Skylark News

Our June 15, 2010 Newsletter
read about
The Skylark Centre, Best Start in Christ Program, A Trip to the Zoo, Baby Package and Ya me despido
(Click on any image to enlarge it in a new window!)

Three years have passed since we first arrived in Nicaragua and our home at the Skylark Retreat Centre. During that time the centre has grown and evolved in a number of ways. In the summer of 2007 only half of the dorms were completed and it was clear that we were still part retreat centre part construction site. During the rains that first year much of the grass was planted and green and bright colours started to spring up everywhere. Once the first phase of construction was completed, the vision of the medical building began to take shape and was completed in early 2009. Since then improvements continue to be made to offer the best atmosphere possible for those visiting the Skylark Centre.

The physical growth of the centre has been accompanied by the number of both Nicaraguans and international groups who use the centre. Over the past 3 years more than 20 000 people have made the Skylark Centre for their home for spiritual retreats, conferences and short term mission experiences. Notable groups have been our Threefold Ministry mission teams, conferences that have brought people from all over Latin America to the centre, Will Graham and even the President of Nicaragua. We have had the incredible privilege of working alongside so many people with a common heart to see lives changed by God working in them.

From the outset we had always envisioned that the Skylark centre and its personnel would be a resource for our local community. Los Medranos is like countless rural communities in Nicaragua where daily life is a constant struggle. We have come to develop a deep love and appreciation for our neighbours and feel that the centre is working to fulfil its mandate to have an impact in the community. Heather's efforts in these areas have been shared in these pages over time and some future initiatives are outlined below. We have enjoyed seeing change happen in our barrio and look forward to see how it will continue to grow and change. We have all confidence in the team that God has assembled to take over as we return to Canada and now that the Centre will continue to be a fixture in Nicaragua for the local church, mission teams visiting the country and our little community of Los Medranos.

The Best Start in Christ Program

The Best Start in Christ Program continues to minister to the young children of our local community and their parents through our early years programs. The programs consistently encourage a healthy relationship between parents and children, learning development, a love for life, and most of all a love for the Giver of life. We have had a particularly exciting past few months as we have administrated some of our newest programs for adults.

Dr. Alvarez

Dr. Alvarez has been contracted to work with several of our adult education classes for the remainder of the year. He is a local doctor with a particular passion for healthy families and child care.

Infant Care Class

In May we had our second Infant Care class for new and expecting mothers, in which twenty women attended. We watched an educational video on infant care and with the help of Dr. Alvarez, answered the women's questions concerning how to give their children the best start in life. Dr. Alvarez was also instrumental in combating several superstitions about infant care that can actually harm the baby's health. Through continued efforts like this we hope to see the overall health of our program's participants increase.

Pre-Natal Education Class

In June we also hosted our second ever pre-natal education class. Six soon to be large-bellied women attended a full day workshop where we started off by showing a video entailing the different things women may experience through each trimester. It was clear that for some of these women - even though they may have already had several children - that they were learning for the first time what was really going on inside their bodies. We had a healthy, bountiful lunch and then demonstrated some pre-natal exercises. It seemed the exercises were a pretty new concept for the women and some giggles were shared as we touched our toes. We then had an open discussion forum with Dr. Alvarez. At first the women were pretty shy, but once they got going the questions seemed endless! Overall we had a fun and educational day in which the women reported was very helpful for them.

Father's-Day-Out

Just as we host educational classes for moms, Karl has been launching them with the fathers. Karl facilitated a great discussion on the theme of listening to your children in which many of the fathers opened up to share about their joys and struggles in fatherhood. It was a meaningful experience for the dads and they all left encouraged in their roles in the family. As the Murch's prepare to depart for Canada, Dr. Alvarez and Eliseo Roman, Skylark's facilities manager, will share in facilitating these classes.

The Best Start in Christ programs are on the move, growing and deepening in capacity. Thank you for your prayers, interest, and support of us as we strive to share God's love and restorative grace in our community.

A Trip to the Zoo!

The Best Start in Christ two-year old program took its yearly field trip! After Michell spent several days reviewing God's creation of animals and even bringing some animals into the class, the children were ready to see some wild animals at the zoo in Managua! Every eye was glued to the animals behind bars as the children marveled at them. The lions roared, the monkeys chattered, and giant birds hung out in water puddles, standing on one leg. The parents of the children seemed to equally enjoy observing the animals, but only the children cried when it was time to leave.

Welcome Baby Package Program

It seems like there is a baby born every day in Los Medranos! There are certainly many new little souls joining the community, and we are doing our best to reach them and their families through the Welcome Baby Package Program. Here Michell is providing essential baby items to little Jenifer Guadelope and her mom Candida.

 Ya me despido!

Dear friends,
How can we say thank you and good-bye? It has been an incredible three years. This time in Nicaragua has changed our hearts and lives forever. Life on the mission field is a bit of a roller coaster, and it has always helped us to know we have so many friends supporting us through the low times and cheering with us through the high. We so appreciate each and every one of you and the role you have played in our lives and ministry. We hope and pray that you will continue to be supportive of Threefold Ministries and the Skylark Retreat Centre. We will. We know we will be back here soon to visit, which helps ease the pain of parting, as does knowing that we are returning to our family and friends in Canada. We are looking forward to reconnecting with all of you in the coming weeks. If you'd like to get in touch with us, we can still be reached at the same email addresses:

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Thank you so much, and God bless.
Karl, Heather, Timothy and Elena Murch

Thank you from the Murch Family