Mosquitoes are mean!!!

Yes, that's right I said it, they are just plain mean! I have around 50 bites and counting. The "Deep Woods Off" seems to make no difference to them. I have been told I'm new and foreign blood so they like me. I hope they get tired of me soon because I am walking around looking like I have the chicken pox with people pointing and gasping, making ouchy faces. As if I don't look foreign enough....


It is Easter and very quiet in the city. There doesn't seem to be much celebration amoungst Christians here. The Catholics have been celebrating their brains out. I think I heard fireworks last night. Really it seems it is just a time for a few days off and everyone heads for the beach. La Policia are out everywhere pulling people over for drunk driving. This morning we ( my host family ) and I went to church and there was a American pastor who gave the message. I was happy to hear before hand that the message would be in English. But when he started to talk he was speaking Spanish. My friend Raul, who will also be my interpreter for awhile, brought me a headset where someone who speaks English translates for you( I love this idea ). Well, she had trouble translating because the speaker wasn't using the right Spanish words. I almost understood his Spanish more than the English the translator was speaking. At the end Pator Ricardo, my host dad, got up on stage and said in Spanish. " So in conclusion, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, Amen!!! Have a good week !!" It was really funny.

Leyda, my host mom, Judith, my host sister, and I went to mall for lunch. I found out there, that Leyda likes to shop, ok, she LOVES to shop. We all bought a new pair of shoes. Which made a quick lunch at the mall turn into a 2 hour lunch at the mall. And she told me on the way home of there is anything I ever need to go buy just ask her and we will go shopping. I think she is very happy there is another woman living in the house. The last missionary who lived here was a twenty something year old guy who, I am sure, didn't like to go shoe shopping with Leyda.

Gloria and Wilbert ( I am here to assist Gloria and Wilbert is her husband )had to make a sudden trip to Costa Rica to be by the side of Wilbert's ill father.( Please pray for them and Wilbert's family). So she has given me a list of projects that we were supposed to do together so I could get a feel for things here. But now I will be doing them on my own!!!! God truly knows how I work best. Just get thrown in and try to swim. I will have a driver and Raul w/ me so it won't be that bad. Still, it's new territory. Tomorrow I am to take a lady that has cervical cancer, who lives near the dump, to the hospital for exams for the possiblity of chemo treatment. I don't beleive she has had many doctor examinations. Gloria said she is bleeding and in pain. Pray that this lady would trust Raul and me to care for her.

Please pray:

• Praise God that He has given me rest and cleared my mind to be able to understand Spanish more and more each day.
• Praise God for the loving friends I have here and am going to meet.
• Pray that I seek His guidance this week for the projects Gloria has assigned Raul and me.
• Pray for His protection over me as I will be traveling w/ the funds to execute these projects.
• Pray that God gives wisdom to the doctors while examining the lady w/ cancer. Pray that I would understand what is going on and Raul's interpretations would be accurate.

Above are pictures of my new home and of Wilbert & Gloria, we were at Pizza Hut celebrating his nephew Mikels visit from Costa Rica. I was blessed to be included w/ their family.

Happy Easter

Love In Christ

Susie

Managua, Nicaragua

I arrived Saturday March 31st to Managua at 10 pm after a long day of traveling. The wet weather in Houston made the trip even longer. I was greeted my my new host mother , Leyda , my new aunt, Lena , her sister, and my new little sister, Judith, Leyda's daughter who is 10 yrs old. Who, by the way, dressed up for the occasion. She looked beautiful. Upon arriving to my new home, my new little brother Natan was waiting to say hi, he's 16 yrs. old and just as cute as can be. The greetings were short as we were all tired and ready to go bed.

Sunday morning we were off to church ( an hour later than planned which seems to be a pattern here). I was surprised and a little embarressed when I was exiting the rest room and the congregation was waiting to pray for me. The worship is very colorful and lively. Dancers in the front with flags and swags of frabric. Lots of clapping and dancing. Pastor Ricardo Hernandez's ( my new host father and Leyda's husband) message sounded interesting but of course I could not understand a word. The earlier service has translators, so hopefully we will make it to that service next week.

In the evening we, Helen from Forward Egde, Gloria my new boss, and I were off to a wedding ( that started about 1 1/2 hours late)! I had met the family during my last few visits to Nica. I had the pleasure of cutting the hair of the mother and daughter last August. The ceremony was much like in the states. Except of course the late start. The "walking down the isle" music was our " after they are married walking down the isle music" and vice versa. We did not stay for the reception as we were all very tired.

Monday morning we took 3 brothers from El Canyon orphanage to buy shoes and to have hamburgers, chicken nuggets and ice cream ( helado ). Nahum, Saul, Helen, and Gener (in the picture). These boys have a special place in Helen and her husbands heart. And it was great to see the relationship they all have developed. The youngest Saul was our interpreter and did wonderful. Their mother died of cancer in 2005 and their father lives a few hours outside Manaugua and is unable to care for them. They were very happy to get new "cool" new tennis shoes and to have a trip outside the orphanage. I look forward to seeing them again soon.

In the afternoon Helen, Gloria, a guest from the US and I had a meeting to see what this next year is going to look like and how we all can work as a team. The plans for the "Home of Hope" are coming along as the land has been purchased. There are some wonderful new ideas on how to make this area feel like a real home. God is doing major work here and in the lives of people who are coming to visit ans serve. I am looking forward to meetng new people that live here that are becoming a part of this project.

It is Holy week now so the city is pretty quiet. I will be able to rest from the hectic schedule of the last few weeks in the US and have time to adjust and visit w/ my new family. Every meal we sit down and eat together. I have been visiting with another new little brother Ariel 18 yrs old. We found out we both have a liking to the TV show Lost. He has lots of questions because of the language barrier, he does speak a little English. I told him even though I speak English I don't always understand that show. We laughed. It's also very hot. In the upper 90's which means with the humidity it feels even hotter. I think Thursday is supposed to be around 100 degrees. And it hasn't rained since November!! Very dusty!

Next week I will apply for my visa, look for a car, get a PO box, cell phone etc. All the wonderful errands we do in the states. FUN!! Maybe I will be brave and start to drive!

Please pray:

• God guides the visa process, that the paperwork would be clear and accurate.
• God opens my mind to learn and understand Spanish and loosens my tongue to speak it.
• God covers my adjustment to driving in this country and keeps others and myself safe.
• Praise God for my host family, the Hernandez's, that He blesses them Mightily for their obedience to Him.
• Praise God for the lives He is changing daily and for the protection He provides.

Thank you all for your support. Sorry if there are misspellings as this blog is in Spanish right now, so my spell check tells me all the words are spelled wrong!!!