First... Steve Reed and Partnership Ministries have become one... although, he will not be with us on this trip, we all will surely miss Steve. Rest assured, we will be in good hands!Background: At age 22, Steve heard the Gospel for the first time and accepted Christ. While earning his bachelor’s degree in Social work and correction at California State University, Sacramento, Steve was active in prison ministries. Laura accepted Christ in college and dedicated her life to full-time service. Steve and Laura were married in1975. After Steve received his master’s of divinity and Laura received her master’s in business, the Reeds applied to Mission to the Americas and were appointed for urban ministry in 1979. From 1981-91, the Reeds lived and ministered in an inner-city Central American community in San Francisco. Steve started and pastured la Iglesia de Nuestro Salvador, a Spanish speaking church. Laura went back to school, became and attorney, and founded and directed Centro Cristiano de la Ley, the church’s legal ministry. Steve and Laura were influential in starting an intentional Christian Community in San Francisco.
MINISTRY: In 1991, the Reeds moved to Sacramento where they base Partnership Ministries. Steve says, "Through these projects, the First World churches learn from or brothers and sisters who have lived faithfully in adverse situations Third World churches are strengthened in their labor to more effectively evangelize and disciple their peoples. And more people commit themselves to the mission field and to the growth of both Third World and U.S. churches. We hope that, ultimately, these projects will help impart and expand the vision for missions in our churches.”
Rigberto & Claudia Reyes, who spearhead the Nicaraguan ministries are also MTTA missionaries and will be with us in Nicaragua. Claudia will be working with some folks, headed by Rusty Turrell, that will introduce the Nicaragua nationals to sewing and quilting.Background: Rigo was born in Central Honduras in 1957 to an atheist father, a builder, who much later in life became a Christian. Outside circumstances led to Rigo’s moving to Nicaragua with his father and older siblings, while his mother remained in Honduras with the younger siblings. Rigo became a Nicaraguan citizen. In 1995, after a career in agriculture and management, Rigo and Claudia, while living in La Ceiba, Honduras, were invited by Mission to the Americas missionary Humberto Del Arca to attend a marriage enrichment encounter. There he learned of God’s grace, “just what he had been looking for in the wrong places for a long time.” He accepted Christ as his Savior and began studying the Bible under Humberto. In 1998 Hurricane Mitch devastated Honduras, leaving over 900,000 people homeless. Rigo was recruited to join the mission’s relief and reconstruction program, where he served in planning and as a liaison with local communities. During that time he met MTTA missionary Darryl Davis, who had returned to Honduras to help with the relief program in early 1999. Rigo’s involvement with the Honduras North Coast ministry and the Extension Bible Institute gave him a real desire to move into ministry. After completing his Bible training while working on the relief projects, he felt the Lord’s leading to move to Nicaragua and develop the church-planting-by-extension program there. This was an answer to prayer for Humberto Del Arca, who had had a burden for Nicaragua for many years.
MINISTRY: Rigo was appointed for ministry in Nicaragua in 2001 and immediately left for the field, depending solely on Claudia’s income until their support can be raised. During the last year, dozens have come to know the Lord, leaders are being developed, and cell groups, children’s, and prison ministries have been started. Rigo is planting chains of new churches using the extension principles of II Timothy 2:2: “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men who will, in turn, be able to teach others also.”
Mike & Lesly Najar will meet us in Bluefields.
Background: Mike grew up in the First Baptist Church of Los Altos, California, and was an active member and leader in the Christian Service Brigade program. He then went to the University of Southern California and became a group leader and Bible study teacher for four years. In the six years there, he received a B.S. in Urban Planning and a M.Pl. in Planning and Development. While living in Central L.A. for nine years, and being in the midst of the city during the famous riots in 1992, Mike was touched by God’s justice and love for the poor and people of different races and nationalities. Upon graduation, he visited Guatemala for the first time, studying Spanish to be able to communicate with his Central American neighbors. For two-and-a-half years Mike was the Acquisitions Manager for a national affordable housing non-profit organization, in charge of the entire L.A. basin. But then he was moved by the Lord to pack up and move to Guatemala on his own, not really knowing what God had in mind. Mike found work teaching English for two years, and it was during this time that he met his wife Lesly.Lesly is from Guatemala and grew up in a Christian home. She was a youth leader in her church and held a small group Bible study in her home, which grew to 50 people. She was also leading children’s programs in the church and in a local orphanage, doing puppets, music, etc. After graduating from high school she was given the opportunity to go to Michigan to study English for a year and a half. She then returned home and was an English teacher in local schools for two years until she met Mike.
MINISTRY: Mike and Lesly have been involved in coordinating the experiences of small short-term missions groups since 2001. These groups are from the U.S. and travel down to Central America to participate alongside their Latin brothers and sisters in the construction of churches and in presenting children’s programs. They wear many hats: translators, construction workers, children’s workers, taxi drivers, tour guides (on the free days) and temporary pastors giving devotions and spiritual guidance during the group’s two week experience.The work is always done under the national leadership, meaning the North Americans are not the ones giving all the orders to the Central Americans as is often the case with foreign involvement. Partnership Ministries firmly believes that the nationals know what is best for their ministry; they arrive only to assist. The ultimate goal of Partnership Ministries is to enhance church growth in Central America and the Caribbean while promoting church maturity in the First World.
A new couple to get to know... Dave Pulzetti and Kay Spofford... we will meet Dave in Nicaragua... Kay will be stateside during our trip.Background: David and Kay are both from Haverhill, Massachusetts, where they were high school classmates and acquaintances. Having grown-up as a Roman Catholic, David always had a knowledge of Jesus, which flourished when he began attending West Congregational Church in Haverhill in 1985. Kay has had a relationship with Jesus since childhood, which has developed and matured over the years. Kay earned her B.S. in Education and was working for a legal firm in Boston when she was challenged to quit her job and volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. Since then, she has dedicated much of her life to working overseas, including four years in Latin America with Habitat and one year in Angola, Africa with World Vision. Missionary life is nothing new to Kay. She now tutors English as a Second Language at the local community college. David married and raised a family. His late wife went home to the Lord in 2001 after a long illness with cancer. In 2002, David and Kay were reunited (after a 30-year hiatus), and married in 2003. David found his lifelong work in auto repair and electronics were no longer fulfilling, and he felt a desire to improve the lives of people, rather than the “corporate bottom line”. David and Kay’s separate lives had followed very different paths, which God has used to prepare them in rich and diverse ways for their life of ministry together.
MINISTRY: Since 2004, Kay and David have participated in two short-term mission trips with Mission to the Americas in Guatemala, and Honduras. In order to gain a better idea as to their calling, in October 2005 they visited Pastor Humberto Del Arca in Honduras, and Pastor Rigoberto Reyes in Nicaragua. During this visit, Pastor Rigoberto challenged them to help facilitate a vocational training workshop where local pastors and others can develop their workplace skills. With skills in hand, the pastors will be better prepared to secure good jobs, and thus be less of a burden on their small congregations. In the Spring of 2006, David was appointed by Mission to the Americas as a Field Minister in International Ministries. David and Kay will work under Pastor Rigoberto in helping with the start up and operation of the workshop, as well as other support for the ongoing and growing ministry in Nicaragua.
We will meet another new couple - Eric and Gloria Hodel. Background: Eric was born in Chicago, Illinois, and moved to California when he was 11. He grew up in a Christian home and committed his life to Christ at age 22. Gloria was born in Lodi, California, and grew up in a loving Catholic home. They met and were married when in their 20s and raised 3 daughters who live nearby. They also have 5 grandchildren whom they love very much.
Minstry: In the late 1990s they began attending bible studies and Calvary Bible Church in Lodi. In 2000 they participated in their first short-term mission trip to Honduras and their lives were changed forever. Christ became more real to them than ever before and they were baptized at Calvary Bible Church in April of 2001. Over the years they have become more deeply involved in working with Partnership Ministries. They have been involved in coordinating multiple trips to Central America each year, and plan to be even more involved in the coming years.
Gloria has recently retired from her job and is dedicating much of her time to learning the Spanish language in addition to helping with projects. They love to work side by side with their Central American brothers and sisters, sharing duties and responsibilities, worship and play, and most of all the relationships between the Central Americans and the North Americans. Christ is alive and well in these churches and the people of Central America.
