Greg and Grace Kynast

Staff Housing Project

In the 29 years since Nicaragua Christian Academy opened in Nicaragua, it has become an association of 3 schools widely known for their academic excellence and emphasis on graduating young disciples of Jesus Christ capable of impacting society with spiritual discernment and moral courage.

In recent years, I´ve felt increasingly burdened by the desire to do more for the men and women who labor in this ministry.  Of course, we do everything in our power to make it possible for everyone on staff to have their own children in the school, and that in and of itself is a great blessing to them.  The fact is, however, that our own staff members are the poorest of our parents.

It's easy for us as Americans to imagine that people in the third world are poor, because they’ve made bad choices in life.  Living outside the US has helped me appreciate the blessing of being born and raised in the USA.  Allow me to share with you some local examples:

1. Our high school Math teacher, Bismarck Jarquín (30), was valedictorian of his public high school and college classes. He was raised by his mother and grandmother in the church, and made a profession of faith at age 9.  He was baptized in ’08, married his high school sweetheart in 2011, and they have one kindergarten son, Frederick Abdiel (6).  He currently lives with his in-laws and works two full-time jobs (teaching at his old high school all day Saturday, and at NCA M-F) for a combined salary of roughly $7,000/year.  He dreams of fixing up the home he grew up in (for his mother and grandmother), and of someday having a place of his own.
2. Our P.E. teacher, Otoniel Martínez (25), was also raised by a single mom. He made a profession of faith in my office (December 17, 2015) in the first of his interviews for the position he has held since.  He is a member of the Nicaraguan Olympic Team, and won the bronze medal Judo in last year’s Central American Games.  I have been discipling him for 4.5 years, meeting with him weekly in my office at his request.  He is still single and rents a small apartment for himself and his little sister (a 7^th grader for whom he serves as guardian), dreaming of someday raising a family in a home of his own.  He has built a Judo Academy to supplement his income, but still earns roughly $5,000/year. 
3. Our Coordinator of Spiritual Development, Freddy Matamoros, and his wife, Ada Yurielka, have one son, Jeremy (2), who early in life went through a serious health scare and we are praising God for his recovery. Freddy and his family live in a small apartment in the back of the Maranatha church that was pastored by his father until he died of COVID in July.  He is a gifted Bible teacher, and many of his students choose Bible electives in addition to the required classes they have with him.  Freddy also has a radio and TV ministry through his church that reaches a broader audience with the Truth of God’s Word.  Ada was hired in January 2020 to work with our Special Needs kids and with their combined salaries, they earn roughly $9,000/year.  The dream of owning a home of their own seems far off, and yet he and his wife know they are to love God above all persons and things!

The NCA Staff Housing Project is designed to make it possible for these and other members of our hard-working, long-suffering staff to have the opportunity to build 750 sq. ft. homes of their own in a community of faith, (through payroll) at a cost to them of roughly $4,000.  We have recently identified a beautiful 8-acre plot in a good location south of the school and town, and the owner has accepted our offer of $35,000.  Thank you to all of you who have already given to this project!!  We have received a little over $30,000 already (perhaps as much as ¼ of what is needed, given the sweat equity we intend to add), and are trusting that God will continue to provide all that is necessary for this project to become a reality!

“And you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” –Jesus (Luke 14:14)