Nicaragua
On January 31, 2016, Nicaragua and the Wisconsin District of The Wesleyan Church celebrated 15 years of a unique and special partnership. In 2000 there was no Wesleyan church in Nicaragua. Today Nicaragua is a provisional district with 20 congregations, three schools, five ordained ministers, a Bible Institute, and an elected Nicaraguan district superintendent. Thank you to the many people from Wisconsin who gave financially, prayed, and went on the many teams that were sent from Wisconsin. Thank you to Mike and Amy Knox, who served as missionaries in Nicaragua for 10 years and were instrumental in establishing the institute and raising the bar for pastoral education. The Nicaraguan church is at a stage of development where she needs to be on her own, without missionaries involved in leadership on the field–in order to reach the next stage of her own development to be a self-led, self-sustaining, self-replicating Wesleyan church in Nicaragua.
Uganda
We are excited to launch our new partnership with Uganda. Dr. Gerry Krupp, who is credentialed in the Wisconsin District and currently serves as a church consultant out of Milwaukee, will be the point person for this. Some initial work has already been done. The Penn-Jersey District has partnered through the JESUS film, which has already resulted in evangelism and church planting. We will also work closely with missionaries Fred and Carol Cromer and other African leaders to help with construction and training, as well as humanitarian projects for the people. There are already about 70 churches, one orphanage, at least two schools, and one ordained minister in the country. We will work closely with Lucas Hamirie and his wife, Prossie. Lucas is the national leader and pastor of the Busia church. Prossie oversees the orphanage. Churches will have the opportunity to partner with this project.
Photo: Approximately 700 attended the 15-year celebration in Nicaragua, and many traveled several hours by bus.
Pastor Lucas and a boy from the Busia orphanage
