What is Project H.O.P.E.?

We've been asked several questions lately regarding where we will be staying and who we are affiliated with regarding our mission work in Nicaragua.  We will be serving with the organization Project H.O.P.E. In 1998, Project H.O.P.E. was established after a group of friends felt God calling them to help the poor in Nicaragua. The founding directors had been traveling to Nicaragua for a few years, but felt obligated to do more than build homes and return to the United States. There was a need to share the gospel with the people of Nicaragua. Project H.O.P.E.'s very humble beginning consisted of the founding directors and their wives traveling to Nicaragua and slowly others joined. Some of the early trips consisted of camping in the mountains and bathing in the river. God has greatly blessed Project H.O.P.E. over the years. A full-functioning base camp, H.O.P.E. Central, was built in 2006 and serves as headquarters for our Nicaraguan staff and hosts incoming teams. Approximately 500 people will travel with Project H.O.P.E. to Nicaragua during a calendar year.

The H.O.P.E. stands for "Hear Our Prayers Emmanuel".

These humbly beginnings along with a genuine Christ-centered focus has continually drawn us to serve with Project H.O.P.E.   We've watched as the directors of the PJH serve with open hearts since our first trip in 2002.  We will be living at H.O.P.E. Central which is located just outside of Managua in the "suburb", if you will, called Ciudad Sandino.  Our base camp consists of two homes, a medical clinic, short-term mission dormitories, a kitchen with cafeteria attached, a small library, offices, warehouse and an outside cabana.  For those who have experienced Nicaragua with PJH, the cabana brings back memories of sweet worship and fellowship in the open air of Nicaragua.  We will serve alongside a staff of Nicaraguans that walk a servant's path.  

One of Project H.O.P.E.’s main ministries is home construction for the impoverished people of Nicaragua.  Project H.O.P.E. works closely with the Nicaraguan government to access areas of need within the country.  The mayor suggests specific areas in which the government will donate land to the building project.  The areas that are suggested are make-shift groupings of people living in unimaginable conditions.  Leaning on recommendations from the staff at H.O.P.E. Central along God’s direction, the sites are chosen for the upcoming year.  At the site, a community is developed.  A representative must be selected from within the community that assists Project H.O.P.E. with the logistics such as a census.  

During the building phase of the community, each family receiving a house is required to have one representative from their family working within the construction phase.  During this time, approximately 10 teams from across the United States come together to build homes in hopes that their actions will be a reflection of Christ’s love.  At the completion of the community, each family has worked with the “gringos” in order to build their new house on which they have ownership of the deeded land and have experienced the meaning of the gospel.

After the building phase is completed, the staff from H.O.P.E. Central continues to minister to the communities long after the "gringos" have returned to the States.    

We are so very excited as we moved into the month of December!  Our tickets are set to leave on December 31st.  We are still awaiting Slaton's passport, however, it has been processed and are eagerly waiting for our house to sell. (If there are any investors out there, we have been told this would be a good "flip" house!  ) It was actually quite freeing to see the For Sale sign go up in the yard!  I can't say enough wonderfully good things about Rick and Pam Gardner who have come alongside us during this journey to sell our home.  We've lived there for 18 years...so you can imagine the process that it has been. I was worried about the kids at first regarding leaving the only home they've ever known but they are all about it!  Slaton is loving the wide open spaces of our house as furniture and things start leaving.  

Please continue to pray for our transition specifically the selling our house and my car along with receiving Slaton's passport in the mail (hopefully before the 30th!!!)  

Tickets Officially Bought!

I officially purchased our tickets for Nicaragua today.....Leaving December 31s!  We will literally start the new year in Nicaragua!!!!  

I've been reading the devotional book "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young...I am continuously reminded that my every moment, every thought should be focused on Christ.  We are now referring to our move as the "Transition time".  During this "Transition Time", I am acutely aware of the changes within our family.  Devon (our oldest) has moved into his own apartment.  Our home that we have lived in for 18 years is slowly being emptied of its contents.  Slaton received his acceptance letter into the preschool and the address to the school is in Managua.  Taellor is finishing up her senior year in high school.  A viable (and God-willing) interested candidate for my position at PCC has demonstrated interest.  Changes that highlight the transition of our family. 

A couple of days ago, one of my cousins passed away.  I was able with my brother and father to visit him one last time in the hospital along with his mother and two sisters.  The memories of our journey with mom and the last couple of months of her life came flooding back.  Michael would follow my blog posts from Houston...sending words of encouragement along the way.  We had seen each other quite often as kids down at my grandmothers....I vividly remember playing outside with him and his brothers.  He loved baseball then and could quote stats from it seemed like almost any player.  We grew up and went on with our lives and then in the last year we began to connect again on Facebook....for that I am grateful.  He was such a happy person...and kind...kind with compassion.   I was reminded all to intimately again that death can come at anytime..in any moment.  I was reminded that this world is not our home...that our time on this earth will pass.  In a blink of an eye, what we thought we knew.....no longer exists in this realm. 

This Thanksgiving Holiday...I am reminded of what I am thankful for and the list is endless but as I was sharing this with a friend who isn't convinced that Nicaragua is a smart-move...she asked, "Then why would you leave all that you are thankful for?" but see that's what I am thankful for most of all...is that I have been given the amazing opportunity to take all that I have learned, experienced, endured, ect from all of the things that I have that I am the most thankful for and be able to use them to be obedient to the call.

Thanks again for your encouragement during this Transition time! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

November Newsletter

November 9, 2012

Friends and Family,

It has been a very busy fall preparing for our move to Nicaragua. Taellor is completing her final semester of high school, Travis and I are finishing up home repairs to prepare it for listing, and we are all tying up loose ends here so we can be “all in” when we arrive at our new home January 1.

To better prepare for his role as Director of Community Development, Travis was able to spend the month of October at H.O.P.E. Central.  We are so grateful to everyone who had a part to play in that answered prayer! When he first told me in May that he felt like God was leading him to spend the month there, I have to admit I was quite skeptical. We knew God would have to make it happen, because it wasn’t at all realistic. Oh, how my faith has grown again and again since we began this journey!

            Throughout October, Travis was able to learn some of the logistics regarding living and working on base. A lot of his time was spent with the Nicaraguan staff learning about their specific ministries and responsibilities. I joined him in Nicaragua during the last week in October to participate in staff meetings and training. We were able to visit the school that Slaton will attend. It is about fifteen minutes from the base and is simply perfect. Only about thirty-percent of the students are from missionary families, and the others are Nicaraguan. We met the students in his class, and one is a red-head with blue eyes!  So, Slaton will fit right in!!!

            In addition to our administrative responsibilities, we will also be privileged to minister to hurting people.  As Director of Women’s Ministries, I will be teaching and mentoring women in several outreaches. In October, a new opportunity arose. We visited a ministry that offers rehabilitation to women and children who are literally slaves to prostitution and brothels in the area. Friends, the stories from this place will break your heart…they break mine again and again. The ministry holds a Tuesday morning outreach to those who are actively involved in prostitution. They have worship and Bible study, and, at the end, they divide into small groups and make jewelry and cards. As a motivator to keep coming, a small wage is given for their work. As I was leaving the site, I was asked if I would consider teaching a weekly worship, Bible study, and craft to the girls ages 13-17. There are typically 70 of them. My mind immediately went to our daughter who is 17…our daughter whom we have loved and protected all her life…and, yet, there are 70 daughters here who aren’t being protected…who aren’t being loved…who haven’t been able to just be girls. In February, I will begin a small group (with 70, I know!!!).  Taellor and Claudia (who will translate for me until I learn the language) will help.  I have been praying, “God, where can I reach those who are seemingly unreachable?” And He answered.

            As we get closer to our move on January 1, we ask for continued prayer. We also invite you to give financially if you feel burdened to do so. All of our support will be funneled through the Project H.O.P.E. office in Springfield and is tax-deductible. For those who have asked about specific financial needs, we are currently trying to raise support to cover Slaton’s school expenses. There is a $3,000 entry fee in addition to the $270/month tuition. Checks can be made out and sent to Project H.O.P.E., 1419 S. Enterprise Avenue, Springfield, MO  65804.  Attn: Stearns Family.  If you would like to set up electronic payments, they can be made by calling the Springfield office at (417) 866-4673.

            After we arrive in-country, we will be blogging and Facebooking daily.  We want to literally bring you into the people’s lives that we encounter so we walk together through this ministry to which God has called us.  For those who want to get a closer look, we hope to see you serving with us in Nicaragua on a short-term mission trip!

In His Hands,

The Stearns (Travis, Tammy, Devon, Taellor and Slaton)