Nicaragua 2013 - Monday

Monday we woke and were able to see Selva Negra in the daylight.  This was the view from our room:

And the lake next to the restaurant:

Aren't the lily pads beautiful?

Norman, a Nicaraguan who was a chef in NYC, has a catering company that prepared meals for us in his mother-in-law's home.  I loved our first breakfast there.

Stephen was being "stretched", as he only likes apples and oranges. But he did not make this face the whole time, just as I was taking his picture.

View from Norman's mother-in-law's house:

After breakfast, we drove 20 or so minutes to the church.  Today was our first day of classes, both at the church and at the medical clinic.  We started the day with Ken teaching through the narrative of the Bible, beginning in Genesis. We were studying and reading in the back.

In the afternoon, Wes reviewed ideas from Biblical Femininity and Authentic Manhood taught in July, then the marriage class began, with Ken teaching again.   We also shared each of our testimonies.  This was one of my favorite parts, as it was so encouraging to see God's story of redemption and restoration woven throughout each of our individual stories.  God is so good to each one of us.

We decided to sit the women together and the men together on Monday, then sat as couples on Tuesday, when the idea of oneness was introduced.

There are lots of pictures of the view from the church.  I apologize, but it was just gorgeous.

I told you so!

The view from the panel looking out of the door of the church.  If you look back at the panel picture, I was likely captivated by the beauty of it in that moment, too.  :)

Nicaragua 2013 - Sunday

Our first morning in Nicaragua was a the Christ for the City International (CFCI) Hospitality house.  We were the first team to use it.  It had lots of space and was in a quiet area outside of the city.  Here's Sydney's duck again:

Matt and Stephen connecting, unaware of the huge duck in front of them:

Our team was so great.  And don't you just love Kyle's chair?

Jolydia made us breakfast and prepared the rooms for us.  She is a precious soul:

Our first day we had cultural training:

It was eye opening to read some of the statistics.  

The average American family spends about $141 per day, including $48 on housing, $30 on transportation, $28 on food, $8 on entertainment, $3 on alcohol & tobacco. (The average Starbucks customer spends $6 a day at Starbucks.)

To contrast, the average Nicaraguan earns about $4.50 per day.  The average Nicaraguan is a teenager, with a third grade education, is living in poverty, with little hope to ever achieve a higher standard of living.

But where we are rich and they are poor monetarily, they are not lacking in contentment and their love for Jesus and each other.  We had the privilege of visiting New Jerusalem church while in Managua.  Ken gave a sermon on our enemy and his desire to destroy us and the importance of community.  It was a powerful message.  (Mario translated for him.)

This hammock at the CFCI house has all of my favorite colors:

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Isn't it peaceful?

The guys enjoying each other:

Others resting after lunch.

On the road again (and for the longest car trip, yet).

Our stop.  I really had to go.  This was how they labeled the baño.
   Oh my.  I wouldn't have chosen to use those particular potties had I not really needed to go.  Oh wow.

Once in Matagalpa we got a little turned around looking for Norman's mother-in-law's house for dinner.  We accidently passed this beautiful home.  It would be a sight in America!  I wonder what this family does for a living?  This stuck out like a sore thumb, for sure!

This is the view of a street in Matagalpa:

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And our favorite Jesus picture.  Stephen says this is how Joseph really got his coat.  :)

The little boy across the street who greeted me with a smile everyday:

The house beside his:

Dinner.  The top left were Tostones, mashed plantains that were deep fried.  These were very popular.  I'm not sure what the sauce on the chicken was called, but it tasted like a homemade cream of something sauce.  It was tasty.

Once in our room at Selva Negra, Doris shared medicine with me that my mom-in-law shared with her.  :)

Nicaragua 2013 - Saturday Leaving

The kids had lots of gifts from friends of ours to help them with the parting.  Liz made them goody bags and a poster with a verse for each day, Amy gave Abby and I matching "Mommy and Me" bracelets. So many of my friends offered to help my mom with the kids for the week.  Greta took them home from co-op and was there for Abby.  She also taught them all day on Tuesday.  We are so blessed with our community of Believers.  God is so good to give us His church!

Saturday we left Greenville around noon. Leaving the kids was much harder for me as it was for them. I was not just fighting back the tears, I was pouring them.

When we arrived at GSP I was stretched immediately, forced to check my carry-on.  But I chose to trust and still board.  :)

I told Sydney I'd take pictures of the inside of an airplane for her.  This is her stuffed duck:

 

What an amazing sight God gave us on the way out:

Before we knew it, we were in the Atlanta airport eating lunch, watching the Gamecocks play. My lunch at the sports bar was amazing!  Grass fed burger with caramelized onions, pepper jack cheese and sweet potato fries?  What?

Our Gamecocks blew the game, 23-21 Tennessee.  But the game did help pass the time on our long 5-hour layover.

The flight to Nica was long, and made a bit longer because we were not seated together. Stephen was 3 behind me on an aisle seat and I got the window seat. But I was given a gift with that seat, because I was able to enjoy a sunset from the sky that was breathtaking. God has communicated to my heart in sunsets often, and this was no exception. He reminded me He's got this. Oh, how glorious He is!

Another pic for Sydney. See Stephen?

Managua at night from the sky:

Once we arrived at the airport, Kyle, Matt, Stephen, and I picked the customs line with the smiling guy. Wrong pick. We were there forever, and then Kyle was questioned regarding all the needles and "body parts" he had in his bag.

Precious Fabricio spoke with the authorities, God granted us favor with them, and Kyle was let through. And I was greeted with my even more beautiful polka dot carry on! And to top it all off we were reunited with the Cavins.

So we piled up in cars and went to the infamous Tip Top Restaurant at 9:30 Managua time for dinner. Stephen and I shared the grilled chicken with refried red beans and this salsa that was really saucy and limey. It was delicious. We also caught the end of an American baseball game on TV. So fun.

So we arrived at the CFCI hospitality house really late, barely unpacked and hit the sack.

Stephen and Fabricio at Tip Top:

My cheat sheet, gifted by Sarah, filled with encouraging notes for each day from our community group:

Happy Birthday, B!

After six years, I'm even more smitten!

Sydney made a hat for him.

He wanted me to take this picture.  He's sharing his birthday with blue "B".  Be still, my heart.

To get ready for B's Mario party, I spent a little time on Pinterest.

Stephen blew up a "few" Zoomba balloons.

 Brody and his buddies played Stomp the Zoomba, Pin the Mustache on Mario, and they pelted Mario's enemies with "fire balls".

Cake and ice cream are always a big hit, especially if they look like a 1-up mushroom. :)

And B received LOTS of sweet gifts.

Happy birthday to my precious Mario-boy-child.

More Reasons to Smile