Jesus Has Left the Building: Hear the Word, Receive the Word and Do the Word
This is an action producing statement because it expresses how the church, the body of Christ, should do ministry—and that is, to follow Jesus as He leaves the church building to “be” in the streets where, according to scripture, His message of love, forgiveness, life, mercy, and grace can be revealed. It’s a wonderful and enriching experience to attend worship service on Sunday and to continue to worship by following Jesus. It’s a wonderful and enriching experience to attend prayer and fasting service on Fridays and continue to worship by following Jesus. Hear the Word, Receive the Word and Do the Word.
How do I know this, because I serve with the Central Moravian Church in Managua, Nicaragua. One of my commitments is serving with a group called UMON, a group of Miskito and Creole women that meet every Friday from 8 am to 12 pm for prayer while we fast. Since we are strengthened by the presence of Jesus with us, we are able to make plans to go and share God’s love with others. Out of poverty, these women give what they have to enrich the spiritual life of those in need.
After worship on Sundays, every three or four months, we are able to visit the Bertha Calderon Hospital for Women and share God’s love with women suffering from cancer. We sing, pray, bring food to eat while we’re visiting, and give each woman a bag including toiletries, feminine products, a carton of juice, cookies, and detergent for washing their clothes—especially for those from the East Coast of Managua that have finished their treatment but cannot leave until their family can provide financial assistance. It is an expensive trip ($20) for the patient and for their family to be with them. There are no hospitals on the East Coast that can treat cancer patients or other life threatening health situations. Transportation is a long and challenging journey—especially when you are sick. It takes 15 to 24 hours and sometimes more, taking two or more buses and two to three pangas (a canoe with an attached motor) for the women to get to Managua.
On Fridays, we visit the men and women prison in Matagalpa, which is about a two-hour drive from Managua, bringing worship of God, food, drink, and a bag of approved items to give to each one. Again, most of the men and women from the East Coast do not get visitation from family or friends because transportation and housing would be too expensive. So we try to focus on those from the East Coast and they are so grateful. Out of poverty, these women give what they have to enrich the spiritual life of those in need.
Also, on Fridays, we visit our Central Moravian Church members that are home-bound.
Yes! It is a wonderful and enriching experience to follow Jesus, but it is also a challenging spiritual journey. But UMON knows in the midst of their material poverty they can share the abundance of the Good News to those in need and they also know not to leave the building unless they have been empowered by Jesus.
Continue to pray for our Nicaraguan sisters and brothers.
Hear the Word, Receive the Word and Do the Word.
All the others gave what they’ll never miss;
she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all.”
Mark 12:44–The Message
Prayerfully submitted,
Jeanette Salley
Mission Co-worker in Managua, Nicaragua
Jeanette Salley serves with the Moravian Church of Nicaragua. Her appointment is made possible by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund, Our Church’s Wider Mission, and your special gifts.