Dámaris Albuquerque, our Executive Director, shares an update from Nicaragua as we start 2020.

We have started the new year with preparations for the different workshops to be held with the participants of the different programs you so generously support. During the first three months, workshops will be directed to strengthen the capacity of community leaders, farmers and women who have small businesses. The pastors and members of the Pastoral Committees, will be exchanging experiences of their work at a national meeting.

The community leaders are also preparing the graduation ceremonies that will be held in April in each of the six groups of villages. It will be a bittersweet moment. We at CEPAD, like parents, are very proud to see how they have evolved in their leadership skills but are also anxious to see how they will continue on their own.

Although the Nicaraguan context continues to vary, the community and church leaders we walk with keep working very hard, as the rest of the Nicaraguan population, to feed their families and to maintain good health and education. Those are the main challenges of the people we work with: health, education, and having enough funds to plant their own food. They know that working together is the best way to achieve results. We are looking forward to celebrate with them those achievements.

At the same time, we are eagerly awaiting to meet the new friends we will make when new communities will be chosen to start another 5-year cycle of walking alongside and working together. Our faith in God provide us with the hope to overcome the challenges that we will find along the road.

At the office, CEPAD staff is excited because we just celebrated with more than 30 people from outside Nicaragua a groundbreaking ceremony to start the building of new facilities in Managua. It is a long-time dream that at last will start to be implemented. We are so grateful for all the support and the work behind the scenes of so many people in the U.S. and Nicaragua who are also praying for this project. We will share photos and stories in the following weeks.

We feel blessed by each of you that partner with CEPAD and the communities. We want to share with you in Nicaragua our excitement of so many things and so many people who are part of this ministry. You are always welcome at CEPAD. Come and visit us!

You have been such a critical piece of the success of the past 5 years. Your generosity has changed lives and those people are now moving on, strengthened by your incredible support. Thank you.

Blessings,

Dámaris Albuquerque

Executive Director, CEPAD