We have so many exciting updates to share! To start, we have the funds to buy a beautiful, undeveloped piece of land near the trash dump in Matagalpa! Our team has been sewing into this community (especially the mamas and the kids) for many many months. Several of the women recently completed our first Women’s Entrepreneurship program and we are very proud of them! They are learning a sustainable way to provide for their children that does not include digging through trash and garbage. The women can now sew, paint, embroider and more! One of the first things we are excited to build on our new land is a space for them to continue to create and make items to sell locally and to our visitors. As you can see from the pictures, the women currently work outside in the open air and in the elements so this has been quite difficult.
Second exciting piece of news is that we got to celebrate Christmas in a big way this year! Over 180 toys, food packs and meals were given out to the families surrounding the dump and to our widows and their families. The children danced and worshiped Jesus and prayed for one another. It is beautiful to watch these communities continue to change by the power and love of Jesus and the gospel!
Two of our precious Nicaraguan kiddos graduated from the private Christian school this month! We want to congratulate Grace and Noemi for their hardwork and dedication. Anyone who has been to Nicaragua and has had the pleasure of meeting these girls knows just how incredibly special they are!
My husband Jamie and I (Kara) hope to make it back to Nicaragua sometime at the beginning of 2024. We are in the process of adopting locally in our home state of Arkansas so our next trip back to Nica will depend on the timing of the adoption. We won’t be able to take our future daughter on this next trip but we hope she will have per passport and be able to go soon!
As we step into 2024, we are excited to see our dreams of having a center next to the trash dump unfold! The Lord is faithful and He always makes a way! May the Lord bless you and keep you and give you peace. We pray that 2024 will be a year of great blessings for each of you!
With love and hugs,
Kara and all of our Iris family in Nicaragua