1998 Orlando Montiel

My Sister and I in Ocotal I didn’t want to go to Ocotal. I was leading a team of 90 missionaries to 33 locations in North Central and South Central Nicaragua on an evangelism crusade. About one third of the locations were city, one third rural and one third were what we call Marine locations. The cities really aren’t like cities that most of you know but rather towns like those 75 years ago with inconsistent power or water, very limited telephone service. Rural locations were guaranteed to have dirt roads, outhouses and outdoor bucket baths. Marine locations require backpacks, hiking, horse riding, canoe trips, water purification and special skills.

I wanted to go on the Marine location. I had always been picked for the cities and I was determined to go Marine. Not so – as the leader, it became apparent that I needed to be near transportation and a phone to support my team. My team leaders forced me to realize this fact and I surrendered. Off to a city location again.

When I arrived in Ocotal, I was greeted by the nicest man as I stood on the cobblestone street in front of Monte Hermon Iglesia Bautista. He was excited as he introduced me to the Elders of the Church and took us through the sanctuary into a beautiful courtyard. Along the left was a two story block building with two large, open air meeting rooms and upstairs 4 dorm rooms sleeping 6 each. There was a ministry kitchen in the middle along with a place for the helpers to do laundry. I learned that this was the training center for the North Central Nicaragua Association of Baptist Churches. What a wonderful place to stay. Our host was sensitive and kind and he let us unpack and have coffee. His Church members served us as if they were true servants for the entire 9 days. The food was prepared perfectly safe and well. The members made provision for laundry and for getting to know the town. This man had done a wonderful job of leading his people.

Over the course of the trip, I found out that this humble man was the director of the North Central Association. Some 15 of our teams were staying in churches under this man’s guidance. All of those teams were being blessed like us. Every team’s visits to homes and neighborhoods were well planned and scheduled. There were translators and folks to provide transportation or to walk along. The evening services had been advertised well and music and testimonies were planned well in advance. Over 2,000 people made decisions for Christ – some 250 being in Ocotal. It was incredible.

Out of the many great memories of this, now, long term friendship, one rises as a life changing moment. Three days into the crusade, my translator came to me with this man.

“I have called some of your North American Missionaries (they lived in Nicaragua) friends to take you to the coffee plantations today. I know you love them and have not seen them. You need to be refreshed.”

“I am fine. There is much to do. I have visits today…” I replied.

“We have spread your visits out over the rest of the team. Do not feel bad. No one else is visiting all day, preaching for hours at night, visiting afterwards and preparing sermons. God is blessing you but we need you strong for the whole week.”

There was nothing left to say. Keith and Penny picked me up in their four wheel drive and I left for the mountains near the Honduras border. It was a day filled with riding, seeing other churches, meeting people and falling in love even more with this wonderful but torn country. We ate canned food on the side of the road for lunch and I sucked on my first ever raw coffee bean (straight off the plant). During the day, the guilt of not visiting all day wore off and his wisdom became even more apparent. Humility settled in on me as I accepted that I was not Superman. The team led many to Christ during the day and the night’s meeting was incredible. Three days later, he sent me off again.

Several trips later found our friendship cemented for a lifetime. I spoke to him on the phone the other day. He is still hard at work leading pastors – thank God for that.

Here’s to you, Orlando! Thanks for sending me to the mountains. Thanks for teaching me how to lead, how to be humble, how to stop, how to do my job and how to follow another leader who cares. Thanks for blessing me with yet another life changing friendship.