In 2025, you generously gave, traveled with teams, and prayed! Here is a recap video from the past year showing the completion of all the projects and their ongoing progress across the world! Thank you… More
Return to the Land of Volcanoes
During my recent trip to Guatemala, I had the privilege of connecting with missionaries David and Debbie Amsler and visiting several new construction sites to determine how Builders International could contribute. One location that particularly captivated me was located in the indigenous village of San Juan La Laguna, nestled on the shores of the volcanic Lake Atitlan.
Waiting on the dock for us we were greeted by Pastors Juan and Diana Bocel, who are products of the Amsler ministry. They answered God’s call to make a difference in this village so deeply affected by alcohol, drugs, and steeped in religious/paganism. In this environment, human abuses are widespread. They began their ministry by reaching children. Later, as they grew and were able, they purchased a property where the first level of the “Doorway to Heaven” church was built. This is the first AG church established in this community, the only ministry that reaches children and a place where people can receive licensed counseling. It’s an amazing place God is using to transform people’s lives.
The facility is used as a clinic, after-school program, counseling center, feeding center, and church on a weekly basis.
For some time now, this church has been at capacity and is ready to begin the construction of the second floor, which will serve as the sanctuary. Pastor Juan and Diana are visionary leaders, and God has positioned this church to reach beyond its current boundaries. With a little assistance, their already effective ministry can expand and make a greater impact. Thank you for making this possible without you we could not help this great ministry go forward.
If you are interested in helping with this project, please feel free to contact me for information to give or bring a team. Your prayers for the completion of phase II of the Doorway To Heaven Church are greatly appreciated.
Questions? John Sims 417.207.5753
Victory for the Antigua New Life Youth Center
Six years ago we went forward on this project with anticipation of God’s intervention. Missionaries Billy and Havila Roman are pioneering the first AG Ministry on the island and have dedicated their lives to reaching the youth of Antigua. Now as we pour concrete for the long-awaited new Antigua New Life-Youth Center, we are filled with overwhelming excitement. A brand-new 50×100 ft. steel building is awaiting on site in shipping containers. Once assembled this building represents the next step towards bringing hope to the youth and people of this island. This project is now open to teams eager to join us in constructing a desperately needed facility for this remarkable ministry. We are grateful for your support, which enables us to make a positive impact and bring freedom where hopelessness holds people captive.
To learn more…https://projects.buildersintl.org/project/267
Together, we build hope,
John Sims, Regional Project Manager
Celebrating a Vision Come True: Central Bible Institute – Phase 1
Twenty years ago, as I stood on a piece of property in Nicaragua, I wondered what God would do with it and how I might play a role. Today, with the partnership of the National Church, Missionary Daniel Klaehn, donors from the States, Builders International, and Priority One, we are thrilled to celebrate the completion of Phase One of the Central Bible Institute.
In the ribbon-cutting picture there are countless stories of people who prayed, worked, and sacrificed for many years so that this beautiful facility could stand here today, ready to equip future leaders.
This institute will serve as a central hub for learning, training, and inspiring a vision for the future of the gospel in Nicaragua. And now, it’s harvest time.
Deborah and I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to each of you for making CBI a reality through your generous giving. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating this significant moment!
Meet Jairo
Jairo Lopez stood at a crossroads in his life. His heart weighed heavy, still raw from the loss of his father in a tragic accident. The future felt bleak, his direction unclear. But then, a gentle nudge came from an unexpected place…
Missionary Daniel Klein invited Jairo to join the Central Bible Institute in Managua, Nicaragua, as a full-time student. At first, Jairo hesitated, unsure if this path was for him. Little did he know, it was the beginning of a journey that would change his life—and countless others—in ways he could have never imagined.
As he immersed himself in study and fellowship, the wound in Jairo’s heart began to heal. In a community built on faith, he found a renewed sense of purpose, and gradually, he recognized a calling he hadn’t seen before. What had started as a personal journey became something greater. From student to instructor, Jairo’s passion for helping others grew, leading him to serve not just as a teacher but as a guide for those who, like him, were searching for hope.
Years later, Jairo’s hard work, commitment, and wisdom earned him the role of director of the Bible School. He embraced his responsibilities with humility and a steadfast motto: “towel first, crown later.” It was a phrase that embodied the essence of his mission—servant leadership. He wanted every student to understand that the heart of a true leader is defined not by authority or recognition but by a willingness to serve others.
The Bible school faced a journey of its own. For years, it was operated without a permanent location, which limited its growth. However, hope arrived through partnerships with several organizations, including Builders International and Priority One, which saw the potential of Central Bible Institute and stepped in to help with construction funds and teams. Within a year, the new facility began to take shape, transforming the school from a place of makeshift gatherings to a thriving center of learning and ministry.
Now, as Jairo walks through the hallways of the new facility, he sees lives transforming, futures taking shape, and leaders in the making. With each new class, he feels a quiet sense of gratitude, knowing his journey—the pain, the healing, the purpose—has created a ripple effect of faith that will spread far beyond Nicaragua.
In his heart, Jairo believes that Central Bible Institute will continue to grow, shaping leaders who will serve God with humility and strength, carrying the light of hope to places yet unreached. And he knows, without a doubt, that this is only the beginning.
Together, we build hope,
John Sims
Pink Boxes And Prayer
It began with pink boxes and prayer. Over the years, we had prayed and talked about how we could involve women in the construction ministry of Builders International. On May 26, 2023, we mailed 17 pink boxes to our first SheBUILDS team members, headed for Nicaragua to work and minister at the Acahualinca Children’s Center.
I was blessed to join this great team of women, wanting to make a difference in the lives of women and children around the world. The following video tells the seven day story of our trip.
Why SheBUILDS?
Afflicted women and children find themselves crushed by the world. The SheBUILDS community brings hope to the hopeless by serving the oppressed and speaking up for those who seek justice.
What is SheBUILDS?
SheBUILDS is a community of ladies of means and influence, standing together with trusted community leaders around the world who are passionately meeting the needs of women and children.
There’s several ways you can be involved with SheBUILDS!
- Join a SheBUILD construction team that is meeting the needs of children and women
- Travel to a project on a vision trip to see how you can make a difference
- Attend a SheBUILDS fundraising event at an exciting venue
Most importantly, I invite you to join the SheBUILDS community at www.buildersintl.org/shebuilds. You will receive regular updates on what’s happening in the SheBUILDS community!
During our trip to Nicaragua, we were able to minister to the needs of 80 children and women, living in some of the poorest conditions at the cities oldest trash dump. I ask myself, “Where can Christ be found?” For I am convinced it is Christ and His love for us that changes everything.
Romans to 8:37-39 says . . .
"In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Thank you for helping us reach those who have never heard of a love of Christ.
Deborah Sims
Ribbon Cutting
It is not everyday that one gets the opportunity to see the impact a building can have in a community.
Just recently, we had the privilege and honor of representing Builders International at the ribbon-cutting for the new Christian Ministry for the Deaf facility. It was amazing to witness the effects this school is having on families in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Not only are children having an opportunity for education, but families are being restored.
Along with Mayor Roberto Contreras, Pastor and Director Marcos David Jordon, Missionary Zach Rix, board members, and many others who have helped make this possible, we cut that ribbon!
The Story
Abuse is prevalent among children with disabilities in Honduras. This will be the only school for the deaf in San Pedro Sula, giving deaf students in this area a rare opportunity for an education, a successful future, and to hear the gospel.
In a city with more than 956,000 people, this ministry center has dual purpose. It is the only school teaching and ministering to children with hearing impairments. This new facility is also being used as a church on Sundays to reach hearing impaired adults and children! The school has a weekly feeding program which reaches many children needing help and opens the door to a future with hope.
One day, an 18 year old boy came to the feeding program at the school. Hungry and rejected, he was misunderstood by many who believed he had a mental disorder. At the school they tested him and discovered he did not have a disorder, but was instead deaf. In one year he learned to read and write, and was introduced to the love Christ has for him.
The School!
The Christian Ministry for the Deaf is a 8,600 square foot, two-story facility. It will include 8 classrooms, a prayer room, a conference room, an office, a kitchen, and an open-air courtyard that will serve as a school gym and meeting space for the local AG Church for the Deaf. The school currently serves 100 students. Many of these students come from vulnerable neighborhoods throughout San Pedro Sula.
Thank you to everyone who has given and prayed to make this happen!
Project Shovel Ready
Looking back over this last year, we are amazed at how God has blessed our work at Builders International. Thanks to your faithful giving, you have made it possible for us to assist our missionaries and national churches in completing the following shovel-ready projects:
- Five churches finished in Uruguay!
- Six churches finished in Panama!
- Seven churches finished in Honduras!
- Ukraine Refugee Center in Katowice, Poland – Now open and serving up to 60 refugees per night!
- Honduras Transformation Project – Dedicated and now training pastors who are taking the gospel to unreached indigenous communities.
- Home of Hope Orphanage Medical & Dental Clinic, Philippines – Dedicated and now serving the children of the home with much needed services.
- Camp Abaco – Opened back up, reaching children and youth in the Bahamas, after being heavily damaged by Hurricane Dorian.
Katowice, Poland
In October, we launched SheBuilds, a community of ladies of means and influence, standing together with trusted community leaders around the world who are passionately meeting the needs of women and children. To learn more visit: https://buildersintl.org/shebuilds/
It is a team effort at Builders International working together with missionaries, national churches, team members, and donors, that we are grateful to be a part of. We believe in people over projects and people are being reached for Christ through the ministry of Builders International. #TogetherWeBuildHOPE
Please keep us in your prayers this next year, as we continue working with Builders International, assisting in the building of the following shovel-ready projects:
- Kosovo – The Hope Center – Reaching this Muslim city of 90,000 with a children’s outreach and feeding center for the poor.
- Sri Lanka – Navinna Church – Standing with this congregation to help finish their sanctuary as they face a nationwide economic collapse and severe persecution by radical Buddhist monks.
- Nicaragua – Casa de Mi Gloria (House of My Glory) – Partnering with this powerful church-planting congregation reaching the lost in the second poorest country in the western hemisphere to get them out of a tent!
- Spain – Missionary Respite House – Providing a place for missionaries serving in difficult areas to find refreshment and restoration so they can continue successfully serving in the face of often desperate challenges.
- Albania – Durres Church – In a nation where 99% of the population has never heard the gospel, this church reaches their community with an after-school program and feeding and medical programs.
- Honduras – Honduras School For The Deaf – This will be the only school for the deaf in San Pedro Sula, giving deaf students in this area a rare opportunity for an education and a successful future.
These last few years have been a challenge for everyone and more than ever we are grateful for your continued support of our missions work. As this year comes to a close we want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!
Let’s Build Hope,
John And Deborah Sims – IM Missionaries, Builders International
P.S. We have some exciting family news to share with you! IT’S A BOY! We are going to be first-time grandparents! Our oldest son, Nathaniel, and his wife Stephanie are having their first baby!
johnanddeborahsims.com 