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VIDA JOVEN--OUR STORY!
VIDA JOVEN NICARAGUA—THE STORY
In October 1988, Jim and Sarah Hornsby came to Nicaragua to begin a ministry to youth. Jim, a Presbyterian pastor and founder of Habitat for Humanity in Nicaragua was invited to come by the pastor of the Nazarene Church, Amansia Sánchez, Catholic church leaders, and CEPAD.
In the 60’s and 70’s, Jim and Sarah worked with Urban Young Life in Jacksonville, FL for 14 years. Jim felt a strong call of God to work in Nicaragua, especially with marginalized youth.
While living in Matagalpa, they contacted youth through English classes and sports. They looked for adults in those neighborhoods who could build Christ centered friendships with youth in their neighborhoods. Working with youth in the beginning, were Martina Montenegro, Mario Cardoza and Alex Benavides; shortly afterwards Mauricio Gonzalez and Manuel Gadea began working with Vida Joven.
Later a group of 15 adults formed to develop the appropriate structure. In September of 1989 they formulated objectives, activities and functions of the program. The Nicaragua government approved the program as a non-profit religious foundation in 1999. The President of the National Adult Committee is Lic. Luis Amado. Each neighborhood where a Club is formed also has a Committee of Parents.
WHY WAS THIS PROGRAM BEGUN?
In Nicaragua the average age is 16 years, which is to say that there are many youth with desires to prosper mentally, culturally, and spiritually, but given the low development that afflicts the country, that has been affected by wars, natural disasters, and the blocks to socioeconomic growth, the development of youth in Nicaragua has been impaired. Because of this, many have become alcoholics, drug addicts, handicapped, delinquents, apathetic about being able to overcome, with neither ability nor technical possibilities to produce, and there do not exist organizations or projects with the appropriate resources to back up these youth.
OBJECTIVES AND GOALS
The program has as objective to attend to youth of both sexes, without discrimination of race, religious or political creed, from marginalized neighbors, with problems of conduct, who for their condition of life do not have alternatives of recreation, sports, culture, healthy life, nor Christian formation. We want to help the youth to find themselves, to accept Jesus Christ as the center of their life with the hope of being transformed into a new person capable of valuing their own selves, of surviving and growing and developing, of facing the difficulties of life, of helping others and being useful in the society in which they live. Whatever development needs to be practical, concrete and integrated, in other words to respond to their needs: spiritual, cultural, academic, economic, recreational and social.
ACTIVITIES AND AREAS
Matagalpa City neighborhoods of Reparto Sandino, El Progreso, Santa Teresita, La Chispa, Guanuca, Las Marias and Palo Alto.
Matagalpa District—Solingalpa, San Dionisio, and San Ramón
Jinotega- neighborhoods of German Pomares, La Curva, Linda Vista and Carlos Rizo
Estelí- neighborhoods of Boris Vega, El Calvario, Panama Soberano, and La Unión
Managua- neighborhoods of Bello Amanecer, Batahola Norte, Waspan Norte, El Pilar and Ciudad Sandino
León
Chinandega
Granada
DIRECT WORK WITH YOUTH: THE WEEKLY MEETINGS
Club - a youth encounter within the neighborhoods, open to all youth, with games, music, skits, and a short Bible message.
Preparation of the Club - the leaders and most active youth prepare the activities that will be presented in the Club of their neighborhood.
Bible Study - leaders and youth who have interest in growing spiritually meet together in their neighborhood with the objective of applying the Bible teachings to their personal lives.
Leadership - training of leaders and helpers, and to share experiences of the neighborhood clubs.
Coordination - to plan and evaluate the different activities on both a city and national level.
REPS - Intensive Training Group - persons training to be Young Life Area Directors - a two year commitment.
OTHER MEETINGS WITH THE YOUTH.
CONTACT: Visits to new youth or to those who are participating in the program by leaders or volunteers.
DISCIPLING - One on one meetings of a leader with a youth who wants to grow in his/her life with Christ.
SPORTS Activities - Practices and games of baseball, soccer, basketball and volleyball. Teams are formed in the neighborhoods and there are tournaments for women or for men.
OUTINGS and HIKES with different groups of youth that enable more contact and confidence with and within the group.
CULTURAL ACTIVITIES: Guitar classes are given. Dramas are prepared for different occasions. Talent shows are put on with the participation of the youth.
CAMPS – LA FINCA
The natural beauty of the lush tropical rainforest, in 5000 feet of altitude makes the Vida Joven Camp a little taste of heaven. A small had dug lake invites swimming and canoeing. There is a gym for volleyball and basketball as well as games, a modern dining hall that seats over 100 people, dormitories for men and women, a baseball stadium, not to mention flush toilets! There are several buildings where meetings of different sizes can be held including an auditorium where power-point presentations can be used.
At La Finca in Santa Lastenias: One, two, or four day camps are held of different types:
New Kids Camps
Youth who have never participated in a Vida Joven camp. All aspects of the new kids camp is prepared, planned and managed by teams of leaders in the areas of Program, Counseling, and Work Crew.
Follow- up camp
For youth to participate in new kinds camps.
Growth camp
All youth that have been to new kids camp and attend club and bible study in Vida Joven.
Family parents camp Leadership Training.
We have a varied program that includes music, games, activities recreation, crafts, dynamic talks, reflections, prayers. Dynamic speakers from both the Catholic and Protestant church are invited to teach on special themes. Sometimes parents of the youth help in the Work Crew in the camps.
Training:
Each year in January we have a six day training at the Vida Joven Camp in Santa Lastenias with teachers from other countries as well as our own leaders.
Retreats
We rent our camp out to churches, both Catholic and Protestant, business and government groups when the camp is not being used by Vida Joven or by Mission Teams.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORK
MISSION TEAMS/BRIGADES come from other countries to help, but always with the cooperation of the community. We try to integrate the VJ Leaders and youth into these activities in order to help them see the need to work together and to have a spirit of service.
PRODUCTION TO EARN RESOURCES FOR THE VJ PROGRAM: Sewing, hand embroidery, crafts, and handmade paper products from banana leaves are made and sold.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE FARM in the Center Vida Joven, Santa Lastenias, Km 152, Carretera Jinotega.
BEYOND BEANS COFFEE and Agricultural Production. Coffee is the crop that hopefully will sustain the camping ministry: high mountain, shade grown, organic - deelicious! Purchase at www.beyondbeanscoffee.com
VISITING IN THE PRISONS
RECREATION CENTERS in Matagalpa, Guanuca, Jinotega, Esteli, Managua
STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM
1. A National director is the principal head of the program
2. A Coordinating Team supervises and guarantees direct work with the youth. Every city where there is Vida Joven has its own group of volunteer leaders who plan the clubs, outreach ministry, and Bible studies under the direction of a coordinator. These coordinators regularly meet with the National Director to plan the overall program and events of Vida Joven Nicaragua. Coordinators
3. An Administrator at the farm/camp is responsible for the functioning, construction and production, and supervision of groups renting the Center.
4. Administration to do accounting and contacts with international donors
5. The Committee of Adults is charged with legal matters, finding funding, and assisting as they are able financially, with prayer, in the kitchen for camps, and representing the group.
6. The Leaders invite youth that they contact to participate in a camp of 4 days for the 'New Kids,' normally held in vacation times in July and December. The camps are held in the Vida Joven Center in the beautiful mountains of North Central Nicaragua. This experience is planned to be the BEST TIME OF THEIR LIVES for these youth; every aspect of the program, counselling and service - including the food - is planned with EXCELLENCE!
LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY
MATAGALPA
Rosa Maritza Baca (National Director) and Omar Picado (National Director)
Progreso : Rosa Maritza Baca, (Cell: 011.505.8400.5540) email: rosmarin32@yahoo.com
La Chispa: Omar Picado (Cell: 011.505.8363.2095) email: younglifenic@gmail.com
Santa Teresita: Dina Cruz (011.505-8844-2960) email: dadrigf@yahoo.es
Guanuca: Miguel Cubas (011.505-8694-2976) email: cubasgar@gmail.com
Reparto Sandino: Martha Tinoco (011.505-8647-0860)
Solingalpa: Juan Ramón Blandón rompopo09@yahoo.com (505-848-1882)
Club Central: Juan Reyes cell (011.505-8938-5157)
San Ramon: Leana Rugama, Ludem Gonzales(505-8834-6174), Lenin Loasiga, Carla Rodriguez.
JINOTEGA
Hollman Mendoza hollmanyounglifenic@gmail.com (National Director) (Cell: 011.8857.7289)
La Curva:
Carlos Rizo: Karren Herrera y Luis Gutierrez
Linda Vista: Oscar Herrera.
MANAGUA
Narciso Davila (Director)
Ciudad Sandino: Oscar Avellan
El Pilar: Douglas Bojorges
Bello Amanecer: Oliver Carrion
Waspan Sur: Sabony Rizo (011.505-8600-8205) email: sabony75@yahoo.es
ESTELI
David Moran Lorente email: adacenteno21@hotmail.com
Boris Vega: Marlyn Valenzuela
El Calvario: Ernesto López
Panama Soberana: Gilda Avilez
La Independencia: David Moran Lorente
La Unión: Karla Mendoza
LEON
Sergio Castellon (Director), email: saczuj@yahoo.es
CHINANDEGA
Manuel Gadea, Director (011.505-8608-3467) email: mankuant@hotmail.com, Rosibel Ortega email: rosydegadea@yahoo.es
GRANADA
Yenner Lòpez (011.505-8401-5140 )mailto:ylyylu8@yahoo.com and his wife Oneyda Tellez
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Kevin Suwyn, Provisional National Director, (Cell: 011.506-8821-6476)
Omar Picado younglifenic@gmail.com; (Cell: 011.505.8363.2095)
Rosa Maritza Baca rosmairin3@yahoo.com (Cell: 011.505.8400.5540)
Hollman Mendoza hollmanyounglifenic@gmail.com (Cell: 011.505.8857.7289)
Doña Lelia López, Administration/Selling of Crafts (office: 011.505.2772.0608 home: 011.505.2772.5314)
Harold Amador, Camp Vida Joven/ Camp Management (cell: 011.505.8823.1565) hamadorcampvj@gmail.com
Mario Davila Arve, Farm/Coffee Manager ( cell: 505.8831.5735) mariodavilavj@yahoo.com
Jeff and Marilyn Greenway, Supervision and Logistics of Mission teams, and Oversight of the Farm/Camp Management. (home- 011.505.2265.7243; cell- 011.505.8853.9584)
Danny and Ann Sharpe, Leadership Team and Fund Raising, Oversight of Budget mailto:danny.sharpe@verizon.net; mailto:annmsharpe@gmail.com (Vonage: 609.267.4856 home-011.505.2265.7214; cell- 011.505.8499.7751)
Gleydis Castillo is our Professional Accountant. gleydis.castillo@gmail.com (Office: 011.505.2772.0608; Cell 011.505.8829.6037)
Luis Amado Villagra Blandon is President of the National Vida Joven Committee. (cell-011.505.8848.7986)
CONTACT YOUNG LIFE LATIN AMERICA: http://www.yllatinamerica.com/
Dan Jessup is the Director over the entire southern hemisphere of Latin America. There is currently ministry in Brazil, Costa Rica, Peru, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Guatemala, Venezuela, Haiti, Columbia, Honduras, El Salvador. Check out their web site based at the YL Latino headquarters in Woodlands, Texas. Dan Jessup is the person to contact if you would like to work with Young Life in Latin America. email: mailto:djessup@sc.younglife.org
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