SYCAMORE – Bethel Assembly of God in Sycamore took 20 men to southern Nicaragua in late February to assist in building a church. The group helped to lay brick, tie rebar, pour cement, load fill dirt and other tasks for a week.

Bethel's youth group, along with a group from Glad Tidings Assembly of God in DeKalb, traveled to Nicaragua two years ago and ministered in this church on twice during the trip. At that time, the Nicaraguan church had saved for 14 years to purchase the land for a larger building. It had run out of room, and people stood outside during church services, listening through open windows and the front door. Bethel is also growing and looking for land for future expansion, but members felt led to go and assist their sister church in Nicaragua first.

The men from Bethel were able to work alongside the local church people and made great progress and friendships during their stay. Bethel was also able to purchase a large number of building supplies and left many tools for the church to continue the work after they were gone. Nicaragua is the second-poorest country in the hemisphere, and the partnership was a blessing to both churches. With this huge push forward the church hopes to be able to complete the project by the end of the year.