Orphan’s Heart ministers to poor and needy in Nicaragua (Photo Courtesy of Orphan’s Heart)

Orphan’s Heart reports that malnutrition is a problem throughout the country and that 25% of children do not attend school because they must work.

The public market of Managua attracts many of these children because there is greater access to food.

Bethel Baptist Church, a community church in Managua, does its best to reach out to the poorest in the local community.

Orphan’s Heart partners with them by doing week-long mission trips throughout the year to supplement and expand the work already being done there.

Andrew Tattrie of Orphan’s heart says, “Each Saturday, members of the Bethel Baptist Church provide a hot meal and discipleship programs to the children living in some of the poorest neighborhoods that surround that church in Managua.”

The partnership is a service to the “least of these” in Nicaragua and goes along with Orphan’s Heart’s mission.

“Basically our mission is to provide for the spiritual and physical needs of orphaned and disadvantaged children around the world,” Tattrie says.

This August, Tattrie will be leading a group with Orphan’s Heart on a week-long discipleship trip to work with Bethel Baptist Church.

In the mornings, Orphan’s Heart is providing a medical clinic for the community. Later in the afternoon, they will conduct VBS-style Bible lessons that involve worship, games, activities, crafts, and Bible stories.

Large crowds are drawn to the medical clinic because many individuals have not seen a doctor in years. Doctors are overworked in Nicaragua, and hospitals are overcrowded. Rooms are reserved for more serious illnesses, and lesser health issues are often overlooked. Another barrier is lack of travel and funds for a hospital visit.

Before or after their visit to the clinic, patients have the opportunity to pray with the team and hear about God through Bible stories.

“Our mission team is completely focused on serving and working with those children in that community around Bethel Baptist Church,” Tattrie says.

For people living in poverty, the service that Orphan’s Heart brings is significant. Tattrie says, “I think it sends a huge message just to see that God loves them and there are other people that love them as well.

“Some of the families that those children come from are struggling either to put food on the table or to find work, and so when they see a mission team come in, they get the sense of love.”

(Photo courtesy of Orphan’s Heart)

Tattrie explains that the medical mission is a part of what God is calling them to do in reaching out to the poorest children and families of this country.

So, what does this have to do with you?

Well, for starters, this opportunity is something to praise God about. To see His hand moving among poor neighborhoods around the world is truly a blessing for any follower of Christ.

On the other side of that, you can be praying.

“Prayer is one of the most important things that we can do, and we would appreciate and covet any prayers that come our way for Orphan’s Heart,” says Tattrie.

Pray also for the Bethal Baptist Church and their staff as they continue their feeding program.

One last thing you can pray for is that God would open the eyes of many hearts through the partnership.

Tattrie is excited about the upcoming trip. He says, “I think it just reflects God’s love and just shows the kids how much we love them, how much God loves them. It’s such a great time to be able to worship with the kids, to share Bible stories, and also to feed the kids. So, it’s just a tremendous ministry we have there in Nicaragua.”

The registration for this trip is closed. However, you can look into upcoming trips with Orphan’s Heart here.

If God is calling you to support this ministry financially, find out more here.

View our other news with Orphan Outreach right here.

The stench of the problem is growing rank. In the capital city of Managua alone, there are roughly 15,000 children between the ages of 7 and 15 living on the streets.

Without education, financial means, or access to most other modern conveniences, these kids' futures look grim–that is, unless they can make their way to the bright light coming from a nearby church.

Bethel Baptist Church has a heart for these street children. Once a week they offer them nourishment for the body, as well as for the soul.

"They bring in these street children every week," explains Howie Hooper with Orphan's Heart . "They give them a hot meal, teach them Bible stories, have some recreation times–a couple of hours that they can bring them out of their typical environment into the church environment–and hopefully teach them the love of God."

Orphan's Heart partners with Bethel to make their outreach shine even brighter.

Bethel reaches 190 children once each week. But with the help of Orphan's Heart, they hope to reach 250 on a regular basis by the end of the year. This could well be possible as Orphan's Heart brings in teams of volunteers to support these children for four-day weeks in a setting similar to VBS.

"We bring in a Vacation Bible School-type program where the kids come in for four days. We are able to teach them music, we're teaching them games, and we're teaching them, of course, the love of Christ," says Hooper.

Orphan's Heart and Bethel Baptist Church are seeing the fruits of their labor, too. Aside from everyday commitments made to follow Christ, 75 children recently yielded their lives to Christ in an evangelistic crusade.

There are four trips left this year for you to join with friends, family, church members, or on your own and help reach 250 street children. There's one trip coming up in June, and others in July, September and December. Anyone 10 years or older can go and be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ to these desperate-for-love street children. Find more information on trip dates here, or call 305-271-4121.

If you would just like to support a trip-goer financially, you can do so at orphansheart.org. But if this catches your interest, Hooper urges you to consider joining a trip. "If you are willing, if your heart is for the children in Nicaragua, then we want you to sign up. We want you to come with us and be part of our ministry."