The church in early March.
“I love the community, and I want to serve them. The success of this project is really important for my long-term work there.” trip. “The success of this project is really important for my long-term work there. I am hoping on this trip to convey my vision for the impact that I want to try to have on the area.” “I feel like I owe Jesse [Griffin] a lot for opening my eyes to that community. The people are amazing there.” Griffin was fully confident in Varrell’s ability to bring the project to fruition. “Nick doesn’t get rattled. When it comes to leading groups that is a real advantage,” Griffin said. “He is a consistent, stable guy, and he can roll with any punches that are thrown his way.” On Jan. 1 — during the latter half of winter break 2013-14 — Varrell, Harris and Gleason traveled to Nicaragua to begin the church construction project. Before breaking ground, the congregation anointed the land by burying a jar containing a Bible and a story about the
church-building project. During the team’s nearly two-week stay in La Enramada, two-thirds of the walls were installed by a five-person local team hired by Varrell, Harris and Gleason. The remaining walls were to be completed at the end of January. But “there was a blip in communication and the construction crew built the walls too high,” Varrell said. “We still need about $2,000 for supplies for the roof, door, insulation and labor.” The team was able to raise additional funds, with church construction scheduled for completion at the end of April. While in La Enramada, a well was dug on site to secure a water source for the community. “The water was actually clean and not mixed with volcanic minerals like in most other wells. It was a blessing for the community,” Varrell said. The church — about 26 feet by 43 feet
— is located in the center of the La Enramada community and within reasonable walking distance. Varrell expects the church to accommodate more than 50 people at one time. “The construction in itself was not too difficult” Lauren Harris said. “I mostly helped mix cement and mortar, but it was a terrific experience.” This summer, Varrell hopes to return to La Enramada to see the final product. After graduating in December 2014, Varrell, who is majoring in Spanish and criminal justice, plans to work with Strong Missions in Costa Rica for a year, then return to Nicaragua in early 2016. He also plans to continue his missionary and volunteer work in Nicaragua and has acquired a potential location to build his own permanent residence. “The big point for me is sharing God’s love with the people of the community and making them understand that there are people and forces that care for them and that they are not alone,” he said. RC ROANOKE.EDU 27