Our church has been performing mission work in Central America for several years. In 2013, a Pastor from Nicaragua visited our church in Oklahoma and explained God’s vision for the Somotillo, Nicaragua area. His name is Pastor Santos Diomedes Santeliz (Diomedes). In 2014, our Mission Team Leader indicated a spot had opened up for the upcoming mission trip to Nicaragua set for June 2014; he asked if I was interested in going. My heart said yes, but my bank account said no. So I asked if I could do some after church “meal fundraisers” to raise money for my trip. At the time, no one had ever asked the question about such an activity. Our Pastor said “yes” and I began to raise the money. Time passed and $1400 of the $1600 was raised. Then a gift of the remaining $200 came in from friends so I knew I was supposed to go. I went to Nicaragua with no expectations and had no idea what I would be doing – I just knew I was supposed to go.

Pastor Diomedes is a man of great vision. He started his ministry in the 1990’s in Somotillo. In short, the people of Somotillo told him his vision was too big for the Somotillo area; however, Diomedes would not listen to them. To me, Pastor Santeliz is the Billy Graham of Nicaragua and Honduras. He has an amazing testimony. If you ever met him, you would understand that he is truly a man of God and “on fire” to spread the gospel.

In October 1998, Hurricane Mitch destroyed Northern Nicaragua and Southern Honduras. It was at that point, God began to work thru Pastor Diomedes with the Christian missionaries that would come to help the people in this area – many missionaries still come today, over 20 years later.