ARRIVAL: We arrived around noon Nica time this past Wednesday. Delta has a unique feature, personal screens where you can watch TV or movies, listen to music or track your flight. Several of us chose the latter feature or at least checked in from time to time. It was fun to watch the anticipation grow the closer the plane reached it's destination. The only word that can be used to describe the emotion when we landed is giddy.
We went through customs with no problems but there was a slight delay in getting our luggage. Once it finally arrived, I am sure we were a sight to behold. We had plenty of able bodies that helped us carry our massive suitcases into the airport in Charlotte and, there was a pack of handsome Nicaraguan friends waiting to help us with them just outside the glass airport doors, but there was this short distance from the conveyer belt through the final check station and around a corner until we could get to our friends who were waiting for us. So there we were with 16 teenage American princesses who felt sure that some knight in shining armor would come along and rescue them from their two 50 lb bags, one overstuffed backpack, and one jam packed rolling carry on. Our five teenage guys did their best and man-handled as many bags as they possibly could, the four adult ladies did as well, but the fact remained that many of them were going to have to somehow get those bags from point A to point B. This was their first test and challenge and I am happy to report that they figured it out.
Once outside the glass doors all of the men of Generation of Light swarmed in with quick greetings and hugs and immediately whisked up the luggage, saving our American princesses from any further dismay. No doubt this was just the first of many times these caring, street wise, strong, young Nicaraguan men come to our rescue on this trip.
PEASELEYS: Unfortunately Liz and the girls did not make it down on the flight with us on Wednesday. After numerous attempts at getting a flight out of Charlotte to Atlanta, they finally made it to Atlanta Wed. night, spent the night there and got on the 7 am flight to Nica on Thursday. We were thrilled when they arrived, but unfortunately they are here without any of their eight bags. We're working on that. (Prayers please, several very important items are in those bags.)
FIRST STOP - MESSIAH: After GdL picked us up at the airport we drove to Messiah (about 30 min. from Granada, our final destination) where they were going to be presenting the Gospel at an arts festival the next night. Our job was to help them hand out flyers to invite people to the festival. This was the first of many cultural experiences. We waited in Messiah for some time for the car to come. We used the wait time to catch up with our Nicaraguan friends which was great fun. When the car finally came (actually it was a beaten down, rusty pick up truck), out first mission task began. GdL rigged up a speaker system which was powered by an old generator (which they had to fix in the middle of the road). The speakers and several of the guys loaded the back of the truck, cranked up some music and began shouting through the microphone in a sing-song manner which was totally delightful. We walked along in front of, behind, and next to the truck passing out flyers while they gave verbal invites on their "PA system". We were amazed at how much everyone wanted these flyers. People would come out of their houses and stop their vehicles in the middle of the street (or at least slow down) to take a flyer. No one refused one. I'm not sure what the draw was, the crackling PA system or the 18 mostly blonde gringos in matching aqua shirts, but it didn't matter, the invite was out and now it was time to pray for a harvest.
And pray we did. When the flyers were gone and it was growing dark, we circled up to pray with all of GdL and about 10-12 people from their church and prayed that many would come to hear the Word and also that the Lord would hold off the rain during the festival. Praying out loud simultaneously (and in two languages) is not something most of us do regularly, but I am sure it is a sweet sound in God's ear.
HOTEL EL MALTESE: We arrived to our hotel late (after midnight our time) on Wednesday night and since we had all been up since 4 AM, needless to say we were wiped out and soon we were just out.
MORNINGS: We were able to get to know our home for the next two weeks when we woke up (for me that was at 4:00 am!) I've actually woken up at 4 am every morning since I have been here. My body thinks it is 6:00 and will not go back to sleep. So I get up and enjoy the beautiful sunrise over Lake Nicaragua. Did I tell you our hotel is right on the lake? It is a freshwater lake, but it actually has sharks in it so we won't be doing any swimming. However, the view is breathtaking.
Another reason I love these early mornings is because George (pronounced Hor-hay), the night guard, brings me a cup of fresh Nicaraguan coffee and converses with me. He doesn't seem to mind my broken Spanish and even tries to practice the few English words he knows.
JOYFUL REUNION: On Thursday in the early afternoon, Liz and the girls arrived and we set out for the barrio. We were so excited to see these precious children whom we have grown to love over the past few years and they were equally excited to see us. The new students in our group, first timers to Nicaragua, were introduced to taxi travel in Granada, and got their first sight at a typical neighborhood in a third world country. (Pray for them as they experience these things for the first time and pray for me that I would continue to be sensitive to the fact that this is new for them and can be quite disturbing.)
The hugs and kisses from those sweet children were plentiful. It was interesting to see how the moms willingly released even their youngest children to come to us, smiling and waving as they watched their little ones take our hands and go with us into Caracolitos. There was an overwhelming sense of welcome and trust. We belong here now.
THE BARRIO SCHOOL: Wow! We were so impressed and honored at how they had prepared for us. The school was clean, and the field was cut! It was beautiful. They said they had been preparing for us for weeks. I have never seen this place look so good. And it was full of life and industry, cottage industry that is. Two new "businesses" have started up to help the women in the community. A couple of the classrooms were being used for micro-businesses. In addition to the pinyata business which is still going strong, there will soon be a hammock making business and a maraccas making business run out of the school. How happy this makes me to know that in addition to education this place we are building will help parents engage in honest work to earn a living for their families.
Oh .. George is here with my coffee now. It would be rude for me not to visit with him, so I will write more later.
With Great Joy,
Naomi
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