Greetings from Nicaragua! Team Tharros is stationed in Chichigulpa this month, which is in northwest Nicaragua about 15 minute from the ocean. We are working with Vision Nicaragua, a non-profit started after Hurricane Mitch destroyed many of the houses of the people who live here. Most of the houses have since been rebuilt and we now carry on the ministry by building relationships with the people in the villages. We do this on Tuesdays and Thursdays and on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we all pile in the back of a truck and drive to an orphanage that also functions as an organic farm. They grow all their own food and livestock and feed us a delicious lunch every day. Here we paint buildings, dig ditches, work in the fields or whatever they need us to do.
Nicaragua is the second most undeveloped country in Central America after Haiti. Most people live in one or two room houses or huts and most men work in the sugar cane fields making about $3.50 a day. The people here are very friendly and eager to invite you in and share their story.
The country here is beautiful full of fields, palm trees, beaches, and volcanos. Our compound is located under an active volcano that smokes in the daytime and you can see the lava at night. It is in the height of the dry season and most days get up to about 100 degrees. There are fruit trees everywhere and after a hard day’s work many of us like to walk across the street and pick mangos right off the tree and eat them along with some other fruit that has a name I can never remember.
We are working with one other team from E squad this month as well as an Adventures in Missions Passport team that has been located in Chichigulpa for nearly three months now. Passport is for students right out of high school or in college. It is the length of one semester and gives them a chance to experience missions and another culture for four months at a time. Many of them want to go on the World Race when they turn 21 and it has been an amazing opportunity for us to pour into each other and build one another up.
One unexpected companion this month has been my 800 lice that decided to come with me from Honduras. Upon arrival at Vision Nicaragua we discovered that 7 out of 9 of us E squad girls had a pretty healthy population of lice. We immediately scheduled a de-lousing party where we medicated our heads, washed all our clothes, slathered ourselves in lice-killing mayonnaise, and combing through each other’s hair for hours. We every made a lice playlist. I am slightly ashamed to admit that my case was by far the worst. However, it has been a week and I can happily declare that we are now lice free!
I thank you all for your prayers and support. My finances are currently at $12,140 surpassing my April 1st deadline of $11,000! Besides the lice epidemic I have been completely healthy. I know it is because I have so many people praying for me, and I am so grateful to all of you. I would appreciate continued prayers for my team and our health, especially for the week of April 5th when we leave for Thailand. This upcoming travel segment will consist of four connecting flights and a 20 hour bus ride. Blessings!
