Well, I’ve been in Nicaragua since early Monday morning, and I have truly loved every second of it. Monday morning at around 1:30am, we landed in Managua where we stayed for the night. The hostel we stayed at had showers which means that it was also the first night we were able to take good showers since arriving at training camp. Praise the Lord for good showers!!! Not only did we get to shower, but we also got BEDS and SLEEP!!! After getting breakfast and playing with some monkeys right outside of our room, we started the rest of our travel to Ometepe. We took a 2 1/2 hour bus ride from Managua to a ferry that took us straight to Ometepe Island. The ferry ride took about an hour and was probably my favorite moment of the day. There was a peaceful breeze that brushed over all of us, we had a beautiful view of the Island, and we got to enjoy the sunset and all it had to offer. Such peace.
Monkeys right outside of our room in Managua
The view from our ferry ride
We arrived to the Cicrin Orphanage late Monday night where we were greeted by our host, Helen. We were also greeted by a wonderful meal that was prepared by the cooks; coming to a foreign country, I was super nervous that I wouldn’t like any of the food, but you guys!!! It has all been so good. Later that night, we decided to worship. Worship has always been one of my favorite things, but I found it to be so hard that night. I couldn’t lift my hands in praise, and I just sat there and cried (I promise I wasn’t the only one, so mom please don’t worry!!!!! ) .. I think I was just so overwhelmed with all that was going on, and I felt a little homesick.
Tuesday morning we got to hear about the history of the orphanage, and we got a tour from Helen and then we started our work ministry. The campus of Cicrin Orphanage is much bigger than I anticipated. There is a school with multiple classrooms, the main building where our boys are staying and where the offices are, a cafeteria, a soccer field, a volleyball court, a playground, 1 house for us girls to stay, 1 house where the girls of the orphanage stay, a house where the boys of the orphanage stay, and a patio that is filled with hammocks and looks over the lake. I think my favorite place on campus in the patio. It’s where I’ve found myself multiple times a day. Being able to rest and spend time with the Lord here has been so fruitful and has inspired me to buy a hammock when I get home. (I hope that’s okay with the ‘rents :O )
One of my teammates and I were given the task of painting one of the rooms in the main building. The first day we painted the ceiling, the second day we painted 2 of the walls, and yesterday we finished painting the other 2 walls and windows. On day 2 of painting, I got a little taste of home as we painted two of the walls the exact same color as my bedroom at home :’) The most fruitful part of painting was getting to spend some one-on-one time with one of my squadmates, Micky. We got the opportunity to get to really know one another and share how the Lord has moved in our lives. My chacos are full of paint, but my heart is filled with so much love.
Thursday we started children’s ministry. Children’s ministry has looked like hours of playing volleyball and soccer with them, worshipping on the patio that overlooks the lake, and sharing snack with them. (It also looks like painting the guys’ fingernails bright red 😉 ). One challenge that I have faced since I stepped foot in Nicaragua has been the language barrier. The main language that is spoken here is Spanish… and I took French in high school. This has made it hard for me to communicate with the people working here at the orphanage as well as the children. BUT I have come to learn that the universal language is laughter. Although it has been difficult for me to verbally communicate with these people, I have loved just getting to spend time with them and laugh with them. A quote that I have been really trying to live out at home and especially here has been, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and only when necessary, use words.” I think it fits perfectly for this situation.
Today is adventure day. We will be spending some time in town getting wifi, shopping, and doing whatever else we can find. Then we get to head to the beach later tonight to swim and watch the sunset. Tomorrow is the Sabbath day, and all we have planned is church in the morning – the rest of the day we will just be resting and spending some extra time with the Lord. One of my squadmates is Catholic too, and we found a Catholic Church that is only a few minutes away from our ministry. I can’t wait to experience a Catholic mass tomorrow night!!!
I’m only 9 days into this adventure, and it has been hard, but it has been so good. The Lord has made himself very present. I see Him in the hearts of my squad. I see Him in the hands of the workers. I see Him in the laughter of the children, and I see Him in the beautiful sunset that we have watched every night. I have found Him while painting with my squamate, I have found Him in the small conversations with my squamates while washing our clothes, I have found Him in the small moments and the big moments. The Lord is so real and so present here.. I wish I could stuff all of you in a suitcase and bring you here.
Monday starts our first full week of Ministry here at Cicrin, so I ask that you keep myself, my squad, and everyone else that we will encounter in your prayers. The Lord is going to do such beautiful things next week, and I cannot wait to be His hands and feet.
I love and miss all of you so much!!!
-Kenzie
One of my squadmates captured this picture of my friend Destany and me last night in our favorite napping spot
