Nicaragua 2013 - Thursday

Wednesday night was a hard one.  Lee Anne and Stephen began vomiting violently all night, and several other men had "the other problem" in the night. (Most think it was lunch.) 

At 2:30 am, the men were laughing hysterically and it was heard in the ladies' room next door.  Apparently Stephen was really funny after he completely emptied the contents of his stomach.  Loudly. 

But our room was more somber.  Praying for Lee Anne to have strength in the suffering.  It was awful.

We woke a little early that morning because we had to pack up and leave Selva Negra.  This was my "parting shot":

And this was Stephen leading worship.  With a fever and not much strength at all.

The day was long for Lee Anne.  She suffered with nausea, terrible headaches, and fever.  It ended with two IV bags at the church.  We thought she'd have to go to the hospital because she was so dehydrated, it was difficult to find her veins.  But God had a nurse in the pastor's class who went to the local pharmacy to buy needles and equipment small enough to make it happen.  God is so good to have done that!  

So Lee Anne got an IV in front of the church, next to the pig.  How often does one get to say that?

Another picture from the church:

And another sunset, to remind my heart He's still got it all!

The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Psalm 19:1 (NLT)

Doris got sick as soon as the graduation ceremony started.  At the church.  :(  I felt so terribly for her.

We opted out of dinner, so we waited as Fabricio paid Norman for preparing it and asked him to share the food with his neighbors.  Meanwhile Lee Anne finished her IV, and I love this picture because the two sickest ones were still laughing. 

A cheerful heart brings good healing, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.  Proverbs 17:22 (NET)

I got a final picture with little Jessica:

Some of the sick ones still recovering, and doing it with joy:

And we finally got a team picture.  In the dark.

We stopped at a gas station next to a Tip Top so the CFCI guys could eat something substantial.  Wes, Matt, and I were still well so we opted for snacks for dinner.  Although I think when those two meandered into Tip Top, they got some real food there, too. 

I thought Brody would love this Mario image taped to the straw cup:

My dinner: Snickers, Cheese Pringles (because they have protein, right?), and a bottled water. The Coke and Powerade were for Stephen.

I think this was the hardest day for me.  But as I sat in the car between Stephen struggling and Lee Anne hooked up to her IV, I was reminded how God accomplished all that He wanted to through our team, in spite of the sickness.  His strength was displayed in our weakness.

Each time he said, "My grace is all you need.  My power works best in weakness."  So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.  

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)

Thursday night, Ken gave Stephen and I the Gumby award for being flexible.  Stephen was super flexible in preaching a new sermon at the last minute and leading worship and helping on the panel while really sick.

Nicaragua 2013 - Wednesday

Wednesday morning began with pancakes (woo-hoo!) and I shared during devotion time.

I shared about how God is supreme over the universe, and has His rightful place there, yet I don't give Him that rightful place in my heart.  We listened to Laura's song, Keeper of the Stars.

Across the street from the church was this precious face:

Mario received the Gumby award that morning because our female translator didn't show on Tuesday, so he translated for Ken's Bible class in the morning, for our entire class in the afternoon, and then again for Stephen's sermon the night before.  This was a well deserved Gumby.

'

Stephen played guitar for worship again. Fabricio and Mario sang, and Wes played drums.

Lee Anne, Stephen, Wes, Tyler and I were able to sneak away to run some errands during Ken's class and we realized Carrie's apartment was right beside Radio Shack.  Which meant so was her WiFi!  I wanted to get an update on my aunt's surgery back home, so we walked passed the driver and just said, "Carrie Franklin" and he let us by to her door, where we unashamedly stood sending and receiving emails for a few moments.  Isn't her door gorgeous?

Tyler, the CFCI "intern" from NC, is as skinny as a rail, but eats constantly.  He ate everyone's leftovers and was always leaving to buy fresh veggies off the street to munch on.  This day it was raw cauliflower.  He shared with Fabricio.  I think he's so thin because he walks all the time.  Tyler just loves life and sees God in all things.

Matagalpa from the backseat of Fabricio's van:

Stephen and Tyler deep in conversation outside the church:

Two green gringos riding in the trunk of the van on the way to lunch:

Wednesday we were still teaching on marriage and oneness, with an emphasis on restoration and forgiveness.  It was solid truth.

Jenny was given a Grace shirt for being the spokesperson for her breakout group. She was on staff with CRU and wanted a photo with Lee Anne and I.

For dinner we had steak with fried plantains, cole slaw (mayo free), and rice and beans.

Afterwards, we enjoyed some "recompense" again and some of the men tried some steak off the street.

Nicaragua 2013 - Tuesday

The classes started with a time of worship through music.  Monday, Stephen introduced "You Are My Hope" in English then on Tuesday, Mario translated it in Spanish so they could teach it to the pastors.  This was so much fun for Stephen.

Another church doorway pic:

After worship was Ken's morning class.  He was not feeling super, he had a fever the night before.  We were all praying for him.  At one point during his morning class he had to sit down, but God gave him the strength to continue.

Tyler working the registration desk:

Lee Anne and I went to Nicaragua Christian Academy, where Carrie Franklin (a member of Grace Church) is the principal.

This is the view the kids have at recess:

We did some work in the library cataloging new books that arrived.  The students were eagerly anticipating Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia books that we were working to get on the shelves.  Carrie was telling us how much they love books.  Both Lee Anne and I left aware of how much we take for granted.

Lee Anne loved the flowers and doors of Matagalpa.  This library door was no exception:

I asked this boy, via the use of motions only, if I may take his picture.  He obviously thought I had a screw loose.  :)

Sweet girls at lunch:

Driving through Matagalpa to get to lunch at the doctor's class:

One of my most favorite pictures of the trip.  On the last day, Stephen was able to pet this dog.  He tried all week.

Jessica (8), the pastor's granddaughter, outside the church:

This was a view from the doctor's class.  We ate lunch there everyday.

The only cat we saw in Nicaragua:

Pet pig outside the church:

 A still shot.  Sorry I caught him in a moment.

In our afternoon class, Ken started us off talking about oneness.  We had more questions this day, and "stepped on a few hornets nests", but were able to all use Scripture to articulate the whys behind our answers.  Ken, Wes and Stephen did a fabulous job fielding and handling the questions with love and care.

After our class, Fabricio treated us to "recompense".  (This is what Tommy asked for on a trip once, and we were told to ask for it as well, when we finished teaching.)  

We all had a quick recompense ice cream cone from Eskimo.

Dinner at Norman's:

Stephen preached his first sermon ever at the church where the classes were held.  The night before, the pastor's son-in-law said he wanted them (he or Wes) to preach on family.  So Stephen was flexible and took the sermon he'd prepared on believing God is sovereign and good, and talking about how it would impact our families.  He did such a great job, and we are so thankful Wes gave him this opportunity to be stretched.

Another picture with Jessica that night:

Ending the day with Duckie in our room at Selva Negra:

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.  :)