How it Started
Jairo and Bob
Our Founder
“God has blessed me greatly and this motivates me to use what I have to bless others.”
Bob Spence spent over 22 years as a lawyer and served 18 years as a judge in Kane County, Illinois. Today, he is associated with a local law firm and lives in Batavia, Illinois with Janet, his wife of over 44 years.
His faith has provided a compass to guide his life, resulting in him leading over 30 mission trips to Central America.
Out of a passion to see people decide to follow Jesus, and to meet their physical needs, he founded Business to Barrio to equip business leaders to partner with and sponsor barrios in need.
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”
Proverbs 31:8
Why Nicaragua?
The need.
From Bob’s experience traveling to Nicaragua since 2011, Bob has gained an insight into the poverty that exists in rural Nicaraguan barrios; poverty that manifests itself in a lack of fresh water and lack of jobs.
In many rural barrios, people walk two miles every day to get fresh water. Many houses are constructed of only black garbage bags.
Typically, 1 in 4 teenage girls will have their first baby by age 16. The unemployment rate in rural Nicaragua has historically been over 50%, and is sometimes over 80% in the poorest rural communities.
Our Nicaragua Partner
The solution.
Bob has developed a close working relationship with Chosen Children Ministries, who have been working in Nicaragua for over 25 years. Chosen Children (CCM) is a faith-based, non-denominational ministry. CCM focuses on the transformation of lives, which leads to the transformation of communities.
CCM is our hands and feet on the ground: they build churches, drill wells, mentor young leaders, and provide grants so entrepreneurs can start their own businesses. Their strategy has successfully created hope in barrios all over Nicaragua.
Chosen Children ministers holistically to the needs of the barrios, drilling wells and helping start micro-businesses. Since we formed Business to Barrio in 2021, we have raised funds for over 25 water projects, providing fresh water to over 15,000 people.