Welcome to Darthula Baptist Church Online
Home Button Announcements Button Mission Trips View some Pictures
Directory Button Prayer List Button Message Board Button About Button


The Nicaragua - Tonala - Parsonage Mission Team

This page is dedicated to the Nicaragua - Tonala - Parsonage mission team.






Back to Main Menu


Click here to insert a new narrative.

Daily Narrative from the Mission Group


Date and Time Posted: Friday February 7, 2014 - 9:25:23 pm


Up early anxious to get on the road home. Everybody is packing and doing a few last minute things around the team house. A quick breakfast and off to Masaya to see the volcano. It was smoking profusely today. We could not see the other end of the caldera. We could only stay about 10 minutes according to Daniel due to the sulfuric smoke. It is very irritating to the eyes and the lungs. Out of Masaya and up to an old prison called Coyotapa (heel of the coyote). It was an old prison that had held political prisoners from 1944 to 1983. We saw the prisoner holding cells and the torture rooms that held approximately 600 prisoners and 150 guards. Off to the market to gather souvenirs before the trip home. We gave some mission balls out today as we headed into Managua. We left mission balls with Omar as he is going to give them to 10 Nicaraguan Pastors going on a mission trip into central Nicaragua. We stopped in Polsetega and gave Pastor Felix’s family mission balls for the church. We gave a little boy a mission ball waiting alongside the road for the bus. We gave the tour guide and a boy at the prison mission balls. We gave 3 balls out at the market and 1 at lunch in the TipTop Chicken restaurant. It was an overjoyed response by all who received the balls. It brought out huge grins and some were already reading the ball. A wonderful way to spread Gods word. It has been a wonderful trip as we made new friends and renewed old friendships. We will miss our friends in Nicaragua but are glad to be going home to our families. It has been a very successful trip as the parsonage was built for the Church in Tonola, Bible school was held, A Crusade was held, Gods word was spread all over Nicaragua by the Mission balls and souls were dedicated to the Lord. We would like to thank all the people who made this trip possible, and for all the prayers that have been offered for the team all the people that helped raise funds and all the people that have donated to the mission. If it were not for all of you this mission would not have been possible. We bring back thanks from the Nicaraguan people that have been touched by your generosity and willingness to spread Gods word in Nicaragua. Take Care and we will see you all tomorrow evening. The Team In His Service.


Posted By:The Team In His Service


Date and Time Posted: Friday February 7, 2014 - 12:13:38 am


The team was up early and excited to finish the project. Some left for the parsonage and some went shopping to get the beds and cook stove for the parsonage. Pastor Otilio was excited to get the house finished. As we arrived they had the music cranked up and practicing for tonights service. The young and the old were scrubbing the church top to bottom, as the ladies washed the church out with a water hose the children brought the chairs up to wash and the one with the hose was hosing them down. They were having a grand time getting the church ready for the dedication service tonight. The parsonage was completed by lunch time. The furniture had arrived and they were eager to get in and clean the house. We had lunch back at the team house and loaded up to distribute more mission balls to local churches. We spent the evening going to 6 different churches giving them mission balls to spread Gods word throughout different communities in Nicaragua. Back to the team house to get ready for the dedication service. Off to Tonola and the dedication service. Pastor Otilio gave praise for the children of Darthula Baptist Church as they gave freely of their own money to supply the refreshments for the children of Tonola. This changed the myth that all Americans are rich. This came from the pictures of the children at Darthula giving during Bible school. Pastor Otilio thanked the team for all the work and leaving our families to come to Nicaragua to serve the Lord. Randy preached about Us coming together with the Nicaraguans to build this parsonage, We have had a wonderful week and labored along side of each other, now we are leaving and encourage you to continue to spread the gospel in the community and to know that your labor will not be in vain. We went and prayed for the parsonage and Pastor Otilio. Preparations were being made to feed the church as we had purchased food for them to have a dedication meal. Back to the team house and preparations were being made to start our trip for home tomorrow. We will be leaving for Managua tomorrow on our free day then flying out Saturday morning. The week is coming to a close and God has worked miracles on this trip. It has been good to see old friends and make new friends. As always it is an honor to be in Nicaragua doing God’s work. The Team In His Service


Posted By:The Team In His Service


Date and Time Posted: Wednesday February 5, 2014 - 10:02:22 pm


Daylight in Nicaragua and we are ready to see what God has in store for us today. After breakfast we all loaded in the van, made a few stops for fuel and supplies. We loaded some of the mission balls and the visitation gift bags for distribution today. God had a lot of things planned for us to do today. Part of the team went on visitation and gift bag distribution in Tonola, Others continued on with the construction, Bible school was set up and made plans for by the ladies, some of the mission balls were distributed to the local schools and some of the ministers in Tonola. The construction is almost done and will be finished early tomorrow. This was the last day for bible school. They had counted 103 kids and others kept coming in the door. We never got a total count. They had a puppet show, a lesson by Pastor Otilios daughter was given on the Resurrection. The theme through the 3 days was the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. Games were played and the children danced, refreshments were given out and a great time was had by everyone. The little village of Tonola has enjoyed the bible school, It is hard to say who had more fun, the children or the team members along with the interpreters. It wasn’t only children that came to the bible school but some parents and also one of the people that was saved on Tuesday came to bible school on Wednesday. Mission balls were delivered to the local schools. This gets Gods word out to a lot of the children that might not go to church. It also sets up good relationships between the schools and the church. Just imagine back in the states if we could get Gods word back in the schools. Also some mission balls were given to Pastor Otilia and his son for the youth at the church in Tonola we were working in. All the teachers that received the balls were overjoyed. The team walked through the village for visitation. They took the gift bags and distributed them. The people were blessed with the gift bags but the team received wonderful blessings from them. Darlene had wanted to give a little girl that had set on her lap at the crusade something but the opportunity had not arisen. During visitation she walked into a yard and God gave her the opportunity to give the little girl and her family a gift bag. Tears of joy flowed. It is amazing what God does. It was a short day as the crusade was over last night so we are in early. It has been a long full mission trip and we have had a full schedule so it is nice to be in early. Plans are being made for tomorrow to finish the parsonage, the dedication service, distributing more of the mission balls and whatever God wants us to do. The Nicaraguan Mission Team signing off. The Team In His Service


Posted By:The Team In His Service


Date and Time Posted: Wednesday February 5, 2014 - 1:13:26 am


God has really showed the team miracles on this Tuesday in Nicaragua. After breakfast the team arrived at Tonala and the local people were already working at the church. Darlene, Kathy and Debbie stayed at the team house and went shopping with Omar to get the supplies for the gift bags we are going to hand out during visitation. They came back to the team house and assembled the gift bags. The rest of the team went to the parsonage and continued the construction. The electrical was progressing well along with the painting. The outside doors are hung and working. As the morning progressed the gift bag crew arrived and started building the stages for the puppet show and preparing for bible school. We enjoyed a quick lunch in the church and then things started happening. The children started showing up for bible school and the best final count was in excess of 100 children. They were entertained by another puppet show, songs and skits. Daniel one of our interpreters taught a lesson complete with activities. They received refreshments at the end of the day supplied by funds raised by the children at Darthula Baptist Church bible school. It was a very entertaining time as you can see from the pictures. Popular titles and themes were the party girls, the strong man, the drug dealer, millionaire and the Christian. The only one that succeeded in helping a person out of the sin box was the Christian by sharing with them the acceptance of Jesus as their personal savior. Jerry and Jay went back to sector 4 where we had been Sunday looking at a future mission trip. We presented a little boy Alejandro that we meet Sunday with a mission ball. He was 7 years old and overjoyed to get the ball. Juan Carlos our interpreter helped explain to him what the ball was about and encouraged him to read it. While we were there he read the 1st commandment and Juan Carlos explained it to him. We explained that the ball was purchased by someone in the states especially for him. As we left he went running down the road shouting and Juan Carlos said he was shouting “I have a new ball”. Off to Tonala after supper for more Crusades. As we arrived at the ball field the music was already geared up and going. Randy walked around greeting all the people, I think he has a real following in Tonala, they really like and respond to him. Chairs were full, people were sitting at their house and standing around listening. This time they left him an isle to venture down. God was leading the way as the crowd was responding before Omar could interpret. 4 people were saved tonight during Omar and pastor Otilios alter call. Pastor Otilio thanked us for all we had done and the love that had been shown. He then sang a song to honor us so that whenever we hear that song again it will remind us of them. He said they did not have a way of rewarding us but God will. The team has already been rewarded much more than we have given to the people in Tonala. In the famous words of our Pastor Randy “Nachos” Cleek Beunas Nachos. This is the third shift in Nicaragua signing off. The team In His Service


Posted By:The Team In His Service


Date and Time Posted: Tuesday February 4, 2014 - 1:19:24 am


Monday morning arrived with all of us here and eager to get to the work site. After a quick breakfast and loading tools we left for Tonala. The work was already in progress when we got there. They had poured footers for the front porch and cut a tree in front of the parsonage. The team went to work on their specific projects, building stages for vacation bible school, painting the outside of the parsonage, painting the inside floor trim, electrical circuits, and some went out in the village inviting all the children to bible school. The work progressed well throughout the day with the painting just about done, and one door hung. The electrical was about half done. Only touch up painting needs to be done inside. God must have other things for us to accomplish in Nicaragua this year as the parsonage is nearing early completion. With the vacation bible school and the crusade all going on we are running a pretty full schedule. The vacation bible school was a large attraction for approximately 60 children. From the parsonage it sounded like they were having a big time. We don’t know who was hollering the loudest the children or the team members but the team members were having a lot of fun too. Henry didn’t know what wore him out the most bible school or working in the parsonage. They watched a puppet show, A lesson was presented by a Tonala church member, Games were played and songs and dances. Fun was had by everyone even in 95 degree heat maybe hotter in the church. All the activities led to presenting the plan of salvation to the children. A large number of children prayed with Randy about salvation through accepting Christ. Speaking of the crusade we arrived back at Tonala not long after we left there from working, the congregation seemed to be somewhat larger than last night. After the worship songs, it was time for Randy to preach. He open with Buenas Nachos and Omar translated to English good nacho chips. That was funny as he meant Buenas noches translated is good evening. Do you think he was hungry? Well if he was hungry it must have been for the Lord because after that he had the congregation all fired up. There were more chairs tonight and he just dropped his mike and started moving chairs to get out in the congregation all while preaching. The Holy Spirit is all over Nicaragua tonight. The Nicaraguans love to worship and praise the Lord and Randy has touched their hearts as he has delivered Gods word. There were 2 people that came forward tonight asking Randy to pray for them. As the evening came to a close we head back to the team house and another round of eskimo. Meanwhile Omar has tagged Randy with a new name Randy “Nachos” Cleek. So in Spanish Buenas Noches America the third shift in Nicaragua signing off. In His Service The Team


Posted By:The Team In His Service


Date and Time Posted: Monday February 3, 2014 - 12:20:42 am


God is working in Nicaragua on this Sunday. The team went back to Posoltega Sunday morning for Sunday services. This is where we built the parsonage last year. It was good to see and greet old friends again. God had his hand on Randy as he preached. You could feel the spirit all throughout as he preached and the congregation reacted to the blessing. It was a blessing to all and again our lives have been enriched by the Nicaraguan people. It is amazing how we come to Nicaragua to hopefully bring a blessing to someone here and we end up being blessed beyond words. As Randy preached he got right out in the crowd with the Nicaraguans and the funny thing was he left Omar behind. Omars microphone was shorter than Randys. At one time Omar thought he was going out the door and he could not catch him. But the congregation loved and reacted to it. At the close of the service we had 1 profession of faith and 1 rededication. Then the elders ask the team to go to the alter and they prayed for us. Every time we go to Posoltega they do this and it is as we have been bathed in the Holy Spirit. It is so hard to describe this feeling, words will not do it justice. Back to the team house for lunch. After a quick lunch we went to a little village to see a church that is a future mission site for next year. Then back to the team house for supper and off to Tonala for the Crusade. Omar didn’t know what was in store for him tonight. When we arrived at Tonala they did not have a stage and they were still trying to get lights and sound up and working. As everything progressed Omar gave Randy the short cord for the microphone. What a setup. God had to have been laughing because as Randy got fired up he just walked over laid the microphone down and hit the crowd. Omar just grinned sheepishly and laid his down and followed Randy. Again the Holy Spirit was on that field that night as Randy delivered the message the congregation really responded to the message. We had 10 professions of faith tonight on a little ball field in Nicaragua. The Lord has shown us great things today and we can’t wait to see what else he has in store for us on this trip. Back to the team house and surprise, eskimo tonight. It has been a long rewarding day and we are glad all the team is here now. We still have not lived down the volcano climb. Thanks Dave for the reminders. In His Service All of the Team


Posted By:All of the Team


Date and Time Posted: Saturday February 1, 2014 - 9:16:31 pm


Hello America We finally made it to Nicaragua. A little history to go along with the pictures. Mark, Henry and Jay had been trying to get to Nicaragua 3 days earlier to climb volcanos. The little snow storm in Atlanta caused us to miss the climb by 2 days. We just barely got here before the rest of the team because a truck hit our plane and made us 3 hours late to Miami. After a marathon sprint through the Miami airport we missed that plane. So we were 2 days and 6 hours late. And we just barely got here before the rest of the team, I heard there were bets on who would arrive first. I don’t know who won but I was going to bet on them. Meanwhile Omar, Dave and a few others did the climb anyway. I am sure they were thinking of us on this climb. Funny how fate has it I think they about froze on the mountain. In Nicaragua???? Oh well, on to the mission trip. We are extremely glad to have arrived in Nicaragua and see old friends and make new ones. We had planned on hopefully spraying the house before the rest of the team arrived. We did get to do that Saturday, Mark and Henry got the whole interior of the house painted while Jay, Omar and good buddy Dave went to get electrical supplies. In all reality we are glad they could do and enjoy the climb. For some reason we may never know, God did not want us climbing that day. Maybe some other time. Another explanation from the pictures is the “Injection switch”. A switch found in Nicaragua uses a syringe with the hot wire at one end and the other wire at the plunger and you just push the plunger like you are giving an injection and bingo you make the connection and you have lights. We are blogging tonight waiting on the rest of the team to arrive in Chinandega. Once the whole team is here we will be complete again. Omar, Juan Carlos and Ariel have gone to Managua to get them. We pray for their safe travel into Chinandega tonight. In His Service Some of the Team


Posted By:Some of the Team






It is currently 5:49 am on Friday March 29th on the Darthula Baptist Church Web Server

Darthula Baptist Church 1741 Lunsford Mill Rd Hiltons, VA 24258 (423) 361-1008
Have any questions or comments? Click to contact the Web Designer for any questions, comments, or input you have about the website.