Ok, so this time to visit to the jail was voluntary. Wednesday we went with a group of 13 from the congregation to visit the prison ministry. We had a service and gave refreshments to the men of the prison who are members of the church. There are about 100 men who are members of the church and there were 56 in services on Wednesday. We got to see many things that MPC has helped create in the jail. They have a basketball court that MPC helped with, a computer lab, vocational training, and the Bible Institute that was registering students while we were there. The students are provided with Bibles, notebooks, and everything they need to study. I think it is two days a week. Right now the Matagalpa congregation is in charge of the services once a month.

Well, I wrote down everything I wanted to update you on in my handy dandy notebook, but then I left it at home, so we’ll see what all I can remember. On Saturday we had a work project at a members home. She is one of the ladies that David visited in Quebrada Onda (the nearby town) and her house was falling apart. She has a house made of some rock with dirt morter, some sheet metal and some plastic. We did the best we could to put it together and make a division in the middle of the house so that the bedroom and kitchen/living would be seperate. The guys worked on making a structure around their latrine with black plastic. After we were done the ladies cooked and we shared a meal together. It was a lot of fun, and we got to know some of the members a little bit better.

Sunday, David continued his lesson on service and talked about serving the world through evangelism and benevolent acts.

Yesterday we had ladies class at our house. One of the young ladies, Arlen, gave the lesson on self-esteem and loving others as we love ourselves. She talked about having a good balance of self-esteem (not think too much of ourselves or too little) and helping others have a healthy self-esteem. She talked in the class about this being a way to serve others that doesn’t cost any money and really isn’t too time consuming.

After ladies class we had a great surprise. Some of the men of the church showed up at the door and gave us a little welcome party. They sang a welcome song and “I love you with the love of the Lord” and we played games. I had made cookies for ladies class, so it turned out great with refreshments for everyone. One of the ladies gave us a really sweet note welcoming us. It said she looked forward to getting to know us better and hoped that our experience here exceeds our expectations.

I’m trying to get pictures on the gallery. The internet is slow as a snail and in 30 min. I have accomplished putting one new picture on. And these are from December; I haven’t even gotten to January!! Have you been praying for us to get internet in the house?? Now they are saying that even though they took our money, they can’t give us the service because we aren’t residents. They haven’t offered to give us our $100 back either…

The men of the congregation here in Matagalpa asked David to preach during Sunday night service this month, so he started a series on service based on his last sermon he preached in San Marcos. His first lesson introduced the topic talking about how Jesus said that those in His kingdom that want to be greatest must serve, and that He came to serve, not be served, and then David discussed the first area that we can serve: in the church. He encouraged the members to take the initiative (not just wait to be asked) to use our gifts to serve others in the church, to try several new areas of service if we aren’t sure of our gift, and not to be afraid to lead a new work if there isn’t one in place that uses our gift. The congregation really liked the lesson and decided to accept David’s challenge for the church to make 2009 our Year of Service! David’s next lesson talked about serving in the home. He used the example of Jesus washing the apostles feet to show that Jesus wasn’t above even the lowest duties of housework. He encouraged the wives to help their husbands with their responsibilities, husbands the wives, and children their parents. I have to say I’ve been enjoying David’s help with the housework!! =)

We had a great day yesterday! Giovanni, Carolina, Johanna, Patricia, Cruz, and Manuel all came to visit us. We had a great Mexican lunch (they showed up right at noon, but assured me that they didn’t just love me for my cooking!) and then we got to work. Giovanni helped us put up a rack to hang clothes, since our new house is lacking closets, and the girls helped clean the back bathroom (that I hadn’t even ventured into yet!) and plant some mint that is supposed to help with flies. We had a great time talking and working together and I am so glad they made the trip up to visit us! I paid them with grapes and strawberries (which are abundant here but very hard to find in San Marcos), and Cruz said I can call the cleaning team anytime as long as I have fresh fruit!

Today David went with Julio (and Manuel who decided to stay the week with us) visiting members who have fallen away. They visited five members, some at home and some in the market where they work who hadn’t been to church in quite a while. They were all encouraged by the visit, so we’ll see if any make it back to services. Maybe you can keep this in your prayers. Julio was also encouraged because he mentioned to David how fast they can make visits when they are traveling by truck rather than on foot. He had a plan to do a little bit everyday, but now they see than can do all of the visitation in one day and that leaves time for evangelism, Bible studies, and preparation for services and classes.

Well, we are all settled in and we attended our first services at the new congregation. They have services Sunday morning and evening and there were probably about 60 in attendance between the two services. Everyone is super nice and we’ve been having a great time getting to know everyone. Today David went with several members to visit a little town that where some members of the church live. Since there aren’t many members there, the Matagalpa congregation goes to help them hold services about once a month and visits them to keep them encouraged (it’s too far for them to travel to services here in Matagalpa regularly). Last Saturday we also went to services in one of the member’s homes.

Our neighbors are also very nice. They came over last week to let us know they had just harvested strawberries and they were selling them for $1.50 a pound (compared to $6 in the grocery store), and they are delicious. Yesterday they brought us some oranges just to be nice. I was kind of worried about fruit because in San Marcos people were always bringing me pineapples and limes and such, but it looks like I’ll have my cheap supply of fruit here too!

So, there’s a chance we may be getting internet in our very own home next week. I would like to say it’s a fact, since we have already paid and signed a contract and everything, but Giovanni paid for his internet months ago, and still nothing (they forgot to tell him they don’t offer the service in his area!). So, please pray that we can get internet. I think my computer might just lay down and die if it doesn’t get some updates! Plus then we can Skype!

Well, we are all settled into our new house in Matagalpa. We moved up last Thursday and had a group come up with us to help us move in and get settled. We stayed at the new place Thursday night and then it was back to San Marcos on Friday to get ready for the second annual hiking trip on Saturday. Our house was totally empty, so we are super appreciative of David’s parents for loaning us their extra bed for the night. The hiking trip was wonderful! We had over 50 members from our congregation and some from other neighboring congregations who walked the 30km with us. This trip was in memory of Hilda, the beautiful young woman who passed away of a brain tumor this past year. Her mom and kids walked with us. Her oldest son, Alex, walked with me for the first part of the hike. He’s about 11 or so and was doing a great job of taking care of me, I was just too slow! He kept saying “I’ll be right back” and walking up a ways and then coming back to chat, but then I think he finally gave up on me. Chris and Josh, from Seminole, Giovannni’s sponsoring congregation, were in town for the week, so they got to walk with us too. At first my group was in the lead following Gabriel Rivera, but I left that group after he led us off the path and up a very very steep incline (I think Chris decided it was 60degrees)! Little Chepe enjoyed telling David about my struggle up that and how I was on hands and knees crawling up that incline! I again ate the best oranges ever (Giovanni claims it’s just because I’m so tired and thirsty that they taste so great, but I think it’s a secret orange oasis in the mountains of Carazo!). Oh, I have to give recognition to Carolina who did a GREAT job this year. She made the hike last year, but struggled, but this year she was leading the group and full of energy. I’m so proud of her!

After the walk we were blessed to eat dinner with Carolina’s parents, Frank and Nydia. They are super sweet people and gave us lots of great advice for how to take on our new work without being overwhelmed.

Sunday we spent our last service as a member at the congregation in San Marcos. Chris taught a great class on God’s mercy and grace and how we all need it and don’t deserve it. He got a lot of his outline ideas from the book “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” that I would recommend reading. It’s a topic that we need so much and so often forget, and when we forget we just do the worst things to other people. Which is why we need that grace all the more! Maybe one day I’ll get that mastered, but until then I guess we just work on improving each day and getting back on track when we fall. In the book, the author talks about how he is writing this book about grace, and he has to run to the store to pick something up real quick, and in the checkout line another lane opens and someone takes his place (cuts) as they move over, and how he, even though he is writing this book about grace, starts judging the cutter, until he finally catches himself. Then he writes, “And your probably judging me for judging that lady. And now I’m judging you for judging me for judging that lady.” It’s so true it hurts.

Sunday afternoon we had a going away lunch at Giovanni’s for us, Chris and Josh, and Marisol (A member who moved to Florida about a year ago and was in town visiting). We had a great time talking and enjoying each others company. Then we headed back home to Matagalpa.

In our new house we don’t really have a back yard (well, it’s all covered with cement). We brought Tigger with us, but asked David’s parents if they would like to have Stormy. Today we were back in San Marcos visiting (so David could see OU lose) and we were able to stop by the farm to see Joe and Augustina and they are really enjoying Stormy. Augustina said that she had a neighbor with a chicken that always came over to her kitchen and bothered things and the other day they came home to see Stormy with that chicken in her mouth. Augustina said she just said “good girl Stormy.” The owners of the chicken didn’t want it or want Augustina to pay for it, so Stormy got chicken soup! Augustina also said she bought her a big bag of beef bones and she’s been chewing away. On Saturday Joe and Augustina are moving into our old house, so Stormy should feel right at home. If we can’t have her with us, it’s good to know that she’s being well taken care of! And Tigger has turned out to be a great small patio/house dog, though there are some tiny little neighbor dogs that apparently have developed the habbit of squeezing through the bars in our front door, and I think Tigger would like to have to puppy soup, but so far no luck.