In the corridors of La Mascota, Nicaragua’s hospital for children with cancer, fear and uncertainty weigh heavily on parents. Many travel long distances, leaving behind homes and families, clinging to hope that their child will receive the care they need. Beyond medical treatment, they need spiritual and emotional support. This is where Bible Society of Nicaragua’s project, ‘Hope and Smiles for Children with Cancer,’ steps in — offering God’s word as a source of strength.
“The hospital is currently the only one that serves children with cancer, and families come from across the country just to receive a diagnosis and treatment,” explains Rebeca from Bible Society of Nicaragua. “Usually these families come with nothing … they face fear and uncertainty. The difficulty for them is not only the fact that they have a sick child that needs desperate attention and care, but it’s also that they have left their community.”
Carla*, whose seven-year-old son, Gerardo*, was diagnosed with leukaemia, describes this difficulty. “We arrived at the hospital with only the clothes we were wearing, scared because we didn’t know what was ahead. After tests, the doctors told me my child had leukaemia, a disease I had never heard of. They said he needed immediate treatment, and the hospital would become our home.”
“We spent nights unable to find comfort, feeling desperate,” she recalls. “Then one Monday, some brothers from the Bible Society passed by praying. I sought them out and asked for prayer. Since that moment, I have felt the embrace of God in our lives.”
At the heart of the Hope and Smiles for Children with Cancer project is the simple yet powerful gift of the Bible. Volunteers and Bible Society staff distribute age-appropriate Bibles to children and their families, offering comfort, guidance, and the assurance of God’s presence and love.
“This project aims to create a safe space where they can find emotional and spiritual refuge during these very trying times, and to find refuge in God,” Rebeca explains.
Operating for over 15 years, this project has been meeting these parents at their greatest time of need with the spiritual care from God’s word. Coming alongside Bible Society of Nicaragua staff are over a hundred project volunteers consisting of pastors and church members who offer prayers and Bible studies to the patients during their free time. “People are generally receptive, and they really, really enjoy interacting with the Bible,” assures Rebeca.
For parents like Carla, this initiative has strength-ened her faith, for which she is grateful:
“I THANK GOD THAT THE BIBLE IS IN THE HOSPITAL , A PLACE WHERE ONLY GOD CAN HELP US AMID PAIN AND DESPAIR.”
“Now that I have learned to pray, I ask God to bless you and touch hearts so that you always send free Bibles to sick children and their families.”
Bible Society of Nicaragua works closely with La Mascota Hospital, ensuring that spiritual care aligns with the hospital’s commitment to holistic healing. “We comply with hospital standards, and the hospital recognises that what we do is part of the treatment,” Rebeca shares. “They acknowledge that spiritual support is a supplement to the medical care children receive.”
This affirmation highlights that healing extends beyond medicine — to the heart and soul. As children endure rigorous treatments, and as parents stand by their bedsides, the Bible Society team reminds them they are not alone.
For single mother, Lourdes*, who accompanies her six-year-old daughter, Lucía*, through chemotherapy, coming to the hospital has always been difficult. Every day, she sees new children diagnosed with cancer, and it’s heartbreaking. “But in the midst of sad news, we receive this spiritual food … the Bible,” she says.
“The Bible has been a new experience for me,” Lourdes continues. “Until now, I had [never] received a Bible. In it, I have unburdened my heart to God. I have sung and prayed with joy when I see the beautiful eyes of my little girl [reading] her Bible with me. Today we rejoice that even though we must be in the hospital, we feel that God accompanies us and loves us.”
Parents arrive in despair but leave with renewed faith. Children, despite suffering, embrace the love of Jesus. Volunteers witness lives being changed — not just through medicine, but through God’s eternal promises.
“That’s the success of this project,” Rebeca says. “It gives children the opportunity to not only learn about God but also seek refuge and healing in him. Yes, there is fear, but we find a way to channel that fear into feelings of safety and hope by finding refuge in God.”
“Thank you, friends from Australian Bible Society, for praying for the children in Nicaragua,” Rebeca shares. “Thank you for supporting this amazing project where God is touching hearts through the Bible. It is a shining light, strengthening faith and spiritually uplifting families. We encourage you to keep helping children and families in the hospital.”
If you would like to support this Bible distribution project, bringing hope and smiles to children with cancer in Nicaragua, visit biblesociety.org.au/sow.
*Names changed to protect privacy.
