The 2015 Nicaragua International Scripture Blitz

In late June, Gideons and Auxiliary in Nicaragua carried out the 2015 Nicaragua International Scripture Blitz. Members and supporters from around the world were praying for open doors to place God’s Word in schools, jails and hospitals.

Joined by Gideons from several other countries, this team would see how God responded to those prayers and greatly strengthen their faith. Before they headed out for their first distribution, one member remarked that he had never led anyone to Christ, perhaps largely because he didn’t feel courageous enough back in his home country.

That would soon change in Nicaragua. When he returned to the hotel later that evening, he shared how he had led someone to Christ that very day. He broke down weeping with joy in the middle of his testimony.

Going To The Uttermost

Nicaragua is economically depressed in many areas. In one maternity hospital, the teams saw patients packed into single rooms. The patients’ visitors were responsible for bringing their own chairs if they wanted to sit with a patient. And with no air conditioning in the building in the middle of a very hot day, the hospital’s conditions were that much more unbearable. But the Scriptures got through.

Reliable transportation was another challenge. Several vehicles broke down and a brand new van they had planned to use was impounded by the local authorities due to registration problems. Logistical challenges such as these were lifted up in prayer and God provided the solutions—two small automobiles were packed with over 8,000 Scriptures.

The teams left out of Managua and traveled the Pan American highway. They exited off dirt roads traveling several kilometers to reach remote schools. When they arrived at one of these schools, students rushed to the window and began shouting, “Biblios! Biblios!” For many, it would be their first opportunity to have their own copy of God’s Word.

The Gideons were greeted by a young lady named Griselda, the school’s assistant principal. She gladly escorted them from classroom to classroom as they shared God’s Word with the students.

As they concluded the distribution, one of the Gideons began to talk with Griselda. “Can I ask you a question? It’s a question I ask people all the time. If you were to die tonight, would you be sure you would go to heaven?” She shook her head no.

The Gideons then read passages in the back of the New Testament detailing God’s plan of salvation. One then asked Griselda, “Would you like to ask Jesus into your heart?” And there in the schoolyard with students looking on, Griselda prayed to receive Jesus. When she finished her prayer, she looked up with a big smile on her face and hugged the Gideon saying, “Thank you so much.” As Hebrews 7:25 reminds us, “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him.”

Gideons Experience God’s Power

At one of the prisons, officials told the Gideons that they couldn’t enter for distributions. However, it turned out one of the Nicaraguan Gideons knew the chaplain at the prison. And instead of turning around and leaving, they were granted access to the courtyard. And on that day, 27 prisoners turned their hearts to receive Christ.

Tim Hammond from California was on the blitz team and said it reminded him of what the ministry of The Gideons International is all about. “We all saw the enemy working against us, but we saw God working more powerfully. I think we all grew spiritually.”

The Gideons worked with local churches and gave presentations at over a dozen of them to tell of these wonderful Scriptures coming to their cities. At one church, a pastor said that the first Scripture he received as a child was from The Gideons. And in fact, he said it was reading that copy of God’s Word that resulted in him receiving Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

By the end of the week, Gideons and Auxiliary had distributed 95,551 copies of God’s Word to the people of Nicaragua. There were 124 one-on-one decisions for Christ.

Said one of the local leaders, “I am sure there are countless blessings in terms of the impact for the souls reached. We have great expectancy to see greater miracles in the near future in Nicaragua.”

We praise God for these testimonies as well as others we reported from the blitz and we thank Him for all He will accomplish through each and every one of the Scriptures distributed during this blitz. We thank our Gideons who travel on these blitzes at their own personal expense. And we thank all of our members and other supporters whose prayers and financial gifts help make blitzes like this possible.