Two years ago, Hurricane Mitch swept through Central America, killing 11,000
people and displacing 3 million. The devastation was complete, setting both
Nicaragua and Honduras back more than five decades. However, Christian
Reformed World Mission’s Mark Volkers says due to their teams’ work, they’ve
seen a positive. “As a result of Hurricane Mitch, two new churches have been
added-there are now five new churches in this suburb, because the people there have
seen the concern and the care, not only of the missionaries, but of the Christian
Reformed people there, the Nicaraguan Christian Reformed people. They’ve seen how
these people are in it for the long haul, how they take great care and help people get
their lives back together, both physically and spiritually.” Volkers says their approach
has opened doors to evangelize. “That’s been one of the things that has spoken to a lot
of the people there-the Christian Reformed Church has been there before Mitch, they
stayed during Mitch, and they’re still there long after Mitch and don’t plan on going
anywhere, but want to continue helping these countries rebuild.”
