I promise to post pictures next time I blog!
paradise. Just the word orphanage gives off a vibe of loss and desperation, but
not here, not at Cicrin. This place, this home is THE most peaceful place that
I have ever been. The Lord just saturates it and it is truly His. Oh wow! Its
so hard to explain and something you truly have to experience for yourself, but
here is my attempt.
My team and team Rev 217 are staying on the island of Ometepe which is
located in Lake Nicaragua. The island is made up of two volcanoes, Conception
and Maderas. We have an awesome view of one and can watch the deep red lava
creep down the side of it. Cicrin ministries is located right outside of Los
Angeles (yes many of the towns have the same name as cities in Cali, I was in
Sacramento yesterday) and is about 800 meters off the main road that goes around
the island. It sits right at the edge of the island so that one whole side of
the property is nothing but water. The grounds are beautiful and well taken
care of. There is a large garden, goats and horses, houses for the boys and the
girls, a kitchen and dinning hall, offices and rooms for missionaries and guests.
The room we girls live in is wonderful! Its like a little apartment with
brightly painted walls. We each have a bed and there are two bathrooms and a
kitchenette. The food is good and we are getting plenty of rice and beans.
The people here are incredible and I am falling more in love with them
each day. The kids here range in age from 12- about 18 with the exception of
Julietta and Duna who are four years and 18 months. My heart completely goes
out to the age group that we are working with and I have really enjoyed getting
to know the kids a few at a time. It just blows me away how close their
spiritual walk is with the Lord. I know I will learn a thing or two from them.
Their faith and love for Him and all He does is truly eminent in their
attitudes and how they live life, especially the girls. The Lord is truly
laying a passion on my heart for young women. I believe that He started it in
Monessen and is allowing it to grow here on the race. I’m really excited to see
where He will take me with it this month with these girls.
Our work consists of kitchen duty, working in the garden, watching Duna
and Julietta and going into town to work with the local church. As of this week
I have worked in the kitchen and in the garden. Both have been awesome experiences!
Kitchen duty allowed me to get to know the women who work in both the kitchen
and with the orphanage. Heidi, the cook, totally stole my heart and is the
cutest old woman ever! Amy works as a tia for the girls, almost like a mentor,
and helps take care of Duna and Julietta. She taught me how to clean and gut my
first fish and we ate them for lunch! Oh wow I have video which hopefully will
get posted by the end of the month. Now I can totally prepare a fresh caught
fish Nica style! I have washed a lot of dishes and cleaned a lot of floors, but
the best part of kitchen duty has been interacting with the kids. The older
kids are actually taking English at school so I get to help them with homework
and practice their dialogs about love and romance ha! The garden has been fun
and hot! Josiel and Illario have been showing us how to weed and create cucumber
and corn houses. I have loved playing in the dirt, but most of all interacting
with them! We are making such good friends and Josiel even took us down to his house
for coconuts.
that just covers this place. This place was fought hard for and in that it is
completely a place of redemption and freedom. Back in the 1970’s it was used by
the military as a hold tank for children. The military would kidnap children
and lock them up on these grounds until they were ready to ship them across the
lake to Rivas where they were forced to fight in the war. The Lord ultimately
won a hard fought battle and has completely kept His hand on this place ever since.
