See Partnership In Action
How Mars Hill Church and leaders in Masatepe, Nicaragua worked together to create sustainable change
August 7th, 2024 | Scott White
In difficult places, deep and lasting change can be elusive, even with our best partnership efforts. Mars Hill Church in Mobile, Alabama, however, has been a vital part of Jesus’ transformational work in Masatepe, Nicaragua. Their commitment to sustainable impact has grown and produced much fruit.
Laying The Foundation
Mars Hill Church (Mobile, Alabama) first determined that One Collective’s ministry in Masatepe, Nicaragua reflected their desire for a cross-cultural ministry committed to long-term sustainability and with potential to involve many people from the church. They then sent two leaders on a vision trip in order to meet Nicaraguan leaders and discover the deep-rooted challenges facing Masatepe. Through candid discussions about cross-cultural challenges they not only envisioned what transformation could look like, but which potential partnership hazards to avoid along the way.
Mars Hill’s emphasis on listening and learning made it easy to discover the priorities of Nicaraguan pastors, such as the need for an addiction recovery center addressing widespread alcoholism among men in Masatepe. They focused on initiatives that would expand the capacity of local leaders and organizations to address their own needs over the long-term. For example, they mobilized short-term teams and substantial funding to establish a sustainable farm that could employ Nicaraguans, provide egg protein to preschool kids, and host an addiction recovery center.
Commitments Tested
Nicaragua’s civil unrest in 2018 threatened to undo much of the progress being made in Masatepe. When violence reached the city and forced expat workers out, the viability of many initiatives - a community cafe, artisan businesses, preschool partnerships, the sustainable farm, etc. - were put to the test, as was the partnership. Nicaraguan leaders felt ownership of community transformation efforts and worked hard to maintain projects and ministries while the economy of the country melted down. Even without American workers in Masatepe, Mars Hill’s commitment didn’t skip a beat. Their investment in relationships with Nicaraguan brothers and sisters had cemented a dedication to stick by them in prayer and financial support though the future remained very unpredictable.
Sustainable Impact
2019 was a year of recovery from the civil and economic setbacks of 2018 in Nicaragua, and Mars Hill did not lose sight of long-term goals. They continued to generate funding by promoting the active initiatives in Masatepe to their congregation and networks, and they resumed their strategic short-term mission support with teams in 2019 and beyond. The Cafe initiative and the Recovery Farm continued to become more self-sustainable, as did many other programs and local partnerships. Daily egg protein was provided to over 300 preschoolers in Masatepe, and Nicaraguan pastors were actively running the addiction recovery center at the farm. Locals sincerely believed that lasting change was possible because they were experiencing it firsthand. And the people of Mars Hill remained energized because they saw that Jesus can include them in His work of transformation in a place far outside their own context.
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