Bitter Sweet

The teams have come and gone for the season, and I am finding myself going through withdrawal. FEI in Nicaragua, hosted 14 short term mission teams in 10 weeks. That makes around 300 people. Teams traveled from all over the U.S. Florida, Texas, Washington, Oregon, New York and so on. These teams worked on various projects. From beautifying and ministering to women, helping waterproof houses in the garbage dump, construction work in Villa Esperanza to medical check-ups in Leon, Nicaragua. They were they first to stay in Villa Esperanza and test out the new team home accommodations, they camped in a field, stayed in a very modest and primitive hotel (this time with lights and w/out cockroaches).

In a city called Rio Blanco, 4 hours northeast of Managua, we took a youth team from Edmonds, WA . We were met by the Mayor of the city and had a TV interview for the local news. Our project was helping clean the city. Which consisted mostly of picking up garbage along the city streets. The locals wanted to know why we would come all the way from the US to pick up garbage in their little city. It was our way of helping support a local Verbo Church and to let them know there are people who care for them around the world.

Another team from Gulf Gate Church in Sarasota, FL provided us with a more intimate experience. A small team of five. But what they lacked in numbers they made up for in work!! These men are looking into the new beginnings of an out house that was about 20 ft deep at the time, soon to be 30 ft deep. They say this hole will last around 25 years!!!!! We were in a town called Motastepe, just on the outskirts of Managua, Nicaragua. There is a local church there we are trying to help support. Gulf Gate Church has also donated the money to buy the pastor of this church a house for his family. The photo above is a team member cleaning up after a long day of painting the new house.

We were also blessed to have 2 youth teams come from South Lake Foursquare Church in Westlinn, OR be our last teams of the season. They did an amazing job of waterproofing houses in the garbage dump with sheets of black plastic. Each team finished about 8 houses each with plastic left over to give the locals to help other families in need. These teams also helped with projects in Villa Esperanza to help us get ready to build another children's home and to prepare for the official Villa open house coming up in late September.

Although I am happy to get the much needed rest from hosting and managing the teams, it is bitter sweet not to see my friends from the states and the Nicaraguans I consider family everyday.

I had planned to add more pics of people we worked with this summer but have seem to misplaced them and have since removed them from my memory card, so here are just 2 friends. Mario is an interpreter we have worked with since March, great kid, hard worker and loves to help his people(notice his shirt!!That was sent by a youth team from Portland) The other is my friend Donna who the Lord sent me just when I needed a friend. Thanks Donna.....

That's all for now. Next post I will update you all on Villa Esperanza and the 16 girls that have been living there since July 1. They have told me they miss the teams too.

Pray:

• Praise God for the Villa and a safe place for these girls to live.
• Praise Him that he knows us so well and He provides in His perfect timing.
• Pray for the Villa girls sponsorship program at Forward Edge International.
• Pray that we, the field staff would get the rest we need before the next team comes.
• Pray for the travel of all the visitors who will come to the Villa open house.