The testimony of a 12-year-old girl gets to the heart of what a very special Winchester mission to Nicaragua is all about.

"When I came to this village my heart was full of bitterness. I did not know that it was possible to be happy. I did not know what love is or that I could be loved by anyone."

It was early this year that Laura came to Maranatha, the family settlement that has been built thanks to the fund-raising of Winchester's Immanuel Church members and their friends.

Clive Houghton (51) the church pastor, commented: "The words Laura spoke are simple but profound. I met her in February when she had been at the village just a few weeks. At 12 years old she was, in almost every outward sense, an adult whose self-awareness was her only means of protection. She had come from a background of habitual sexual and physical abuse and she conveyed 'attitude' with every fibre of her being.

"Just six months later, Laura is fast becoming a secure, well-adjusted big sister in one of one of seven new families at Maranatha.

Laura's story is one of many miracles of Maranatha, which means "Come Lord Jesus". There are now 65 children, most of whom are from a background of great poverty and abuse. They are being looked after by foster-parents in houses built and paid for by Clive and Beth Houghton (46) and their church supporters and Winchester businesses. There is a school, too, staffed, like the houses, by local people.

In addition, a child psychologist helps the young people overcome trauma, a doctor calls in each week and an agricultural adviser is helping with the cultivation of 200 acres of adjoining land. Already sorgum, sugar, corn, wheat, tomatoes and peppers are being grown.

The project all began simply and spontaneously in 1997. Clive and his wife, who is co-pastor, decided with their Nicaraguan friend, Dr Roger Leyton, to build an orphanage to provide homes for at least a few of the needy children of Nicaragua.

Clive, relaxing in his office in St John's Rooms in the Broadway, Winchester, where the Immanuel Church is based, is able to survey a good deal of work done. Early this year he was diagnosed with cancer and has resigned from his post with an architectural company. But he is still very active, determined to overcome his illness and there is no lessening of his vision to help the poor.

"The next step is to buy a safe house in Managua, the capital, itself," he said. "It is just eight miles from our family village. Some of the children will soon be in the 16-to-18 age group and we don't want to take them to the gate and say: 'you're out.' I want to buy a house where we can also put house parents and that will be the staging post for the children to go out into the community."

But that's not all that Clive has planned.

"I'd like to do a similar project in another place, like Honduras, or El Salvador."

But he still has his feet on the ground. The present has to be paid for.

Immanuel is looking for sponsors, in the general community of Winchester and Hampshire, to help carry on the work. The church wants to build more houses for destitute children.

Clive summed up: "We want the children first of all to be secure and happy. And what is important ultimately is that when these children grow up and make their own way in life, it will be of benefit to Nicaragua."

Immanuel administrator, Jonathan Walker, can be contacted on 01962 840446.