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PRESBYTERY OF LAKE MICHIGAN MISSION PARTNERSHIP WITH CEPAD/NUEVA GUINEA, NICARAGUA

In 1991 members of the Presbytery of Lake Michigan made their first visit to Nicaragua in cooperation with CEPAD. These contacts have blossomed into a beautiful partnership of friendship and fellowship. Since 1994 a very special partnership has been formed with our partners in Nueva Guinea, a rural town on the Atlantic side of Nicaragua. Each year visitors from Michigan are welcomed with the warmest hospitality by our friends in Nueva Guinea, and our friends from Nueva Guinea have also visited homes and churches in Michigan.

Youth Mission Trip to Nicaragua - June 8-15, 2012

For flyer, click here.             For application, click here. 

CEPAD

CEPAD is an association of Protestant Churches that serves the poor in Nicaragua.  CEPAD was first formed in 1972 when an earthquake destroyed Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. Thousands were left without food,shelter, or drinkable water. What began as disaster relief has grown into an effective community developmentorganization serving communities all across Nicaragua. Today twenty‐eight Protestant denominations in Nicaragua have joined with non‐profit agencies, pastoral committees, and international partners to serve the poor, promote peace and justice, and improve the quality of life through self‐sustaining community projects in over seventy communities throughout Nicaragua.  CEPAD is working to empower local leaders, and the organization is committed to grass‐roots efforts. The success of its projects is rooted in the conviction that empowerment is the key to programs that can become self-sustaining. Through its local programs CEPAD isaddressing problems of hunger, empowering community leaders in their stand for human rights and community development, and promoting education.  For more information, visit CEPAD’s website.

MISSION PARTNERSHIP SUPPORTED PROJECTS

Along with creating and building relationships, the partnership also engages in specific mission projects with our partners in Nueva Guinea.

2 Cents a Meal Money

The Lake Michigan Presbytery’s Mission Partnership with the Council for Evangelical Churches (CEPAD) in Nueva Guinea, Nicaragua will use 2 cents a meal (Cents-ability) money to develop and strengthen a sustainable backyard nutrition program.  Through a project proposal of the joint partnership committee in Nicaragua and Lake Michigan, 2 Cents A Meal money is allocated to the revolving grants given to women in families for Patio Projects. 

CEPAD works through means of self-empowerment to develop processes of social promotion, communal organization, and the preservation of people, environment, and also provides opportunity for spiritual development.  Patio Projects concentrate on nutrition and self-sustainability of the family.  Providing nutrition and opportunities to develop the diet of families is a priority for the partnership. 

Patio Projects are small backyard gardens and farms that allow a woman and her family to raise pigs, chickens, and food that will provide the family with necessary food and a small source of income.  A person is given training and education needed to develop and manage her patio project.  After completing each segment of training, women are given a loan to complete the next section of her project.  This means purchasing such things as chickens or pigs.  A woman will receive 2 pigs and approximately 14 chickens and one rooster through the project.  This can be used to raise more animals, and provide eggs and protein to the family.  Women receive follow visits and assistance while they are working with their projects. 

The unique piece of the Patio Project is that it is set up through a loan system.  Each complete patio project costs $200.00, and because CEPAD believes in providing systems that can be sustainable and are truly owned by its beneficiaries, the money is given as a loan.  Women receive the money as the go to training, and then begin to pay back the loan at a very low interest rate so that as their project becomes sustainable, the money can be used to benefit another family in the community.  The partnership is happy to be able to support the continued work of CEPAD and its work in the communities of Nueva Guinea and throughout Nicaragua.  

 

Nicaraguan Mission Partnership Sewing Project

In April, 2005 five sewing machines were donated to the Partnership by the Crazy Ladies quilting group in Coopersville and were hand delivered to the CEPAD office in Neuva Guinea by the delegation in April, 2006.  Five additional sewing machines were donated to the sewing project and were hand delivered in 2008 by the Lake Michigan Presbytery delegation.  

On the recent trip in February, 2010, it was discovered that five of the machines are now being used by women from the Bethel Church to teach others from the community how to make a pattern and sew clothing for their families and neighbors as a way to gain income.  The remaining five were delivered to the community of La Esperenza.  The women of the community are learning to sew and will teach others how to make clothing for their families and others.  All that’s needed to get them started is fabric, machine needles and thread. 

TRAVELER INFORMATION

CDC Traveler page – http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx