Fool's Gold...

Once again, I'm borrowing Susanna's laptop. Our back door has been secured with two bars which slide in to brackets mounted in to the concrete. We are hoping that along with the motion detector light, the new stronger padlock and the door alarm that we'll at least dissuade any uninvited impromptu guest from coming in. We should have a day guard in place next week and are planning on returning to language school the week after. They have been very concerned for us and assured us they would hold our place for us.

We are changing our gardener's workdays beginning next week to alternate with our housekeeper's. The day guard will work afternoons in to early evenings, alternating shifts with Susanna's night guard, with both randomly changing days off (with our gardner filling in on those days) so that it will be very difficult for someone watching to come up with their schedules. I hope so anyway, as it was difficult enough just to figure it out. We rarely go out after dark so for the most part, our home will always have someone here...that's the plan, anyway. We'll see how it works in real life.

Susanna has some more people coming from her church in a couple of weeks and they have agreed to bring a "new" laptop down for us. We actually purchased a refurbished one (it's too costly to replace the others with new ones) and it is to be delivered to Susanna's folks this coming week. Hopefully, I'll be tapping away on our own computer once again in a couple of weeks.

I want to take a minute to urge each of you who have pictures or important documents, spreadsheets, etc. on your computers to download them on an external hard drive which you keep hidden separately or on a disk that you can set aside. I have realized that even though we had all of our computer data on our external hard drive, we had it sitting on the same stand as the computers. The thieves took it as well. It hit me like a ton of bricks last night that all our pictures, all our music, all my notes from every Bible study, all my thoughts - for the blog and those that are too personal to share with others...all are gone and gone for good. And I was sick all over again. Each day I am reminded of the thief that keeps on stealing.

The positives this week? Too many to remember all of them but the sweetest ones are actually in relationship to the Nicas with whom we have become close - Margarita, Freddy and Miguel. Margarita made a pitcher of pitaya juice as a surprise for me in hopes of cheering me up. She has given extra tight hugs each day she's here and has made sure everything is extra clean... it's what she has to give and it's so appreciated.

Freddy has gone above and beyond the call of duty. He was genuinely sorry for us and has come in early and stayed late throughout this week - all of his own volition. He refuses to let me stay alone. He became very angry initially at the long-gone intruders that they would make me afraid and has taken on the task of our security as his own priority. He cautions us and educates us in being more saavy in this neighborhood. He won't let anyone in the gate without screening them first before even coming to us. He has been cleaning out the weeds near our fenceline, thinning out the brush and trees along the street, checking the work of the workmen to make sure it's solid. Never once asking for anything and always giving. He has been a gift of God this week.

Then there's Miguel. We went to see him this week to tell him what happened and that we wouldn't be having classes until next week. He was distraught and asked us 1001 questions about our employees, our neighborhood, even our friends. He asked to go to the hardware store with us when we had to exchange some locks as he was afraid they wouldn't do it for us. Of course, we took him and he was as proud as a peacock to be our "voice". We brought him to our house and gave him lunch. He was very grateful and wouldn't come in until we told him it was alright. He and Freddy sized each other up like little banty roosters but thankfully, they each gave the other a thumb's up. Miguel stuck close to Jim, not quite sure what to do or how to act in a gringo's home. His comment was that it was very elegant. Later, I looked around and tried to see it through Miguel's eyes. I squinted hard, turning my head first one way and then another, but couldn't see elegant. I saw modest. And I wondered what Miguel's home is like. And I wondered what the robbers thought when they walked through our home.

After lunch, when we tried to give Miguel some money for some food for his family as well as for the bus as we weren't able to drive him back to the church, he refused. He said he wasn't interested in being friends so that we would give him things. We assured him we understood that and we were appreciative that he took the time off to help us with the hardware store and to come visit our home. The money was to pay for the means to get him back to work and the rest was to be used to help buy food for the family. His eyes became very teary and he lowered his head. I told him we didn't want to offend him and he said that it was no offense but rather a wonderful and timely gift. He just wanted to make sure we knew as far as he was concerned, our friendship was true. Once again, we assured him it was. I have to tell you that what we gave him was not a huge sum at all but what is equivalent to a little over $5.00. Not much to us but a gift of sizeable measure to him. He can't even comprehend the dollar loss we suffered through the break in. I can't comprehend the immense gratitude he feels for a gift of $5.00. Chances are pretty good that never the 'twain shall meet.

Well, my time on here for now has come to an end. We want to thank everyone for the concern you have expressed and the prayers you have taken before the Throne of God on our behalf. I can't even imagine how this week would have been without those. That is a beautiful manifestation of how the body of Christ works, isn't it? Coming together in one accord, praising God and letting Him work through His people.

The things that were stolen from our home...they'll all burn up some day, won't they? Our real treasures are stored somewhere else where neither moths nor rust can destroy nor thieves can break in and steal. We are not just aliens here in Nicaragua, this world is not our home. Lord, thank you for reminding me not to become enraptured with Fool's Gold...or the loss of it.