Welcome to our website where you can learn about the University United Methodist Church mission team that traveled to Nicaragua in July 2009. The team was led by UUMC member Robbie Dircks and the trip was coordinated by United Methodist Missionaries Nan McCurdy and Miguel Mairena. Please check the various tabs for information on our team members, the country of Nicaragua, and the missionaries. Because the site is new, some tabs are still under construction.

This trip was an opportunity for the team to experience, first-hand, life in a third world country while sharing God's love through our interactions and mission work. The group learned about the history and economy of the country, its relations with the United States and political philosophies, fair-trade and sweatshops, and various programs that have been put in place by social justice groups and missionaries to help the local people better manage and improve their lives. Jobs are scarce, unemployment is high, and the standard of living for the majority of the Nicaraguan population is quite bad. Nicaragua is the second poorest country in our hemisphere; primarily the result of civil war in the 1970s and '80s and two natural disasters (earthquake in 1972 and Hurricane Mitch in 1998). Despite these conditions, the people of Nicaragua are very proud of their country and their heritage. They welcome the support and friendship that Robbie has developed over the years and he hopes to continue to build on that relationship.

During our time in Nicaragua, we worked at a community school and church in one of the poorest barrios in Managua, as well as leading clinics and working with youth at a baseball academy that is funded and sponsored by the missionaries. Miguel got involved with the 14th de Septiembre baseball academy in 1998. The academy is a place where youth have positive role models, are encouraged to do well in school (and must be enrolled in school in order to participate), as well as learn the rules of baseball and improve their baseball skills. The academy has grown from 50 youth, ages 6 - 17, in 1998 to more than 350 youth today.

The members of our team enjoyed serving the people of Nicaragua on behalf of our UUMC brothers and sisters in Christ.