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Posted in Field Support by Jessica Miller on 7/11/2011
Hello family, friends, and prayer supporters. We have had a wonderful month here in Granada and are finishing up our last week of ministry. We will be flying back to the States on Thursday. We will not have the opportunity to communicate again until we have landed stateside. So, before we leave, we would like to share with you some of the highlights from our last week of ministry:
Today we were able to visit one of the local nursing homes. We had a wonderful time interacting with the patients and helping them with their daily exercises.
Yesterday was our day off. We were able to visit the lagoon (which was created by an imploded volcano). We enjoyed the afternoon swimming in the lagoon, kayaking, and taking a 12-mile bike ride through the muddy Nicaraguan streets. It was quite the adventure!
On Saturday we had a true Nicaraguan experience visiting the local market, learning to barter with the merchants, and seeing all the traditional hand-crafted items.
On Friday we were able to return to the orphanage for girls to spend some more time hanging out with the girls before we had to say goodbye. We have loved building relationships with them, showing them the love of God and just enjoying one another. We were able to laugh and enjoy our last day together dancing to Justin Bieber (yes, he is popular in Nicaragua too!)
On Thursday we returned to the church were we have been doing the feeding program and vacation Bible school. It was wonderful to spend more time with the precious people in the congregation.
The Lord has blessed our time and ministry here in Granada so much! We have enjoyed the warmth of the Nicaraguan people and are sad to say goodbye. We will look forward to sharing more stories with you once we return home. Thank you for your prayers while we have been here.
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Posted in Field Support by Jessica Miller on 7/6/2011
Tuesday we spent our afternoon doing VBS at a church called Luz del Mundo. The building is a mere tin shack with a bumpy dirt floor and half of a flimsy metal wall in the back half of the church.
We finished our VBS, which consisted of a prayer, songs, the story of Jonah and the whale acted out by willing kids, and games. Amidst playing hot potatoe, Jesse (our translator/protector/father-figure that we call Padre) noticed an infected gash on the big toe of a little boy named Michael. His one toe was twice the size of his other. Concern washed over Padre's face and he brought it to mine and Jessie's (our leader) attention. I grimaced as Michael limped away to join a marble game after showing us his toe.
Jessie looked at me and suggested I pray over him. I glanced at the boy and felt a tug on my heart. I walked over and asked what had happened. After he told me an animal had bitten him, I told him I was going to pray over him in English. I knelt down, took his hand, and prayed for this little boy, no more than 8 years old, with an untreated wound that he should not be bearing.
Turns out, God used me to answer my own prayer. I ended up running back to our hostel (for the sanity of my family, I was not alone) to get the medical supplies I had brought for myself. Who knew I would use them for something like this? God.
Returning to Luz del Mundo, I called Michael over and sat him down on a plastic chair across from me. Padre appeared by my side and immediately began looking through what I had brought. He started washing the toe with water and wiping away layers of grime. Assisting him during that time became one of the longest five minutes of my life. We had to pin Michael's leg down and hold his hands while Padre cleaned around the puncture wounds. He worked at it until the raw wounds were visible, the infection was squeezed out, and the bacteria killed with rubbing alcohol. My own body was sweating and I could barely handle hearing Michael's wails, gasps, and screaming, let alone look at his face twisted from pain.
His body shaking and wimpers escaping his trembling lips, this little boy sat exhausted after we had bandaged his foot. I wrapped his sweat-soaked body in a big hug before giving him the remaining bandages. He hobbled out of the building down the street, followed by a string of children giving him support with compassion etched across their faces.
Helping this little boy in such a small way made my heart about to explode. When we go back to the church next week, I will bring more supplies and treat his toe again. I know if we had not been there to help him, he would have lost his toe, if not his whole foot. I hurt to think of all the other children in need of medical attention but I must remember that God is still God. He will guide our team to the right people so that we can become a piece in the broken puzzle of their lives.
To Him be the glory.
Rilie
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Posted in Field Support by Traiya Friar on 7/6/2011
For a while I have not feeling connected with my body or anything. I did not know for sure why so I talked to our translator named Jesse who we call Padre about it. He asked me where my heart was. I gave him that look of what do you mean, where is my heart? It seemed like such a silly question, but then he told me if your heart is not fully with God then what are you doing?
We got into this conversation about how you have to live your life either fully for God or not at all. You can fool people but not God... WOW!
So as I was praying about it a couple hours later I realized I have not really been giving God my all. I may have given Him a couple pieces or most of it but deffinately not ALL of my heart. I just gave it all up, told God to just take my heart all of it. I was tired of feeling that way. When that happened I had such an amazing feeling. It was something that I have not experienced in a long time, and it was so relaxing. It was like a whole bunch of peace had come over me.
Now I am saying everyday, God I give you my all, my heart, mind, soul, just have it all! This trip has let me experience that, and I am so thankful for that. I am thankful for padre as well, taking time out of his day to spend a few minutes helping me while I was in a Spiritual Low.
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Posted in Field Support by Mallory Rondeau on 7/6/2011
Coming into this trip I thought our team was going to be all girls and that it was just going to be a huge mess of emotions. Little did I know that assumtion was not completely true. David is a 17 year old typical teenage guy on the outside, but his heart has something special inside. At first glance he seemed very out of place leading us around town with his bare feet and his tye-dye tshirt. My first thought screamed sketchy since I am a year older than him and my life is basically in his hands. All I needed though was a short amount of time with him to know that he was different than the average 17 year old male. He has a pure passion for missions and sharing the gospel. He was in Nicaragua for a month by himself, meerly because he loves it here and in his words, he doesnt like the attitudes of Americans. He truely loves God. He truely loves to change peoples lives by showing them what it means to just be a friend and to be a light in the darkness. He definately changed my life and the life of my teammates. The kid has the most contageous joy and is sarcastically hilarious and could never fail to put a smile on my face. He proposed to me with a pringle and played card games with us for hours on end. Although his humor does make him special, its the side of him that is on the inside that really makes your heart happy. He is not prideful, but if you look closely you will catch him always reading the Bible, getting so lost in worship that he acts like no one else is around, and praying for you when you need it the most. He has such a servants heart and his attitude is selfless. He heard Gods call on his life and he obeyed. He's holding nothing back and that alone gives me hope and a reason to strive further everyday to obey God's call on my life. I know God put David in my life not only for a friend, but one who I can count on to challenge me in my walk with God and I know he will be walking his out right beside me.
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Posted in Field Support by Sadie Clements on 7/6/2011
Getting sick was not only a struggle for me to do my ministry, but also a target of attack from Satan is what I was told.
For two whole days, I sat in Granada, Nicaragua away from my teammates who were back in El Guayabo. Two of the longest days of my life. Without my bible or my devotion book, I sat there until my stomach healed itself or until the medicine kicked in for those hours of pain.Slowly but surely, I felt a little better as time had passed. Getting to see my team on Monday, the 27th was amazing and I had the thought of; ´´It's going to be all better not.´´ Sad to say..it wasn't all better after seeing them. The rest of the day I would have to clentch my stomach and bend over with a discusted face of discomfort. I didn't understand why I had to feel so weak and broken down.
The next morning, I woke up the same. Every morning we start our day with worshiping and singing to praise God, and I couldn't even get through worship time without holding my stomach. After worship, as we broke off into our own devotion locations, I sat on the edge of a flower bed right outside the prayer house.Before I did anything, I set my bible, devotion books, and notebooks aside to take a couple minutes to pray. I prayed for healing in my stomach and strengeth to worship. I thought that that is what God would have wanted me to do, but I guess not. I still felt as terrible as I did wakeing up. I continued on with my studies thinking there was nothing else I could do.
The last couple minutes of my devotion time I sat there and sighed. Then, I closed my eyes and bowed my head one more time. I told God; ´´ I give up. Take me as I'm sick. If you want me to be sick, then I will be sick. If you want me to healthy, I will be healthy. I'm leaving this in your hands and I give my body up to you to do with what you want . I love you so much and I trust in you with all my heart. Amen. ´´
Two seconds had gone by after my prayer and one of my teammates called me to come to breakfast. I got up slowly and ran to put my stuff away. I ran? I actually got up and ran to go to breakfast. I just ran when I was feeling so weak less than a minute ago and not being able to do anything at all for the past three days. Then, it got even better. I ate a whole breakfast without feeling sickness. I went about my whole day without being sick. That sickness then was gone for the week. And today on July 6th I am stll that healthy child that God wants me to be. I layed down my everything and put my full trust in him to show me who he wants me to be.
All glory and honor to God!
-Sadie
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Posted in Field Support by Riley Barr on 7/6/2011
Before I had to come to Nicaragua, I had always had this fear of praying out loud, or praying over people. I would only feel comfortable if I prayed by myself, in my room, and in my head. I always felt that if I prayed out loud or for people, I would mess up, or say the wrong thing, or just sound stupid. If someone would ask me to pray out loud, I would freak out, and just make it as quick and easy as possible. I did not like it at all. During this trip, I feel like God is showing me that I can pray out loud, and theres nothing to worry about. He has showed me the power of prayer, and that prayers can heal others. Because God has shown ths to me, I feel like I can pray out loud or for people. I don{t need to worry about anything. Prayer has become very important to me, because of what God has shown me here in Nicaragua.
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Posted in Field Support by Candace Jeffcoat on 7/6/2011
This past Friday my team and I went to a Orphanage just for girls. Earlier in the week someone explained to us that most if not all the girls in the orphanage are not really orphans. There parents are most probably still alive, but their parents did not want them, so they brought them to the orphanage. After hearing this it made me want to go even more. So Friday we set off to go. After about a 10 minute walk we were there. After a Teacher unlocked the front gate so we could come in. The teacher told us we had one hour to spend with the girls. As we walked through a few girls meet us with big hugs. The girls grabbed our hands and brougt us to where we would be for the remander of the hour. As we were setting our water bottles and the rest of our things on a table, more girls came flowing in. As soon as we had set our things down we started singing and play with the girls. It did not take long to realize the girls are starving for people to love on them. And we are just the right people to do so. As I walked back over to the table where I had set my water bottle I notice a little girl sitting by herself, a walked over to her to ask her if she wanted to join in all the playing and singing. When I asked her and just shock her head no, I then sat down and started talking to her in a little to no spanish. After I had said everything I knew in spanish, I just sat there for a few minutes. Thinking that the the 6 year old girl really did not want me there I started to stand up, once she realized what I was doing she grabbed my hand and told me no in a much louder voice than she had been using. I sat right back down knowing that this girl just wanted someone to love and spend to with her. I was completely out of things to say, but me just being there was enough for her.
I only spent about 20 to 30 minutes with her, but it was one of my favorite things so far that I have done in Nicaragua. This girl was probably brought to the orphanage by her parents because they did not want her, and she probably knows that. She might go to bed at night every night thinking about the family that left her. But God does not look at this little 6 year old girl as orphan or a unwanted child. God sees her as a child of his, a child that he will never leave.
I wanted to tell her all this and more, but my lack of spanish would not let me tell her all this. The only thing I could do for this little child was to pray in silents as she colored. And all the time I heared God say was the world might see her as a orphan or a unwanted kid, but to me she will never to a orphan.
That night when we can back to the place we are staying I put my earphones in and listen to Orphans of God. And for the first time when they sang There are No Orphans of God I saw the face of the little girl. Not just the word Orphans.
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Posted in Field Support by Heather Krup on 7/6/2011
July 4th was a day of celebration, but not for Americas Independance.
Last wednesady my team and myself had the opportunity to go to a nursing home to mingle with the elderly. Another team that we had previously talked with said all you really do is "pick up" after the elderly. (When I say "pick up" I do not mean their toys.) Hearing this awesome news, I walked in with little enthusiasm. Boy, did I make a mistake.
A teammate of mine, Ms. Mallory Rondeau, had struck up a conversation with two elderly men named Manuel and Fransisco. I eventually joined the conversation, (or attempted to join, my spanish is mal or bad) which led to both Mallory and myself befriending these two elder gentlemen. Through we conversation we learned both of the men love to dance. We also learned Fransiscos Birthday is close to Mallorys and my own birthday. (July 11th and 14th) Unfortunatly we would not be in Nicaragua at the time so we decided to celebrate all birthdays early and dance the next time our team visits the nursing home. So we did!
Monday, our team walked in with all hands on deck. We began out our morning by leading the ancients in morning exercises. Which is basically just putting your arms up and down with little leg movement because most of our new friends could not do a whole lot more. We bonded with them through this process and eventually ended our exercise time with bubbles. They really like bubbles! I blew bubbles next to an old lady named Maria. Her eyes lit up like a kid walking into a candy store when I began making the magical shperes. Then her eyes grew bigger when I offered her the stick for her to give it a whirl. Who knew God would show his love through morning exercises and bubble fun!
Our next activity was a piñata. Yeah! We brought a piñata to a nursing home. They absolutely loved it! There was one blind old man and we convinced him to have a turn. After he had hit the piñata I guided him back to his seat and he smiled in my direction and said that this was the most fun he had had in a while. Then he proudly proclaimed that I was precious and beautiful and gave me kiss on the cheek. It opened my eyes to see how much of Gods love was flowing out by just simply having a conversation with them.
The piñata party then transformed into a dance party. Each of us began dancing with any elderly person who could. They tought us more than we could handle. It was such a fun experiance and afterwards God really showed up.
One of the old men that I had mentioned earlier, Fransisco, asked us about our ministry and what we were even doing in Granada. This led to our oh so awesome translator/padre to witness to him and talk about our relationship with Jesus Christ.
For not being to thrilled to even go to the nursing home, it became my favorite ministry so far. God shows up even when you least expect it! :)
-Heather
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Posted in Field Support by Mallory Rondeau on 7/1/2011
On Monday of this week we moved from the lakefront one room brick house in El Guayabo, Nicaragua to the luxury of El Puente in Granada, Nicaragua. This was probably the hardest challenge I have faced so far. In El Guayabo life was different, instead of wasting time on material things the people spent their time in fellowship with each other, because they didnt have those other things. Lester was the first kid that ever spoke to us there, we pulled up and opened the door of the car and there was his smiling face. Immediately I fell in love with him. He is an 8 year old boy with a huge heart. Every day he would yell my name and sprint into my arms and it would never fail to make me the happiest person in the world. He has two little brothers named Heliceo and Samuel, who like any little brothers would follow in Lesters footsteps so naturally they were always around. I couldnt have asked for anything better. They taught me how to love with reckless abandon and without fear. I knew that whatever love I poured out to them would be poured back into me 10X more. I left my boy with two pictures of me and a bracelet I made him and I have every intention to send him letters and keep him as a part of my life. I refuse to let go of him, because he has taken a piece of my heart. I smile with genuine joy just thinking about him. I hope with all my heart that I can go back and visit him someday because i hate the idea that the last thing we remember about each other is our tears pouring down, not wanting to say goodbye. I know God has a purpose behind everything He does, and Im so glad he gave me my boys and a whole new understanding of unconditional love and joy.
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Posted in Field Support by Jessica Miller on 7/1/2011
The other day my team and I piled up in the back of a truck and rode to the city dump. After about 10 minutes riding we turned off the main road onto a dirt road. Soon after we turned on the dirt road I could begin to see trash. After about 5 minutes on the dirt road we came to a stop, after we all piled out we could see mountains of trash, through out the mountains you could see people digging through all the trash trying to find anything to eat or to sell. The site was heart breaking. Flies numbered to the hundreds, and dogs went around trying to find anything they could. There was kids there as young as 1 and 2 years old. Looking at all this it was extremely overwelming. After trying to talk to a few kids me and another girl from my team had to leave because Heather had gotten stung by something and my wrist was messed up. They wanted to make sure my wrist was not broken.
As we were walking out we saw one of the most if not the most beautiful butterfly ever. It was bright orange and black. Even though it was small, and most people would not even care about it. It is like God was saying even in the worse and saddest places I am still with you.
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