Hi friends,
Time is flying by! We have just about wrapped up our first month here in Nicaragua! We leave Tuesday for Costa Rica. I wanted to blog about the different ministries that our squad had been a part of and let you know a bit about what has been going on this past month. My team and I have been living at an AIM (Aventures in Missions) base called REAP, also known as The Farm. Here is a list ministries that our squad helped with this month.
Basketball court- This ministry consisted of hoeing, stripping, and using acid. My team helped out by stripping the old tape off the court and using acid to remove all the sticky gunk. Then we laid down tape, repainted the court lines, and got to paint the REAP Granada logo in the middle of the court. We also worked on hoeing a hill of dirt and flattening it out around the court.
Basketball- Some of our squad helped out on MWF teaching locals how to play basketball. Our squad members helped with runnint a clinic from 8-10:30am. They train the men on dribbling, shooting, defense, and working together as a team.
Farming- A few things the farming team did this month was: planting banana trees, dug trenches for water lines, flattened soil, tended to the garden, made pathways on campus. There was a separate team for construction. This team leveled floors, dug a foundation for a wall, built fences, stairs, and helped with building a house.
Moringa Seeds- Moringa is a miracle plant that can help with malnutrition and fighting a few different diseases. The seeds themselves can fight cancer and help with diabetes and the leaves once they are dried and crushed in a powder form, provide iron and calcium in massive amounts. It is more beneficial than drinking milk. With the leaves, we cut them down, dry them out and crush them to make a powder that will then be capsuled. The capsuled pills then would help with diabetes and curing cancer. The team has also built a drying rack for leaves, and are also putting together a video and a munal to pass on the knowledge of this process to future racers to keep the project going.
Library- One of the teammates stumbled across a library on a prayer walk and the lady who worked at the library loved receiving help from us. We took down a lot of her old decorations on the library walls and replaced them with new ones. We also got to spend time reading with the kids that visited while we were there and they helped us with the decorations.
Sports- In the afternoons on MWF the squad would play sports with the locals such as: basketball, volleyball, baseball, kickball, and soccer.
Kids Craft- We only got to do this once. I was the point person for the girls crafts after they had their bible study. An AIM staff member led the bible study for a few young girls (ages 9-15, ish). I then had them create a self portrait using the back of a paper plate with a bunch of crafts. They loved it!
Men’s Bible Study- Monday through Friday wthe group of men study scripture together then have an open discussion on how to apply what was read. We ask the guys questions to try and get them involved and how they can apply what they learned to their daily life.
Jail- Every Thursday morning we visit the men and women in jail. There are about 120 men and 5 women. We would prepare a bible study for them and get the opportunity to paint their nails and to spend time and love on them.
The Dump- We went to the dump on Wednesdays and Fridays. The group would leave at 8am to go pick up food and supplies. Upon arrival, we would set up a serving table with the food, juice and water. After setting up we would walk up the hill to tell people we where here with food. There were families at the dump, searching through the items for valuable materials that they could then exchange in order to make a living and provide for their families. Before serving food, would share a bible study, pray for the food and serve everyone until the food was all gone.
Cooking- Cooking in a third world country is a little different than expected. Language barrier isn’t a problem when you are surrounded by a group of women who love to smile. Every single day its the same routine. We do the dishes, we prep for dinner, and then cook and serve dinner. Behind the food are women who love to laugh, smile, and have so much joy. It is encouraging to work with them.
Prayer Walking- Prayer walking is the ministry for you if you want to get pushed out of your comfort zone. We get in groups with a local guide and translator who know the community. They lead us through different villages and introduce us to families that would appreciate prayer. We get to hear stories, encourage, pray for people, ask for healing, and sometimes even get prayed over by the families. Each day you get to see and experience the Kingdom of God as you interact with the locals.
Hosptial- Teams of racers got to go visit people in the hospital and pray over them. We would go from room to room praying over each individual. Many people were very thankful and appreciative that we visited and spent time with them. We got to bring the Lords comfort and have a continual presence to create relationships with patients and their families.
Nursing Home- A few times we got to visit a nursing home and bring food to serve to the men and women. We sat with them while they are their lunch and spent time with them which they appreciated.
Beauty for Ashes- Beauty for Ashes is a ministry to bring healing, community, and truth to women around the world by hosting retreats with women in communities. It is based off of Isaiah 61. We have a loving, redemptive God and we want to make His love and redemption known to all people. Some women on the squad hosted an event for the women who work in the kitchen at Reap Granada.
So there they are! We had the flexibility to pick and choose which ministry that we wanted to help with each day. Each day we participated in both morning and afternoon ministry. I loved the option of choosing which one I wanted to serve in each day. In doing so, I was able to do just about every ministry atleast once. This month has been really great and we have been blessed with a great first month here at REAP. The month has brought much growth and perspective change. I’ve loved getting to know people here in Niagara and having intentional conversations with my squad everyday. Super excited for month TWO!
…next stop, San Jose, Costa Rica!
