The street to the new building site.
You can see why we're so dirty when the wind blows.
Covered in several millimeters of dust that could have doubled for sunscreen, and a perpetual flow of sweat from every nook and cranny, our team along with several Nicas were able to make quite a bit of progress in one day and team A will likely be able to finish everything up tomorrow.
Finishing up the roof
Mckinlee
When we were building the first house I viewed it simply as an activity
that was scheduled for us to do while were on this mission trip. Upon
completion of the first house yesterday, we all met with the pastor and his
family to pray with him and welcome them into their new house. The pastor’s wife, who had yet to have spoken
to us during the three days that we were working alongside her and her family,
expressed her gratitude for us in tears and told us how she had prayed for this
“dream house” for over thirty years. Hearing her say those words and seeing the
impact that it is on her life is something that I cannot describe. Seeing how
these past several days of work can change the lives of an entire family for
years to come and provide an answer to prayer is incredibly impactful and makes
every second of discomfort more than worth it.
Many of you know that I was very
anxious about coming on this trip. In all honesty, not much of me wanted to
come at all. My main motivation was obedience and my attitude was one of
endurance rather than that of giving or excitement. I cannot say that my
attitude has completely turned around and that I am ready to move my small
family to Nicaragua, but I can say with absolute confidence that God is
softening my heart through these people and children. Please pray alongside me
that I would continue to want to be molded by God. In the past two years I have
been built up in my own pride by my accomplishments and surrounded myself with
comforts and pleasures and have feared if I say , “God, you can do whatever you
want with my life”, they may be taken away. Again, this fear is not gone but
God is working on my heart, and I want to want to be molded by God in whatever
ways He has.
Tim, after a day in the sun and wind
Love and miss all the family –
from those at New Beginnings to those in California.
-Tim
There are a few things in life
that tend to “get on my nerves.” One of them is people on their cellphones in
checkout lines and another is “door to door” salesmen. Both can seem to be an
invasion of space and a little too forward for the majority of people.
Tricia's team
Today was my third round on the
evangelism team and I am falling more and more in love with trusting God’s hand
and leading as I interact with the people of Nicaragua in their homes. In my
journal I have tried to capture in words the “look” of Nicaraguan homes, but I confess
I fall terribly short. While walking into a Nica home I guess you could say
they are a Technicolor hodge-podge held together with barbed wire, black tarp
and a lot of love. I have been humbled to enter these broken down homes where I
have been offered their best chair and glass of Coca-Cola. It has been special
to be given a tour of their family via worn and faded pictures on their walls
that they display with such pride.
Even though the main objective of
our evangelism walk is simply to invite kids to Bible club in the afternoon,
you would be surprised at how many families are thirsty for an encouraging word
and a time of prayer…Even from a stranger from Montana like me!
I was especially touched today by
a young woman named Gabriella who lived at the end of the street I was evangelizing
on today. Not long into our conversation her eyes began to well up with tears
as she said to me that she feels so far from Jesus. She cried that she has not
been to church in a long time and she is afraid that it is too late to get
close to Him again.
I shared with her that God Himself
has the very hairs on her head numbered and that God doesn’t have a calendar
with a due date or a wrist watch that runs out of time for those that are still
seeking Him. She cried again and we prayed together. We prayed that her heart
would be at peace as she finds rest in the one true God who made her and then
sent His one and only Son to die for her. She held my hands and said that she
had been praying that God would send someone into her life to help her with her
loneliness and to remind her that He cares for her.
I was in awe that God brought me
from nearly 4,000 miles away knowing that I would be in this very time and
place to speak to Gabriella. Please pray for her! She is so lonely and needy
for the love of God to be known in a real way. Pray that she will get plugged
into one of the nearby Bible churches where she can make friends with women who
know and love the Lord. I could not help but think of Mordecai’s words to
Esther when he simply stated, “For such a time as this.” All too often we miss
a blessing and an intentional opportunity to impact someone because we look
over the hand of God that has brought us somewhere for a specific time and a
perfect purpose. I am reminded once again not to take lightly the timing of
people and circumstances that fill our lives. All are far too perfectly crafted
by the Potter to take for granted.
Bible club today was a HUGE
blessing (as always)! After every Bible club I want to grab the whole bunch of
kiddos and take them home with me! They are the most grateful, enthusiastic and
friendly group I have ever known. They love to share hugs, high-fives and foot
races with you every chance they get. In a place where there is very little,
every expression of kindness and compassion is so well received. There are
countless moments that I will simply ponder in my heart because words just can’t
do the experience justice!
Though I have been covered with
dust, sweat and bug bites from head to toe, I would do it again in a heartbeat
just to invest with these kids and their families just a little bit longer! God
has been so good and I feel ever changed for having had this chance to play a
small role in “kingdom building” in Nicaragua. Thank you for all your prayers!
They have held us in big and small ways!
-Tricia
Cutting up firewood
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