Although 95% Christian, Nicaragua ranks among the most dangerous countries in the world for followers of Christ. Currently, 11 Nicaraguan pastors and three missionaries from the USA face charges of “money laundering and organized crime” after their US-based non-profit, Mountain Gateway, hosted evangelistic campaigns last year that reached nearly one million people with the gospel.
“Nicaragua has revoked the registration of hundreds of non-profit and faith-based organizations in the last five years, including most recently expelling numerous members of the Catholic Church and seizing church property. In these cases, the government often includes the charge of money laundering or other financial charges as the reason for revocation,” states Mountain Gateway in their “Nicaragua Update”, January 19, MountainGateway.org.
Missionary Jon (Britt) Hancock, along with his son Jacob and daughter-in-law Cassandra, made it to the US safely, but now he is trying to help the pastors who remain in prison. As Nicaraguan authorities continue to press charges against the three missionaries and two Nicaraguan pastors, Walner Omier Blandón Ochoa and Maricela de Fátima Mejía Ruiz, they hold nine more local pastors they agree are innocent, but who have remained in prison nearly two months because of their association with the five: Marcos Sergio Hernández Jirón; Harry Lening Rios Bravo; Manuel de Jesús Ríos Flores; José Luis Orozco Urrutia; Álvaro Daniel Escobar Caldera; Juan Carlos Chavarría Zapata; Juan Luis Moncada; Orvin Alexis Moncada Castellano; and César Facundo Burgalin Miranda.
“Since 2013, Mountain Gateway has served the citizens of Nicaragua through discipleship, church planting, feeding and clothing those in need, providing food, water, equipment, and recovery assistance during natural disasters, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in mass evangelistic campaigns. Mountain Gateway’s motivation was solely to share the love and hope of Jesus Christ with the people of Nicaragua,” states their website.
They publicly deny the charges of money laundering and organized crime and show documentation that they “fiscally operated under strict accounting from Mountain Gateway staff and budget reviews by the Nicaraguan government to account for every dollar associated with the events. No members of Mountain Gateway have personally profited from funds sent to Nicaragua for ministry functions.”
Father, we thank you for these nearly a million who heard Your gospel preached. Please plant those seeds deep in each heart, growing roots and sprouting salvation up from the ground. Give all those who heard such a hunger for You they will seek You passionately and read Your Word daily. Save them, transform their hearts through Your love and truth, and use them to spread the Gospel to the lost all around them. Have mercy on these faithful believers — Britt, Jacob, Cassandra, Marco, Harry, Manuel, José Luis, Álvaro, Juan Carlos, Juan Luis, Orvin, César, Walner and Maricela — and all other Christians facing charges or enduring imprisonment because of their love for You. Give them favor with authorities and provide for the charges to be dropped and for those in jail to be released immediately. Protect them from harm. Provide for all their needs. Strengthen their faith. Remind them of Your Word, and let them feel You near. Speak comfort to them and empower them to share Your love even while in prison. Be Light in the darkness, so bright that every heart is drawn to You like moths to a flame. All throughout Nicaragua, hide persecuted believers from those who wish to do them harm. Deepen their love. Teach them all the more how to trust in You. Empower them with Your Spirit. And SHINE. Father, so many of those who claim to be Yours in that country actually don’t know You. They engage in occult activity, superstition and even idolatry. Open their eyes to see You as You truly are and receive Christ’s free gift of salvation through repentance and faith. Place Bibles in their hands, and give them a hunger to read. When they do, enlighten them, Lord, like only You can, showing them daily Your plans for their lives and transforming them by the mighty power of Your love. Fill Your people with such peace and joy, even in the midst of terrible persecution, that everyone around them will wonder in awe and ask questions that lead to their salvation. Surround every true believer with Your angel armies. When persecutors press forward to harm one of Your precious children, open their eyes to see You standing there, towering over them, shielding those who love You and offering forgiveness and salvation to evildoers who repent. Invade the dreams of President Jose Daniel Ortega Saavedra and others in authority, criminals, cartel leaders and all those with evil intent. Visit them in visions throughout the day. Give them Saul-like encounters with You (Acts 9) so powerful they fall trembling at Your feet, repent and turn to You. Remove from office all who are corrupt, and raise up into positions of leadership those who love You and will bless Nicaragua, not perpetuate suffering; who will open the way for freedom, economic growth and the spreading of Your Gospel to every corner of the country. Awaken Nicaragua to Your love and truth. May every heart and home sing Your praises from shore to shore. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through a donation, or by shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, click the buttons below:
Philippians 1:20-26 (nrsv) “Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance. 20 It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23 I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26 so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.”
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