Month 2 on Ometepe Island, Lake Nicaragua has been home away from home. The Island reminded me so much of Haiti. It is a beautiful island surrounded by two volcanoes, beautiful sunsets, and beautiful people. It has coconut trees, mango trees, guava trees, plantain trees, and the food we ate, reminded me of my mother’s cooking.
We have been serving at CICRIN, alongside Team Ocean, a non-denominational Christian home that serve over 20 children of all ages providing a safe environment, clothing, food, education, which includes English language, computer and music classes. The staffs are very loving and caring; and the children are just pure amazing and filled with joy.
Each week, different people are scheduled to either help clean in the kitchen or the main entrance, gardening, construction or helping at the school from 9am to 12pm. Every weekday, we have prayer time around 1pm; we have different activities with the kids, such as: going to the park, going swimming, one on one, and playtime from 4pm until dinner time at 5:30pm.
CICRIN has a beautiful compound. In the picture: the Rancho is where we do prayer and worship and other activities. Main Street or the entrance, CICRIN’s school; the kitchen area; and the boys’ place behind where we play a lot of football with the kids.
Mondays and Fridays are park day with the kids.
We have one on one on Wednesdays. On my first one on one, I had an awesome time with beautiful Milena and Suyen doing crossword puzzles of the Old Testament, drawing faces, and doing math problems.
CICRIN grows the vegetables used to feed the children, and we had the opportunity to help plant squash and melon.
CICRIN is constantly improving their compound and the team got to help with construction work: helping with building a new house and a garage/storage space.
Every Sunday, we attend church with the kids. It is amazing watching the kids worship and praise God; they praise Him with so much passion.
Thursdays are playtime. One Thursday, Claire, one of my teammate, directed “El Buen Samaritano” play and a talent show for the kids (“The Good Samaritan” Luke 10: 30-37). I was one of the bad Samaritans who by passed the wounded Nicaraguan. The kids had a fun time showcasing their talent of singing and dancing.
We have every Saturdays off. Our first Saturday, we went to Ojo de Agua for a relax time swimming in mineral water.
Team Real Love visited the Island, and enjoyed an awesome time at Charco Verde swimming in the water and hiking to see monkeys.
Today, Thursday, October 31, 2013, I said goodbye to the children and staffs at CICRIN and left pieces of my heart with them. I will cherish every moments with the children and staffs, and every lessons learned from them: the hugs, short Spanish conversations, playing soccer with the little kids and especial the teens, praying and worshipping together.
We are currently in Granada for a night, we will travel through Costa Rica and head out to our next ministry in Panama.
Love,
Daphnee
