(a recent prayer letter received from Wade & Shannon Cooperrider, Nicaragua)

This year is flying by and there is SOO MUCH happening throughout the year. But before going any further, thank you! Thank you to all our faithful prayer and financial supporters who give and pray so that we can continue in God’s work here in Nicaragua. You are all fantastic, may God richly bless you. We love each of you dearly.

This year started with youth camp that saw 78 students participating with 14 making a decision to enter full time ministry and 3 accepting the Lord! I love this time of our ministry with our leaders pouring into the next generation of world changers! After camp, the year has kept a very busy pace filled with the kick off of a new year of seminary, hosting our first US mission team of the year, welcoming our newest member of the Avance Missionary team, Vanessa Hartzog, speaking at a missions conference, innumerable visits all around the country, participating in the inauguration of a new multi-use sports facility in La Paz Centro, closing of our fiscal year (lots of work!), and just recently we travelled to Belize, yes Belize!

We are not changing fields but God is expanding the reach of Familia Avance Nicaragua to include our very first missionaries to be commissioned and sent out of Nicaragua. So we went to help our first sent national missionary couple better understand what it will be like to arrive and begin life in a new country as a missionary. Vision trips like these are common and help you visualize exactly where you will be living and serving. We explored, met the members of the team that God is already assembling, asked lots of questions of local officials about residency, banking, mail service and so much more. It was a very successful trip. Be on the lookout for more exciting news from Familia Avance Belize in the near future. We are not certain as of yet when our missionaries will arrive in Belize but please be praying for them and us as we navigate this new path as it has staffing implications for us here in Nicaragua.

Our seminary has started for this year with 12 students. It is running at a higher capacity than in recent years thank the Lord, and these students are fantastic! There is a tremendous need for workers here and God is providing. When speaking to the students as to how classes are going, “as good as they can be missionary” is the reply. Attending our seminary is a huge leap from normal classes but it trains the students in solid fundamental doctrine and theology, public speaking, English, Spanish and even an etiquette class. Upon graduation they are fully trained and ready to begin full time ministry.

To say that we are busy is an understatement, to say that we are excited about this year and the future of ministry here in Familia Avance Nicaragua….WOW!!! Yes, God is good and He is providing, sustaining and energizing Shannon and myself as we continue to do what He has called us to as the directors of this disciple making, forward thinking, mission focused ministry that seeks to reach the at-risk and lost of our beloved country of service, Nicaragua. Please continue to pray for us daily as we make advances on seemingly all fronts. Our enemy is astute and ever busy as well. The battle is real, but the war has already been won. We serve Christ Jesus resurrected and only want to one day hear, “well done, good and faithful servant!”

If you would like to read more about the Cooperriders ministry, CLICK HERE to read their full prayer letter.