Since I’ve not been able to write for over 3 weeks…wow, has it really been that long?...I thought I would just do some quick summaries to get you caught up to speed with our Managua meanderings and musings. I’m not sure how it can be that we are so busy all the time but my mind goes blank when I try to detail it for you! I want to blame it on the heat, the environment, the inconsistency of services, but honestly, I don’t think that would be any different if we were State-side…
So here goes…we were privileged to Pixie-sit for almost a month for Susanna while she was tied up with various projects. It was pure joy! Pixie’s now back home with her mama and we miss her terribly. Only a “dog person” would understand this…she has such a fun personality (canine-ality, maybe???), that life’s a little less “sparkly” without her here. We’re petitioning for increased visitation rights.
Jim and I are now out at the Christian school in Los Cedros – he is teaching agriculture to the children and I am teaching English. We have the first month under our belts now and so far, there haven’t been any casualties. You can read a bit more about that in the following blog.
We have done both medical clinics this month…the one in Jinotepe was the 7th of February and the one in Rio Blanco was the 21st. These clinics always make for a tiring weekend but also a very rewarding one. The reading glasses continue to be a popular item and we thank those who sent even more down to us this month. They are such a blessing.
We had company the 13th, 14th and 15th of this month. The young man who was the leader of the team who came last June from South Carolina brought his sister for her first visit. They were working with another team who came in on the 16th. We were able to host Jay and Sherry for a few days and thoroughly enjoyed our time with them. They surprised us with lots of craft items for me to use at the school in Los Cedros, some clothes to distribute along with some reading glasses and vitamins for our clinics. It was like another Christmas!
Although our time together was short, we managed to get in a day at the beach (Pacific Ocean) where we played in the water, gathered shells and spent time with God. It was Valentine’s Day and surprisingly, the beach was almost desolate. But it made it easy for each of us to find our own little stretch of sand where our thoughts wouldn’t crash into each other. There’s something soothing about an empty beach where the only sound is the ocean’s song.
I have to tell you about my Valentine’s Day. I was really struggling that day about issues I was facing at the school. I was ready to swallow my pride and tell the school administration that I didn’t think I was the right person for that position. I am not a teacher of children. Just as soon as I was convinced that was the course of action to take, I would then waffle and wonder if it was my pride getting in the way in that I was trying to deal with something that I just couldn’t handle and I certainly didn’t want to appear as a failure. But, I’m not a quitter so I had decided I would stick it out. Of course, about that time, the pendulum would swing back the other way and I would start to wonder if it was my pride that was making me stay…because I’m not a quitter. Do you catch the theme of my struggle here? My pride?
I was really pouring my heart out to God on this. I had those who told me I was right to say that I didn’t need to subject myself to twice weekly migraines. I had others say that it would get better and that God had put me there. I didn’t know what I wanted. I wasn’t enjoying school but I didn’t believe my enjoyment was the issue. I didn’t want to stay out of stubborn pride but I knew I didn’t want to leave out of wounded pride.
The tide was coming in and with each wave washing over the sands, there was a new display of shells and rocks, which would disappear with the following wave’s ebb and flow. Because the four of us were spread out pretty far, we couldn’t hear one another so I didn’t think twice about talking out loud to God. As I walked the beach, looking for unusual shells, I poured out my frustrations, my concerns and my uncertainties. I asked my questions and God wrote His answers in the sand. Not the way Jesus did with the Pharisees and the scribes, but nevertheless, the answer was before me, as plain as day. It was spelled out in Shell-ese.
There were thousands of shells on the beach…broken, whole, simple, ornate, rough, smooth, clean and dirty. But each was unique. God had made each one of those shells I picked up, just a bit different than the other. He impressed on me that He loved creating each and every one of them and that He loved them just as they were. Just like He did with those kids. And for whatever reason, He wants me to see them as wonderfully unique and as lovingly created as those shells. And my purpose for being there really isn’t to teach English, but to teach them the same lesson He had just taught me. So, there was my answer. I was going to stay at the school. I had been playing my own version of the shell game, moving my pride from one place to the other. God called me on it and put it out there pretty plainly…it wasn’t about me.
I wanted there to be angels singing and harps playing in response to the answer put before me…there wasn’t…at least not that I heard. I still heard only the waves crashing. But as soon as I knew in the very depths of my heart that I was supposed to stay at the school and I made the commitment to myself to do so, I looked down and saw the most amazing gift from God, a reminder that He didn’t just love those kids, He loved me, too, and that He was still in control of all things. It was a small red, heart-shaped rock. No kidding. What an amazing God we serve! I am still so often overwhelmed at His love…the lengths He goes to in order to remind me of that fact. That He would be mindful of me, in spite of my “me-focus”; that He would make His “voice” heard by writing His message in the sand and that He would give me a Valentine to keep as a tangible reminder of that precious love of His. Amazing.
My little red heart sits in my dish of beautifully colored rocks and shells that I brought home that day, each one different and unique, including a lava rock encrusted with lots of little shells and fossils and a perfect sand dollar but none more special to me than my Valentine from God.
Who am I that You are mindful of me?
That You hear me when I call
Is it true that You are thinking of me?
How you Love me, it's amazing.
Jay and Sherry left the night of the 15th and the next night, another friend arrived. Jackie, who is our Mission’s Director, from our home church in Cassville, came to spend a week with us. And, she came bearing gifts! Once again, we celebrated yet another Christmas! Food, chocolate, crafts, cds, books, teaching materials, more reading glasses, vitamins, and on and on! It was unbelievable! We felt spoiled and pampered…and extremely grateful for everyone’s generosity and thoughtfulness.
We packed a full week in for Jackie. She spent the day with us at Los Cedros, weathering the wind, the heat and the kids! What a trooper! The next day, we took her to our language class with Miguel. He was thrilled to have another American with whom to practice his English. We stopped at Dona Blanca’s to eat and then after a little bit of shopping at one of the local markets, on to visit the Children’s Center where we dropped off diapers and wipes.
The following day, we went to Ticuantepe to visit a working pineapple and pitaya farm. It is a ministry run by some new friends of ours and they had asked us to come and visit as that was also where Jay and Sherry were working with their team so it all worked out great. It was so beautiful there…the valley is often referred to as the garden of Eden. The acidic volcanic soil is perfect for growing the pineapples and pitayas. The other unique part of that area is it leads right in to the Chocoyero National Reserve. This area is a tropical dry forest and is filled with lots of wildlife, including howler and whiteface monkeys as well as beautiful flora. The chocoya parrots roost there in the holes of the canyons. It’s a breathtakingly beautiful place.
Later that day, we met Miguel at the church and then all headed to Tipitapa for an afternoon’s visit. Miguel took us to meet some of his friends, one of whom is studying English at the University, and then we went to visit the thermal baths (no, we didn’t bathe!). These are natural hot baths (199 degrees farenheit) which are heated by the various volcanoes in the area. It’s a bit rundown but very interesting. Afterwards, we went to a little roadside place to eat quesillos which are tortillas filled with a soft, mild cheese (like mozzarella) and a creamy onion sauce. We also each tried a drink of tiste, which is a cacao and corn drink. We enjoyed our visit with Miguel’s friends and then went to his house so Jackie could meet his family.
While there, we found out that Elizabeth was really sick with an abscessed molar. When I asked her if she was going to the dentist, she just shrugged. Her eyes looked feverish, although her hands were like ice and she wouldn’t eat. Jim and I talked a bit with Miguel and after a lot of questioning, we found out that she wasn’t going due to the cost. We always try to carry a little bit of money on us just for those types of situations and thankfully, we were able to take care of that. Since then, we have found out that because of that financial help, Elizabeth was able to go to a private dentist where she received Novocain before he extracted her tooth. That was considered a luxury. We have so much…
On Friday, we left for Rio Blanco, arriving while it was still daylight so we could show Jackie the town. It didn’t take long! There was a terrible bus accident right at the entrance to our hotel. A bus from the Verbo church (the Nicaraguan church we sometimes attend in Managua) had lost its brakes coming down the mountain early that morning on its way to take a load of construction materials to Puerta Cabeza on the east coast. It flipped over, killing the driver. It was really a terrible accident and I can’t believe that there was only one fatality as it crushed the top of the bus.
There was quite a group from Managua at the clinic as Susanna had people from her church there and our friends, Roger and Rhonda were also there on their way to the RAAN…the north-eastern part of the country. I think the little hotel we stay at loves our weekends there! We had another busy clinic with an added service of a dentist this time. I’m assuming it was a blessing although from the screams of the children, I don’t know that I would swear to it! Seems like he didn’t use Novacain! It was hard to hear, believe me. Once again, the reading glasses were a hit!
Jackie, Jim and I returned to Managua that night and spent the day on Sunday, recuperating and catching up on laundry. Unfortunately, Jackie experienced first hand our daily water outages but I have to say there was never a word of complaint from her about one thing! It was so hard to let her go back home that Monday. She was an encouragement and it was such a special time to spend time with a like-minded follower of Jesus Christ. We’re still glowing inside as a result of her visit!
Tuesday, we were back at school again but only for 1 day this week as the teachers are in training today and tomorrow. So, actually, we’re getting a break! It’s been a busy month and we’re glad for a few down days to try to get caught up on things.
Jim’s folks are having some serious health issues, which is really hard for the entire family. His brother, Chuck, is dealing with everything by himself right now as Jim’s other brother is vacationing down in Texas for the winter. It’s difficult for Jim being so far away at this time. We knew these kinds of issues were bound to come but that doesn’t make it easier when they do. It’s hard not to be there right now. We throw the word “sacrifice” around pretty lightly until we’re called to do it and then it takes on new meaning.
Well, I think that is pretty much it in a nutshell…a big nutshell, I’ll admit, but we’ve had a lot of month to pack in to one blog. Thank you for your patience and hopefully, I can get some kind of workable schedule going on here as far as balancing school, clinics, visits, tutoring Miguel and blogging. And if I work it just right, we might even get some laundry done on occasion!
1 comment:
So good to see your blogs again. Everyone at church
has been asking if I have
heard from you. They miss
your blogs. We just don't
have enough hours in the day to get everything done,
do we? Wanda
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