Right now, I am currently sitting in a pavilion that looks out across the lake, birds are chirping, lizards are climbing trees, and squirrels are chasing each other. I’m also accompanied by this one jumping spider that apparently wants to be my best friend because he won’t leave me alone. Our team has been at Cicrin Orphanage on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua for about 3 weeks now. Wow, time has literally flown by. In about a week and a half, we will be in Costa Rica. Though time has been going fast, the weeks have been full of amazing adventures.
Yesterday, our team got the opportunity to go zip lining. Was it safe? Not entirely. Would it legally pass in the states? Absolutely not. In fact, it was probably the most sketchy zip line set up I’ve ever seen. But was it worth it? Oh my goodness, yes. Our team went on about 10 zip lines in a row. The views were absolutely breathtaking. Not only that, but our facilitators were the best. Afterwards we went to town for lunch, and went to the store. While there, something unexpected happened. A man by the name of Oscar came up to us with strands of some kind of plant and started making creations (flowers and grasshoppers) from them and gave them to us. Our team laid hands on him and Mack (our best Spanish speaker) prayed aloud for him. Afterwards, the man started to tell his story in which she translated to the team. He cried through his words and told us how he felt God was too big and powerful to know him and how he gave up going to church. We encouraged him and reminded him of what was true, that God is his friend and that He loves him unconditionally. Mack invited him to come to church with us this next Sunday and he nodded excitingly. At this time, the team was pretty tired, ready to go back to Cicrin, but this experience was so eye opening and humbling. It reminded me how ministry isn’t just at Cicrin but can be everywhere at anytime no matter how you feel.
During the week, our team did all sorts of things like painting, cleaning, raking, building walls, preparing food, teaching English, and more. When building the new classrooms, we work with two full time workers named Mariano and Gabriel. They work everyday all day in the hot sun as hard as they can and have a fantastic attitude while doing it. Most the time I don’t understand what they are saying, but somehow we have been able to build somewhat of a friendship with each other. We call each other crazy all the time. Mariano is loco #1, Gabriel is loco #2, and I happen to be loco #3. Just seeing their dedication and experiencing their fun loving attitude is so amazing. And these are just 2 people at Cicrin that put their hearts into what they do.
There have also been a lot of fun instances with the kids. One time, I was walking up to the school to see what else I could help with. When I got up there, I looked to the right and running towards me were three little squirts (kids) covered in mud. They all embraced me and looked up at me with pure joy on their faces. We played soccer a bit and they decided it would be a good idea to play more in the mud. With me. The smallest of them all decided he wanted me to be covered in mud as well. I ran and would run after me, determined to get me more muddy than he was. We played until we were exhausted. I know this because by the end, all of them just stared into space and the smallest one started crying. But we all had fun.
At the school, our team gets the chance to teach English to mostly little preschoolers. There attention lasts for maybe a millisecond and then they go off into there own little worlds. It is so funny and enjoyable though. It’s an accomplishment when you get through numbers 1-10 with them.
One girl by the name of Naomi (though we don’t quite understand what the other is saying) chat, laugh, and walk together and she sometimes plays with my hair. Another girl, named Kendra, kisses me on the cheek almost every day she sees me. A little boy (honestly don’t remember his name) calls me all the other months of the year before getting to mine, and he got his friends to do it too. Everyday.
About four nights ago, our team played soccer with the kids/teens at Cicrin Orphanage. Hard core soccer. A few stunk at it and some were pros, but all in all, I think everyone enjoyed themselves.
These are just a few experiences of what went down these past couple weeks. I could go on and on.
For awhile, basically since I’ve left home, I have felt lonely and pretty anxious. I sometimes don’t feel like myself entirely and I also have felt that God has been quiet with me. It has been a battle being in a totally different place with totally different people. However, I’ve literally been forced to depend on him all the time. But I realize that he knew this was going to happen. He knew how I was going to feel before I did. He knew I would be forced to depend on him, in fact I think that’s what he wanted. He has purpose for it. When looking back on the past weeks, I’ve realized how much he has done. I’ve actually seen him everywhere. In the kids, the construction workers, the sunsets, the team, and more. It is hard NOT to notice him. These experiences are a constant reminder that God’s always there. He’s ready to tell us and show us things, he’s ready to fill us with his love, joy, and peace. I’ve realized though that we have to give everything to him. EVERYTHING. Small and big. We have to open our hearts to hear and see what he wants to tell and show us. Yes, I miss my friends and family and the comforts of home, being here is a big change. However, I have a friend with me always who never changes, he gives his comfort and peace, he fills me with true joy. I’ve said this similar truth in my last blog, but I can’t say it enough. I’m so thankful. God is so good.
Thanks for reading!
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
??Psalms? ?46:1-3? ?NIV??
* pics are on the website!
