I worked with closely with Darling during the 3 years I spent in Nicaragua as a Food for the Hungry Hunger Corps worker. It was a great blessing to learn under her leadership, and I treasure her friendship. We attended the first Women of CHE conference in San Jose with Charlene McWilliam (of LifeWind, who created the first Women of CHE classes). We were both part of the first Women of CHE National Gathering, in Nicaragua, along with Hermano (brother) Antonio Vivas, and Roger Pavon, held in Boaco, Nicaragua. In September, 2011, we will be attending the first Women of CHE conference for all Central America, in Guatemala.
Each year, since I left Nicaragua in 2006, my husband and I have gone back to Nicaragua, with a friend or 2, and Darling, our friends, and I plan activities for women in the communities that the CHE team chooses for us to work in.
I was able to ‘interview’ Hermano Antonio and Roger for this blog while we were in Nicaragua this year. However, during our time in the communities, Darling was either meeting with leaders, or dashing off on a motorcycle with a terrified Women of CHE leader clinging to her back, to visit other CHE groups, so her ‘interview’ will have to wait until Guatemala.
In the meantime, here is her prayer letter from autumn 2010.
Darling and her husband, Jose Antonio (Chico)
Darling and her husband, Jose Antonio (Chico)
Prayer letter From Darling Lopez,
Community Health Evangelism, Nicaragua
Dear brothers and sisters,
My name is Darling Lopez de Ramirez. I am 32 years old, married to Pastor Jose Antonio Ramirez, who worked with Medical Ambassadors for over 12 years in the Dominican Republic. I have 2 children: Alicia, 16, and Andres, 12.
Let me take a little of your valuable time to acquaint you with the beautiful life path that God has shown me over the course of the last 10 years. I refer to the ministry program, Community Health Evangelism, through which I came to accept Christ. He immediately sent me to work in the CHE ministry. I met my husband at a CHE residential training course in Guatemala. Thanks to the support of the Thomas family in Denver, Colorado, and God, I graduated as a lawyer and notary public. Now I work as resource facilitator for the women of the CHE program.
God formed my character day by day within CHE ministry. I began to work with women in preventive health care, for example, how to reduce maternal and child deaths. The classes for the CHE women’s health program were written by Charleen McWilliam, CHE facilitator for Medical Ambassadors International/Lifewind, jcmcwilliam@comcast.net
I remember that we began the program in Nicaragua on 25th May 2002, with 5 women. Today there are more than 1500 women working in Women of CHE, encouraging other women in holistic development, both personally, and in their communities, and helping them to learn to avoid the different kinds of abuse that we have often endured.
We train women in different areas, for example, the prevention of family violence, including child abuse, which is among the many injustices which occur daily in our environment.
I have had the opportunity to teach Women of CHE seminars in Costa Rica, with my dear sister friend, Charleen McWilliam; in the Dominican Republic, and in most of my own country, Nicaragua. However, I have talked a lot about myself, and now I want to talk about Women of CHE
What does Women of CHE do?
The goal is to achieve, in an on-going permanent way, the changes God desires in us.
The following are fundamental to success:
Multiplication:
The program and teachings spread from home to home, from community to community, through people sharing what they have learned, using concepts that are easily taught, and teaching materials that are culturally appropriate.
Making tools available to the community so that they can be leaders in their own development, solving their own problems, and meeting their own needs.
Class topics:
The Great Commandment and the Great Commission
What is development?
Why evangelize?
The basis of Community Health Evangelism
Complications of pregnancy
Family violence
Preventive care: breast cancer
Child abuse
Menopause
How to treat people with HIV-AIDS
Birth
In Nicaragua, as in other countries where God has blessed CHE with growth, a group of regional leaders has been formed, consisting of 7 women who are regional coordinators. This is how we work with 15 communities in different areas of the country. We are limited financially in our ability to maintain follow-up work and training, as well as to ‘walk beside’ the women in the communities.
The 7 regional leaders each work 8 days a month in the CHE ministry, but due to lack of financial resources in the national ministry, they have not been able to maintain this schedule. Some of them have small businesses, some are single mothers, and others are pastors’ wives. All have in common our Saviour, Jesus Christ, and the efforts they are making to help the women of their communities to develop their abilities.
Let’s remember that women have been instruments in the hands of God from the time of Jesus ministry on earth until today, and women have always shown more sensitivity to the needs of humanity.
“They followed Him, and gave to Him from their possessions:
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall lack nothing”.
You ask what we are actually doing?
Well, let me tell you that each of us is working in micro-business, such as: embroidery that is exported, thanks to God, and the support of our sister, Anne Thompson: thompam02@earthlink.net . This fine embroidery is handmade by women who are committed to Christ, and with the support of Women Mentors of CHE. The embroidery sales support Leana Duarte, one of our regional leaders (in Boaco) with $100 for travel and food expenses for her travels to follow up with women in the communities.
Personally, I am supporting Fatima Medina in Chinandega from my own small business.
We trust in God to provide the workers and the resources for the work.
Other achievements:
Women in the jail in Juigalpa are receiving CHE training: 9 of them have accepted Christ, and are in biblical theology classes, as are 12 other CHE women, thanks to Ministry of The Master’s Workshop.
Prayer requests:
For the regional leaders, and for financial support for their work.
For all the women of CHE, in all their different work.
For good relationships, and understanding in the intercultural learning process.
For all our collaborators.
And for you – thank you,
Darling Lopez
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