Getting to Nicaragua was an unexpected adventure. What was expected to be an 18 hour straight through bus ride turned into about a 40-hour bus ride with a 3 hour road block that turned into a side of the road worship session, a night in an El Salvadorian hotel, three border crossings, with the last one including a slight interrogation of one of our logistics leaders, and lots of pbj sandwiches, sometimes made on the floor of a dirty gas station parking lot. A short ferry ride the next morning to our final destination, and we safely made it to Ometepe, Nicaragua on November 10th.
Our ministry this month is with an organization called CICRIN (pronounced SEE-krin). “Cicrin is a non-denominational Christian prevention center and school for needy children. Their purpose is to improve the lives of Nicaraguan children who are at risk by providing schooling and housing with the ultimate goal of preserving and reunifying families.”
Here’s a link with more information on CICRIN if you are interested.
It’s all squad month this month so ministry looks a little different. Our squad of 20 girls usually splits up into our teams of 7/6 and works with separate ministries in separate parts of the country. This month we got to stay together! My team has been helping in the kitchen and around the grounds. This looks like cleaning dishes, sweeping, mopping, raking, picking up debris and trash, the usual yard and kitchen activities. The two other teams have been delegated to sit in prayer and help around the school with teaching in classrooms, cleaning, and other children’s activities. Next week and the week after, teams will swap duties.
This month, my team has decided to focus on growth, vulnerability, and mercy in order to continue advancing as a well-functioning, spirit led body of Christ. It is amazing to see how just one week into this month, myself and my team have already grown and continue to push ourselves and each other in these areas. I know that God has big plans for Nicaragua and I can’t wait to uncover and take hold of his intentions. I can feel change in the air!
