Day 2 - Building Homes and Building the Kingdom

Today was an experience that I will never forget.

We were all able to start the day right in God’s word. 

Next we ate an extraordinary breakfast followed by an hour and half bus ride to our job site. We worked on building a house for Pastor Justo.

Shortly after, we had the amazing opportunity to minister to the kids while playing games, singing songs, presenting the gospel, and putting on plays.

Jacob shared the gospel - in Spanish!

The first day in Nicaragua was the best I have ever lived and can’t wait for more like it in the coming days.

                        

                                                                                                        -Tim Alvarado

                Even though it has only been two days, this is an experience I will never forget.  I have loved every second of it.  After a great nights sleep, my dorm-mates and I got up to spend some one-on-one time with God. 

After taking this well needed time with God, we walked into the mess hall only to see a beautiful looking breakfast.  I enjoyed plates full of fruit, sausage, beans and rice, pancakes, and eggs.  After that, we all sun screened and bug sprayed up and loaded on the bus.  During this hour and a half bus ride, I tried to take in as much of the culture as I could.   I found it fascinating.  There were many open shops, and everything was very colorful.

Today my team was going to work on building pastor Justo’s home.  I hammered nails, moved blocks, cemented walls, and cut tar strips.  I was a little nervous about the language barrier but it was much easier than I thought.  When they pointed to my bucket of dirt and then pointed to a hole, I understood.

 After getting some walls built and getting the roof up, we stopped for lunch.  We ate PB and J’s with chips, crackers, and pudding.

Then, we split up and some went to VBS and the rest of us went to building again.  We got a lot done on the home so Kristi, Stephanie, and I had time to go and meet a family with three cute little boys.  We tried our best to talk to them but it was difficult.  We did connect through laughter. 

So far, I’ve loved every second of this trip and I don’t think I’ll be ready to leave any time soon.  Please keep us in your prayers.  Pray that we all will be strong both physically and spiritually, and pray that we will just be able to be a beacon of light to the people down here.

                                                                                                                                -Olivia Johnson

BIOS

1) What one thing has impacted you so far on the trip?

2) What do you hope/pray to see God work/change in              you?

Timothy Alvarado

16 yrs, Junior

1) Seeing how the kids found joy in the simple things, like watching us being silly, a balloon animal, playing a simple running game.

 2)I hope that God will give me a better perspective of how other people live and give me more gratitude for what I have.

More great moments from our day:

Pastor Justo, the Pastor whose home we are building, came to share with us today.

We have been richly blessed as we serve where God has brought us.