Nicaragua Adventure 2010

"P" for "Post-Nicaragua"

2010-07-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

So this is my attempt to bring closure to this trip's blog..... I've fallen off the "blogging bandwagon" for sure. Maybe it's my subconscious denial surfacing; I didn't want it to end!! But, here I am, sitting on the unfamiliar carpet of my bedroom floor, and the reality is that I am back in Georgia. I could fall into depression, but I've opted not to and have rather fallen into extreme gratefulness. I am truly thankful to the Lord for the allowing me to spend a month in Nicaragua. It was a huge blessing in countless ways, and if I never return (God forbid!) it will be the best month of my life.

My last week there was wonderful. Rosita and I spent loads of quality time riding the motorcycle, wrestling, taking naps, playing cards....

On Tuesday night, a new team of American arrived at midnight. Two Daniel's, two Emily's, and three wonderful "momma's." With them came a new spirit of excitement and fun. They certainly were a great addition to our morning worship times; we were lead in song by Emily with Daniel 1 and Daniel 2 on guitar.

A great highlight of the week was Rosita's 15th birthday. Quinceaneras in Nicaragua might as well be weddings... flower girls and all. Rosita had been blessed with a stunning pink birthday gown and she looked like a princess! There was a processional from her home to the newly decorated church where a sweet ceremony was held. She officially became a young woman.... and a mighty little woman of the Lord at that. Afterwards, we went to her backyard for a party, complete with cake fights and dancing.

Sunday was my last day in Candelaria, and it went by way too quickly. We woke up early to have family time with Linda leading our Spiritual Gifts teaching. If you have never looked into the 7 spiritual gifts, it is well worth it. I am the Prophet and knowing that helps me understand myself and my spiritual calling.
Later that day, Daniel, Emili, Rosita, and myself found ourselves sitting in a stranger's living room cheering on Spain in the final game of the World Cup. We had spent the previous thirty minutes hunting down a Fresca, and we were killing time waiting for a lady to arrive home to braid our hair. It was time to get the cornrows redone!

Before I knew it, it was night time and time for goodbyes. After the Sunday night church service, I stood in the front of the church as my new family lined up for hugs, tears, and kisses. "No adios! Solo hasta luego!" (No goodbye! Only see you later!) My heart was left with the church there. I don't understand how I became so attached to these people when the language barrier was so great. It just goes to show that relationships are built upon so much more than words and that God is not hindered by my inabilities. We have such a good God!

Monday carried an intense bittersweet taste. It was my last morning in Candelaria. Rosita and Kenia were coming with us to Cerro Negro (a black volcano that you hike up and slide down) and Granada (that heavenly location with the bed 'n breakfast overlooking the crater lake). We left around 8AM... my heart stuck around though, and I believe it is still clinging to a familiar banana tree. The whole team piled into three taxis, luggage and all, and headed to Leon to meet Tommy and Linda. From there, the youngsters piled into the back of Tommy's not-so-faithful truck, and we laughed our way to Cerro Negro dodging branches and bouncing over potholes. I love how the Lord worked it out so that I could experience Cerro Negro and Granada one last time before leaving for home. When I found out Rosita was joining us, all I could do was laugh with joy to see God's goodness.

After tumbling down the black volcano, we had an adventure transporting all our luggage to Granada. Buses, trucks, taxis.... My personal favorite was sitting atop a pickup truck along with Whitney and a pile of suitcases wobbling back 'n forth as we traveled through the jungle terrain on our way to the bed 'n breakfast. When we finally arrived, we headed straight for the lake. We swam and paddled until after dark. After dinner at a local grill, the night was far from over. The Daniels, Rosita, and I stayed up all night in fact. We figured we might as well since my taxi came at 4:30AM to take me to the airport. I believe I made lifelong friendships that night, and I can't wait to see those faces again.

The taxi came too soon, and I said my goodbyes.

I arrived in Atlanta around 6PM with blocked ears and droopy eyes. My family was excited to find me in one piece, but probably weren't prepared to have every conversation that they would ever have with me again lead back to Nicaragua.

So that's it. I'm back in Georgia, and God willing, I'll be back in Nicaragua in November. That's right... I'm planning my next trip already! My church is heading there during Thanksgiving break, and hopefully I'll be travelling with them. Money is no obstacle for God!

Hasta luego, mi amigos! Thank you for reading!

O.

2010-07-08T23:27:00.000-07:00

Monday:
We woke up early and helped Lisa and Lindsay get their stuff situated. The goodbye was long and tearful; and after a group hug and prayer, we watched them drive away. I saw the Lord working in it all though, and I'm very thankful.

The soccer team started their camp today too. About 60 little boys and girls showed up to learn basic soccer skills and to just have fun. Many youth group members showed up to help out as well. Mid-morning we wore ourselves out dancing and then had lunch. For the rest of the afternoon Rosita and I hung out, rode the motorcycle, and spent some good quality time. She's going to really miss Lindsay, and she has her tearful moments but this transition is only bringing her closer to Jesus who is evidently comforting her. Continue to pray for her and Lindsay.

N.

2010-07-06T18:48:00.000-07:00

It's Thursday and I haven't blogged since last Saturday. My bad.... Honestly, I haven't been motivated to write because I don't know how to put into to words all that's happened in the past five days.

Sunday:

Happy Fourth of July!! Ironically, we had a parade this morning. We woke up at 6:30AM to get ready and decorate the trucks to take out into the streets of ChiChi Gulpa and surrounding communities promoting the New Song Clinic and the Soccer Camp. Balloons, honking horns, blaring music, 'gringos,' and flyers greeted the sleepy Nicaraguans. We walked around the streets until noon and piled into the back of the trucks to ride home in the rain. When we got back to the church we found that a big bus had arrived with about 20 high school soccer players. Excited kids swarmed the property. Dance practice, soccer games, mud fights, and lunch followed. Then at 3o'clock, though it felt like 6, we went to the park in Chichigalpa to dance as an outreach. By the time that was over, I was pretty exhausted. We headed home to clean up for the service that evening. Service was an emotional one as it was Lindsay and Lisa's last one. Awesome worship and then a great word from Diego about the value God puts on us. Afterwards the youth put together a special farewell for Lindsay. It was beautiful to see how God has used Lindsay to influence so many of the youth. One youth in particular was significantly touched my Lindsay... her name Rosita. This tiny 14year girl is a powerhouse with a sweet spirit and a heart for the Lord. She likes wrestling, motorcycles, and soccer so, naturally, I was automatically drawn to her, but the Lord has put her on my heart in a big way. I've found that part of the reason the Lord has me here at this time is to be a support to her in Lindsay's transition away from her home of 5months.

After a cake fight, we walked about 30minutes to the the pizza place. I must say, Nicaragua has some great pizza!

M.

2010-07-03T20:47:00.000-07:00

I felt better today, and after bible study I spent some down time with the girls playing cards. Then Meg and I got out the art supplies and sat outside in the church structure. A handful of kids joined us, the crayons and watercolor paints. Hours went by unnoticed.

One of the guys found Meg's jar of charcoal and soon my face was a lovely blackish-grey.

After a pasta dinner, we all went over to Kenia's house for a late night dance practice, but it didn't last long.
Now, here I sit in the midst of a large slumber party. Meg, Whi, and Bri, who usually stay in Leon, are spending the night here along with Linda. So, it's a full house and the showers are working overtime.

The rain is hammering the roof... the best lullaby anyone could ask for. Goodnight.

pic from the marshmallow game on friday night:

L.

2010-07-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

After a nice walk around ChiChi Gulpa in the blazing sun, I just spent time with the kids during the afternoon. One young girl brought me to her home and taught me how to make hammocks, which I enjoyed thoroughly.

Three new Americans came at lunch time: Carissa, Julia, and Adam. They will be here for a month. The dorms are starting to fill up! Next week two more girls join us in here too. :)

Diego's birthday was that night and the youth organized a big celebration in one of the homes in the village. Food, games, and dancing! Unfortunately, I was feeling really icky last night so I couldn't really enjoy the festivities. Jesus healed me, though, so it's a new day.

K.

2010-07-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

God has placed me in a unique position here. Coming in and joining a solid team, only to see them all move out and then being left here to receive a new team. God is so good and designs relational shifts with excellence in structure and timing. I love sitting back and watching him maneuver people to where he wants them. Through the constant change of environment, God is softening my heart and making me relationally vulnerable. I'm learning that I must depend on him for my stability and embrace what is in the moment.

While living here, I believe that we have the wrong mentality on short term relationships. We have adopted the belief that knowing someone for only a week is bad. "It's not worth investing in a relationship that will only last a couple days or weeks." Why do we think this? It's because we want to avoid the pain of loss. By living with this mentality, however, we put ourselves in a position to miss out on what God wants to deposit in our lives during a short season of our lives. The blessings we receive from NOT withholding ourselves from people is worth any pain we may experience from moving on. God is our constant. Our constant love. Our constant support. Our constant comfort. Our constant joy. Our constant peace. Our constant rock on which we can stand when the tide of life moves in and out. It so much about Him and so not about us. Living with that perspective allows us to ride freely in his exciting purpose.

This morning, the family, including Whit, Meg, and Bri, met together for worship, prayer, and open share time. It was emotional as the team processed the departure of Lisa, Lindsay, and Barbara; but it was also a sweet time of blessing each other and intimate confession. God is all about intimacy and genuine vulnerability; and in a short time, an open atmosphere of trust and a bond of love has been formed between everyone on the team.

Pray for safe travels for Barbara as she leaves in the morning. Pray for Lindsay in her last three days here... Shes's bringing closure to strong relationships that have been built for the past five months here. Lisa will leave with Lindsay but is returning without her in three weeks. When she returns, the community she has built among the American family will be starting from scratch as her whole team (excluding Diego) will have moved on. She and Lindsay are like sisters and it will be a difficult transition for her. God evidently knows what he is doing and is knitting together a new and effective team here at New Song.

J.

2010-06-30T22:37:00.000-07:00

Today, was a great day back in the community.

We had our family time this morning, in which we debriefed each other on the week. These times are always special, and tomorrow will be our last morning all together as Barbara is leaving on Friday. Barbara brought $40 with her to bless the youth with a special "something," and we had a brainstorming session to decide what the "something" would be. We decided on having a fun food game night after the service this evening. We'd play crazy games like "Chubby Bunny," the "saltine cracker and whistle game," "eat a donut off a string without using your hands", the "egg rolling contest," and lastly a game where u stuck half an oreo on your forehead and tried maneuverer it into your mouth by contorting your face and wriggling your eyebrows.

Lisa, Barbara, and I walked to Pali (local grocery store) in Chichi Gulpa to buy the supplies for the games.

After spending some time with the kids, everyone filed into the living room for a "meeting." There had been some drama in the community surrounding the dance team. Everyday, a group of kids from the youth group had met to learn and practice dances that would be used for evangelism. These kids started the team by themselves and the leader was a seventeen year old guy named Jovanny. He has an obvious gift in dance and in leadership. Trouble arose, however, when jealously and gossip crept into the team. Jovanny was really hurt by the rumors and disrespect he received. He was on the point of leaving the church and dancing elsewhere. The Lord can take any scheme of the Enemy and turn it into good, however. While Diego took Jovanny aside and heard his side of the story, the youth met in the living room to discuss the problem. I saw openness, patience, and most importantly humility from the youth members as they talked it out for two hours. Then when Jovanny came in to the room, a few brave souls tearfully repented and asked Jovanny to forgive them. It was a wonderful process to witness. Linda and Tommy facilitated the meeting, teaching the youth how to reach healing and release bitterness that causes dissension in the church body. If the kids hold on to these truths and apply them to their lives like they did tonight, the rising generation of the New Song Church will be powerful and will make a great impact on Candelaria.

After a short break, Lindsay lead the youth service. It was her last youth service here for a long time. On Monday she leaves and will be travelling with a missions organization all over the world for eleven months. Pray for her as she makes her transition from her home here and prepares for her adventure around the world. She will be greatly missed by the community here.

When Lindsay finished sharing her heart, the games began; everyone had a blast stuffing their faces with marshmallows and using their noses to roll an egg across the ground.

Three more people will be joining the team tomorrow so more excitement awaits.... Pray for easy transitions and team unity.

I.

2010-06-30T09:38:00.001-07:00

Home again! ...because this really has become home for me.

It will be hard to express in words all the good times, amazing sights, and feelings of awe the past two days have held. But, here goes nothin'!

Whitney, Meg, and Brianna (the new arrivals) slept over here on Sunday night and traveled along with Diego, Barbara, and I to Leon Monday morning. No rush, just ready for a chill weekend, hanging out. The girls went to their hostel to "freshen up" while Diego, Barbara, and I dropped our bags off at the Gable's house, where we'd be staying the night. Then, the three of us headed out on foot into the streets of Leon. Diego acted as a very effective tour guide and translator as we passed beautiful buildings with crumbling architecture and wondered through markets filled with new smells, most of which were not pleasant.

We got lunch at a sports grill/bar place where the World Cup was playing on a flat screen TV. It was also a good place to chill waiting for the afternoon shower to pass. I got to watch my first WC game in Nica among Brazilian fans donned in yellow jerseys and beating on little drums. Brazil smoked Chili 4-0. Woop!

Then, Jesus allowed about an hour of sunshine enabling Barbara and I to tour the largest Cathedral in Central America. It was huge... beautiful despite its mold and moss covered condition. Nicaragua does not have the funds for proper maintenance so the exterior part of the building is deteriorating in a big way. But I think it makes it all the more beautiful. Barbara and I climbed all over it... all the way to highest point on the roof. It was absolutely stunning! I couldn't take enough pictures to portray the experience, though I tried.

Next, we rejoined the other three girls at their place. Diego and Barbara stayed to visit with an American couple who moved down here 5 weeks ago, while "us girls" went to the local movie theater to see The Book of Eli. Daddy, even though you already told me the entire plot, I enjoyed it thoroughly! We all had a great time hanging out. I'm glad to have made a new connection with Whit, Meg, and Bri, because soon my team will be moving on.

Barbara and Diego met up with us at the pizza place and we enjoyed some great pizza! After that, we headed to bed, excited for the beach the next day.

Playa Roca (Rock Beach) was our destination for the day. We rode a bus... and another bus... and a truck to get there. The waves were huge and the current was extremely strong. Someone had actually died there being swept away by the current. But we found a safe-ish stop to play around and then went and sat in a thatched roof, beach-side restaurant to enjoy fresca and hamburgers. We finished the day gazing at the amazing sunset and daring surfers. Then we found a truck... and a covered wagon type vehicle to take us back to Leon. From there Diego, Barbara, and I went to the bus station. Barbara and I watched Diego play pool until a bus was ready to leave for Candelaria.

So... that was our weekend adventure. Now, for a busy week as the original team transitions on and the new family emerges.

"H" for 'hair'

2010-06-26T21:03:00.001-07:00

Today I got my hair "did!" Diego, Barbara, Gato (Marvin), and I ventured out into Candelaria to find a lady who braids hair. We found her and proceeded to sit in her doorway for the next three hours as she pulled at our scalps and tied our brains up. I feel like someone from Star Wars, but I love it. Ha. Barbara is probably one of the coolest ladies I've met! She bravely allowed her gorgeous curly hair to be pulled into little tight braids that dangled around her ears. What a great experience!

onlookers (laughing at our hair):

BARBARA!!:

Diego's turn:

Lindsay and Lisa threw together a perfect Italian dinner, complete with bread and olive oil. Fettuccine Alfredo never tasted so good! Tomorrow, we're making American food for some of the boys... Tomato soup, grilled cheese, and apple pie with ice cream! I can't wait! :)

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I got to ride a motorcycle through the village!

G.

2010-06-25T21:31:00.000-07:00

Days are starting to pass very quickly, yet each day brings something entirely new. Today, three young girls arrived from the States and they will be here until August 14. They are staying in Leon and will ride the bus in each day. They bring the arts, dancing, and drama to bless the community. Thursday three more people come to stay on the property, and Barbara leaves to go home on Friday. Barbara and I have become good friends and I will miss her presence in the dorms. Hopefully we'll meet again on my next visit ;) Lisa and Lindsay are leaving in a week on Monday. So the air is filled with a sense of newness as new people shift in, and old teammates move on. Bittersweet. I'll miss the team we have here so much... in just a week we've really become family. For now, we're trying to get the most out of the time we have.

This Friday evening, we had a worship service instead of the normal "youth activities night." We danced the night away! It's been somewhat difficult for me to engage in worship during the services since everything is in Spanish, but this evening I let loose despite my lack of understanding. There's nothing like being free in the presence of the Lord... especially when you're dancing with a community just as excited as yourself. It's a beautiful thing! :D

On my agenda for tomorrow I have a full day of 1) family meeting and devotions 2) Skyping home 3) learning to make bracelets 4) swimming 5) getting hair braided :) and then an evening of "fellowshiping."

The lifestyle here is wonderful, despite the random water and electricity shortages. Everything takes longer and is not as hurried; everything is a process. Taking a shower, for example, does not require simply turning on the hot water and jumping in. Here, you have to boil the kettle (twice, if you want a decent amount of water); fill up buckets with water; then, while sharing the bathroom with three other people, jump in and turn on the cold, low-pressure faucet and see how long you can bear it. And, when the water's out, you've gotta get water from the well to flush the toilet with. Things like that force you to take your time and not rush through the day. I think my lifestyle when I return to the States is going to be different somehow and that makes me glad.

Well, as the kids here say, I'm peacin' out! Time to rest my feet!

F: more pics from monday and tuesday

2010-06-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

Our taxi that fit 5pple:

last night's ride home:

great market:

riding home - Kenia and Barbara

Diego:

bed 'n breakfast:

Lisa, Marvis, and Lindsay

F.

2010-06-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday morning, and I'm sitting on my top bunk reflecting over the past two days.

Monday morning we left the property at 8:30AM in a taxi, heading to Linda and Tommy's house. From there, we loaded up the truck and set off on our exciting adventure. The crew: Barbara, Lindsay, Lisa, Kenia (19, a girl from the village who hangs with us often), Diego, Tommy, Linda, and myself. Josh could not join us since he was sick. Pray for him!

To my joy, I got to ride in the back of the truck along with Kenia, Diego, and Barbara. Standing in the sunshine with the wind in your face, travelling at top speed is utter elation. Though, be prepared for your hair to be in knots by the end of the ride. And... and adventure is never complete without car trouble. About an hour into our travels, I start to feel water stinging my face. At first I thought it was rain, but no. It was coming from the engine of the truck. After pulling over we discover we have a problem and pull over at a random radiator shop. The radiator cap was broken, and the truck was going to have to stay at the shop until 7 that night. Nothing was gonna deter us, though, and we caught a bus into the city, where we walked around the market and admired the beautiful architecture. No two cities in Nicaragua are the same, and this one was very unique.

Linda, Lisa, Barbara, and myself had some great girl time shopping and eating. A little boy selling cashews on the street befriended us and tagged along with us for over 2hours. He, Marvis, was a great little conversationalist and we learned a lot about him and had many laughs at his jokes. He attends school from 6AM-12PM and then works on the street until 10PM... everyday.

Later that evening we met up with the rest of the group and had ice cream. I had a wonderful conversation with Tommy and Linda. They gave me good insight into my heart and their wisdom is blessing me. I became even more excited about what the Lord is going to do in me in the next few weeks. I will leave here a much freer person.

Next, we piled into the truck and headed to the bed and breakfast for the night. By that time it was dark, and it was only when I woke up in the morning that I realized how incredibly beautiful everything was. I truly was in the lap of luxury. Beautiful house on the side of a volcano, overlooking an enormous crater lake. Everything was green and the water was warm and crystal clear. After a great breakfast, we jumped in the lake to soak up the sun. I certainly soaked up the sun, burning my back and shoulders. But it was so worth it. I paddled out on a long board into the middle of the lake, hundreds of yards away from anyone. I kinda felt like a tribal lady in the middle of the rain forest. There, I was able to pour my heart to the Lord in a way I haven't done for a very long time. After about an hour, I came in, and we headed out to the local market. This market was full of creative art, clothes, bags, jewelry, shoes, and much more.
When we finished up there, we piled in the newly repaired truck to head home. Physically exhausted but spiritually refreshed I was ready to climb into bed. The water was out here at the dorms so I got in bed as I was and attempted to get some sleep. Sleep evaded me though, and I awoke in the middle of the night to find the bathroom floor flooded, since the faucet had been turned on when the water returned. When morning came, I felt pretty weak and my stomach had been hurting throughout the night. So here I sit, resting and getting ready for the busy week ahead. Tonight the new clinic opens and we have a special service. Also, we have many new-comers arriving this week, so the dorms are going to be full. We have a lot of exciting things planned, so keep checking in to see the new adventures ahead!

E.

2010-06-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

Ha. Well, today topped all my days so far... Unfortunately, though, I have no pictures, because I didn't want to keep track of my camera today. Plenty other people took pics though, so I'll have to steal 'em! :)

Santa Matilda was wonderful. We rode there... 20minutes on the back of a big, flatbed truck full of kids from the church. There were at least 30 of us piled on, I'd say. Singing songs, laughing, and bumping up and down... I had the ride of my life

We arrived at a muddy field in the middle of Santa Matilda, a very poor village. All of our music equipment was unloaded onto a basketball court on the field. Everything went under a large tent, including some chairs... everyone tried to find a patch of shade. Since we were a few hours early, some of the youth decided to go for a walk in the village. We met many beautiful people.

Then, we returned to the basketball court and played around with a ball until everyone was there and was ready to start the service. But, you should know that in Nicaragua, time works differently than it does in America. Someone here might say that they want to meet you at 3 'o clock, but that generally means within the hour of 3, if not later. If you show up at 3, bring a book.

Just when we were about ready to begin the service, the rain begins.... and doesn't stop. In fact it just gets harder so that, not even an hour had passed and the streets were flooded. Everyone.. about 50 people, at least, crowded under the tent on the basketball court, but not me! Three other little kids joined me, splashing, wrestling, and dancing in the rain. More kids came out to play and we started a game of soccer using a coke bottle full of rain water for our ball. All the older youth were yelling "tu loco"... aka: "You're crazy!" But they, too, joined the fun when they realized that staying dry was not gonna happen. I've never seen rain or lightning like that before, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. When it finally let up, after like 3hours, we performed a few dances... and the team did a drama, which was really powerful. Then, as it was getting dark, we loaded up and had another lively ride home.

So, basically nothing went as planned, but it ended up being a great experience and a ton of fun. I can't really describe to you what was so wonderful about today, but hopefully I described enough for you to have some sort of an idea. :)

I'll get pics up soon for ya'll, but now it's time for bed.

We're leaving in the morning at 8:30, and I won't be back until Tuesday night, so I'll have plenty to update you with then. But for now, adios!

D.

2010-06-19T20:44:00.000-07:00

Today, Saturday, was a day of relaxation and hanging out.

I just came from the Women's service and though I could not understand much of what was said, I heard a powerful woman of God speak with authority and strength obviously from God alone. Linda told me her testimony... She had experienced a childhood full of abuse and loneliness only to be taken in by an abusive and unfaithful man. God radically stepped in and saved them both and they have been ministering in the village ever since. Now, grey haired and living on 100 dollars a month, feeding children and grandchildren and suffering from diabetes, she still wears a smile and her faith in God is evident.

It's good that I had some down time today because for the next 3 days I'll be on the road. Tomorrow at 8AM there's dance practice. We are having a service in another town, spreading the gospel :) and at 9AM, we're having family time with Linda (she's spending the night with us tonight). Then we're leaving in the back of the truck for the outreach.

Monday and Tuesday are "off days" and we're heading out 4hours away to a beautiful lagoon to spend the night... zip lines, boat rides, monkeys, markets, canoes, yummy food are all on the agenda. No blogging then, but I'll tell ya'll all about it when I return!
Happy Fathers' Day, Daddy!! :D

C.

2010-06-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

What a great day! All of my favorite things: paint, sunshine, laughing, dancing, wrestling, and futbol (soccer)! We began making a banner for the opening of the clinic, but it quickly turned into finger paining... then face painting. We did finish the banner eventually though. I love how relationship takes precedence over tasks here. And there's no pressure to be good at something... everyone just loves participating in the group and being together.

This evening we had the youth activities night. We all walked down to a park and a group of girls got a soccer game together. By this time everything is really dark, despite the street lights. We had about 15 girls all running around, yelling, and getting full of dirt. Soccer, Nica style, is so great! I'll be getting in shape really quickly :) By the time it was time to go, the game was tied - 4-4 and everyone was upset to leave. Apparently that was the first time in awhile all the girls did more than just sit around and talk. Hopefully, we'll be playing like that often. I was covered in dirt.... "grody" as they said.

A shower and pancakes finished up a lovely day. The week holds lots more excitement.... prepare to be jealous!

B.

2010-06-17T21:55:00.000-07:00

Day two:

Woke up early to have some Jesus time. The sun rises around 5:30... by 6:30 everything is bright and shining. I found a spot at the back of the house to read and admire the landscape. Things were cloudy yesterday, but today I could clearly see the volcanoes.

I believe I failed to mention that I have three roommates: Lisa, Lindsay, and Barbara. Josh and Diego also live on the property. For now, we are the six Americans in the village, but soon there will be more joining our little family. This morning we all met together for worship and prayer. When we had finished up, Barbara said that it feels as if we've known each other much longer than one day, and she is right!

I spent much of the day down by a creek with the lovely Yahaira. She understands a lot of English and is teaching me Spanish. We filled three pages with English to Spanish translations and I learned two songs in Spanish: Shout to the Lord and Open the Eyes of My Heart. Yahaira and I bonded over the fact that we both love to paint and draw and tomorrow we will be making banners for the church and the clinic.

"Futbol" and dancing filled the rest of my day. I'm attempting to learn dances that will be performed in another village on Sunday. Ha! Hopefully I get 'em down before then!

The service held this evening was the general church service, so I got to experience my first one down here! It was wonderful: pure worship, great message by Tommy about enjoying God, and then more singing and dancing. Afterwards we went to eat at Bar Andrades which is a great restaurant in the village. Cheap food, but oh so good. We'll be eating there often.

Well that's it for day two... bed time!

The back of the house:

view from the back of the house/basketball court:

the church building:

my little friend Kaylee (not spelled like that but sounds like it)... and she's not really upset; she was acting :)

Bar Andrades:

A.

2010-06-16T13:09:00.001-07:00

My journey began at 6:20AM as I boarded my flight headed to Miami. There had been no hiccups so far... only a lost water bottle travelling through security. Ooops. God secured a great seat on the plane for me: 9F, with a beautiful view of the sunrise :)

Arriving in Miami, I found my gate without too much difficulty, boarded my plane at 10:40 and took off at 11:25. Seat 22A. I found myself sitting next to a sweet elderly lady who did not speak much English... the first of many.

As we approached Nicaragua the, what I now know are volcanoes, came into view. Surrounded by blue-green water, it was a stunning sight.

I met Tommy and Linda, after waiting for 30 minutes at the baggage claim. I climbed into their truck and was on my way. The drive from Managua to Leon (which is where Tommy and Linda live) is about 2 hours. On our way there, we picked up three policeman who rode in the back of the truck. Tommy asked me if his diving scared me and I replied that it didn't. Rollercoasters don't scare me either. Everyone drives aggressively and fast... though I'm not really sure how fast since Tommy's speedometer is broken. Ha. When it started raining, the policemen joined us inside the truck and we traveled "Nica-style"... I got to know Linda very well!

After stopping by the Gable's house, Linda and I ate sandwiches at a cute little restaurant in Leon. Then we set off on the 45minute drive to Candelaria: my home for the next month. Maybe... for the next year. This is a picture of the church, and the white house is where I sleep.

I love it here. The community is nothing like America has ever experienced and everyone is full of love and generosity.

I came into the village at time where the sense of community was intense as a loved one had just passed on. My first experience among the people was at a funeral. The family bonds and friendships here are beautiful and I am blessed to join them. My only frustration is that I am not proficient in Spanish. Hopefully that will change soon though, as the youth are very patient with me and have promised to teach me.

It's time for my first shower... And the youth service is tonight!
Here's some more pictures of my walk around Candelaria today: