The Nehemiah Center and one of its partner organizations, World Renew, held a workshop on Tuesday, February 21, 2016 in the community Todo Será Bien in Leon, Nicaragua through the program the Strategy of  Urban Transformation  (known as ETU for its Spanish initials).  The workshop is a part of a series for men and women of the local church in Leon and Chinandega, and today’s theme is Climate Change. 

Roberto Armas, Community Development Coordinator has been with the Nehemiah Center for 9 years and has been a part of the ETU for 3 years.  During the workshop, Roberto went over Genesis 1:11-19, explaining how God created the Earth and how believers are supposed to address climate change with a biblical worldview.  As humans, we have distorted God’s creation, but as believers, we can start to reverse the toxic behaviors in our own homes and communities.  The group of 14 split into two groups to come up with steps that they can take to promote God-honoring ways to take care of the Earth in their communities.

The Nehemiah Center and World Renew helps create leaders in the communities through the programs of the ETU and through workshops like this one.  By creating and educating leaders in the communities who work to promote change, the impact is greater in many positive ways.  The Nehemiah Center had the privilege of interviewing a husband and a wife who live in Leon and have been attending these workshops given by Nehemiah Center.  

Husband, Luis Felipe Molina, and his wife, Andrea Larios attended the first Climate Change workshop in Leon on February 21st. .  Luis Felipe has been attending events like this given through the Nehemiah Center for 3 years now.  He was invited one day and liked what he heard, so he continued coming.  Andrea has only been to an event given by the Nehemiah Center 3 times, but she is already promoting change in her community.  Although interviewed separately, both Luis Felipe and Andrea said that these programs have impacted them by giving them opportunities to share with others and build relationships.  Andrea said that this has been exciting for her to get involved because at first, she didn’t know how important these programs were, but now she is learning and she can share the knowledge she is getting with those around her.  Luis Felipe said that this program has helped develop his spiritual life because, “often times we think we are okay, and then we come to the group and are able to exchange ideas and reevaluate where we are at spiritually”.  Luis Felipe also emphasized that the promoters of the Nehemiah Center are encouraging Christians to put into practice love in their communities.  The first workshop in the series emphasized how God created trees for many purposes, fruit and shade being two of them.  At the end of the day, Andrea walked away saying “I now understand how important trees are in our community.”  These are just two of the people that the ETU is impacting through its workshops.