Blog post #1 from the field! I hardly even know where to start, so here is a bit of a recap of what has gone on the past week and a half as well as what I’ve been learning through it. Last week Thursday through Sunday we had training camp in Gainesville, GA where we got to know our teams, had learning sessions preparing us for ministry, worshipped together, and got ready to head out to all of our various destinations all over the globe.
We left training camp Sunday night and traveled all day Monday. Our travels consisted of two flights, two bus rides, and a ferry ride across Lake Nicaragua to the island of Ometepe. Here on the island is where CICRIN is located, which is the orphanage and Christian school where we have now been for 5 days and will be for the next month.
Our ministry here so far has involved working to prepare the school for classes to begin next week. Some of the things we have been doing are working in the garden, sanding and staining chairs and desks, painting, raking and burning leaves and trash, and cleaning classrooms. It has been mostly chores and physical labor so far, but once school begins next week we will be helping with the classes as well. Having our team stay here at the orphanage also provides money for CICRIN which helps to pay salaries and supply the necessary things to keep the organization running. There haven’t been any groups here for 8 months and the last World Race team was here 2 years ago, so our hosts have expressed that they are really grateful to have helping hands around.
Everyone here in Nicaragua speaks Spanish, and I am one of three girls on my team who is able to speak the language. We have a translator who is around some of the time, but often we are interacting with the locals on our own. A few of the Nicaraguan people speak some English, but it is really helpful to know their language. In preparation for this trip, I honestly did not think very much about the fact that I would be able to put my years of learning Spanish in school to use in real life, but now I’m so grateful that it has come in so handy and I’ve been able to remember the language quickly.
It has been so awesome getting to talk to and play with the kids who live here at the orphanage and interact with the people who take care of them. When we stepped off the bus Monday night, we were greeted by lots of hugs and little hands reaching to help carry our luggage. We see the kids around all day and play with them at night. There are about 13ish children who live here full time, and I almost have all their names down. Many more kids will come during the days when school starts on Monday.
Every day we eat meals prepared by the wonderful women in the kitchen who we have gotten to know a little bit through doing the dishes after each meal. The food is awesome and involves a lot of rice and beans, plantains, vegetables, eggs, and various homemade fresh fruit juices at every meal. I’ve even started drinking the coffee (which is a big step for me haha).
I think right now God is teaching me how to be more present and selfless in this season. I haven’t had phone service or wifi since the airport in Managua on Monday afternoon. Today is our off day so we came into town to a coffee shop in order to get some wifi and explore the island as we haven’t been outside the orphanage since we arrived. Being disconnected from technology and communication from home has definitely been pushing me to engage in community here and be fully immersed in this new place. Beginning this journey of the World Race has been a huge transition, and there have definitely been points where it has felt uncomfortable, but it is also beautiful and I know I’m being stretched in ways that are teaching me dependency on the Lord and facilitating growth. At times this week the work has felt tedious, exhausting, and even unimportant and I’ve been fighting physical and mental fatigue every day. But every day I’m being reminded that God has us here on purpose, the people are grateful for our help, we are learning from their faithful dependence on the Lord and appreciation for simplicity, and there is incredible beauty visible in creation here in Ometepe. He’s teaching me to take the focus off of myself and my own comfort and to look for ways that he can be glorified in every situation. It will be rewarding to see the children come to school on Monday and fill the classrooms we have worked so hard to prepare and I’m excited to get to help in their classes as well.
A verse that has been present in my mind this week is Luke 6:45, “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of”. My prayer for myself and my team is that our hearts would be full of compassion and energy to serve the Lord and his people while we are here, and that our mouths would be full of encouragement for one another and gratitude for this experience, never falling into the trap of complaining about insignificant things or focusing on negatives. Because there is so much goodness going on here!
I was hoping to post some photos as well but my wifi connection is spotty and it will just have to wait. For now, prayer requests would be for health and safety for our whole team as a few people are fighting illnesses, a renewed sense of purpose and courage for us as we begin a new week of ministry, as well as an extra measure of energy to invest fully in the locals and each other while we are here.
Thanks for continued prayers!
Love,
Jordan
