And Such is Life!!

We went into December with the hopes that we would have a little down time to relax and recoop and gear up for a busy beginning to 2010.....that didn't happen :) It went from a very empty month to much busier than we could have expected...yet fulfilling. We knew January and February would be busy. It is the gearing up for the Nicaraguan school year and gearing up to head to the States. School started here February 1st.

We happened to be in Nueva Guinea for youth and evangelistic meetings that weekend before. We returned and immediately got to work distributing all the supplies. We usually wait a couple days into the school year for all the kids to make it to classes so we wouldn't miss any of the kids. This year we had a count of 316 students and 15 teachers that we have the privilege of serving. We also included the children in Francisco and Erica's ministry as well, they have great need in these neighborhoods as well, that added another 58 with a grand total of 374.

On February 3rd we loaded up the truck and set out to deliver to as many schools as possible in 1 day. This is usually a 2 day process due to the road conditions and they only have 1/2 day classes. We were so excited that when the day was done we had made it to all the schools just in time. So many of the kids, and teachers, were so excited. Many had come to school with no materials, because they couldn't afford them, with the hopes we would be there again this year. I am always so excited to see how God provides!!! This is the beginning to the 4th year helping these communities. We have begun to see such openness and the Lord working in so many of their lives since we began with the clinics and schools. God is always faithful to watch over that which He's called us to do to see it come to fruition as He intends. We have to be patient and obedient and realize that our timing is not His timing.

This year I also felt like we were to take on Francisco's group of kids he ministers to. They were so excited when we called to find out how many students there were. They work with 2 very poor communities. We were able to deliver these supplies the week before school to make sure they were all ready for their first day. It has been such a blessing to see how Francisco and Erica are impacting these communities in their faithfulness to minister to these children.

We thank all who have giving to this project!! There have been more lives touched than you could ever imagine. We aren't just touching the lives of the kids but whole families. We will continue to provide school supplies throughout the year, as in the past. We make 3 distributions that provide for 3 months at a time. It comes to a cost of $5/ea for younger kids and $8/ea for bigger kids to provide for the whole year. We are just so grateful for the opportunity to be part of what God is doing here....He is always doing more than what we expect, we always feel like we are the ones that are the truly blessed and ministered too. He teaches us as we go, as long as we are willing to be molded.

To see more pics click here!!!

November Clinic....

Well I am a bit late on writing this but at least it's before next months clinic..haha. We had such a great time, as usual, doing the November clinic. Rainy season had finally come the end of October and had rained enough that we weren't sure how the roads were going to be. We go no matter what, just a bit more prepared with a tow rope and all!! The roads were quite slippery but still pretty solid underneath, so it was no more than a bit of slipping and sliding as you can see in the pic below. (Roger was driving straight. I think he was a bit disappointed there wasn't more of an opportunity to drive in deep mud..hehe)

We made it in good time and there was a bit of a shorter line, which we expected with the rain that was coming in that morning. A couple of the ladies kept saying, "I told them all you guys would show up." It was so funny, but made me so happy to know that they know we are there for them rain or shine :) Of course as the word got out more and more kept coming. There ended up being a bit over 40 in all. It ends up being nice when there are fewer patients like this, we are able to spend more time with them and pray with them. It's really all about relationships and Him being glorified in it all!!

(This is a precious little girl...I still don't know how they keep their pretty dresses so lovely in the rainy and muddy weather.)

(I had forgotten our step-on scale, but thank goodness Susanna brings her infant scale and Roger his muscles..haha. The kids thought this scale was pretty fun though.)

(This family had come to see the doctor about other things but when the mom asked if we could remove the boys stitches we were more than happy to help. Saves them a trip to town to see the doctor, which could have been a whole day affair. He was so brave and a cutie.)
(And here he is, stitch free!!)

(Went to deliver meds and powdered milk to our faithful old lady, 80+ yrs. old, it was too rainy and muddy for her to have made the walk to the clinic....so we delivered. You like my boots?? haha)

Lights, Camera, Action....

Three weeks ago we were able to have another movie night at our friends in Dolores, Nicaragua. I was raining a bit so only 35 showed that night. We were able to get our hands on a dubbed version of Jonah, the Veggietales movie. They all were laughing and thought it was the best. (Although now Francisco will have to clear up some parts of the story, like it wasn't that they were fish-slappers in Ninaveh...minor details..hahaha.) It is always such a joy to be able to go and be a part of what they are doing, better yet, what God is doing through them...willing vessels.

We were also able to give out bibles to them. We found a great place in Managua where we can get bibles for $2.75 a piece (prices as good as the States). We bought a couple of cases for them to use there and at the other location where they have been working with children as well. We are so excited to get the Word to those who are hungry!! Total they have about 75 to 80 kids that they minister to on a weekly basis. It is such a joy for us to be able to see God move in His own specific way, whether it be in a city of millions or a community of a hundred.

October Clinic

Well today was the first Saturday of the month....that means clinic day!! We never know what will happen or how many will show. Today we had almost 40 patients, which makes for a nice paced morning. After last Saturday of being crazy busy and short handed it was a blessing today. Today Susanna, our nurse, was able to come back, we had our doctor, Lisseth, and our dentist, Alcira, and we also had a friend of ours tag a long that lives in Diriamba, Esther. Esther and her family have lived in Nicaragua for 2 years now and she was gracious enough to come and help out. We had a wonderful time of seeing our faithful patients and some new ones. Next month will be 2 years of doing the clinics in this community and we feel so blessed.

I will drop a small prayer request on this blog. We are in need of portable dental equipment in order to do fillings. We are currently only able to do extractions and would love to provide taking care of cavities to help prevent further teeth problems. We have looked and found things in the States at, to us, a high price and we would need to find a way to get it down here. Because of that we are hoping to find something here. We aren't for sure, but are trusting that God will always give us the answer when we need it. Please pray with us that those doors open and we are able to find a good machine at a good price.

I will leave you with a quote that I will continually strive to say "yes" to:

"The world has yet to see what God can do with and through and in a man who is fully consecrated to Him." -H. Varley

Daddy is Home!!!

Last night was the moment we had been waiting for for 2 long weeks.  Roger had been in the states ministering and traveling and fellowshipping.  We seemed to hold the fort down here and managed to not get into too much trouble but we sure missed him.  There is definitely a difference when Dad isn't around but we seem to muddle through. :)  

The kids decided that this time we needed to make posters.  It was so sweet!! They had even marked it on the calendar so they wouldn't forget when to do it, the same calendar we were marking down the days.  They worked so diligently on their posters and were so excited to see their Daddy again.

Thought I would post some pics of the kids and their fancy-pants posters. :)

(The first pic is the view of the sunset on the way to picking him up...so pretty!)

Some of our favorite things...

I thought I would add some of the kiddos, and ours too, favorite fruits.  The first pic is of our favorite bananas.  They are little, sweet and simply delicious bananas.  The bad thing is they are small so we end up popping them like popcorn.  At least it's a fruit, right. :)  We had gone to our local 'banana lady' and she happened to have a stalk of them and for only $1 and then because the ones we bought were still green (they are yellow now in the pic) she gave us a bag of ripe ones for free.  The kids were definitely excited.... can you tell?  haha

This next fruit is called mamon chino.  It is funny looking on the outside but has a yummy fruit on the inside with a seed in the middle.  You first have to break open the shell, it's not a hard shell more like rubber, with your fingers and then pick out the fruit.  It has the feel of a peeled grape, and somewhat similar texture as well.  It is sweet and a bit juicy.  You just chew on it till you get to the seed then spit it out.  The kids could eat buckets of these.  It is so much fun living in another country and getting to try all the different fruits and veggies they have to offer!!!

Only God can!!!

Just wanted to share this article with all those that have been following our wonderful trek here.   It is definitely a good gage on what the situation is here.  Whether it is 100% accurate or not, much depends on who's taking the statistics, it is a reality here.  Much of what is going on around the world is happening here too.  We are seeing an increase in desperation and lack of hope. 

This not only has been a hard year but a hard agriculture time as well.  It has been a very dry rainy season.  Some beans were able to be harvested but most rice was lost and the corn that grew wasn't enough.  Here they rely on their ability to grow their own food to last for 6 months until the next harvest.  Due to the hotter and dryer whether this is an enormous weight.  To add, many farmers borrowed money to plant the crops at the rate the beans or whatever they were planting was selling for and now it's time to pay back loans and they can't because of lack of harvest.  I will give you one example; at the time of planting beans were selling for an average of 10 cordobas ($.50) and now at harvest time they are having to sell at 3 cordobas ($.15).  They are being taking advantage of and the market is unstable right now.  It grieves me to see this happening and not having any answers.  To see those that God called us to help, and not be able to. 

There is now a people that can do no other than rely on God.  No more doing out of our own strength but that alone that can be found in Him.  The hope is found that the spiritual land is being cultivated.  God is creating a people that will be prime for His harvest.  There is a Nicaragua that is much greater. One that God sees as truth and not that which we see on this earth.  Hab. 2:14 says that "the whole earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."  That includes Nicaragua!!! Let His glory be known!!