Nicaragua Favorites (Picture Blog)

Flash back to month 3! As I quickly dive into life in the Philippines, I want to recap my time in Nicaragua for y’all. Although the month was covered in challenges, it wasn’t without amazing moments. Here’s my top 11:

1) I started the month off with a bang! Five days of debrief in Granada provided moment after moment of adventure that I got to enjoy with squad mates I’d soon be parting from for the month. Boat rides, zip lining, and volcano hiking highlighted the long weekend.

2) My first downpour rain of the month was enjoyed right outside of our new ministry home. My teammates and I danced the day away, literally sopping up every moment of the giant droplets that endlessly fell on our faces.

3) Being close to the beach was a highlight of off day relaxation. Day-cations to the Pacific coast were a favorite. We surfed, we played, we soaked up the sun, and we got sand in places we never wished to have it.

4) We spent Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of our second week working at an orphanage. In the mornings we would help with farming and construction, but in the afternoons we were able to play with the kids! Pictured below is me with one of the little boys at the orphanage. Nicaragua only has about 20 orphanages throughout the entire country, each one only being able to house about 20 children. This means there are only around 400 orphans being accounted and cared for throughout Nicaragua.

5) Being sick for most of the month was not a highlight, but having my teammates come back from their day to climb into bed next to me and tell me every detail was! In a profession where I’m used to taking care of others, it was a learning and refreshing experience to be taken care of myself. Besides, who says you have to be big to be the big spoon?

6) Meeting exotic furry friends on the race is always a bucket list check off. (Monkey picture below)

7) Spending time with Connie and getting to us POWER TOOLS to build her a new back door to her house. Connie was one of the sweet nurses that worked at the medical clinic Vision Nicaragua had on site. She’s hilarious, passionate, and the best charades player I’ve ever met.

8) The evening our truck broke down and we got to spend a few extra hours in the village we were working in, drinking coke from a bag, playing games, and talking with the people we had met.

9) Workin at the well and catching ducklings during church construction one afternoon.

10) That time I went to a random village for house visits and ended up getting to eat a Nicaraguan pepperoni roll and spending time with the most beautiful kids I’ve ever met.

11) Our last night at Vision Nicaragua we had a party thrown for us by our sweet friends, Elizama & Francisco. It was a beautiful celebration of our last night with them and such a blessing to us!

Bonus round: The day it rained so much we couldn’t go to work and a few of us spent the day playing Phase 10, watching “My Best Friend’s Wedding”, and recreating our own “So You Think You Can Dance” audition.

Pictures are in order of top 11 list: