With our July 4th celebrations in the United States we celebrate freedom and liberty. But a short flight south of us in Nicaragua the government is delivering a crackdown against the people that is brutal and resulting in massive violence as well as food, water, and supply shortages.
The situation in Nicaragua has steadily deteriorated over the last two months and led to devastation. The continued fighting and ongoing safety concerns have led to civil unrest which has resulted in:
212 killings
1,337 injured
507 arbitrary detentions
On April 23, 2018 the US government ordered the departure of US government family members and authorized the voluntary departure of US government personnel due to the violence. The US State Department issued a Level 3 Travel advisory which recommended reconsideration of travel to Nicaragua. On June 8, 2018 the US government downgraded the travel advisory due to worsening conditions, and on July 6, 2018 the US government downgraded the status again ordering all non-emergency personnel out of the country.
With the threat of violence and inability to travel to most cities, many non-profit organizations have suspended group travel to Nicaragua, and tourism has seen a rapid decline. This has left many of our Nicaraguan friends without any source of income.
Road blocks created to defend towns from violent groups have also closed off transportation of goods and services leaving many businesses in distress. This has left many Nicaraguans without basic supplies and the means to support their families through employment. Starvation has become a major issue and immediate assistance is needed.
Our God's Footprints in Nicaragua (GFN) Administrator and his family have witnessed violence and been within yards of gunfire, so this unrest is not something distant to GFN's school, the children, and their families - it is amongst them. School was closed for over a week and the situation is assessed daily to determine if it is safe enough to conduct school for the day. On most days, even if the GFN school is open, several children do not attend due to their parents' fears about safety in the area.
Please donate whatever you can - $5, $10, $100 - to provide food, supplies, and support to the GFN staff and school. Every little bit helps, and our US Dollar goes a long way in Nicaragua, and is desparately needed during these challenging times.