MISSIONARY ASSIGNMENTS
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Dear Friends:
Thank you for your prayers, interest, and moral and economic support for the ministries in Nicaragua. This year the Women and Community programs have included education and actions to improve the environment. An August report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says last year was among the 10 warmest years on record around the world. In the United States, last year was the warmest ever recorded, with temperatures a full degree higher than the previous record and more than three degrees higher than the 20th century average. Another recent study by Stanford University scientists found the Earth’s climate is currently changing at a rate far faster than at any other point in the past 65 million years. Without intervention, the current pace could spur a rise in annual temperature of roughly 9 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century. People in Nicaragua are worried because it is already really hot here! |
The Women and Community Scholarship Program provides study scholarships to economically disadvantaged youth and prioritizes youth from remote villages, single parent homes and girls (63.5%). In 2013 the program is supporting 75 students including five sixth graders (who have to travel to another village to study); 51 high school students (7th to 11th), six technical study students (teaching degrees, and skill-based studies that are at most two years) and thirteen college students who study journalism, physics, pedagogy, nursing, accounting, medicine, rural development, social studies and industrial engineering.
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The students all do some kind of social work to give back to the community. The high school students teach adult literacy or assist primary school teachers with first and second graders learning to read. The college students help W&C assisting in training workshops with design and facilitation. The students also attend monthly trainings with W&C. So far this year they have reflected on the following themes: Adolescence and Dating, Self-Esteem, Violence against children and youth, Violence against Women and an initial meeting in February to talk about the program and expectations. In the workshop on Violence they split into groups and read different stories about families and couples and then identified the kinds of violence used (psychological, physical, economic, sexual, etc.). They also reflected on a Bible passage and discussed how Jesus was against violence towards women and children. |
They shared about the violence they experience or see in their homes, in their neighbors, at school and at church. They also talked about how the children and women in the situations need orientation and counseling by a group like Women and Community. And they committed to try to talk to friends who are in situations of violence.
In the workshop on Violence Against women the groups identified and discussed situations of violence they know about in their communities. Then all of the groups designed little plays about different situations – tender, sad and funny: We see the development of actors and actresses with these plays! Gloria Mayorga, who coordinates this program, also facilitates four workshops a year with the parents. So far this year she has facilitated one about prevention of violence against children. |
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History of Amanda Karina Rojas from the village of Villa Esperanza, Scholarship student
I am sixteen years old and in my family there are five kids; we all have to travel to another village to go to school. My mother is single and unemployed and we are a poor family. My father is not around and doesn’t help with anything. Women and Community came into my life four years ago. I have had the scholarship since my second year of high school (eighth grade) and this scholarship has helped me be able to stay in school. School is free but I need the money for transportation, some food and photocopies of books. This year I will graduate and my dream is to be able to have a career and improve my life. I would like to get a degree in English and then teach in our municipality. I would be “someone” and be able to help my family, and they really need help. I am thankful to W&C for helping me be able to fulfill my goals.  Marbelly Katy Pravia Manzanarez, College Student
I am a first year university student in Pedagogy. I feel so thankful to W&C because in my family we are four siblings and only have the income my mother can bring in. Without the scholarship there is no way I could get a degree. I get up at 2am to be able to study in Managua on Saturdays because I live in a remote village 20 km from the municipal seat. Between walking and the bus rides it is a four hour trip each way. I am also an active member of the Youth Network Against Violence and I train other youth in my village to prevent violence and to promote gender equity and other rights. |
 Yeimi is far right front row, purple shirt
Yeimi Guevarra Urbina is a third year physics student who studies in Managua with a scholarship from W&C as well as a scholarship from the public university that includes housing and basic food.
Yeimi was chosen best student in her career at the largest public university in 2012! We were all so excited. When she was in SFL she was an active member of the Youth Network against Violence. She says that these three years of college have changed her way of thinking, acting and being, and says she is aware of the great opportunity she has and is encouraging others to focus on studying. 
This year’s Youth Festival Against Violence was to Build a New Society with Gender Equity. It was a day of fun and learning for 281 youth from the area about how equality between men and women benefits all of us.
To support Missionaries your church can write a check to your conference earmarked Miguel Mairena # 12877Z) or Nan McCurdy #10801Z. To support Women and Community programs earmark the check: Women and Community #13285 A. To give online go to: http://www.umcmission.org/Give-to-Mission/Give-to-Mission and put the number above in the space, then click on the project and click Give Now. |