The mission of Amigos for Christ is to serve the Lord by serving His poor. To accomplish this, we use a development model which stresses the importance of Water and Sanitation, Health Care, Education and Nutrition, Small Business Opportunities, Community Development and Infrastructure, and Missionary and Volunteer Support.
The vision of Amigos for Christ is to become a model for effective missionary service by inspiring positive action and long-term relationship building within the communities we serve and with those who are volunteering.
•Nicaragua, located between Costa Rica and Honduras in Central America, is the largest country in Central America. It is second in poverty of all countries in the Western Hemisphere trailing only Haiti. Natural disasters, including hurricanes and severe earthquakes; generalized poverty, dictatorships, foreign intervention/exploitation and civil wars have marked much of its history.
Here are some helpful links related to Nicaragua:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua
www.consuladodenicaragua.com
www.consuladonicamiami.com
www.intur.gob.ni
Why Nicaragua?
God has called us to serve in the poorest country in Latin America. The majority of people in the communities we work with survive on less than $1.00 a day. We cannot ignore these conditions. We hope to positively affect the current generation and provide the necessary resources for the next generation to succeed on their own.
Nicaragua is situated in Central America, bordering Honduras, Costa Rica and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Nicaraguas history has been marked by continuous upheaval, in the form of corruption, foreign intervention, war, rebellion and natural disasters. Its capital city, Managua, was damaged twice by earthquakes in 1932 and 1972. After much political turmoil, a democratic process was established in 1990 with the election of Violeta Chamorro as President. Nicaragua is tentatively moving forward toward economic growth. The countrys infrastructure is tenuous, but it possesses a wealth of natural resources and stunning natural wonders. Its greatest resource, however, is its young people. Regrettably, over half these children live in poverty, especially in rural areas. Many children have no access to education or are forced to leave school to support their families. The Nicaraguan government lacks the means to provide widespread social services. Outside assistance from nations such as the U.S. are welcomed.
The primary lessons we have learned are:
Alarming Statistics
Total Population in Nicaragua is 5.3 million
Economic
3.7 million people (70%) live on less than $2/day (defined as poor)
1.1 million people (21%) live on less than $1/day (defined as extreme poverty)
Housing
2.1 million people (40%) live in houses made from scrap material
2.7 million people (50%) live in overcrowded conditions
Health
477,000 children (33%) suffer from chronic malnutrition
2.7 million people (50%) do not have access to essential medicines
Only 3 doctors for every 8,000 people.
Education
2 of 3 children will not complete 6th grade
6 of 7 of rural Nicaraguans will not complete secondary school (7th thru 11th grade)
Water
60% of rural water supplies are contaminated
95% of farm land is not cultivated during the 6 month dry season
Spirituality
78% of the communities do not have a church
94% of rural Nicaraguans do not attend church regularly
