In a transformative event, over 70 leaders from Nazarene Compassion Ministries (NCM) and Holistic Child Development (HCD) participated in a national seminar in Nicaragua, reaffirming the call to live compassion as a lifestyle.
Nicaragua –On October 12, 2024, at the District Central offices in Nicaragua, a training and updating session for MNC leaders took place. This national event brought together more than 70 participants who received valuable information on NCM’s philosophy, community project development, and collaboration with Child Development Centers (HCD’s).
The seminar was led by a team of experts in the field, including David Campos (Regional NCM), Paquita Bido (NCM MesoCentral), Deuridis Pérez (Assistant NCM MesoCentral), Manuela Barrantes (Assistant NCM Nicaragua), and Marlen Soria (Holistic Child Development and MesoKids Regional), who shared key knowledge and strategies for community work. The leaders were challenged to delve deeper into NCM’s central message: “Living Compassion as a Lifestyle.”
During the event, guidelines were provided for developing and implementing community projects aimed at transforming lives and improving conditions in the most underserved communities.
A particularly significant part of the seminar was the visit to several HCD’s and two local enterprises supported by NCM. Participants had the opportunity to see firsthand how compassion-driven projects are making a difference in the lives of children and their families.
Marlen Soria, Coordinator for Holistic Child Development and MesoKids for the Mesoamerica Region, highlighted the importance of support from national coordinators Anthony Picado and Manuela Barrantes, as well as the collaboration of the District Superintendent, Rev. María Ponce, who were instrumental in organizing the seminar and the visits to the CDIs.
Participants expressed their gratitude for the training they received and shared inspiring testimonies.
Sobeida Ortiz, a participant from the Nazarene Church in Catarina, said, “The NCM update was a great help. We felt challenged to fulfill the Great Commission through compassion. The world wants to see Jesus through a people who show that love, who live to serve others. As a local church, we were challenged to live that call.”
Meanwhile, Karina Velázquez, a volunteer at the HCD in El Timal, shared, “I’m very grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to be part of this wonderful project, where I’m learning so much about compassion in practice. I received very encouraging words to improve my work with the children. I could feel the spirit of compassion in every word I received.”
This seminar was not only an opportunity to share knowledge but also to renew the Nazarene Church’s commitment to the most vulnerable. NCM’s vision is clear: to be a beacon of hope through practical compassion, providing support to children and vulnerable communities.
At the end of the seminar, participants received certificates of recognition for their involvement, with a renewed commitment to continue working toward a more compassionate world filled with love, reflecting the heart of Jesus in every action.
Source: Marlen Soria, Coordinator for Holistic Child Development and MesoKids for the Mesoamerica Region.
