Celebrate Good Times!

I forgot to tell you that at the clinic on Friday 25 received Christ!  I had the extreme honor and privilege of helping tally up numbers and I literally jumped for joy when I saw that one!!!  Praise God for Jeremias who was evangelizing for this trip!

Friday night we had a movie night at the church.  It was really fun to be able to provide a different experience for families to come and have.  We watched Inside Out and ate popcorn.  Saturday morning the clinic was open and we also had a women's event at the church.  The boys watched the kids while us ladies got to minister and have a good time with the women.  We played some games, had music, Karen gave a great message, and we did some fun crafts.  They got to plant some flowers, get their nails done, and paint a tote bag.  I pray those women left the morning feeling loved and restored.  Feeling important and valued, that they are so dear to God and also to us.

I stole a baby!!!  A three-ish week old!!! :)

In the afternoon we had some time to rest and then do some things to prepare for the celebration on Sunday.  I got to spend some time with Tania (one of the Nicas who translated for us) and just talk and get to know each other a bit.  She is one of the sweetest gifts God has given me in Nicaragua.  I know that He brought us together for His purpose and I love that we get to continue this path together. I have no doubt that Tania will be my friend forever, and then forever more! Okay, moving on from Tania ((I could talk about how great she is for the rest of the day)).  Saturday night was youth group, Fox River was in charge and we did a glow night!  We lit the church up with balloons filled with flashing lights and glow sticks and glow bubbles!  It was so fun!  I think the Nicas had a good time playing the games and watching the skit.  Pastor Rob gave a message and we had some group time as well!  I love being part of youth group up in La Esmeralda!

Sunday we celebrated 5 years of the clinic being open.  We woke up super early to get everything ready and decorated before the event.  Once we got the clinic and outside ready, we all ran to change our clothes and get ready ourselves.  It was so great to be part of the celebration and hear about some of the impact it has had over the years.  God has done so much through the clinic and continues to today.  I cannot wait to see what the next years hold for this particular place in La Esmeralda!

 

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."                                                                                                                                  1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Together we Do.

This year coming to Nicaragua has been a very different experience for me than usual.  I have had the privilege of coming before Fox River and getting to help prepare for the team.  It was really cool to get to see all the things that go into preparing for a team and being part of that.  There is so much more work than I ever knew or cared to think about, the Nicas work many many hours getting La Esmeralda and the houses we stay in ready for us, and Donna runs around the country getting all the things together for us so that the team will be comfortable while they stay.

 I waited for the team anxiously at the airport and then finally got to hug them as they walked through the doors!  After they had some time to eat we headed for Selva Negra where we would stay for a night.  Then the next morning we made the rest of the trip to La Esmeralda and then got settled and a little organized.  We built the hygiene packs while the medical people had a little orientation and got settled in the clinic.  Those of us making the packs had a little too much fun in the Marena house hahaha!  It was so good to get there and spend time with good friends and meet some new ones!  Then we went to church Fox River put on a skit that moved many of the Nicas.  It was to the song of Oceans and portrayed how the world is constantly trying to distract us from the path God is calling us to. And how our fear sometimes gets the best of us and we don’t take the steps God has asked of us.  But in the end if we trust God and keep our focus on Him the things of the world don’t seem as great and the things that look scary don’t hold a flame to His power! 

 

 God worked this week.  We had two different groups in our team this year, the ones in the clinic and the ones going out into the communities.  I got to be part of both sides and I can honestly say that both work extremely hard to accomplish whatever task God has given them on this trip.  This year since we had separate groups that meant we had less translators…which meant I was a translator this time.  Friday the medical people had their first clinic and saw [] patients and 25 saved!! The community group went out into Las Nubes and La Esmeralda to hand out hygiene packs Fox River donated.  We broke up into three groups and headed off in different directions.  As we walked around to the houses and started to share these gifts it opened the door for us to invite them to the events we would be having that week, and also to share about the hope we have in Christ and the love He has given us.  This is always one of my favorite parts of the trip, and this year was no different. I love this part because even though I don’t know much Spanish I can still communicate to the people that they are loved.

 

 I somehow always end up with Jorvin (youth pastor) and he takes [as I call it] the road less traveled; which means some serious hiking. It also means that we go to houses and people who do not have many visitors if any at all.   My friend Enmanuel and I teamed up, we kind of made one translator with the Spanish I know and the English he knows, as we walked around the communities to do hygiene packs.  It was really fun being able to do that because it really shows the need for one another in being able to accomplish what God has called us to do.  This is something I struggle with if I am being honest.  I often feel like things would be easier if I could just do it myself and not have to depend on others.  I do not like needing people, but God is teaching me through this chapter in my life that it is impossible to complete His plan for my life without the Body of Christ.  It is a hard lesson to learn but I am learning that it is so much sweeter when we come together for the same purpose  
     

                                                                                                                                            
Something that I love so much about being with a team in Nicaragua is the unity we find fulfilling God's will for our lives that week.  No matter where you come from or what language you speak unity comes by Christs blood.  Though physically we don't share blood, spiritually we do and I would argue that the blood that binds us spiritually is a lot thicker and stronger than physical...but that is just me.  To me these are some of the best relationships in the world, the ones that are not restrained by conversation and need to always be saying something to relate to the other.  Coming together and getting to do ministry in this environment is always fruitful.  I believe it is because there is no way we could communicate without God's power, and there is no way that some of the things we do would ever be possible without Him on our side.  This is what the Body of Christ is supposed to look like.
 
I will post multiple posts about this last week because there are just so many things to talk about!  Stay tuned for more!  

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."                                                                                                                                  1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Praise and Prep!

Sunday was the second official Sunday at the new Pochocuape church.  I lead the children's class along side Donna and Ashley.  My responsibility is the music, we worship to a few songs by singing and dancing!  We are training some of the young men of the church so that they can take it over at the end of the summer.  I am so excited to be part of the beginnings of this church!  It is so cool to see something new be born in Jesus' name!  I can already see God working in this church and in the hearts of some of the people there.  There is no doubt in my mind that this church will do great things  in the name of Jesus.
 

Childrens

Pastor Marcelo leading on Sunday

After church we went to lunch with Pastor Marcelo, Luis, and a missionary couple that are joining Familia Avance in the next year or so.  It was a really sweet time of fellowship and laughter.  The food was good too ;)  We had a bit of time to rest and then we headed to church in Masaya.  I really enjoyed being in Masaya and getting to meet most of the people in that church. The people there really welcome you with open arms and want to know you!  It was so good to be able to talk with some of them and share a bit about ourselves with each other, I truly feel like I have some new friends.  God is working in this church as well, they have had 6 men give their lives to Christ over the last few weeks in their homeless ministry.

Enjoying some time to sit in Gods creation

Today we did some more shopping and preparing for the group to get here on Wednesday. As we only have a day left til they get here there are a bunch of last minute details that we are ironing out and picking up! We bought some Bibles for one of the churches which was fun to do, we are literally putting the Word into peoples hands!  I had some time to work on some planning for the girls event that I will be having on July 8th and I got a little help from my friend Angel on some graphics for it!  Hahaha. It has been a busy week since I have gotten here but I couldn't be happier. The way I feel while I am here is not explainable, I believe it is a result of living in obedience to what God is asking of me.  I miss my family, I miss my friends, I miss my so loved kiddos....but there is no place I would rather be!  Oh! And I went to Walmart today!  It looks a lot like Walmart's in the States, just a bit smaller and some different offerings.

The invitation for the girls day. ((Thank you, Angel))

Pray that God would continue to work in Pochocuape and that we would get to see the evidence of His power.  For my continued focus on why I am here and who I am here with.  That as I am immersed in spanish it would become more clear to me each day.  Pray for the Nicas as they are busy and hard at work getting ready for Fox River to come and the clinic celebration on Sunday.  That they would have a clear focus on who all the glory belongs and who they are serving as they are preparing. Praise God for the working in Pochocuape and Masaya!  Praise Him for the breeze He brings in just the right moment, what a sweet gift that is! 

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."                                                                                                                                  1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Go(o)d Gifts

The last two days have been amazing!  Yesterday we got up at 4:30 to leave the house at 5am.  We ran around picking up the things we had bought the day before and buy a few more things at the market.  Then we started our journey to La Esmeralda.  We got there and unloaded the truck and then loaded the fridge. One of the bests parts of the day for me was being able to see me friends up there.  My heart just about jumped out of my chest when I saw them, I hadn't realized just how much I had missed them.  I cannot explain the joy of seeing these sweet sweet friends that God has given me and created the bonds within them.  I got to spend some time catching up with them and hug them and just be with them, it was such a blessing to me!

 After we were finished getting some things together and having some conversations in La Esmeralda we headed to Jinotega.  Where Donna, Denis, and myself went to the lawyers office to sign some documents.  There were two pieces of land that they were there to sign; one for the land the Las Nubes church will be built on and the other is for some land that Fox river has bought for Denis and Karen.  The Las Nubes land is important because the church there is growing in strides and ready for a building so they can really establish what God is doing there.  For Denis and Karen to have this land means that they can start providing for themselves for the future and for right now as well.  Both of these things are just more proof of God's working in this community!  I cannot wait to see what God does with this!  It was really cool to sit in on the end of this process and get to hear the hearts of these guys who are selling their land.  We didn't get back to the house until almost 9.  Needless to say we were all exhausted, but God had blessed the day.

Today we went to the oriental market, which is the largest open air market in Central America and it is two miles long, getting children chairs for the new church in Pochocaupe.  That was a fun experience and we took along with us Sergio who had driven with us to La Esmeralda.  Then we headed up to have youth group there, in Pochocuape.  We had a lot of fun and laughs!  As always in ministry things don't go as planned sometimes and tonight was one of those, but God knows what He is doing and He is able to work in ways we don't understand! 

Pray that God would do a work in the church tomorrow morning!  Pray that as we continue to prepare for Fox River that our focus would not be taken off of God.  For continued understand of the language and boldness to use what I do know!  Praise God for the joy He brings to us, for His love that translates through language and cultural barriers, for how He gives us just what we need exactly when we need it.  He is a good good Father!  He loves us!  Amen! 

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."                                                                                                                                  1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Settle, Shop, and Sleep

I made it safe!  On my way here God blessed me big time and gave me a few brothers and sisters (in Christ) to talk with.  Being able to have them helped me to focus on the excitement and not my nerves.  God is so so good!   I have had time to unpack and get settled.  There were some men working on our house yesterday and today putting bars on the windows…”had to add bars since the jewel of Fox River is here” –Donna hahaha!  Laughter is good for the soul…I am going to have a very healthy soul this summer if that is true! 

We have mango and avocado trees just outside the house and we get to enjoy lots of other fresh fruits and vegetables.  It is so beautiful here.  Our home is on the mountain side of Managua so it is a little cooler here than in the real city like side of it.  Praise the Lord!  

Today we went shopping to prepare for Fox River next week.  Buying food for 50 people and enough for a week was an interesting/fun experience.  We had a lot of help at the stores from the workers and I am sure we amused a lot of people by the amount of food we bought.  It has been so cool to be part of preparing for this trip and seeing what goes on being the scenes of things here.  That was most of our day today, running around to different stores buying food and things for the mission team.  We had a bit of time to cool off and then church in Managua.  One of the things I am so looking forward to is experiencing all the different churches and areas of ministries that God is allowing me to do.

It has been an exhausting couple of days, but in the best ways.  The heat takes energy right out of me, thankfully God has given us time to take a beat and chill a little bit.  Coming to a country that does not speak the language I am used to has been hard.  Not always being able to understand people and what they are asking is so difficult for me.  I think the hardest thing is that I so desire to know them but I just don’t have it down enough to really ask the questions that build relationships.  I have studied Spanish enough to understand some, but not in the busy chaotic environment that has been my life the last few days.  My brain is on overload a little bit.  New things to see and new people to meet is exciting and also a little bit taxing.  But God is good!  I know that He is stretching me and giving me the strength that I need for right now and sometimes that just means being able to say “I’m sorry I didn’t catch that” or a nice breeze while standing in the hot sun.  He is so faithful!  

Pray for me that I would be bold to speak even if I am not totally certain in my own brain.  That He would open my ears to hear and understand. That God will continue to provide me with energy and alertness when need be and to help my brain turn off when it is time to rest.  Praise Him for His faithfulness thus far and how He will continue to be as we move forward.  Praise Him for the beautiful weather that Nicaragua has welcomed me with!  Praise Him because He is who He is and that is more than enough for this little heart of mine.  I am excited for my day tomorrow and cannot wait to share more about it!

  "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."                                                                                                                                  1 Corinthians 13:1-3