David and I have been enjoying a wonderful week with the college group from Edmond. We started the week off running! The team was scheduled to arrive at 8pm, but it seems several other flights were also arriving about that time, so they didn’t make it through customs and out of the airport until 10:30. We then had to divide up the student school supplies goody bags we were to give out the next day. That got us to bed about 12:30!

On Wednesday morning we drove to Matagalpa and headed over the the school. The group gave away the care packages to very excited kids, performed a few skits about perseverance, hygiene and safety, and then spent some time playing with the students. There was a pretty serious game of soccer and tug of war, but no injuries, luckily. Wednesday evening the guys played in concrete as they put stucco on the kid’s classroom and the girls got the family care packages ready (that meant dividing up beans, rice and sugar into bags).

Thursday we worked on the stucco again and in the afternoon we visited a school for the handicapped. They performed their skits again (which the kids loved!) and gave away the care packages of food, soaps and vitamins. Everyone there was very thankful, and the teachers said they had never received that type of blessing before.

Friday we worked on the kids class all day. We were putting a fine layer of cement over the thick layer we applied the days before, and we all tried to do it just like Jimmy, our foreman, but we just didn’t have the technique (or strength). So he threw the cement on and it was our job to sponge it smooth and mix cement. Jimmy wowed us all by doing a whole wall in just 36 minutes and then picking up a 200 pound sack of sand all by himself when the guys were struggling to pick it up between two!

Saturday we had a fun day painting. We painted each wall a different color - blue, yellow, green, and purple with a pink boarder. It looks great and the kids were very excited to see it this morning. We worked until about 1:00 and then headed to Selva Negra to hike in the coffee plantation. It was beautiful and we got to see some monkeys. Tiffany King got a great recording of the monkeys that were right above her and David, so hopefully I can get that and put it on here.

Sunday we had a fun day at the church. Services were followed by a congregational meal and a few games so we could all get to know each other.

Hopefully I’ll get some pictures up soon!

We are so excited that the college group will be joining us on Tuesday. Yikes! Gotta go work…
Just kidding, I’m all ready…I think.
We are very excited to have had two baptisms in the past few weeks. A young lady, Yajaira (try saying that!), decided to become a Christian last Thursday. She is super sweet, and has already joined our singing class! Last Sunday a fallen away member decided to reconcile with the Lord, and his son, Jordan, decided to become a Christian. Please keep these two in your prayers.
We had services at our house last night. Each Saturday we have services in different member’s houses. I didn’t think many would come because it was raining pretty hard, but we had about 20.

We finished up the gospel meeting this past Friday and were blessed to have 12 baptisms.  We also made a lot of contacts.  One evening we had over 75 visitors at the meeting!!

Baptism in Apanas

This past Sunday we had great attendance!!  We usually about about 50-55 people in attendance in morning and evening services, and this Sunday we had 59 at morning services only with at least 15 more in the evening!  We are excited that members are coming more regularly and that more kids are getting involved in kids class.  I’m sure the mission trips will help boost our spirits even more!

Tuesday we travelled to San Marcos because the ladies asked me to teach kids class.  We talked about “The Grace of God that Enables Us to Live a Full Life” from Titus 2:11-12.  First that God’s grace teaches us to deny ungodly and worldly lusts, or basically to stop sinning (Gal 5:19-21).  Then that grace teaches us how to live with ourselves (sober), with others (righteous) and with God (godly).  Sober means we have self-control and won’t allow ourselves to be influenced by the world (1 Jn 2:15-17).  It means we have a great relationship with ourselves - are content with ourselves.  Righteous means how we treat, serve, relate and interact with others correctly.  Godly means we live a life of service dedicated to God and that are lives are constant worship and praise of God.  Titus 2:13 explains that letting God’s grace teach us these things and work in our lives helps us maintain the hope of heaven.

I love teaching in San Marcos because everyone comments and talks so much.  When I was done Carolina said “is that it?” so I said, “Well, any more comments” and we talked for another 10 minutes.  It seems that the week before they received a lesson about the hope of salvation and so we talked about how the two tied together.

A couple of days ago our computer just wouldn’t turn on.  This happened a while back and we got a new cord in January.  So we packed it up and took it to the shop.  The lady tried it with her cord and it worked, so she went to test the cord.  You know printer cords have a cable that goes from the printer to the box and then another for the box to the wall outlet.  Last time it was the box, this time the cable.  So the lady says “Let me see if I have another.”  And I’m thinking that’d be great, but it’s a little odd she’s doing it, because they have super checks and balances and usually she has to write up a sheet and someone else looks for it and then you go to someone else to pay for it and then to someone else to pick it up.  She only had the one that she used to test the printer, and she said, “We’ll use this one, it doesn’t matter.”  So we were packing up and David asked what we owed, and she said nothing!  She just gave it to us.  That was so nice, and great, because I have a lot of t I need to do for VBS!!

Gospel Meeting Apanas

This week we are helping out with a gospel meeting/door-knocking campaign in Apanas, a small town (and a relatively new town) outside Jinotega.  They just recently got a preacher (supported through Mision Para Cristo) and have about 6 members.  MPC had a medical mission group coming in (Olive Branch Ministries) and the preachers decided that this would be a good time to door-knock in the area too.  The people are very receptive, and most have invited us in and given us time to share the gospel with them.  We have had two baptisms so far, and Monday, the first day of the meeting, we had about 25 visitors, so we’ve also made a lot of contacts.  Please keep this effort in your prayers.

Last Friday we had a national ladies day in Masaya.  I haven’t heard the numbers, but there were a lot of ladies there!  One of the ladies from Jinotega spoke on the women’s role in the church, encouraging us to be active and take the initiative.  The lessons were followed by lunch and activities.

Sunday morning we had lots of members at church.  There were 42 adults there (usually we have 42 combining morning and evening services) and lots of kids too.  One of the members pulled me aside and told me that we encourage and excite the church and that it just wasn’t the same without us.  I am amazed that we have only been here four months and already we have such a strong connection and great friendships with the members!

Hey, I started a Facebook page for Mission Nicaragua, so if you want to see what we’re up to and what plans we have, become a fan.

Well, it’s probably more accurately titles “Pictures of my nephews and nieces” since that’s all we seemed to take pictures of.

I always get a kick out of kids, known for their bluntness, trying to be polite.  When I first saw my niece, Isabelle, my hair was curly.  The next day I straightened it, and she loved it.  The third day I had it blow dryed, but not straightened (think huge afro) and went to ask Isabelle and Garrett what they thought of my new hairdo.  Rather than laughing or telling me I looked aweful, Isabelle answered, “Um, go back and do it a little bit  more.”

One moring I made biscuits and gravy and I was cleaning up and not paying attention to Abigayle in her highchair.  When I did look she was wearing her paper plate as a hat, which of course got greasy gravy all in her hair!

My new nephew, Gabriel

When did Abigayle learn to drive??

We just got back from a wonderful vacation!  We flew into OKC Wednesday planning to stay with the Priebes, but they were overbooked and upgraded us three doors down at the Kumor’s house.  There was a welcome banner in the entrance just for us!  We kept our “flying into the US tradition” of eating Wingstop the night we arrive, and it was delicious!

Thursday we headed to Fort Worth and then Saturday we kept traveling south down to Austin.  My sister couldn’t wait to see us, so she drove up from Austin Friday too, then back down with us on Saturday!  I sure was happy to get to see my new nephew who is as cute as can be (and I’m a very impartial judge).  We spent the week shopping and playing outside and just having fun.  Then it was back to Fort Worth where we got to visit with my brother, sister-in-law, nephew, the grandparents and I can’t even remember who else!

We went to Fry’s hoping to buy a laptop (which we’ve been talking about doing for 2 years now), but chickened out.  I was a little (ok, a lot) overwhelmed by the store!  It’s huge.

Then we went back up to Edmond to work on some mission trip planning and visit.  When David and I arrived for Wednesday night services we didn’t even make it past the front door - we spent about 30 min. visiting, hugging and catching up with everyone.  It is always such a joy to see that everyone hasn’t forgotten all about us down here so far away!

I don’t think that even begins to mention all of the excitement of our trip, but when my dad asked what I enjoyed the best, I had to answer holding my new nephew!  I told him the first day we saw him that his only job was to give me a great big smile before I left, and it looked like he smiled two times during the trip, but I wasn’t sure and it wasn’t at me.  But the last day he came through for me!