Dreams for Nicaragua, House of Hope
by Ann Holden
The long-term missionaries who live and work in Nicaragua, and I dare say anywhere in the world, have dreams for their country of service that may take years to fulfill. A short-term mission trip shows us what is happening at that point in time and one feels a part of the work of God. One gets a true scope of God’s work with multiple trips that show miraculous progress.
Meet April Havlin
April Havlin leads an exciting ministry for which she works hard. Her ministry truly does seem to have God’s blessing on it. She is married to the pastor of the International Christian Fellowship, the worship center for American missionaries serving in Nicaragua. She could easily stay busy with the expected "duties" that come with being a pastor’s wife. But April heard horrific stories of how young women often turn to prostitution and the demeaning life they have. April founded the House of Hope Nicaragua to work directly with street prostitutes. She wanted to bring them to Christ and give them dignity and hope for themselves and their children. Often young women turn to prostitution to feed their children after they are abandoned by the father of the baby. At La Chureca, the Managua city dump where hundreds of people live, the accepted practice is for parents to encourage their young daughters to become prostitutes as a way to earn money for the family.
Hope for Teenage Prostitutes
The average age for a prostitute to start working is 13 years old. This statistic broke April’s heart and she has worked tirelessly for several years for this ministry. With help from her home church, Harvest Church in Washington, North Carolina, churches across the country including WHPC, plus Austin Samaritans there is now a safe place of encouragement that is truly a House of Hope. There are new homes for women and their children and more are under are under construction.
Hope for Salvation
She leads weekly Bible study and has set up a cottage industry of making greeting cards which are often brought home by short-term missionaries to sell at their church. The women who don’t live there come faithfully and make hundreds of cards a week to make money in an honorable business.
Some of her clients have borrowed small amounts of money to start their own business such as making small packets of ice which they sell on the street. The loans are typically for $50 or less but it is enough to get the women started on a business that can give them a sense of accomplishment, rather than shame. Through Austin Samaritans, Opportunity International will be working with April and House of Hope to develop business plans and microfinance for the women.
The next project is to finish a building that will house a sewing factory where the women will sew school uniforms and hospital scrub sets. The schools and hospital we support will be her first customers. You can find more information at www.houseofhopenicaragua.com.
Hope for Medical Treatment
In April of 2007, a medical team sponsored by Austin Samaritans tested the women for tuberculosis. Over 20 women and children were found to be positive and are now being evaluated and treated through the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health Tuberculosis Control Program.
The doctors also examined the women and using the latest medical procedures, screened them for cervical cancer. The test immediately indicates the presence of precancerous lesions so the women were treated with cryotherapy if it was indicated. The medical team likely saved the lives of several women who otherwise would have died from cervical cancer. Plans are for more women to be tested by another Austin Samaritans team in August at El Samaritano, the hospital WHPC supports. In addition, 4 sets of cryotherapy units and a loop electrocautery unit have been left in Nicaragua to be used at local hospitals and clinics.
You Can Help
It is literally true that only God knows how many lives will be saved because of the medical teams and the modern equipment left behind for local physicians. This program is part of a larger effort by Austin Samaritans in cooperation with the University of Texas Medical Branch and the Autonomous University Medical School of Nicaragua.
