When You're Here, You're Family.

Team! Week two is under the books.  Praise be to God, that I am writing this blog.  The past two days have been very stormy, knocking out our router and lately water and electricity have been a hit or miss. Grant and I were able to hook up another router this morning (with all the help of Ron).

This week has been one full of beauty, learning, and adventuring.  This past week was pretty crazy in the clinic.  The sick men from the village Bethel (those suffering from kidney disease from working in the sugar cane fields-- if you want to learn more you should read this article it's cray http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/09/world/americas/deadly-illness-in-nicaragua-baffles-experts.html?_r=0)

I was able to ride with them and see where the men get their blood and urine tested every two months and then come to the clinic to get their medicine and for Dr. Michael to examine them.  Over the week I got to know some of the men, and they have such beautiful hearts and kind spirits. I am honestly still processing a lot of it.  The hardest part is knowing that if these men weren't supported by Americans they could not afford the medicine they need.

Grant, Ron, and I met with Pastor Antonio, Dr. Michael, and Mario (with Carlos's help translating) and talked about what our next month will look like.  The team and family that has been created here at Vision Nicaragua is really beautiful.  They just truly want to care for the people of Nicaragua and share with them the true Gospel message.  I am so thankful that they are excited for Grant and I to be here this summer.  I feel so blessed to learn and serve with these awesome friends.

Over the past week we decided that it would a great idea to have been some jovenes our age from Bethel come in the evenings to practice songs in Spanish so that we can preform them in villages. It has been so fun to get to them better, praise Jesus in more than one language together, to see their love for the Lord, and just be friends.

This has also been one of adjustment in the whole we're pretty much living outside all the time, like with all the bugs and animals.  Antonia almost stepped on a giant snake, there was a frog the size of my head in her room, I have found ants in my pants (more than once), a bat was just flying around the mission house the other night while I was chilling, and a giant spider in my room.  Grant and I have also taken our first stab at cooking for ourselves on the project.  It has been an adventure for sure and gets easier with every meal.  Antonia and Estela are rockstars; I don't know how they cook and clean all the day long-- I pray that I work as hard as them.  This morning Grant and I made pancakes and eggs= a giant success for our confidence and bellies.  All just an adjustment to life here and Nica and I love that I am constantly learning new skills and having challenges to overcome!

I love the spontaneity of Nicaraguan culture. I love how on Friday it was Mother's Day here, and Grant and I had no plans, and we ended up spending the day with such a beautiful family.  We ended up in Leon with Antonia and Carlos's family.  They welcomed us with open arms and open hearts.  I loved getting to see their life and family dynamic.  We got to see how home made corn tortillas are made, see how video games are played here in Nica, just sit and be with each other with no distractions, and play a crazy game of soccer in the rain.

Yesterday was our longest day yet in Nica. Our friend Ana, came and picked us up at 5:40am and we rode the bus with her to her university. Her class of 6 joined us 20 minutes late, it was so fun to get to hang out with them and help them with their English.  Their professors were pumped to be able to have us their to answer questions too.  Grant and I did a little duet at the inauguration of their English media classroom, and we met a friend who had a Young Life bracelet on (which we gave to one of our Young Life friends we met last week to hand out).  SO COOL. We came back to a celebration of mother's last night which consisted of over 100 mothers and some of their children.  It was crazy and beautiful and I loved that we could take care of these women who work their butt's off everyday for their families.  I pray their souls were refreshed. We partied hard until around 11 and then hit the hay hard.















We have been so blessed to get experience everyday life here in Nicaragua.  Although we have been blessed to hang out with many types of friends, the common theme of 'we want you to be here; and when you leave you are always welcome to come back' is expressed everywhere we go.  Hospitality is so of the Kingdom, to love our neighbors, to welcome them with open arms, and to take care of them.  I have felt so loved and part of a family this week it's crazy.

My prayer this week is that I would learn how to work hard and rest hard which I can carry into life at home, and that 'my love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that I may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God' Philippians 1

Thank you for your prayers and love-- I am feeling awesome this week and pray that I can learn how to love my friends here in the best way God can.