The Church Manual provides for the Christian Science Board of Directors to ask a lecturer to go to “such places and at such times as the cause of Christian Science demands” (Article XXXII, Section 1). This was the case, early in 2010, when I was asked to lecture in Central America.
A loving and well-organized group of Christian Scientists in Managua, Nicaragua, who have been holding regular services and testimony meetings, but are not yet a society, had been asking for a lecture, and preparations were proceeding. A native Nicaraguan who lives in Texas and is a member of a branch church there had visited her native country as much as possible and was supporting this group. She even secured some financial help from her branch in the United States for this lecture in Managua. This heartfelt outreach reminded me of Nehemiah in the Bible, who, even living far away, was willing to help his country and do what he could for its progress.
After warm and active preliminary contact with the group, I went to Managua. I attended a Sunday service at their rented meeting place and a testimony meeting the following Wednesday. There is no public transportation on Sundays in the city, so the midweek meeting has a larger attendance than the Sunday service. The lecture was given at a local university and was very well attended, with lots of newcomers. There were many questions and inquiries after the lecture together with requests for how to get to know Christian Science better.
