Happy Sunday from Somoto! After a restful night, the team spent
the morning worshipping with Pastor Oscar and his church. It was incredible to
see them praise God with such passion and joy: dancing, clapping, and singing
to a mixture of English and Spanish songs. Hawley delivered a message for the
adult service about Elijah and the lessons our students have been learning on
the trip. Lex and her team led the children’s church with a lesson on the
fruits of the Spirit and the importance of prayer, finishing with crafts to
help the kids visually remember God’s love for them. It’s mornings like these
where it seems like we get a preview of heaven, when people of all different
backgrounds and cultures can praise our Creator together as one.
Following church, we came back to our housing site in Somoto
for lunch with Pastor Oscar and his staff. The team had a great time meeting
the church leaders and hearing about the roles they play as they minister to
the people of Somoto. Since our team site is conveniently located just outside
a national park in a beautiful valley with plenty of space for outdoor
recreation, the children from the feeding center in Somoto joined us for an
afternoon full of outdoor activities. The team had fun playing soccer, throwing
Frisbees and paper airplanes, coloring, and making new Nicaraguan friends.
After we said “adios” to the kids, we made it back to our houses just in time
to escape a refreshing rainstorm.
After a full day of service, the team gathered for a
delicious dinner and an enriching Porch Time. Lex spoke from John 21 and
encouraged the team to continue to demonstrate their love for Jesus by “feeding
his sheep,” both in Nicaragua and back in the States. Tomorrow will be our last
serving day before heading to the Debrief. We are excited to see what God has
planned as we continue to work alongside Pastor Oscar and his church. Thanks so
much for all your support and prayers!
