Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I make a donation to the NRN?
The NRN website lists a number of ways that you can make a donation. Some of these include everything from school desks, to college tuition, to paying for materials to build a home. Please visit the NRN donations page for more information. If you would like to contribute to ND NRN’s efforts, check out our donations page for more information. We can always, always use monetary donations; there is never a shortage of need for funds.
2. I’d like to sponsor a child. How do I go about doing this?
Because NRN is completely staffed by volunteers, all of your money goes directly to the child that you sponsor! Sponsorship is $25 a month. More information can be found on the NRN child sponsorship page. One of the best things about NRN is that you can send special gifts, for birthdays or otherwise, to your child. The procedure is to send the letters or packages to NRN in Indiana, and the next group to travel to Nicaragua will bring them down and make sure they are delivered. Mail must be handled this way because the mail service to Nicaragua is spotty at best.
3. How many trips are planned for the upcoming year? How do I sign up to go?
The North Dakota groups are only part of the picture. There are many groups that originate from Indiana and South Dakota as well. Visit the NRN upcoming trips page to see what’s going on in other states.
As far as the North Dakota group is concerned, visit our upcoming-trips page and see what’s in the works.
Get your name on our mailing list so that you are updated on the latest news about trips.
4. What can I expect on a trip? Who should go?
Nicaragua offers a wonderfully warm and relaxed break in the stress of a ND winter. You can find out a little more about Nicaragua on ViaNica.com; the area we work in is León.
While on an NRN-ND trip, the lodging, meals and laundry services are taken care of and daily activities are planned - offering a relaxed setting for reflection time. Each trip includes at least one “fun” day of climbing a volcano, trip to the beach, or a relaxed afternoon at the market. You also have the opportunity to get as involved with the Nicaraguan people as you feel comfortable with. They are an unforgettable blessing and quite often the reason new-comers plan a return trip. Our main goal is to help Nicaraguans make Nicaragua better for Nicaraguans. As far as who should go on a trip, anyone who doesn’t mind getting a little dirt under his or her nails will enjoy the experience. People of all ages have gone, from age 13 up into their 70’s. There are many ways each person can take part in the trip, not just construction, so everyone is welcome.
5. Why do you go on these trips? Why do you go to the same place each year?
Because we can! We are called to go share the gospel in Matthew 28. While there is a measure of “go” in the support I send to other missions in other parts of the world, there is no replacement for the opportunity to help meet needs and pray for an individual from another community or land. One of the greatest by-products gained is the measure of balance you bring to your own life and the life of those around you.
God uses ordinary people, doing ordinary things, to accomplish extraordinary results. We bring no special gifts or skills when we go to Nicaragua, but feel as if we’re filling a vital role just being there. God doesn’t use the greatest among us to accomplish His will, just the willing. Anyone can fill a role in Nicaragua, or elsewhere, as we make ourselves available.
We go to the same place each year, the El Convento community just outside of León, because our focus is to keep applying our combined donated resources to that area, and the people, to help them understand and accept the life-changing power of Christ and to carry this message to their neighbors and friends. Our life in Christ is nothing if it is not a relationship with Him. Jesus chose to put His investment of time into a small group of mostly poor and uneducated followers. He could have chosen the large institutions of the time to help spread His Gospel of redemptions but chose to develop relationships, teach, and empower a few good people. It seems to have worked. We want to emulate this by building lasting friendships with our friends in Nicaragua and so we focus on the same community. Other NRN groups do the same: they focus on the same place each year.
6. I want to help, but I don’t want to go on a trip.
It can be difficult to make a yearly commitment to travel to another country. Many people can’t go every year, but also support financially, with a wonderful knowledge of knowing who, exactly, is being blessed by the support. The more people that become involved, the larger our footprint can be in this small community. We can never fix all that ails them but we can support and empower those who can bring the message of One who can.
Financial help sent to NRN is a great way to start, as is sponsoring a child. Perhaps you are interested in the specific projects the North Dakota teams are working on. Or perhaps you’d like to help the North Dakota teams out in other ways (toys, clothes, toiletries, supplies, monetary donations, etc). Look around this site for ideas on how you can help, or contact us with your ideas or interest, and we’ll let you know what areas we could use help in.
7. Is there a governing board and what are its policies?
North Dakota NRN is under the parent organization of NRN. However, to learn about ND NRN’s policies, visit our policies page. You can find downloads of our policies and other forms needed before taking a trip.
8. What do I need to do if I want to go on a trip?
- Join our mailing list so that you don’t miss announcements of upcoming trips and other plans.
- Read about the current trips and see which one you’d like to go on.
- Contact us and sign up.
- Find out what you need to do to prepare for a trip.
- Download and print out an application and the other forms that we would have you fill out. Mail the completed forms to:
Julie R. Neidlinger
PO Box 156
Hampden, ND 58338
Once we have your name and know that you are interested, we will keep you informed. As always, contact us if you have questions.
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(If you have a question not answered here, please contact us or leave a comment below.)
