Serving Group 1 (All Seniors: Led by Craig) continued their "senior experience" at the feeding center in Posoltega. Many of the senior boys truly immersed themselves in the Nicaraguan culture when they used actual machetes to cut weeds around the property. Meanwhile, the girls painted the feeding center kitchen, helping the kitchen staff take pride in their facility. After serving lunch, the children participated in a VBS complete with a lesson on compassion, songs such as 'Waves of Mercy' and 'Open the Eyes of My Heart', games like 'Duck, Duck, Goose', and a make-your-own-mask craft. It wouldn't have been a full day in Nicaragua without an intense game of soccer in the newly matcheted field! This unique time definitely had a lasting impression on the Chapel seniors, so good-byes with the Posoltega children were difficult, to say the least! The other groups were happy to have the seniors back for our last Team Center porch time of the trip.
Serving Group 2 (Quinn/Dante's Junior Boys Small Group, Lindsey's Junior Girls Small Group, All Sophomore Girls: Led by Luke) went back to see their friends at Ciudad Sandino. It was Pastor Freddy's birthday, and so we started the morning with 'Feliz Cumpleaños' and a birthday cake in his honor—but not before he passionately thanked every member of the group with giant hugs. While part of the group finished the work projects from earlier in the week, the other half went back into the community to meet families and invite the kids to play at the feeding center. After serving lunch, a Chapel student shared a message about kindness, followed by the highly popular activities of games and crafts! In the mid-afternoon, the team returned to Casa Bernabe to hang out with the children at the orphanage one last time, unleashing water balloons at delighted victims.
Serving Group 3 (Watt's Junior Boys Small Group, Christine's Junior Girls Small Group, All Sophomore Boys: Led by Lex) split into two groups, one that went to finish work projects in El Canyon while the other led a VBS at Verbo Sur. This last VBS was a special highlight for the team, as the children from the feeding center were particularly engaged today thanks to some extra fun activities like upbeat songs led by the Chapel team and an epic game involving toilet paper and lots of dizzy, but happy, kids. Back at El Canyon, the orphanage threw a final fiesta for the team. The kids got tremendous joy from destroying a piñata together with our team, sharing a gift and experience they rarely get to have.
Reunited with the return of the seniors, the 102 students and staff knelt before the Lord in a passionate experience of worship and teaching. It is amazing to see just how much the team has grown in unity over the past week's experiences. In her talk for porch time, Lex spoke on the story of Ruth in answering the question "What now?" as we prepare to say goodbye to the kids and reflect on all the lessons God wants to cement into our hearts. She challenged the team to analyze their relationship with Jesus and to take the next step of total commitment to Christ by loving others as He loved us.
It has been obvious that, in every single group, God has provided for us more than we could have asked for or even imagined. The relationships that have been formed or furthered over this one week with our Nicaraguan brothers and sisters in Christ are incredibly strong, particularly considering the short amount of time we have been here. We are so grateful for the gift that these relationships are. Thank you so much for covering us in prayer over the last week and for helping to make this trip a reality.
As a reminder, please join us on Tuesday, 6/26 (TONIGHT, by the time you are reading this) at 7pm in Moog Hall for a time of prayer for our final few days in Nicaragua. As you pray, your children will be entering their debrief time, a chance for the entire team to get away to process their experience and truly be transformed through reflection, prayer, and small group time. Satan would love nothing more than to spoil our time of learning and processing at the debrief. It is for this reason that we ask you to come together for a time of corporate prayer, to put a covering on your children as they listen for God's specific message to them. Please pray for nothing short of life transformation.
Thank you again for your love and support.
It has been obvious that, in every single group, God has provided for us more than we could have asked for or even imagined. The relationships that have been formed or furthered over this one week with our Nicaraguan brothers and sisters in Christ are incredibly strong, particularly considering the short amount of time we have been here. We are so grateful for the gift that these relationships are. Thank you so much for covering us in prayer over the last week and for helping to make this trip a reality.
As a reminder, please join us on Tuesday, 6/26 (TONIGHT, by the time you are reading this) at 7pm in Moog Hall for a time of prayer for our final few days in Nicaragua. As you pray, your children will be entering their debrief time, a chance for the entire team to get away to process their experience and truly be transformed through reflection, prayer, and small group time. Satan would love nothing more than to spoil our time of learning and processing at the debrief. It is for this reason that we ask you to come together for a time of corporate prayer, to put a covering on your children as they listen for God's specific message to them. Please pray for nothing short of life transformation.
Thank you again for your love and support.
¡Dios te bendiga!
The SM Staff Team
