Como te quiero. How much I love you!
We arrived in Managuas, Nicaragua after about 110 hours of travel from Malaysia-Thailand-Japan-L.A.-Maimi-Managuas. Finally, so excited. After a bit of confusion with our contacts we ended up in Jinotepe, Nicaragua working with Mateo 5:17. They rent out a hotel called Casa Mateo (with hot water, endless coffee and tons of tropical birds!). It like paradise. One of the best places I’ve stayed on the race 🙂 Thank you, Jesus.
It’s glorious to be speaking Spanish again. I was a bit nervous its been about 8 months since I’ve had a fluent conversation. I call my parents and talk to them, but I default to English. I was going to found out how much I had forgotten.
Our contacts Glenn and Lynn are from Maryland. Pretty great couple with a testimony from God. If you are ever in Nicaragua, please please stay at their hotel. They use it as a hub for different missionaries and groups. They told us how every month God has to provide for them to make the bills. The hotel was a vision from God so that they could host teams to help the people.
The people! Nicaraguans are a strong, troop like people. They don’t give up. 70-80% are unemployed. Many live in shacks in really poor neighborhoods called barrios. They don’t have enough to eat, but they have been so gracious with us. We are welcomed in every home we visit. So happy. We met a 89 year old man who broke my heart. He stood and told US about life and God. He shared how he has no one but God to depend on because he doesn’t have a job (yes he is that old and looking for work!) and sometimes he and his family go without food.
I can tell you about Pastor Manuel who has been asking the Lord for a church for over twenty years. He worked six days a week from 6am to 6pm selling clothes saving a dollar or two dollars until he had enough to buy the land for the church. I don’t even know how long it took before they started actually building. It should be done by next week! Praise Jesus. How he calls his children disciples and they love God just as much as he does. I can tell you about his worn photo album where he keeps pictures of the old homes he lived in “To remember where God brought me from–less than poor.” How he has pictures of the different missions groups that have come and how he remembers them by name.
Oooh Nicaragua, my heart breaks for your poor and weary. But I see God on your shiny, smiling faces. I see God in your midst as young children lay hands on the sick and hurting and pray for God to manifest. Thank you Jesus for bringing us here. Break us of our pride. Break our hearts for your people. Let us rest in your strength as your love pours out of us. Amen.
P.S.
I will eventually update blogs from the jungle. It was a great month for personal growth, but I misplaced my journal entries and when I find them I’ll post.
