God Is Incredible

God is incredible. The things He can do, the people He can change, through people like us amazes me. 

We started yesterday off a little different by going to a nearby school. We split up into groups and each group went into a classroom of younger children to invite them to VBS in the afternoon and speak about Jesus. Then we did the same with classes of middle schoolers and high schoolers. Cory, our group leader, took on the middle schoolers since he teaches that age back in Alabama. It's hard to share something so big in such a small amount of time, but we were given a time limit in each class. However, inviting the kids to VBS gave them a chance to come hear more about Jesus and have fun while doing so. 

These are a couple boys we met during recess. The boy in the middle, Juan, loved giving everyone big hugs. We saw him later on at VBS:)

Of course, there was a soccer game going on during recess between some middle school aged boys. 

This is the group of middle schoolers listening to Cory teach. 

When we left the school we headed back to the church for lunch and then to the open field for VBS. Benjamin shared the gospel with the kids and adults who came, and then we did a craft with the kids. They made crowns that represent Jesus as King and got to decorate them with stars and jewels. 

We also did face painting, bubbles, chalk, and more games. The kids had a blast and I had fun watching them get excited with the activities the team prepared for them. 

After about an hour it was time to go back to church to get ready for the woman's meeting. There was about 10-12 women and teenage girls who came and a few girls from our team led the small group. At the end, another woman in our group, Tammy, shared her testimony. The pastor's wife also shared her testimony. It was a good way for all of us to connect despite our differences and the language barrier. We had a wonderful translator, Yorlina (Jojo), who helped immensely by being patient with those who spoke. At the end of the meeting the girls from the team had some gifts they brought with them. We handed out makeup bags full of soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, and lots more little things. 

After the women's meeting, it was almost time for the evening service. There is a room attached to the back of the church where the service was held. Some of the guys from our group have spent the past couple days installing lights in the back room. They finally finished yesterday afternoon before the service and this is the outcome. 

It may not look super fancy, but Pastor Calero was very appreciative and thankful that there were now lights in the room. 

Pastor Calero's birthday was yesterday, and his wife asked the team to sing his favorite song, Amazing Grace, to him. 

Then Cory spoke on reasons why we should appreciate our pastors and ways we can do so. The pastor is the leader of the church, and it is important for the body of the church to follow the pastor as it says in Hebrews 13:17, "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you". 

Cory encouraged us last night to learn to appreciate our pastors because they play a huge role in the church and the growth of the church. 

Last night two things happened that can only be described as incredible. The woman in this picture is someone we met on Sunday going door to door. 

One of our group members, Zach, shared the gospel with her. Jojo noticed something was wrong with her after he finished and she asked her what. Zorayta told Jojo she was struggling with two of her older kids. Whenever they would spend time together all they wanted to do was fight and argue. She works a lot, so she doesn't have much time to spend with them. It was heartbreaking to see her upset because I could tell she loved her kids and just wanted them to be together. Each of us gave her some encouragement and we were all in tears by the end. We asked her to come to the night service, which she and her younger son did. Then we asked her to come again last night, which she did. Jojo told us she could tell Zorayta was happier. God knew what Zorayta was struggling with and I believe he sent us to her home to share with her and let her know she wasn't alone. God is changing her and He used us to to help. 

The second incredible thing that happened had to do with the drunk guy I briefly mentioned in the last post. The first time we talked to him he was drunk. Then Benjamin went back on Sunday to see if he accepted his challenge to be sober and he was drunk again. This guy (I'm not sure of his name) worked in the evening and we were told he would be sober after work around 7. I walked out of the service last night to see none other than the drunk guy talking to Benajmin. I found out later that he was sober and felt convicted of his actions. God had been working on his heart before we even got there, and He used one of our team members to show the guy there was more to life than drinking. I don't know when or if he will give his life over to God and change, but the fact that he came to the church after work to talk to Benajmin SOBER was incredible in itself. 

God has different ways of using each of us for his glory. But it is our choice of whether we want to allow God to use us or ignore His voice. God is all around us and He has given us the free will to make these decisions. Amazing things can happen if we open our hearts and allow God to work in and through us.

La Colonia

It has been a busy couple of days here in Nicaragua. Saturday was the first full day for the Alabama team working in a community called La Colonia. We started the day off by doing some door to door evangelism. It was interesting to hear people's responses to questions about salvation. Over the last two days we have gotten a mixture of answers and have had some really good conversations and some not so good conversations. One family we talked with were believers, but they had a son who was not. He was drunk when we were there, and one of our team members, Benjamin, challenged him to be sober Sunday when he stopped by again. Unfortunately, he was drunk yet again. Then, we had a conversation with a woman next door who listened to what we had to say and ended up opening up towards the end with a struggle of hers. We all encouraged her and prayed for her and invited her to attend the service last night. She showed up with her son, and that was her first time at the church, Ebenezer. So, we have had some conversations that go nowhere, but then we have had conversations that show a glimmer of hope. 

After going door to door Saturday, we went to an open field near by for VBS with the kids. It was insanely windy, which wasn't ideal for coloring. Nonetheless, the kids enjoyed coloring and playing in the field. 

We had games of baseball, soccer, and frisbee going on. 

The kids learned that God made everything from trees to dogs to families.

We did some more door to door after lunch and played some soccer and basketball with teenagers for a while before the service that night. 

One of the team members preached Saturday night in Ephesians and then another Sunday night. This week the team is focusing on teaching about evangelism and growth within the church. A growing church is not based on numbers; rather it is based on purity and maturity in Christ. We are encouraging members of the church to spread the Word of God in their community and then allow God to grow their church through them. It has been a learning experience for me as well to listen and watch how different team members share the Gospel. They focus on teaching how sin separates us from God and challenges people to think about how sin affects our lives. They use some really good examples and analogies when explaining sin and how Jesus payed for our sins when he died on the cross. I have enjoyed hearing the different approaches of each team member. 

Sunday morning we attended the service at Enenezer. One of the things everyone always comments on when attending services here is the passion these people have when worshiping. It doesn't matter if they have a good singing voice or not. They sing loud and with immense joy without caring what others think. 

We did more door to door yesterday after the service. Then after lunch we walked over to another part of the community to continue sharing. This time it was different and much harder. The first woman we talked with was very open and honest and accepting of what we had to say. Then the next few people were a little more hard headed and stubborn. It seemed like we were getting nowhere with some of them, but the point of what we are doing here is to share the Word of God and pray people realize the truth behind our words. 

We attended one more service Sunday night and Benajmin preached in Ephesians. Some of the team members brought guitars and they sang last night during worship. We heard a couple testimonies as well after worship. It was a good message and there were quite a few new people who attended. 

The rest of the night we spent at the mission house preparing for today and relaxing. 

Josie

The next team has arrived! Team First Baptist Holly Pond from Alabama came in tonight and we have a busy week ahead of us. 

The past two days have just been spent preparing for their arrival, but I also had a chance to go back to Vida Nueva today. I spent all morning there and loved every minute of it. My hair was pulled, my shirt stretched out, my arms got tired from holding a kid every second (sometimes two at a time), my neck hurt from them climbing on my head, and there was at least one of them crying at every moment. But...I got to make them smile, I got to hold them, I got to hear them laugh and giggle, I got to play with them, and I got to comfort them. It wasn't easy dealing with ten little kids who all wanted to be held and who only spoke Spanish, but I wouldn't take any of it back. 

Each of them have something special and I loved getting to know each of them better today. One little girl in particular, Josie, completely stole my heart. She was laying down in the corner when I got there, and I heard her start to cry because one of the little boys was sitting on her. I picked her up and hugged her and only let go of her when I absolutely had to. Last time I was there I heard Chris telling Josie's story. It was impossible not to get emotional when hearing how she ended up there. To start, Josie is five years old and weighs only 24 pounds. She is covered in scars from head to toe and her poor, sweet face had too many to count. She has had countless broken bones gone unattended, and her hip is deformed, causing her foot to be turned in and making it hard for her to walk. She doesn't have much hair and she has this pitiful cry that makes my heart ache for her. Before she came to this orphanage she was abused, starved, abandoned, and hurt. Today I got to see her beautiful smile and I got to hold her fragile little body and cuddle her. 

I can't explain how precious she is, and I pray one day she will have a loving family. I pray every single one of these kids has a loving family one day because they deserve it. No child deserves to go through what these kids have gone through. 

I know God will take good care of them, and I know he has a plan for each of them. They are in a safe place now, away from all the hurt and pain, and I can only pray they never have to go back to a life of suffering. 

John 14:18, "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." 

Unforgettable Memories

Yesterday was the last day for our small team. We visited an orphanage in Managua called Vida Nueva Nicaragua, or New Life Nicaragua. This is a place where children who have been abused, neglected, malnourished, and abandoned come to start over. There were a few babies and about ten kids ages 3-5. It was fun playing with the kids there, but some of their stories are just heartbreaking. Tristan, Emily, and Jennifer raised money back in the States before they came to buy formula to help out.  

Though these kids had a rough time before, they were all smiles. 

Lunch time! 

Jennifer planned for us to have lunch with Tim and Chris, who started this orphanage after they moved to Nicaragua thirteen years ago. We ate at this small restaurant here in Managua called Chik Chak. While we ate some delicious food we got to hear their story of how they came to Nicaragua. It's very inspiring hearing stories of how people became missionaries, and we had two great couples who gladly shared theirs with us. 

We sat and talked for a while until it was time for them to leave. The four of us decided we would spend some time in El Cañon to finish our day. As always, it was great to see all the kids and we had a blast. I saw one little boy, Christopher, who I met over two years ago. I'm sure he didn't remember me, but it was nice to see him and meet some new little ones.

This is Christopher holding a bird he caught. He looks the exact same as I remember him, just taller:) 

Emily, Tristan, and Mildred. She was a little firecracker!

He wanted to try on Emily's sunglasses. 

This little boy was THE most precious thing! 

It was really sad leaving all those kids, but we all enjoyed the time we got to spend with them. Even the kids at Vida Nueva weren't easy to leave. Whether it's an hour or a whole day spent with any of them, it's never easy. I guess I will just have to adopt them all. What do you think mom and dad?? 

Our last night was spent unwinding from the week. Jennifer left early this morning, and Tristan and Emily left at noon. We all had such a great time working together and building friendships. It was definitely a wonderful team and we made so many memories:) 

Today, after they all left, it was time to prepare for the next team. A few of us from the mission house went grocery shopping and it took us a long time to buy everything and get it all back to the house. Not much else has gone on today, but we will be very busy when our next team arrives. I can't wait to see what God has planned for us this next week! 

Surfing Cerro Negro

Yesterday was our free day and we chose to go volcano surfing in León. Usually teams will go zip lining or spend the day at the beach, but we wanted to do something adventurous. And adventurous it was! We planned the whole day from what time to leave the house to how long it would take to surf the volcano to what time we would eat lunch. However, this is Nicaragua, and time is not of the essence here. Jennifer says we are on "Nica time", which means we are running very late. It took about an hour and a half to drive to León and another forty five minutes to drive to the volcano, called Cerro Negro. It was already lunch time when we headed for the volcano in the truck. We had to drive down this really long, narrow dirt road until we came to the bottom of the volcano. From there, we strapped on our backpacks and surf boards and started climbing. 

Me, David, Emily, Tristan, and our guide Mario. 

This was the easy part when we climbed up the big rocks. Most of the climb was little chunks of volcano rocks that moved everytime you took a step. 

It took us an hour to reach the top and we were exhausted by that time. However, the view was worth it. 

This is what we hiked up the entire way. 

Our view from the top of the volcano.

The slide down the volcano was fun, but difficult. There was a technique we had to follow and that was hard enough without falling off the board. I think we reached about 50mph and by the time we got to the bottom we were covered head to toe in black dust and rocks. 

After our adventure we headed back into town to get lunch. León is a beautiful city full of color, gorgeous architecture, and lots of people. We ate at a small restaurant called El Sesteo where they serve the most incredible lemonade I have ever tasted. 

This is a cathedral in the town square and we got to go inside to look around. We walked around the square for a little while before driving twenty minutes to the coast. We weren't at the beach for long, but we couldn't resist stopping by since it was so close. 

Once we arrived back at the mission house we got cleaned up in time for dinner. Two of the girls from Casa Genesis, Patricia and Claudia, and their house mom Luisa came over. We all talked and ate and caught up with each other. It was very nice to spend the evening with them. The rest of our night was spent relaxing and getting ready for the next day. 

Nejapa

Yesterday we visited a community called Nejapa and went door to door inviting women to a service that evening at El Camino church. I believe this was the very first church I ever went to in Nicaragua over two years ago. It was painted blue since then, but I recognized it immediately. 

Pastor Michael was with us as we visited each home. There were some homes we spent more time at and some we spent just a few minutes. Most of the people in this village are Catholic or they attend a different church. Our goal was to help Pastor Michael build more relationships in his community by inviting these people to attend his church. His community is fairly big, and it is tough for a pastor to know everyone in a community. 

Another thing I love about Nicaragua is the hospitality. Without so much as a "buenas" are they already pulling up chairs in the shade and inviting us into their home. Some are more open to talking than others, but even those who aren't are hospitable. At one house we even shared fresh tortillas and queso while we chatted with the family. 

We walked around the community talking with families until lunch time. We ran back to the mission house to eat since it was only a five minute drive. Back in the community, we went to visit a different area. There was a family who lived in a cluster of houses and we invited a group of girls and any other women in their family to the service. Another family member lived in a house adjacent to theirs and Pastor Michael knew her. Her name was Esmeralda and she was all smiles as we talked with her. She had been to El Camino before, but attends a Catholic church now. We spent some more time talking with her about her relationship with God, and it was good to be able to discuss openly our views with her. We prayed with her before we left and she seemed happy that we stopped to talk with her. We were able to pray with each family and would ask if they had any specific requests. Quite a few families had sick members or single mothers who needed a job to support her kids. Each family was different, but a lot of them had similar needs. Whether they were saved or not, though, each family was willing to hear us pray for them. 

This is Jennifer handing out silver crosses as a reminder of what Christ did for us. The kids loved them as well as the adults. 

At the women's service that evening there was a good turnout. Jennifer stayed with them while Tristan, Emily, and I watched the kids. We had told the families while going door to door that we were able to watch their kids so they could attend the service. Since the service focused on women, it made it a little easier for them to focus in the message without shifting their attention to their kids. The three of us actually had a lot of fun being with the kids and keeping them occupied. Often times mothers here don't have much help with their kids, and they usually have more than one kid running around. It's nice to allow them a chance to really focus on something that could change their life without worrying about their kids for a while. 

Here are some of the women after the service. 

This is one little boy we got to take care of and he was the most content baby. 

He loved to be held so he faced everything. In this picture we are watching it rain outside and he hardly made a sound the entire time.

The service lasted about two hours and we met some of the women who attended. It was time for everyone to head home, so we went back to the house after saying goodbye to Pastor Michael. 

We were expecting a team that night, and they were already there when we got home. They needed a place to stay for the night that was close to the airport since they had a really early flight. We all ate dinner and hung out in little groups until everyone headed to bed. 

The team left early this morning and we all went to a church called Hosanna at eight. It's one of the bigger churches in Managua, and it was interesting to attend that compared to a small village church. After the morning service we actually headed over to El Cañon to attend their service. It was a lot smaller and more intimate that Hosanna. 

There was another team from Kentucky there and a woman was translating the message for us all. I like the community church services because it's usually easier to meet new people or visit with ones you already know. We got to briefly see some of the kids from the orphanage across the street before leaving to go to the mission house. 

After lunch we went back to the orphanage to see the kids and, of course, catch some of the game. It was the final game of the World Cup against Alemania and Argentina. Most of the older girls and guys were watching and rooting for Argentina. However, Germany ended up winning the game and the World Cup. There were two very happy girls there, but most everyone else was a bit disappointed at the loss. 

We were supposed to go back to Nejapa after lunch, but we were told it wouldn't be wise since everyone would be watching the game. Instead, we went to Nejapa for the four o'clock service at El Camino. It was a small crowd, but Pastor Michael told us how grateful he was that we came to his community even for a short visit. He also thanked us for attending the service and reaching out to the community. Usually teams who help his community hold a VBS camp or do lots of activities with the kids. That's not a bad thing at all, but I guess it was a nice change for him to have us out in the community and involved in the services. 

The rest of our night has been uneventful. Most of us haven't felt well today, so we took this time to unwind from the busy week and discuss the last couple days. Tomorrow is our R&R day and dinner with the Casa Genesis girls. At the end of the week there will be a new team arriving, so I'm enjoying these last couple days with my small, but wonderful team:)

Saying Goodbye Is Never Easy

Today was a tiring, but great day. We got up early and drove to a community called Rosario Murillo, about thirty minutes away. This summer Shoreline church worked with this community and we took today to do kind of a follow up. We met Pastor Flores when we got there and he showed us the three classrooms the Shoreline team had started to build onto the two others. There was a school down the road that the kids attend, but the classrooms we worked in today were where the kids went to do homework and learn about the Bible. The first classroom we visited was a group of 9-11 year olds. We played a name game with a soccer ball, taught the story of Lazarus with a felt board, played other games, and colored pictures from the Bible. 

After that they had a break where we went outside and played soccer and goofed off. 

Once they were good and tired it was time for food. Emily and Tristan brought bowls of gallo pinto from the kitchen at the church and handed them out to the kids. 

Before we took a break for lunch we went to a few houses Shoreline had visited previously and spent a few minutes praying for them. We didn't have time to visit all the houses, but it was nice to follow up with the ones we did. 

After lunch we went to another classroom of 3-5 year olds. 

Here we played the name game by rolling a ball to everyone in a circle. 

We played "papa caliente" with the soccer ball. 

Jennifer taught the story of Lazarus and we finished with another game and coloring. 

The kids had so much energy by the end that they went wild when it was time for a break. We all went outside and played some more soccer and jacks on tiles outside the classrooms. 

The woman on the left is the teacher. 

This is the field and to the right is the pavilion where church is held. 

The kids like to take pictures, so here are a few taken by them:)

We decided to stay for the women's group at six this evening, so we had hours to spend with the kids. We taught the story once more to a group of kids and the rest of our time was spent playing. This is one of my favorite parts because each of their personalities start to show and they never stop smiling. It usually happens with every community-the kids are shy at first, but there's always a moment where the color of our skin or the lack of our ability to communicate disappears. After that we are all there to enjoy the time God has given us to be together. 

One thing I find extremely hard yet so beautiful at the same time is the bonds we form. There are kids who drag you around by the arm wherever they go, kids who go back and forth between you and their friends, kids who you don't really meet until the end but can still laugh and have a good time, and then there are kids who latch on and never let go. 

Not one of these kids is ever easy to leave, especially those like José André (this is as close as I can get to spelling it right since it took asking ten different people what his name was). 

He bounced between Tristan, Emily, and I for a while and followed at least one of us at all times. He was silly and sometimes rough. I couldn't understand hardly a word he said. He could never make up his mind. But at one point he latched onto me and wouldn't let go, and it broke my heart. I don't know anything about his life, but I sensed he didn't get much love from his family. I could be completely wrong, but it didn't seem that way. I carried him around everywhere and even when I sat he was still hanging on. He would point and tell me to walk over to the truck and set him on the edge of the bed, then seconds later hold his arms out and point over to the fence. This pattern went on up until we left. My arms were so tired after hours of carrying him and he wouldn't let me set him down, but I didn't care. When you have a kid like him it's impossible to let go. However, near the end of the women's service, his dad came riding up on a bike and called out for him. I talked to his dad, José, for a few minutes until I had to give him up. I handed him over and waved goodbye. Not only is it hard to say goodbye, but it's even harder to know I may never see any of these kids again. They are all equally incredible and special no matter how much time I spent with each of them today. 

I could go on forever telling stories about them, but it's late here and we have a full day tomorrow. We ended our night with the women's service where Jennifer gave a great lesson to about thirty five women.

It was a great turn out and the women enjoyed having Jennifer talk. They all came around and shook our hands afterwards and we all said goodbye and headed back to the mission house. Tomorrow will be a long day, but I'm excited to see what else God has in store for us!