Almost a year.......please for give me!

Hello all! Please forgive me for not posting in almost a year! I cannot believe time has passed so fast! It came to my attention many times this past summer, that a number of people randomly find my blog by doing searches for information about Nicaragua and La Chureca. Through meeting new people God showed me how He can work in such different ways. I guess I never thought of folks randomly running into this blog and being touched by what I share. That set aside I SHOULD be writing regularly to keep my friends and family updated, this where the forgiveness comes in...:) Thank you.

 So life has been very busy, for the last few months especially. During the months of June, July and August we have a majority of our teams visit and serve here in Managua. This year was unusually busy, praise God. We had more teams visit in a shorter amount of time than ever before. We had 14 teams come in the time of 12 weeks. Many of those teams overlapped, and Villa Esperanza was a hub of action! We were honored to have many returning groups as well as welcoming new teams that have never served with us before. I would like to thank all of them for coming and putting all their hearts and souls into what they accomplished.

This year more than ever were able to share that the value of relationships is so important in the ministry that we are called to do. Many times the rain dictated what we were able to do for the day or the afternoon. That meant that we needed to start impromptu games of soccer or kickball, be prepared to share a blessing in our lives or give a testimony. Sometimes we can can get so caught up in the 'do' and  we forget about the 'why'. The 'why' is so important! We are called to love. And in our culture we show love by 'doing' most of the time, which is a good thing, but sometimes that isolates us from the relationship part of things. In a culture where relationships are so important I find myself struggling to understand what that means. That sometimes my 'doing'  is seen as an act of love, but most of the time it's just what is need to be done and everyone else is doing the same. But when you take the time to invest in a life the picture changes. When we take the time to create and build relationships, God gives us the opportunity to help 'change the story of someones life'. This is a saying used often by Wilbert, our director here at Villa Esperanza. Think about what that means! We cannot change what has happened in the past, but we can help someone grow and move forward in a way that can change the story of their lives. Was there ever anyone in your life that helped change your 'story'? A teacher? A Pastor? Your parents? A stranger? I have seen it with my own eyes....people come down to work and serve, leaving here having touched someones life in a way that has changed that persons 'story'. And in  turn God has touched and changed the team members story forever. Powerful.

You may know I am not a wordy type of person. I like to share photos. So here we go!

We visited a new ministry this year called The Refuge run by imagine ministry. It is in a place called Los Brasiles, just outside Managua on the way to Leon. The run a preschool, feeding program and have after school tutoring to help many of the older students in this community. We covered the kitchen(below)...

We filled in the backyard and helped build a new basketball/sports court.

We went to Leon and worked with a church called Vida Y Luz. New Hope Church out of Texas is going to invest much of their time and support to this area. We had a medical clinic, working with 2 Nicaraguan doctors. They also worked with many local men in building a tower for a water storage tank. We palyed with kids...A LOT!! The most powerful part of what God did during this visit was that the men of New Hope bonded and built strong relationships with the local men. Patora Dolores (the Pastor) has been praying for the Lord to bring more men to this church for the last year. And what a privilege it is see Prayers answered right in front of you.

Mario adding written prayers requests and verses to the to the concrete of the columns.

Our time ended with feet washing... and idea of the men of the church. New Hope washed theirs and they washed ours. What a wonderful time together.

Our tent city. We were soaked....it rained a lot!

We are having our first Talapia fish fry today in a Villa. I must go and eat...More to come later. I will explain the Talapia fish fry.

Blessings to all and thank you for your love and support!

I was blessed to be able to come back to the US for Thanksgiving Day and a visit with my family and friends. It was wonderful to come home, rest and relax... a little. Although it was a little chilly, the days were sunny and clear. There are no mountains in Nicaragua like our mountains especially with snow. I miss snow. When the time came to go home to Nica (I like having two homes :) I was ready for the warm weather, shorts and flip flops. I was welcomed by my Nica family and all the girls living at The Village of Hope. I then realized how much I had missed them.

Since being back in Nicaragua we have been busy welcoming a new missionary who is going to work with FEI and The Village of Hope for a three month trial period, looking ahead to a year or two commitment. She is adjusting quite well and the girls are really enjoying her friendship. We have decorated the Village with Christmas lights(thanks Dad!) , a tree, stockings and garland. We all enjoy sitting on the porches of the homes basking in the glow of the lights.

Also, we had two of the older girls graduate from primary school. Monica and Martha, along with their mother and sister had a graduation ceremony much like we have for middle school kids.And two of our younger girls from The Village of Hope danced during the graduation program. It was hard for some as this means they will no longer attend the primary school inside the city garbage dump. They will miss their teachers and their friends next year when they move on to secondary school, which is much like our high school. They know they will go together to school next year, but are nervous to meet new teachers and make new friends. Plus they will be taking the public bus and no longer be driven to school. They are growing up, that is for sure!! We are very proud of them and we are grateful to God that they are maturing and growing in Him.

Thank you to my family for making my time in the states such a great time, I love you. Thank you Summit View for your support, prayerfully and financially. I would not be here if it wasn't for your blessings!!

Thank you all for your support!!

    Maria Celeste as a mermaid

Martha and her mom and teacher.

Monica and her sister and teacher.

Karla (a girl from the dump) and me.

Martha and Monica
below
my dad and me

And the Summer Comes to an End (did I mention the girls LOVE to swim?)

 

The last teams of the summer had a wonderful time with the girls swimming! Lot's of swimming! We went to a waterpark outside of Managua called Hertylandia. This was built years ago, and now even though it shows a little bit of age, it still has three functioning water slides! The girls had a time going down frontwards, backwards, stomachwards, sidewards, and trainwards (I think at one point there was a train of at least eight people)! And for those who had some fear of the slides it was an opportunity to develop  trust and improve their swimming skills.

 

We also had the pleasure of going to the beach. A favorite of ours! The water was amazingly warm, and the current was perfect for playing in the waves. I stayed out playing far longer than the team!

We played, we laughed and we ate. There were horse back rides and quad rides as well. But most of all I think the girls just loved being in the pool. The freedom of swimming is something they love to feel. And of course on the way home after a long hard day at the beach, the bus falls asleep. This is one of my favorite sights. The bus is quiet and all you hear are the cobblestones under the bus tires, purring everyone to sleep.

 

 

 

 

In the middle of the last two teams I had to leave the country for three days to renew my visa. I decided to go to Costa Rica. Specifically a place called Playa Hermosa. I had wanted to drive my own car, but when I got the list of requirements I needed to fulfill to get permission to take it to CR, I decided it was easier to take the bus. It's not a long ride, just the border wait can be annoying. (Next time I will do what I need to do to take my car). Most of my time there was just resting and doing LAUNDRY hahaha! I don't have a washing machine so I took my dirty clothes, because the little casita had a washer and dryer. What a treat!! (I get excited about the strangest things!) It was a good time to rest and rejuvenate!

 

 

And as for my life at home, I have moved into a smaller and less expensive house. It is in a development of about 50-60 small homes. The homes here are more 'apartment' size. It is perfect for Lucy and me. There is a good size backyard for her to play and run and, I am now finding out, dig... The homes are guarded 24-7 by 3-4 guards each shift. I feel safe and at peace. I shared a house before and am missing a few creature comforts. One being a washing machine. I have been washing my clothes 'por mano' like the locals. It was fun at first, but I cringe when I have to wash sheets and towels. Have you ever tried to wash sheets and towels by hand? The postive side is that it is exercise and my arms are stronger. I will have to invest in a washing machine soon, bigger muscles or not. As you can see below Lucy is doing great. She really is a sweet blessing. She is very independent, brushing her own teeth (hahaha) and bringing the outside in to help her feel more comfy (yes she dragged that branch in through the little door opening).  I thank God for her everyday! She has been the perfect companion.

 

 

 

Since the team season has been over, we have been winding down with the girls. Getting back to a regular schedule of homework, chores and fun. We have begun to embroider Christmas cards again. The older giirls have been teaching the little girls how to make the cards all on their own. This has been a prayer of mine. That the girls would reach out to one another without prompting. The have really grown into a family.

We have another girl moving into the Villa, taking Rosa's place. Rosa decided to leave and go back home a few months ago. It was a challenge for her to have structure and discipline in her life. I am sure she missed her home too. We miss her very much.

Maria is due to move in any day now. She has visited the Villa with her mom and has spent a weekend with us. The older girls took her under their wing, especially Sara and Karina. They reached out and really tried to help her feel welcome. I just found out that she slept on the floor for the nights she stayed. Simply because she is not used to sleeping in a bed. This is just one example of challenges some of the girls face when they move in with us.We are excited to have Maria and anticipating what the Lord will do in her life.

During the slow times without teams, I have been able to rest and get caught up with paperwork and communication. To spend more time with friends nurturing those relationships the Lord has blessed me with. Most of all it has been a time to catch up with the Lord. It is hard when the 'busyness' gets in the way, or rather I let it get in the way, to have that intimate time with Him with no time restraints. I desire more of this in my daily life. Please pray for this time with Him for me.

The girls will be ending their school year in November. We are going to begin a vocational program at the Villa for the girls during their vacation. I will keep you updated on this program. I am excited to see what talents and gifts each girl has and what they will find joy in doing.

Prayer:

• Pray for Maria and her family, as well as the girls living in the Villa, as Maria moves in a joins our family.
• Praise Him for the changes He has made in the hearts of girls already. Pray their hearts would be softened more and open to His love and healing.
• Pray the vocational program would be successful, wisdom for myself as I take the lead of this program.
• Pray for Forward Edge International as they move forward with funding campaigns.
• Pray for our staff at Villa Esperanza. That our team would be united in Christ, lead by God and prayer would be our priority.

Thank you all for your prayers!!!