We returned from Nicaragua about three weeks ago, and I'm just getting around to posting about it. We brought back some Nicaragan sinus infection and stomach bug, but all is well now! In the days when we first returned, people would ask, "How was your trip?!" and I couldn't find words to say. Like, don't ask me in passing, but give me 2 hours to vomit everything to you. We saw so much. I still don't know where to begin.
This was our adopted family for the week, Juan, Alexander (12) and Athsiry (11). We were really nervous to meet them, and I think they were nervous to meet us as well! Over the week we were able to talk with Juan and get to know him. Juan is a taxi driver and he told us he worked hard to become a taxi driver so that he could share the Gospel with every person who gets in for a ride.
Juan also shared with us that he and his children were living with his family, but prayed God would give them a small house of their own, "but He gave us a BIG HOUSE instead!" Juan, Alexander and Athsiry now have a home of their own and were moving in as we were leaving. We prayed over them inside their home, asking God to use Juan as a leader in their community. A lot of times men in Nicaragua will leave their families behind, not Juan. If you could just see this man worship Jesus, the way he prays, and loves his children. Saying goodbye was hard. We knew we may never see Juan again, but Jake reminded him that if we do not see him again on this earth, that surely we'd meet again in heaven!
Athsiry was so sweet! She reminded me of a mini Nica version of myself. She taught me spanish words and I'd teach her them in English.
Our friend Matt with Alejandro.
I got to spend some time at Project HOPE's feeding center at the dump. The dump was in a different location than the village we primarily worked with. The people from the village seemed well off compared to those who live at the dump. Children who get fed here are sponsored by people like you and me.
Typical meals were rice, or rice and beans.
I met this sweet boy at the feeding center. His name is Elias and he's 9. We colored together and as I was coloring I looked down and he didn't have any shoes.
This photo was taken just outside the feeding center, just a few blocks the actual dump itself. The dump is the means to life for those who live here. They live off what they can find in other's trash.
Compared to the village we worked in, the dump was more hostile. Men there get threatened by other men and are territorial. I would see the teenage boys working in teams as the trash trucks would come in. One boy would jump up on the truck before it even arrived to the dump and throw things down to the boy below. Often times the younger boys will get shoved off so that the older will get first dibs.
It happened to be Claudia's birthday! It's Nicaraguan tradition to get egged on your birthday.
One evening we got to go to the youth group at the dump!
Our friend Matt and translator Claudia spoke about Jesus and that it doesn't matter what you've done, Jesus loves and cares for you. They paid attention well, for the most part! (They're teenagers after all!)
This photo was taken at the Women's Cancer Center in Managua. Many of these ladies are from rural areas, but are living here to receive treatment for cancer. Hospitals here only provide treatment, they do not provide the essentials, such as food and toliet paper. Their families or friends are responsible for bringing them those things. We took them some bananas and they ate them right away. They were the most joyful women I've ever met, despite their circumstances.
Praying at the cancer center.
Everything else is in the village we primarily worked in.
Pray that God would continue to raise up a body of believers in the village and make disciples there. Pray for Project HOPE as they continue to minister in the dump and reach more people there. They have already come a long way, praise God. Pray specifically for Juan, that his faith would remain strong in Christ and that he would truly become a leader in his community.
If you ever have an opportunity to go, no matter where it is, go. God didn't make a suggestion or to go if we feel like it, he commanded us to go.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Matthew 25:31-41 ESV
