M.A. Andrews

A scene from the "dump" in Nicaragua.

It began with a missionary trip in 2005. David Webb and his wife Nancy traveled to Nicaragua and returned two more times that year. After returning home from their third trip, they were sitting around their kitchen table at their home in Boiling Springs when they made an important decision. They both felt a call to start something new to help the people of Nicaragua. The calling was the birth of United Christian Missions. UCM would provide spiritual, physical and educational needs for the people and churches of Nicaragua. After working with the locally based Hands On Missions, United Christian Missions went out on their own in September 2009. A nine member board governs this 501(c)(3) organization. Their mission statement is: “United Christian Missions is a non-denominational network of Christian individuals and churches dedicated to the spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ through organized mission endeavors. The goal of the organization is to lead evangelical Christians in joint mission endeavors of evangelization and discipleship by providing spiritual, physical and educational assistance to the needy and deserving through local Christian churches in Nicaragua.”
When they started, just twenty-eight pastors showed up for training. Now, the program has exploded and they have 557 pastors going through the program to improve their effectiveness. UCM recently shipped five tons of Bibles for needy church families. One pastor prayed for ten years to have a bible dictionary, and United Christian Missions became the answer to his prayers. In Nicaragua, in order for children to go to school they have to have a uniform. Many cannot go to school because their families cannot afford uniforms. United Christian Missions now provides uniforms and spiritual training for as many children as possible through their “Educate a Child” sponsorship program. One young boy was so happy when he got his, knowing he could finally attend school and learn to read, write and get educated, was so  he did cart wheels down the street on his way home.
Recently, David and Nancy, were shocked to discover the “dumpster people”. About twenty-five families live in plastic shacks at the area dump, depending on anything they can find to survive. The children had no shoes and would cut their feet on glass. Food pieces were quickly gobbled up as a means of survival. What David and Nancy saw was unimaginable. United Christian Missions quickly provided boots and have launched a program to help the “dumpster people”.
The program they stated is growing by leaps and bounds. Requests are now continually coming into their offices in Boiling Springs, not only from Nicaragua, but all over the world. The success is a reflection ,not only of a need, but the dedication of Reverend David Webb and his wife Nancy.
From North Carolina, United Christian Missions, its purpose and growth is a testimony of what can happen when a need is fulfilled.