Greetings!!! I apologize it took me so long to write this blog and in turn apologize because its long!! (hence the 2 parts) Hopefully this helps give you an idea of what’s kept me so busy here in Nicaragua!
My team and I hiked up a mountain here in Granada the other day to see the sunrise over the city. Truly amazing to witness such a beautiful sight….
(The sun rises over Lake Nicaragua to the right and exposes the beautiful city of Granada)
I love the perspective we had being that far above the city….getting to see the center of town all the way out to the barrios including Pantanal, which is where we’ve been spending a lot of our time.
As I gazed out upon the city I considered all the people living below and wondered what their lives were like….how many were struggling, living in poverty, addiction, abuse, hunger, anger, depression; how many of them attend church or have a relationship with Jesus; how many believe there is no god or believe in another god….my perspective and knowledge is so limited but I am encouraged as God’s is not! He sees everyone and knows everything (Hebrews 4:13) He is fully aware and involved in what’s happening at each moment of the day everywhere in the world. And because God is a pursuing God, He sees our needs and heart condition and orchestrates His plans for reaching each one of us! That is something to chew on…. How GREAT is our God! (Psalm 24:1)
One way that God is pursuing the people in Granada is through a ministry called REAP Granada (Reapgranada.com) founded by Scott and Jen Esposito. God has placed them right in the midst of downtown Granada to be used as His hands and feet. Here are some of the ways they have responded to God’s calling to share His love with others and in turn ways my team has been able to serve along side them….
Pantanal Feeding Program & Prayer walks (Mondays & Fridays)
Pantanal is a barrio just outside of Granada that REAP Granada reaches out to and lives along side….twice a week there is a woman, Ernestina, who opens her home up to feed children to feed. I asked Ernestina why she provides lunch for these children and she said many go without regular meals so her program provides a way for them to be fed both physically and spiritually. Each week she trusts God for the food to provide for these children and that their hearts would come to see Jesus’ love for them despite their hunger and poverty. My team and I join in being with these children, teaching them English, reading them stories from the Bible and loving on them. …in the photo below you can see the kids playing animal bingo with the animals written in English. We discussed Noah’s Ark on this particular day too!
The prayer walks are a time of allowing the Lord to lead us wherever He wants us to go… We start by walking through the streets in Pantanal meeting people, listening to their story and then praying for them. We also share the good news of Jesus Christ with them and encourage them in their faith. Last week I met a girl named Julissa, a junior in high school who is involved in Young Life here in Granada. I felt moved to ask her to join us on our walk and she gladly accepted. It was a blessing to have her with us as she knew several people whose houses we stopped at and talked to. She openly shared and prayed for them too. It was neat to see God use her and for her to step out in her faith to those God had placed around her.
Backyard Bible Club (Thursdays)
Many of the kids who attend the feeding program also join us at backyard Bible club. This weekly club meets at a house in Pantanal that draws over 50 kids. Here the kids participate in singing, hear a Bible story, complete a craft and usually receive a piece of candy. Last week my team and I washed the feet of the kids there demonstrating like Jesus did how we are to serve others. Like in Jesus’ day the roads in Pantanal are dusty and muddy. Most of the people wear sandals and in turn have very dirty feet, including myself. One of my teammates washed my feet as we explained the story in the Bible where Jesus washes his disciples feet (John 13). The kids had a hard time allowing us to wash their feet but let me tell you this was such an amazing experience! If you’ve never washed someone else’s feet – consider a way you could “wash their feet” or serve them in a meaningful way!
Prison Ministry (Thursdays & sometimes Wednesdays)
The local processing center aka the jail is inhabited by 300 inmates with roughly 10 of those being women. Each week the only time these inmates get to go outside of their overcrowded cells is when visitors like us come. The men meet in a separate area than the women and work with other men from the ministry. I have SO enjoyed my time with these women….we begin by checking in to see how they are doing, feeling, and what things they are learning. Then we pray and dive into our Bible study on ‘Who is Jesus’. Jen facilitates our study as she and another translator share the Word and their lives with these women. The women ask questions, read in their own Bibles as they fill out their Bible study sheets. Afterwards we sing, complete a craft, and then pray. Because our time is limited we maximize the time we do get together.
This particular day we painted nails and the ladies wrote cards to their family members who they get to see Tuesday’s and Friday’s on the visitation days. While these women are in poor conditions and in jail their spirits are being refreshed as they continue to study God’s word and fellowship with each other about their lives. They are hopeful for God having a plan for their lives and await the day of their release!
Do you see God’s hand at work all around Granada and Pantanal, reaching kids, women and men?!
More to come in Part 2…..
