Hello from Nicaragua!

Learn about Heavenly Father’s children all over the world.

Nicaragua is a country in Central America. Almost 7 million people live there!

Language

Spanish cover of the Friend magazine

The official language is Spanish. Some people also speak native languages like Miskito, Sumo, and Rama.

¿Nahki sma?

That means “How are you?” in Miskito!

Spreading the Gospel

Photo of temple construction site and illustration of children reading together

The first missionaries went to Nicaragua in 1953. Now there are more than 100,000 Church members there! There is even a temple under construction.

Lake Nicaragua Sharks

Photo of Lake Nicaragua and illustration of shark

Bull sharks can live in seawater and freshwater. This means they can live in oceans, rivers, and lakes! They swim from the Atlantic Ocean through a long river to live in Lake Nicaragua.

Palo de Mayo

Photo of pole decorated with colorful ribbons and illustration of rain cloud

People in Nicaragua hold a big festival called Palo de Mayo when the rainy season comes. They decorate a tree or pole with colorful ribbons to dance around and have fun all month long.

Activity

Chuwis

Illustration of green beans in a cup

Chuwis is a game children play in Nicaragua. To play this game, you need green beans (or sticks) and a hole in the ground (or a cup). Give five green beans to each player. The first player throws green beans into the hole one by one. If they miss one, they stop, and the next player goes. The first player to get all five green beans in the hole wins!

Recipe

Gallopinto

Photo of a dish of rice and black beans

In Nicaragua, many people eat this dish of rice and beans every day. Here’s a version you can try!

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil and ½ chopped yellow onion. Stir for 5 minutes.

2. Stir in 1 1/2 cups white rice for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add salt and 3 cups water. Take the seeds out of half a green bell pepper and set it on top.

4. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until the water is almost gone.

5. Discard the cooked pepper and stir in 2 cups cooked red or black beans and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Cook for 10 minutes.

Be sure to get an adult’s help!

Story PDF

Illustrations by Dave Klüg