Sunday, November 21, 2010

Sunday morning in Nic. Ahhhh.
I love hearing the birds in the trees. Their caws are so different, but very comforting. Now, hearing a ghecko in my bathroom throughout the night...that's not so fun. He kept me awake. But even lying here in bed awake in the middle of the night is fine with me. I just love being here.

We got up and had breakfast at 6:45. Scrambled eggs, gallo pinto (beans and rice mixed together), fruit salad and pico bread (which is a sweet bread and the name stands for a little kiss). Got packed up for the long trip to and from church. El Sauce is a town about 1.5-2 hours away. We split into 2 groups to attend 2 churches. I had to leave during the music and stand outside and listen due to my ears giving me fits. (that stupid trouble with my inner ears) Being in that open metal building made the music reverberate too much and my ear was roaring. I enjoyed the service from outside the open doorway, though. The team did a good job with testimonies and the message.

After church, we stopped by the Cauldrons (I can't remember the Spanish name). It's a place were the earth is bubbling with hot clay like stuff. I got some video of it on my camera. It was hot and stinky (sulphur) and steamy. It was so neat to walk up to the little craters and see the hot clay (the consistency of soupy mud) bubble away. Some spots on the ground had little holes that let steam out. Mary was standing on one area when some steam came up. We accused her of trying to be like Marilyn Monroe standing over the steam vent. It wasn't that dramatic, but it was funny. Kids make little items by molding the clay. They give them to you and you tip them. I ended up with 2 little treasures. One is still damp clay and the other is a little dryer. We'll see if they are ready to take home in 6 more weeks. One of the guys shared the gospel using the Evangecube with the kids. Then the team gave the kids some new testaments.

We headed back toward Leon and the team house and on the way we stopped by to see Pastor Miguel's church building that was started by a few on this team. We took some pictures and the guys talked about what it will take to put walls up. (right now it's just a tin roof and metal columns with a dirt floor) When our team was here in March, we had services there. It will be neat to see it become finished in the next year.

One more stop at One the Run to switch the translators to a separate van with German, and then the rest of us made our way to the house for lunch (about 3pm). Jasmina had made her yummy hamburgers. I just love them. I tease her about having secret ingredients and she knows how to stretch that ground beef to feed an army!

We all looked at menus from Suyapa restaurant down the road. We had to write down what we want for dinner so that they could go buy items if needed to feed us all at once. Manuel then drove our order down to the restaurant and we will go to eat there at 6pm. I hope we are hungry by then! A lot of the team ordered lobster and shrimp and stuff. Mary and I opted for the grilled (Mary) and roasted (me) chicken and veggies. I can't wait. But I'll probably have to bring a doggie bag back with me!

Mary and I had a discussion about studying Spanish. I told her not to be discouraged and that we would work hard on it beginning the week after the team leaves. We'll work on pronunciation first and then work on the words that she already knows and ones she needs to add to have conversations with the people around the house here. She does a good job of communicating some with little Spanish (and them with no English). She will be so happy to be able to speak to them more. I'm not fluent by any means, but I'm glad to help with what I do know and we'll both get help with going further.

On a happy note, all the translators have told me that they can tell a difference in my Spanish since the last time I was here. Mostly I have just been conversing with my friends at Cuerpo Vivo and doing Bible studies in Spanish with them. I would like to devote more time to intense study when I get back home. I always say that, but end up too busy to keep that promise to myself. Maybe I'll do better this time.

I'm laying here on my bed with the fan blowing, relaxing a little before we head out in 30 minutes for dinner. I'm still stuffed from our late lunch. I would love to just fall asleep instead. But that will come soon enough.

I had a wonderful conversation with Christopher, one of the translators who adopted me as Mom. Today was the only day that he would be working with us because he starts a new job in Managua tomorrow. It was good to talk about his life and the changes that God has made in him since the last time we were here. He is struggling with some of the same problems that young men from US do. He is leaning on God for guidance and I'm so proud of him. I hope to get to see him more while Mary and I are here these next weeks.

Joe couldn't work with us this week because his fiance is having surgery soon. I miss him very much (he's another son) and I pray for them and this time health problems. I'm going to make a point to getting to see them before we leave in January.

Hixel and I got to chat a lot on the trip to El Sauce today. She is doing well and her husband and baby boy are doing great.

Iris wasn't able to work with us this week. I miss her sweet smile. We have spoken over facebook and are planning on getting together in the next weeks, also.

Chico looks happy as always. He says Benjamin is walking now and getting into everything. I can't wait to see him and Elieth again.

Juan Pacheco's baby boy is due in early January. Maybe he will arrive before Mary and I leave.

Oscar is the same as always. Steady going. I want to try to visit with him some this week, too.

Rydder is working with us this week. He says his family is well and his little 3 year old girl is getting ready for preschool.

I think that covers everyone for now. I'm going to rest a little bit more and will post after our dinner. (if I'm not too full to type!)

Well, dinner was fun and good. I had ordered roasted chicken and it turned out to be breaded chicken breasts that had been oven fried. The breading was easy to remove and the chicken inside was delicious. The roasted potatoes where pretty good, too. Some of the team had ordered lobster, shrimp, whole fish among other items. It was fun to see 35 people at the table all chowing down. The team said that this was the first time they had seen Chico quiet. He was shoveling the food in! I got a great pic of Rydder holding up the skeleton of his fish like he was ready to drop it down his throat. Juan's fish was staring at me from his plate, so I took it's picture. We had a very enjoyable evening. And after removing half of what was on my plate (the breading) the rest was just the right amount to be satisfying and not stuffed.

After dinner, we piled into the vans and then German had Mary and I and Josh, the team leader get on the van with the translators. We had a quick meeting discussing being one big team and getting to know and work together. Then we went to the team house and had a meeting with the whole team. German even had the drivers come in. It was nice. Then whoever wanted to, went outside to set off the fireworks that Josh and other team members had purchased today. They were loud! The neighbor asked that they move them to the beach, so they did. I was glad. I was holding my poor ears and even went to get my earplugs. But everyone enjoyed them and no one got their appendages shot off.

Saturnino scaled one of the cocoanut trees and threw some down for the team. Then he took his machete to them and got them ready for the team to enjoy. I tried to get a picture of him scaling that tree, but it was too dark. He can climb like a monkey!

Most of the translators had not been to the team house before, so I took Jassiel and Hixel for a tour. It was nice to have them with us for a few hours 'off the clock'.

And a great big thank you goes to the team who treated us to dinner tonight. How wonderful was that!

Mary and I hung out in my room for a little bit and discussed schedules and money and shopping lists. Then Charlie came in to bring back my computer that he had borrowed and he stayed for a little while to chat. It has been a really nice evening. In fact, a really nice day.

Looking forward to what God is going to do with us the rest of the week. He is so gracious and imaginative to give us so many diverse blessings. I'm so thankful that VOH could use my help these 2 months and also that my work as a MIR with FBCR allows me to serve where and when called. God is so good to me. I don't deserve it at all. And I want to give each day back to Him in ways that glorify Him. He is worthy.