February Update

“With so many people like this, how do you do it?” Blaze
asked me as we chugged our Powerades under the hot Nicaraguan sun. “It seems
like a lost cause and such a hopeless situation.”

I had just taken the
fifty-something year old man and another four young adults on a walk through the
“barrio” (slum) across the street after church this Sunday. It was a silent walk
for the group to observe and let their spirits take in the place and see a bit
of what the community is going through. We’d seen three teenage boys sitting
quiet and still on a log. As we neared we could see that each of their lips and
noses were pressed firmly into jars of glue. They didn’t look up as we walked
past.

We turned our attention from them to notice a bunch of
men loudly pushing each other, laughing and carrying on. One of them came out
and hugged me. He had dirt on his back and scrapes on his arm from falling over
under the weight of the alcohol. We made feeble attempts at conversation for a
short while before Ronaldo came up to me, smiling and shaking my hand. He hugged
a few of us and told us how he was before sending us on our way. Ronaldo has
threatened to commit suicide and is a regular public drunk, this after being
sent to a rehab program we partner with.

The situation as a whole does indeed seem hopeless.
Trash lines and clutters the streets; sewage runs into the lake nearby; it seems
that most of the men of Granada have taken to alcoholism or drugs;
women and children are left unloved, uncared for and unfathered; and few seem to
take notice.

“I try to find one.” I answered. “I ask God who the one
is for today and pray and hope that it carries to the next, building into some
kind of relationship.”

Now as I sit back, reflecting on who these ones are, few
of them remain.

Alan
is going back into old habits of dishonest gain and hasn’t stuck around beyond
the initial help out of the gutter. Jorge and Erik have done the same. Winston
is up and down… he’ll come around when he needs something. The man at the
nursing home is stubborn and a firm believer that there is no good in the
world.

Julio,
however, remains optimistic in his state – the lowliest of all! Despite his
useless hand and broken ankle, we laugh together and try our best at
conversation. He is a polite and cordial man, very hospitable for what little he
has.

Juan continually gives praise to God for the help we are
to him and remains upbeat despite his circumstances. Fourteen years ago the
hospital ruined his left leg. He’s had a fracture since and has been dealing
with the tremendous pain and inconvenience of it
all.

Marciel is also very grateful and joyful despite
exceedingly difficult circumstances. She is the sole parent of four daughters
and perseveres under the pressures of everyday life to bring vivacity to her
home after being abused and then abandoned by her
husband.

This week we have a group of fifteen staying with the
Novas team at El Puente. We are facilitating their trip and serving the
community together. Many of them have come to pray for and encourage these
ones.

Personally, as far as the past month goes, it’s been
challenging. I’ve been convicted recently about being more personal with the
locals, so I’ve been going into the barrios and assessing people’s needs,
bringing the Novas group along with me in an attempt to meet these needs.

I continue to
disciple the team, especially the guys. It’s been excellent. They are stepping
out into their anointing more each day and I am pushing them beyond themselves.
They have two months left.

In other news, for the past month or more I have sensed
the Lord telling me to go to Haiti to help in relief efforts.
Please pray with me about this as I pursue understanding and
possibilities.

It’d be really great to hear from you how you have been
doing and pray for you individually! Feel welcome to email me back, comment on
my blog or find me on Skype at
seth.jr.

Live well!

Seth