Location: Nicaragua is located in Central America and is bordered by both the Caribbean Sea and the North Pacific Ocean. It is between Costa Rica and Honduras.
Population: 6.3 million (2019)
Climate: Tropical
Major Languages: Spanish, English, Indigenous Languages
Religions: Roman Catholic 51.6%, Evangelical 33.9%, other 1.5%, unspecified 12.9%, none 0.2% (2016 est.)
Economy: Most of the people in the Barrio communities make less than $2 per day! Nicaragua, considered the poorest country in Central America and the second poorest in the Western Hemisphere, has widespread underemployment and poverty. Textiles and agriculture combined account for nearly 50% of Nicaragua’s exports. Beef, coffee, and gold are Nicaragua’s top three export commodities.
Currency: Córdoba (about 33 córdobas per U.S. dollar)
A Typical Mission Week in León, Nicaragua
We normally schedule mission trips from Saturday to Saturday. Flights from the U.S. into Augusto C. Sandino International Airport in Managua arrive from lunch through early evening. We meet the team at the airport and provide safe transportation to León. The trip to León takes about two hours.
The following schedule is based on a Saturday to Saturday schedule
- Sunday includes attending/serving at a local church and preparing for the week’s ministry.
- Schedules for Monday through Thursday will be developed to conveniently serve the churches and communities we support as well as to serve the needs and interests of the mission team.
- Supplies and funding for the week’s ministry are provided by the team.
- Ministry activities will be conducted during the day; and evenings will be a time for reflection, evaluation, and devotions as a team. Also, some evening activities will include church services, youth united services, and other activities planned and organized by the Living Hope Nicaragua team.
- Friday (after breakfast) is a cultural awareness day. Potential tour sites include:
-Cerro Negro Volcano in León.
-Juan Venado Island in Poneloya Beach León (A boat is required for this
tour.)
-Masaya Volcano National Park
-Shopping for local crafts at Masaya or León is also included in the day’s
events.
(Choices for Friday activities will be determined by the team.)
- Hotel options for Friday night in Managua include the Camino Real, which is conveniently near the airport. The hotel fee includes a continental breakfast and transportation to the airport.
Tips for Enhancing the Mission Experience
- Come with a servant’s heart. You will bless the ones you’re with this week if you focus on serving others. You might examine Scriptures on serving and meditate on them.
- Be a learner and an asker of questions. You will bond with the people you meet much more easily when you are sincerely curious about their culture and want to learn from them. It’s good to do some research before the trip that might help you know the questions to ask.
- Be flexible. You will encounter cultural differences, and plans might need to change depending on things that could occur during the week as well as possibly team interests. Learn from these differences, and take advantage of the teaching / learning moments. “Go with the flow.”
Let’s Stay in Touch
(USA) 00 1 850-508-4497 | (NIC) 505 8430-7787