In 1992, the Buzbee family began their lives as foreign missionaries serving in Fusagasuga, Colombia. With four young children, Michael and Susan gave up everything to come to an anarchical nation, wrought with civil-unrest and animosity towards foreigners. While in Colombia, Michael and Susan Buzbee taught English as a second language to the students of "Colegio Bilingue Jorge Emilio Gutierrez" and also lived on the premises. For the last two years of their three year service in Colombia, the Buzbees moved to the near by town of Fusagasuga and provided the opportunity to open up their home to girls that would travel from surrounding moutainous villages in the area to attend the school. By offering these girls residence in their house, the Buzbees afforded the students who stayed with them the chance to attend the school free of charge. Despite the hardships they faced while serving the poor and destitute of Fusagasuga and consistently having a house full of students, the Buzbees cherished the years spent alongside those that had embraced them, all the while sharing Christ's love in a nation wrought with tension. However, in 1995, the Buzbees were forced to hastily flee Colombia in fear for their lives. In a country torn apart by terrorrism and organized crime, the Buzbees reluctantly left behind a people they had grown to love during their three years of service.
After spending one year back in northern Florida, the Buzbees left their familiar surroundings yet again, this time for the desperately poor Third World nation of Nicaragua. Nicaragua has been "home" for the Buzbee family ever since. Much has taken place since their meager beginnings in 1997, but Open Hearts Ministries has been blessed, growing exponentially every year. The Buzbees continue to reach out to the poor and lost, primarily focusing their efforts toward the children of Nicaragua.
Admittedly, life for the Buzbee family hasn't always been easy, but they wouldn't exchange the life they have known for anything. They have no regrets.
"The world is small and we are part of the greatest movement known to mankind - the Kingdom of God. It gives us purpose, calling, and destiny. It answers all of our deep questions: Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Once you are part of this and have the thrill of serving poor kids inside the Managua dump, a retirement home on the beach seems like quite a bore." - Michael Buzbee