Only one full day left :(

T-minus 36 hours left in Nicaragua.  Today we had a packed day, we started by doing some work around Casa Bernabe, where we are staying.  We split into three groups and split up around the orphanage compound.  One group took all of the donations that we had checked onto our airplane in trash bags, sorted and hung everything for the kids.  The second group went to the kitchen of the orphanage took down, painted and replaced all of the ceiling tiles. The third group ‘renovated’ a bunch of school desks.  Replacing and broken slats and painting the frames (using gasoline to remove the paint from their hands).  The orphanage is a huge production, housing, feeding, teaching, and discipling the 65 kids that call Casa Bernabe their home.  It was great helping in a small way in that process.

After lunch we headed to a soccer tournament with all of the college groups (us, UVA, Virginia Tech, and James Madison), The kids from ‘Casa’, Nueva Vida, and another orphanage. We had four fields set up and played college groups against the kids and kids against kids, they had a blast.  Most of the kids, even the 8 year olds, were more skilled at ‘futbol’ than most of us.  I think the kids loved showing up some of us gringos.

 

Following is a story that illustrates the heart of the Nicaraguan people, told by one of our team members.

When you talk to someone about Nicaragua, its almost cliché; it seems like all everyone says is “the people there are so loving, they are just different,” or “Nicaraguans are so amazing are they are so different,” but for someone who has not been here that answer is certainly less than satisfactory if you ask me. What exactly does that mean?  Well, today I got yet another taste of that “difference,” and I think perhaps, in a small way, it can help show what people mean by this.  First, it’s important to know that the extent of my Spanish knowledge barely goes beyond “Hola.” So when I say that any and all communication that occurred between me and the ladies that serve us breakfast every morning was limited to smiles and “Gracias,” I mean it.  This morning however, I managed to sleep through the morning madness of everyone else getting up for breakfast and it was not until we were ready to leave for our first activity of the day that one of my friends noticed my absence and came to awake me. I promptly got up, and I realized almost immediately I had missed breakfast; I accepted my state hunger and headed over to the rancho.  When I got there, however I was greeted by Mary Carter (shout out to her two loving parents, wonderful sister Brittany, and lucky boyfriend John) and a plate full of delicious food.  When I moved to thank her however, I was informed that it was not her, nor any of my fellow teammates who had noticed that I was gone, but rather the ladies who serve us every morning and at every meal. Not knowing so much as my name, they noticed, amongst the 60 people they serve every morning (between us and the UVA students staying at Casa Bernabe), that I was not there. They asked everyone where the tall, dirty kid who doesn’t shower was, and made sure that someone saved food for me to eat.  I personally, couldn’t tell you everyone who is on our trip, and I not only speak the same language as them, but also have spent everyday of the past week with them, not just meals.  These ladies however, cared so much for me and my well being that they not only noticed I was missing but made sure I had a chance to eat. And yet, I was not surprised.  This is the fourth time I’ve come to Nicaragua and it didn’t take more than a few days the first time I was here for me to realize that Nicaraguans are no ordinary people.  The love that they exert on a regular basis has led me to expect nothing less.  And so, it was a great start to a great day, and it was just one of the infinite ways that Nicaraguans have blessed me and continue to bless me so much more, than I, despite my best efforts, can bless them.

Thanks to the two best parents in the world, Jim and Leslie Knicely, who helped me get here this year in so many more ways than one, including helping me pack in the 20 minutes I had before leaving, -- you guys better be reading, I love you.

-Ricky

Happy Ash Wednesday from Nicaragua!  This morning we headed back to Nueva Vida to help the church/feeding center we had been going to the last couple days with a work project.  We helped them remove their current barbed wire fence, and dig a ditch for the foundation of the new cement block wall.  The Sun was out in full force (documented by some of the team’s sun tans) but we got a lot of fence taken down and dirt moved.

We then split into three groups to serve three of the feeding centers in the Nueva Vida area.  All of the feeding centers have the same process.  The kids sit at tables with their plates and cups that they bring.  We then went around and collected their plates and cups by table and took them to the kitchen.  After we got them back we would return them to their owners filled with rice and beans with a little meat.  The kids would help us and each other out to make sure that everyone got to eat.  One member of the team made the observation that it seemed more like a large family sitting down to eat together, than any school cafeteria we might have experienced in elementary school.  None of the kids begged for their tables to be the first ones, they waited patiently as the rest of their ‘family’ was served.  Following lunch we had time to play with the kids that we have been building relationships with though out the week.

We loaded up with some of the kids from Nueva Vida and headed to a ‘talent show’ with the group from Virginia Tech.  The event was fun and the kids seemed to have a great time, there were dance acts and singing acts, and other assorted talents.  The act that just made the event was a little girl from Nueva Vida.  She went up there in a white dress and ribbons tied to her wrists and danced to a worship song.  None of us could understand the words but that didn’t matter at all.  It was absolutely the most beautiful picture of worship.  The whole room was mesmerized.  That little girl showed us all what it means to worship God with all your heart, in such pure and true way.

So many experiences in only 3 days!

Tuesday has now come to a close, it feels like we have been here and experienced far more things than  three full days could possibly hold.  There is so much to see and experience in this beautiful country.  Today we had a real ‘chill’ day.  First we toured the Eskimo ice cream factory, and then we cooled off in the pool.

After breakfast we picked up the children of El Farro daycare.   This daycare serves the neighborhood of La Chureca also known as the dump.   People have been living on a city trash dump for years.  Recently the Nicaraguan government has shrunk the amount of land that functions as an active dump, but it is still in use.  These are the conditions that the children that were with this morning live in, every day.  We took them to the Eskimo ice cream factory, they were so excited for this little field trip.  After donning ridiculous booties, a lab coat, and the always stylish neon yellow hair nets, we started our tour.  We each had a buddy to go through the factory with.  We saw how popsicles, knock off drumsticks, and Sunday cups were made, stored, and shipped.  We dropped the kids off and headed to our next stop (after getting to sample some of the goods, yum).

We headed back to Nueva Vida, and today drove past where the houses of the community were.  The houses were nothing more than a 20 foot square with a roof made of corrugated metal, and maybe a chain link fence around the yard.  The kids make it easy to forget the conditions that they come from because of how joyful and kind hearted they are, but the image of those houses is something no one will forget.  We loaded up some of the kids and drove to a pool outside of town.  They all were so excited to go jump in the pool. We did our best to give swim lessons to the kids in another language (with some surprising results!); the kids wouldn’t give up which helped a lot. It was so rewarding to be part of something that brought the children so much joy.  Praise be to God that he lets us share in the joy of his children in Nicaragua!

P.S. Chris Johnson gives a shout-out to his grandmother (thanks for reading)

Monday Monday Monday!

We had a great Monday traveling around Nicaragua!  We had an early morning to jump on the bus to head up to Posoltega, and a feeding center that a church runs there.  They feed the children of the community lunch Monday through Friday.  We were the first Orphan network group that went to this particular feeding center, and the kids were super excited to have visitors.  Before lunch they all prayed for the food, the kids were thanking God for all of their blessings.  We were struck by how genuine the children’s prayer was.  There was a real thankfulness in their words. 

After we ate lunch with the kids we went out and played with them for hours.  The team was hot and covered in dust, but the joy of the children was absolutely contagious.  There was not a single fight amongst themselves, they loved on each other and on us ‘gringos,’ all afternoon.  

During ‘porch time’ tonight Evan mentioned Luke 6:20-21, “…Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied…”  This is something that the people of Nicaragua seem to truly have grasped.  It has been a great blessing seeing what this verse looks like lived out on earth.  We can learn so much from them about trusting that God will do what he promises in these verses.  This is a verse that we breeze over when we are engaged in America, but can truly see what Jesus was talking about when he said this words a couple thousand years ago.

Day Two: Another blessed day!

Hola from Nicaragua day two!  We attended church this morning with the children from Casa Bernabe and it was a beautiful experience.  The children were constantly reaching for the hands of the students, sitting on laps, introducing them to sisters, brothers, and cousins.  During the service, worship was lively, full of clapping, singing, and rejoicing in the Lord!  The hosts are so thoughtful and supplied us with "walkmen" type devices, complete with headphones and a live translator on the other end.  After lunch we split the chicos (boys) and chicas (girls) - boys went paintballing with the older ones and the ladies went to Chava Landia.  Roller skating was quite a hit...smiling faces all around even when the skates went flyin'!  Returning to the orphange, some of us went to play with the children while others reflected on their day.  We ended the night by accompanying the other schools at their hotel for our nightly porchtime where we witnessed two inspiring talks.  Logan, a student from UVA, spoke about two particular images that reinvented his experience here in Nicaragua as an intern.  Tony gave us an impressive history lesson, detailing Nicaragua's past from colonization through civil wars to their upcoming election.  Finally, a sweet surprise and a private performance by none other than a Mariachi Band!  Some students learned how to salsa from locals while others started a conga line.  What a sight (with little dancing talent)!

Aside from the children's breathtaking beauty in all their joy and happiness, this country has much to offer in its nature.  The stars seem to shine much brighter here on the grounds of the orphange.  The pastor at service today mentioned a significant concept about "light" that we as Christians should strive to, be a lights in the darkness of this world.  While this is not an easy task, through Christ, all things are possible.  This is a daily challenge He presents to us.  By shining our light, we are worshiping our Savior.  The pastor also emphasized the importance of worship by saying that worship is an act of obedience, surrending to the Lord by realizing that our human ways are insufficient.  His priorities are greatest.

Hasta Luego!

Tribe Fellowship has made it to Nica!

After a very long day or two (they ran continuous for us) we are safely at Casa Bernabe!  The team was pretty beat by lots of miles and little sleep, but we had a great day and got to meet some awesome kids.  We headed to Nueva Vida, originally a temporary housing set up for those that were displaced by a hurricane, and were met by lots of little smiling faces.  High fives, piggy-back rides, and 'mi amigo's (my friend) were certainly not lacking from the kids, they made us feel right at home in this foreign country.

Just driving through Managua you truely realize how incredibly blessed we are in the States.  But even after our short time here you start to realize the paradox of the situation.  The people here from the staff at the orphanage to the children we visited today are just so joyful in the way that they live their lives, despite their external circumstances (It really makes you evaluate yourself when you think that you are having a tough day back home).  It is truly a living example that true joy comes not from what we have, but how we look at life.  You can see the fruit of the spirit, in the people of Nicaragua, and it is beautiful.

Turning in for a relatively early night, to rest up and experience God in new ways tomorrow!

Thanks for all of your prayers!