. After many of the classes we break up into groups and ask the Lord to minister through each person based on the subject that has just been taught. As we pray the students really minister to one another through words of knowledge, wisdom, healing, etc. It is exciting! It has been a great place for these students to gain practical experience in the teaching that they are receiving. All of you that support us are a huge part of making this possible for these people. It is changing lives and allowing people to experience God in a deeper way. This will in turn affect so many others as these students go out and minister.

What's Happening at VAM?

You may have read in our other blog messages that we are helping an EFI church in Managua named Abundant Life Managua (Spanish-Vida Abundante Managua). The pastor and his wife have become good friends of ours and they recently indicated that they consider us true partners in their work. Just this month the pastor invited Mark to join his staff as an associate pastor and Mark was delighted and honored to accept this wonderful opportunity! This local church has become our base. We love the people and the opportunities we have to serve with them. We will continue to do the things we have been doing while now taking a more direct role in the church serving on the board and leadership team. Several projects we were involved with at the church this summer included: 1) Hosting the Bible College. Hosting a training center at their facility was something the Hutsons had wanted to do for a long time. Of course this project continues. 2) The second, was the opportunity to work with three teams that came this summer to do mission work.

Upward Camp

One of the teams, Cokesbury UMC, we were totally responsible for- itinerary, room and board, etc. This was a great for us all the way around as we gained needed experience and were able to be a part of all the ministry and excitement that took place with this team. With help from Upward Unlimited, Mark's previous employer in Spartanburg, we were able to supply training materials to the Cokesbury team, and shirts and basketballs for an Upward Basketball camp that we did in a park behind the church. This was great way for the church, Vida Abundanbte Managua, to reach out to the surrounding community. 192 children participated from 3 different barrios (neighborhoods) around the park. We completed the camp with an awards night at the church and the church was completely full! We shared testimonies, gave away prizes, and the entertainment was done by Pastor Bryan. He is the best story teller I have ever heard. We completed the night by having every person willing to receive all that God has for them to stand. All stood-parents and children! We then had the Cokesbury team pray over them and award the children with a certificate and a small basketball. It was a great night and a great outreach for the church. As time moves on we are getting more and more involved at VAM. The people there are wonderful.

The Bagwell's Orphanage

Our team from Cokesbury UMC spent two days at the orphanage feeding, holding, and interacting with the babies and conducting a mini vacation Bible school with the older children. They also donated several brand new high-chairs, baby bouncers, lots of formula, diapers, wipes and brand new tennis shoes for the older children. Every time we have been in the orphanage since then the children are wearing their new shoes and the babies are bouncing in the new bouncy seats. It was like Christmas in July for all of the children at the orphanage when the Cokesbury team was there. Thank you so much Cokesbury Team! You were great!

Recently Cindy has been spending time at the orphanage doing her favorite thing; ORGANIZING! Tim and Chris receive many items for the care of the children and have maximized their space as efficiently as possible. Even the rooms for the children are pretty well maxed out. So, with Cindy's help, they have worked extremely hard to go through all inventory, label and store it, as well as reorganize the children's rooms. The Bagwell's ministry, Nueva Vida Nicaragua (New Life Nicaragua), has recently purchased land for a future orphanage facility. Please pray for them as they begin to plan for the construction of the buildings on the new land.

We want to continue to be available to the Bagwells to assist them and help them.



Medical Missions

Recently Cindy spent a full week, even working some 7am to 7pm shifts, working with International Children's Heart Foundation (ICHF), which is a group of doctors, nurses, and medical professionals from around the U.S. The founder of ICHF is a heart surgeon from Georgia, Dr. Novick, who is a friend of Dr. Leylands. Dr. Leyland is a heart surgeon in Spartanburg that Cindy used to work with at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center. What a small world that we live in! This team performed heart surgery and helped recover 5 children here in Managua at La Mascota Children's Hospital. The children are doing great and will experience health that would not have been possible had it not been for this team. We also took one of the doctors, several of the nurses, and a medical student from the group to the Bagwell's orphanage to interact with the children. While there Dr. Karen Guillory, a pediatric intensivist, assessed and reviewed the charts of several of the children that needed medical care. We appreciate her recommendations for these children. Please pray for the ICHF here in Managua. It is a great program with much good to offer this country, but due to much resistance with the hospital administration, this program may have to pull out of Nicaragua.


Evangelism

Mark traveled with Larryon Truman this past weekend to Jalappa, Nicaragua to assist him in directing the drama "Heavens Gates and Hells Flames". Larryon and his family are Assembly of God missionaries who have been working in Nicaragua for 7 years. This whole family has become good friends to our family- their oldest son is a great friend to Stephen and Luke and and Aida has been a great friend to Cindy. Larryon directs the drama, "Heavens Gates and Hells Flames" all over the country, in conjunction with local churches. They have seen thousands of people come to the Lord through the ministry of this drama. In Jalappa 183 people came to the Lord and the church was greatly stirred. Mark was very appreciative to have been allowed to be a part of what the Lord is doing through this drama.

Another opportunity that Mark has had with Larryon is ministering to a group of college students that he met through a baptismal service that was held at our next door neighbors pool. At this service Mark and Larryon met a college student who had recently accepted Christ. This student happens to be a Nicaraguan pro basketball player named Julio, who has now invited our families to come and watch him play in a 7 game tournament. This was a real sacrifice for Mark to go and watch pro basketball. Seriously, because of this relationship, the doors have now opened for Mark and Larryon to speak with the local Nicaraguan University Ki Alpha group (equivalent to our Campus Crusade for Christ). Just today they took Bibles to another professional basketball team and lead a devotion time for them. Julio has said that he would be willing to help with any future basketball camps that we may do as outreaches for the church.


Evangel Cathedral Youth Mission Team

The Evangel Youth group came at the end of July and worked at the Bagwell's orphanage. Stephen was able to be a part of this team and we were able to spend some time with them too. How wonderful it was to have part of our church family with us for a week. Derek and Melody Horton, Evangel's Youth Pastors, did a great job of leading the team and we appreciate them allowing Stephen to accompany the team in all their efforts.


These next 4 months

As we are now in the last quarter of the year we will be working on the following goals:

1) ISOM Bible College: October the 8Th is the start date for a 2ND class of students to begin at Abundant Life Managua church. Also, Pastor Pablo Loaisiga, the general pastor at Community Metropolitan Church in the South side of Managua has met with Mark about beginning a school at his church and in a city named Matagalpa which is in the mountains four hours from Managua. There are three churches in Matagalpa that he oversees. He and I will be exploring these opportunities these next few months as these plans will require a lot of preparation and administration.

2) Mark will be working to start a youth cell group and a college cell group in the community behind our church in Managua. There are three large communities with differing social and economic structures and one college all located within a short distance of the church. This summer we did several outreach events into these areas and had a good turn out and a lot of interest from the people. Now we will follow-up and develop.

3) There are preliminary plans for a second team from Cokesbury UMC to come work with us in October. With their first trip in July under their belt they are ready to come back. They feel a real connection to the needs and people here and they do great work. We hope their plans will work out and that they will be able to return, as we are looking forward to working with them again.

4) Cindy will continue to be a part of medical support teams as well as the Bagwell's New Life Nicaragua Orphanage.


Our Children

Our children had a very special summer in that some of their favorite people in the whole world traveled to Nicaragua to visit them. At the end of June Mark's mother, Mama Bonita, came to see us all. While she was here she was able to baby sit for us during the Bible College weekend. She was also able to experience some of the challenges of living in a third world country first hand- such as - having the power go out right in the middle of your shower and then losing water pressure because there is no power for the pump to pump the water to the second floor. Bonita had this lovely experience while we were at Bible College. Markie quickly came to her rescue with a towel and a flash light and lead her to the downstairs bathroom where she was able to get enough of a trickle of water to finish her shower by flashlight! The next night, before we left for Bible College, Bonita had all the flash lights in one place and she had already had her shower! She was ready for ANYTHING! Bonita was also able to help us get ready for the Cokesbury team, which entailed a few shopping trips to the local market. She was quite a trooper as Cindy walked her through the fresh meat and Iguana section. Bonita was also able to be a part of the Upward camp that the Cokesbury team did and is a pro at serving lunch to over 200 people in an orderly fashion. She attended church with us at VAM and the people there fell in love with her and some even came to see her off at the airport. We can't wait for her to come back.

David and Amy Looney along with their children, Olivia, Reagan, and Peyton joined us and the Bagwells for a week. David works at Northwoods Assembly as the praise and worship leader and conducted a worship seminar for the worship team at New Life Managua. The Looney's also spent time with the Bagwells at their orphanage. It was great to see them and spent time with them.

Our family was also visited by some very special friends, the McBrides. Karen, who is one of Cindy's very best friends and her three sons came to visit. They came the same week as the youth group from Evangel Cathedral, our home church. Stephen and Graham stayed with the youth team at a mission house here in Managua and Karen, Allen, and Greyson stayed with us. Our children are learning that when you have a true friend that distance does not stop the friendship. We really have no words to express to the McBride family what their visit meant to us and to our children.

Our children started school on August 6Th and are settling in nicely. Stephen and Luke are playing soccer and Markie and Philip are taking piano. They like their school and we like having them all in one place. If we were in the states we would have children in 3 different schools this year.

Our family has experience some sadness in the last 2 weeks. On Friday, August 17, 2007 Gabi, our German shepherd puppy that we got one week after we moved here, died. She was fine on Wednesday and on Thursday am we could tell that she was very sick. Her symptoms were very vague- not eating, very lethargic, difficulty breathing and acting as if she was in some pain. We took her to the vet Thursday am, but by that night she got progressively worse. During that night she died. Our night guard thinks that she may have been bitten by a tranchula, because on Wednesday pm she was playing in some water (it had rained alot that day) near where he killed a tranchula. We will never really know for sure, but we do know that we were attached to this dog that we only had for 7 months! Philip and Markie have had the hardest time with her death, but are doing a little better each day. For those of you who are not dog people please excuse me spending so much time on this, but for those of you who have ever had a special dog in your life we know that you understand.

On a happier note, we have gotten another puppy. Her name is "Nella" and she is a golden retriever puppy. She is 8 weeks old and even though she will never replace "Gabi" she has helped to ease the pain. She is adorable and we are enjoying her very much.

Thank you for continuing to keep our children in your prayers. While they are gaining so much by being here, they still frequently miss their life in South Carolina.


Thank You to All

Again we would like to thank all of you who support us financially and through your prayers. You are making a difference in the country of Nicaragua.

We Love You,
The Quillens
Mark, Cindy, Stephen, Luke, Markie and Philip