January 2015

Catching up on blog posts, and so far behind I need to do a month at a time.  Wow.  The more I promise to be better at communicating, the farther behind I get.  I assure you it’s not due to laziness.  But there is so much going on in the ministry and the blessings are many and often.  I just have time to do it and report it at the same time!  Lol   God is so Faithful!

With Christmas behind us, we are looking forward to a new year of many changes.  God is brining us many new opportunities to share Jesus and to teach classes.  We pray hard over each request and feel bad that we cannot do it all.  But God has planned what we are supposed to be doing and we rely on His leadership for each decision.  One of our main goals is to equip future teachers.  It’s hard to keep up with the demand sometimes.  But we are very excited to see the women learning and seeing whom God will reveal as the next generation of teachers.

I had a big to-do list for the couple of weeks of class vacation.  I got most of it done.  One big project that didn’t make the deadline was to sew floor to ceiling curtains for the back hall entrance.  These will provide Sofia and baby Victoria with some much needed privacy when we have classes.  I felt very happy when they were finally finished and my carpenter friend, Eyner, made a beautiful wooden valance to hang them from. 

Also on my list, was to finish decorating the baby’s mosquito net with organza ribbon flowers that Sofi and I had made.  It sure looks beautiful.  I also made a few baby blankets, finished some quilling earrings, sewed a couple of totebags and created a mosquito net cover for the stroller. 

Sofi got the chance to visit the beach one more time before the baby. 

Another change for us was when our new friend Luis (the machine whisperer – who could fix anything) left town abruptly.  We sure miss having someone who can fix our sewing machines and fans.  Another example of how people come and go in our lives and the ministry.  Nothing is for sure.

Eyner not only made the curtain valance, but also redid the rockers on 4 of our rocking chairs for the living room.  He put legs on a former hanging shelf and made Sofi some beautiful hanging units for her room.  I commissioned him to make Sofi a custom rocking chair, just right for her body and the duties of a mamma.  We call it the throne.  It is tall, just the right height from the floor, with high arms that are wider than usual.  Just perfect for propping up a baby in your arms for feeding.  It’s very pretty and it will be passed from Sofi to Victoria in the future. 

English Bible Study has been hit and miss for a while, since the students are ambitious and their schedules fill up with college and sometimes work.  Pastor Yader was very busy with all going on at his church.  I was excited to share with him and with Cristhian a copies of the leader books for the Bible Study we have been doing.  They will both be able to use these resources to multiply these classes with others.  We will continue to have English Bible Study on Friday mornings for those who can fit it into their schedules.  For the evening people, I think we will have a special monthly gathering for praise, fellowship, learning and celebrating.  I’m excited to start the next course, which will be ‘The Call to Follow Christ’. 

I love it when we get drop in visitors here at the house.  It happens all week long and is so nice.  Alberto and I became friends when I was living at another ministry where he was guard.  He was ‘retired’ from his position and is now staying with family and traveling to see his kids in different countries when he can.  It was so good to see him.  He’s visited a few times and it’s nice to keep the connection of when we spent much time together.

I met with a new friend who is advising me on the ‘resident’ status process for here in Nica.  I’m very blessed to have this sweet new friend.  The residency process will have to wait until the ministry is registered as a non-profit, but I hope that we get to spend lots of time visiting in the mean time.

My friend Tamara leads a Bible Study for missionary women.  We meet when the majority can, usually between busy mission team seasons.  It’s been a blessing to meet here at Living Grace House and we have been enjoying a few of the Priscilla Shirer studies.  There are 6 of us in the core group, with more wanting to come in the future.  I love getting to do these studies with these women.  After preparing and leading various Bible Studies throughout the week, it’s nice to be a participant and soak up all God is offering as I seek Him personally.

We also began some Saturday morning classes for a few women who want to learn to make school uniforms.  Even though school is not mandatory, and only those who can afford the supplies can go, uniforms are required.  The people who make the uniforms do so from home-made patterns and measurements.  Button down white shirts and blouses, navy trouser pants and navy pleated skirts.  Very structured.  (not my favorite kind of sewing)  But this is a great opportunity for the women committed to doing this type of sewing and making a living at it.  I’m blessed to be able to offer a place for the classes to happen.

A church in Illinois is blessing us with some sewing machines, supplies and fabric for our sewing classes in other communities.  We were visited by Jeff and his wife Heather and had a nice visit.  We are excited to have their participation and to be their hands and feet here. 

We were commissioned to make some custom backpacks for another ministry.  We are excited about that venture and it will give some of the ladies a good income when the backpacks are ordered at various times.

We were contacted by a friend of mine in AR, who works for a company that makes mosquito nets, tarps and hammocks.  They are going to send us some to share here and we can take pics and send testimonials about how we like them.  I can’t wait to receive them.  Since shipping here is very expensive and not secure at all, we will have a group carry them down in June.  I can’t wait to get them and share them!

The city was changing the water meters in front of our houses and January was the time for our neighborhood.  When they changed mine, they broke the pipe from the meter to my house.  They ‘offered’ to fix it for a fee.  I told them no, I would hire a friend.  Then Sofi (8 months pregnant) and our friend James went to the water office and told them that they should fix it, since there was not problem before the meter switch out.  They agreed (I think because Sofi was so pregnant!) and came a week or so later to fix it. 

Then a few weeks later someone stepped in the hole where the meter is and broke the pipes on both sides of the meter.  That meant we had no water in the house and thousands of gallons of water was gushing down the street.  We called the emergency number on the bill, but of course, no one answered.  So, we were in for the (Sat) night waterless.  The next day, our friend Aura brought someone she knew who works with plumbing stuff (very different down here).  He couldn’t plug the gusher, either, but had a different number to call for the water company. 

Later that morning, 3 guys showed up to fix the problem.  First, they check to make sure that you have paid your bill.  (it seems that if you don’t pay your bill, they shut off your water and put a lock on your meter.  Some people try to remove the lock and break the pipes.  So, usually when people see water gushing from your meter, they assume you didn’t pay your bill.  Sofi was worried about what the neighbors would think, but I didn’t care.  I had paid my bill.  The neighbors need some excitement anyway.  J) 

Anyway, one guy actually worked on the leak.  He had a bucket full of ‘tools’.  Some of which were drumsticks of various sizes, broken in half, to use as different plugs.  He found one that fit and began fixing the problem.  Another guy just went back and forth between the work site and the truck.  And one guy, obviously the supervisor (because he wore sunglasses and stood with his arms crossed) watched the work being done.  They finished up, checked to make sure the water was running in the house and left.  I was thankful that it didn’t take longer for them to show up.  (less than 24 hours on a weekend!)  Of course, if the break had been on MY side and the water was running endlessly on MY DIME, I’m sure they would have taken their time.  It was a shame, though, that so much water was wasted, when there are thousands of people here without water in their homes.

That pretty much sums up January, with the exception of the birth of Victoria, which will be covered in a post of her own.

January was the one year anniversary of when God brought me back to Nica to start a brand new ministry.  I arrived in mid-January 2014, prepared to rent a sleeping room for 3 months, while looking for an appropriate small house for the ministry.  God surprised me with a large house within a month.  He put many people in my path for helping with specific tasks.  It was amazing to see Him work.  I can’t believe that a whole year has past so quickly.  At the same time, I am amazed that everything that He has accomplished all fit into just that first year. 

God is Amazing!