A brief history of the lutheran church in nicaragua
In 1994, mission board director Dr. Leonard Harms and Oscar Castillo- now an LCC pastor, first visited the country with the hope of starting a mission in Nicaragua. Sandor Arguello, born in Nicaragua but raised in Canada, was sent as a missionary. Being a primarily Roman Catholic country, the residents were reluctant to welcome Protestantism. However, the ruthless tragedy of hurricane Mitch in 1998- second deadliest on record, destabilized the nation even more than the recurrent natural disasters and decades of civil war. Many North American church bodies contributed to its restoration, but Pastor Arguello shared that the Lutheran aid was most effective and well received. The people of Nicaragua testified that the previous funds were not being received by those who needed it the most, and sin in the form of corruption was leading to distrust. Our missionaries, distributed the goods provided for by Canadians who had not yet met the Nicaraguan people, but longed to care for them. Along with a message of peace, love, comfort, our merciful Lord. and the theology of the cross, the Lutheran church in Nicaragua began to grow. Though its new members were unfamiliar with our liturgical and sacramental practices. There began to be an unprecedented demand for catechisms, Bibles and Lutheran material. It became difficult to keep up with the increasing spiritual demands. Nicaragua is only one of many examples of flourishing Lutheran faith, in spite of our seemingly empty church pews in Canada.
