This medical team of 12, responding to the Lord’s call, went to Musawas, Nicaragua to provide a three day medical clinic. Burnt Hickory Baptist Church sponsored this team to this remote village as a part of their InsideOUT Mission Partnership to minister to the Mayangna people and the other people of this region.

Our understanding of God’s purpose for this team was to go as partners with the young church in Musawas, to help them in their ministry. We would give witness of God’s grace and mercy in our own lives, offer testimonies of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and express the love that the Lord has placed in our hearts by caring for the needs of Mayangna people. We did not know how we would be received by the community and people of the nearby villages.

We soon learned that their was great anticipation and expectation. Brother Canicio came into our wet staging area at the end of the road on Sunday morning. He welcomed us and told us how thankful he was for our return. He said that many have said they would come, but did not. Some came and said they would come back, but did not. He said they knew that we would be back, because we have shown them that we truly care about them and we do what we say we will do.

Entering the village after the long muddy hike, we were received warmly by the village. The village leadership commission met with us after we arrived. Individually, each one spoke of their appreciation for help we brought for their people and the commitment we have shown. They expressed their respect and appreciation to Pastor Canicio and the church for their ministries.
“The gratefulness of the people meant a lot to me. The fact that the women in the village washed our clothes for us, in the river by hand, meant a lot. Larry, my interpreter, said to me on the last day, "it's hard for me to say in words how much it means that you would come and help my people". My prayer is that they all knew that it was because of the love of Christ that we endured a difficult journey to come and share His love and concern for them. Let me know when you are ready to go back and I will be right behind you!”
Mary Ellen May,RN

Mayangna people are poor, subsistence farmers who live on less than $1 per day. Poor health conditions due to the lack of clean water and limited diets lead to chronic illnesses, high infant mortality and low life expectancies. The remoteness of the region means limited access to medical care and threatened lives when there is an emergency.
“This was truly an amazing experience. I really believe God puts teams together to perform just exactly the task He has in mind for the trip. Sometimes we may not even know what it was we accomplished, but we can be confident that we accomplished exactly what He wanted us to. It is obvious that God is working among the people there, and I’m humbled that I was able to be a small part of His work.”
Ted Mettetal, MD

In three days of clinic more than 900 people were touched by health exams, medicines, dental care and eye glasses. Each one was told of the Lord’s love and prayed for.

Health needs vary some among the people in this region. Most have parasites, rotten teeth and older adults have eye damage and disease. Many face life changing or life threatening medical conditions. A young woman and her baby died in child birth two weeks before we arrived because they could not be transported to care that is only available in hospitals outside this region. A mother brought her ill two month old baby boy to clinic, but little could be done medically without equipment and medicines we were without. Many elderly suffer from debilitating pain and blindness.
“The little emaciated baby we saw on the last day there will always stick out in my mind. We may never know what happened to him, but it reminded me that to some of the people we see, what we do or say may mean the difference between life and death for them.”
Mary Ellen May, RN

Burnt Hickory Baptist Church has joined in partnership with The Miskito Mission Network to glorify God, as we share Christ, plant and build up churches in eastern Nicaragua through prayer, scripture and literature translation, leadership training, construction and ministry to human needs. This medical team served under this partnership to assist in building up the local church and their effort to plant churches in others of the 16 villages in this region. People from the villages of Ailal, Kibusna, Pisbawas, Arasdauna, Padrewas, Wingpulu, Isakmul, Sabalwas and Musuwas were seen in the clinic. This is more than half of all the villages in the region.

The ministry of the local church was extended through the loving care shown to many of the men, women and children of Musawas.
“Worshiping with that sweet congregation in their church had to be one of the highlights for me. I distinctley remember praying as a group that a church would be established there in Musawas on the day we hiked out last time. To me, the Holy Spirit was palpable in that little church and it reminded me of the early churches in Acts as we met there by lamplight. It was evidence to me that God is alive and well and working in the lives of His people.” Mary Ellen May, RN
The village leadership commission met with us again at the end of the clinic. They again voiced appreciation for us and for the ministry of Pastor Canicio and their church. The heart felt thanks was expressed from the entire village with warmth and a sense of relationship that had not been expressed at the beginning of the clinic. A letter expressing their thanks and desire to continue to work together was signed by all village leaders and presented.

Many people from a number of the villages up and down the river came to Musawas to receive care in the clinic. These are villages that the church in Musawas has visited. They have begun Bible studies there. Many have been baptized and some have become part of new congregations. Some communities have been opened for future ministry.
“Two things happened for me. I feel that God spoke to me about future ministry through a baseball clinic in this region and He used me to help someone with a difficulty in their life.” Adam Storey, EMT

Worship services were held three nights in the church or at the school where the clinic was provided. The Jesus Film was shown twice, both nights for people of Musawas and the villages who had come in that day for clinic. The team sang each night. Testimonies were given by Allison and Brett on Tuesday, and Ted and David on Wednesday. Through prayer, evangelistic services and personal testimony each person was given the opportunity to hear of God’s love and provision through Jesus Christ. Many men and women were moved to step forward and receive pastoral counsel and to pray.
“One “picture” that will always remain in my memory of Musawas is that of two men. Jontan is a man of great wisdom and strength under control, patient, kind, and unflappable. Pastor Canicio is an eager younger man, full of energy and unstoppable passion. Both men, unquestionable are called of God and working so selflessly for the spreading of the gospel to their people in a place that seems in so many ways to be “at the ends of the earth”. I was so blessed that God gave me the privilege to come along side these two men for even a few days!” Glenn S. Davis, Army Chaplain

Future Needs and Opportunities
Mayangna people have very limited access to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Scripture in their native language is not available. There are few gospel teaching churches and pastors in the Mayangna villages of this and other regions.

Please pray for pastors Canicio and Theophelo and their families. Pray for the young church in Musuwas and their mission efforts to reach the people in surrounding villages. Pray for national missionaries Jotan and Josfina as they lead church planting and leadership development in the region. Pray for Bible translation in the Mayangna language. Pray for BHBC efforts to assist the growth of the church in this region and with the Mayangna people.

You can be involved in this ministry by assisting with needs and participating on a team. If you can sling a hammer, cook a meal or teach Bible school there is a place for you. If you have special training such as in engineering or medical care you are needed.
“What a great time I had on this mission trip. It was my first but it will not be my last. I think that the most meaningful thing about this trip for me, was actually meeting and interacting with other team members. It was really great to watch everyone interacting as a team, all while doing such different tasks. Thank you for the opportunity to serve the Lord with you.” Liz Rosset, Dental Hygienist