Month 3 living in paradise with tarantulas, scorpions, cockroaches, coral snakes, alligators, and sharks who could ask for more!
Part 1 – Paradise
This month is off to a great start! We are at a beautiful orphanage called Cicrin on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua. When we arrived late in the evening last Monday we couldn't believe that this was going to be our home and ministry site for the entire month. The pila (wash board and sink) and the rancho (see picture) both overlook the beautiful lake. Tropical trees surround you everywhere you look you find fresh fruit that has fallen.The stars at night are indescribable and the children captured our hearts with-in minutes. What a huge difference it was to be here after being up in the cold mountains last month. I asked God to put us in paradise this month and here it was. Our bathrooms and showers may still be outside and our living quarters aren't exactly creature free…ok they aren't creature free by any means. but God truly blessed us. Or so I thought.
Part 2 – Creatures Everywhere
The night took a sudden turn for the worst.
One moment I was sitting at the dinner table taking in all the beauty, laughing with my friends and the next moment I was standing on top of the table crying while the boys chased and killed a TARANTULA!! A TARANTULA!?! No one told me there were tarantulas in paradise…or scorpions, or coral (killing) snakes, or swarms of cockroaches, or alligators or sharks. However, it turns out that there are all of those things here. Needless to say, I have been staying far away from the beautiful, wonderful, creature filled garden since I've been here at Cicrin.
Part 3 – My Place
Thankfully, we have all found a place for ourselves here at the orphanage. A couple people are greatly enjoying the kitchen where they get to help with the preparation and cleaning for each meal. The rest of the group is either getting dirty in the garden or with the many construction and cleaning projects that need done here at the orphanage. While I sometimes feel guilty that I'm not covered in paint, dirt, or food at the end of the day I am overjoyed with my place here at the orphanage. Almost everyday I get to go to the school and help teach English with Carla (the English teacher for the whole school). I have already learned so much from her and I can see a great relationship forming this month. I've know for a long time that I wanted to teach but over the past year I started to doubt that I was being called to teaching or that I was even capable of teaching. It is amazing how God keeps putting in ministries where I get to teach or help teach. He keeps reaffirming that this is where I am being called. It gives me so much joy to wake up and know that I get to go help at a school everyday. I cannot imagine doing anything better. When we get to break for the day we are blessed with the company of all the children here at the orphanage.
Part 4 – Something to Chuckle About
This is a totally unrelated story but it makes me laugh whenever I think about it…
The day before we came to the island I got all of my hair cut off. The first night we were here playing with the children one of the little girls whispered in my ear "me gusta tu pelo" which means "I like your hair." I smiled and said thanks and thought nothing of it after that since it seems like children naturally take a liking to me for some reason.
Here in Central America almost every girl has very long hair. I assumed it had to do with a belief they had and maybe it does but two days after we arrived I come to breakfast and 3 of the little girls had cut their hair off to look just like mine. I will have to get a picture with my little look a likes soon so you can all see.
* Thanks to everyone who has been reading my blogs and to all my supporters out there you are making a huge difference all over the world!!!
