I know I’ve been slackin’ on the blog posts, I apologize; it’s been a busy month!
We have been doing mostly physical, manual labor this month so far. We started on the island where we lifted bags of sand and rock from a boat to the construction site and also cinder blocks from the lake to the site. In addition, we did a lot of dirt shoveling and a little sand sifting too!
When we got back to Granada, we stayed with the rest of the squad at El Puente in dorm style rooms/bathrooms. There is also a decent amount of land for hammocks and a kitchen for us all to share. Our first ministry there was working along the wall they are building to enclose a school on private property. Right now, that area is well-traveled and also not the safest for a bunch of kids. So we worked ahead of the wall, clearing the land and prepping it for the wall. That included picking up trash, taking an ax to some roots, and using a machete to clear the area. We also found some extra barbed wire where myself and a teammate found ourselves untangling it. Think about how frustrating untangling a few necklaces might be…then pretend instead of necklaces, it’s barbed wire. That’s kind of the task at hand for Liz and I. I only walked away with a few nicks, though! Using an ax and machete for a few days really made me sore, but it was a lot of fun!
Then, we returned to the island! This time, we were swarmed by bugs. The positive side is that the ones that were literally swarming us didn’t bite. But I mean, I’m not sure I can quite describe it. Every sense was consumed by these gnat-like bugs. They’d go up your nose if you breathe in too fast, you’d find them in your dishes and on all your belongings and don’t keep your mouth open too long either. They. Were. EVERYWHERE. Luckily, they were only super bad for one day. They were there every day, but more bearable.
So, what did I take away from this past few weeks?
In a short sentence, I’ve learned how privileged I really am.
Here, I am walking up to a mile for wifi, the bus and for laundry to be done. We are sharing a kitchen with about 50 people. So, navigating that has been a learning experience as well. Being on the island I’ve learned that I can live on very little while being on the island. No wifi, no clean clothes, no shower, no privacy, no refrigeration, lots of bugs, lots of sun and a beautiful community. Again with the language barrier, it’s there but at the same time, not. We still had a great time and worked well with the people that live there. A simple smile, handshake or hug is all it takes!
UPDATE: We are done with the island. We just got back and are staying at El Puente until we leave for Honduras. We will be doing various ministries between now and then.
I know that pictures are the best, but this blog setup makes it nearly impossible to post pictures on a sketchy wifi connection. So, stay updated by following me on Instagram! That’s where I post the most pictures. brittanylp92 is my username! I will also make sure I’m posting them to Facebook too.
I finally finished a video with a tour of Zapatera Island! I’m including it below. I’ve also finished the tour of El Puente! Once it’s uploaded online, I’ll release that too 🙂
PRAYER: Pray for our various ministries and that we finish strong here in Nicaragua! Pray that we are actually finding rest in the Lord whenever we can. Pray that we continue to build each other up and love one another well. We’ve got a few people on the squad who have gotten sick with a bug and even pink eye, so pray for quick healing and that nothing spreads!
Much love,
Brittany
Island Zapatera Tour from Brittany Panus on Vimeo.
