We Must GO: July 2011

We originally had 12 people in our group going to nicaragua. 6 in our family and then Pastor Vann and his son David, Kelsey and her friend Jenny, Brittney and another lady. We had meetings preparing for VBS and everything else.

A few days before the trip the lady had a few family things come up and she couldn't come with us. Once I heard that I knew we needed alot of prayer. Satan was going to do his best trying to ruin this trip and stop us from spreading God's word. So we began praying that God would shine through us and that it wouldn't be us that it would be Him.

We left Saturday night and drove to Nashville (3 hours). We checked into our hotel and went out to eat. We got up the next morning and checked into the airport. Our flight left at 6 am. We had a layover in Houston and then onto Managua, Nicaragua! we got there about 11:30 AM. We went to get our luggage and 3 suitcases were missing. Kinch, Leanna, and my luggage didn't make it to nicaragua. I was sooo frusterate. We had lots of VBS things in my bag so I knew that we needed my bag. I then realized I couldn't make it a big deal because that would interfear with God's plan for this trip. I took it to God in prayer and let it go. God knew what he was doing. (We ended up recieving our luggage 3 days later and everything was fine! Praise God!)

Jorge and Roger (translators for us for the week and employees of Choosen Children Ministries) picked us up from the airport and took us to the mission house. We got settled in and had lunch then off the see the sites where we would be all we. We were going to 2 barrios (communities) during the week. One in the morning then we would take lunch and go to the other.

We would leave the mission house around 8 AM and go to The Flags. The Flags was a community where the houses were made out of sticks and plastic ttarps. They didn't own the land but they were trying to buy it. Our family and brittney did VBS with the kids. Jenny, Kelsey, and David went around the neighbor talking to teenagers and families about their relationship with God. Brother Vann spoke with adults about marriage. Not many people are married in Nicaragua. They just live together, have kids and see no reason to get married. After we were done we would just play and love on the kids. There was always a game of soccer, kickball, or wiffleball going on. Then we would blow bubbles with the little kicks or play duck duck goose. A few afternoons we brought out the nail polish. They were soaking up the attention.

This was also the time when we would bring a few kids and adults aside to ask if they could read and would give them a spanish new testament. Their face when they would recieve a bible was just amazing. They couldn't believe we were giving them a bible. They were SO excited! They were so hungry for something real. Even if they couldn't read but had a child who could read it to them, they were excited! It amazed me. We take our bibles for granted. We probably each have about 3 or more sitting around our house that we don't even use. These people were happy to have just a new testament.

After visiting the Flags we would either go to a park or gas station and have lunch. Then we would go to Xiloa (He-Low-a). We would do the same thing again. This barrio was more established. They still has some houses made of sticks but some of cinder blocks too. They had a nice school building and church too.

We would leave around 4. It was an exhausting day with kids climbing all over you and playing tag or soccer. We would go back to the mission house shower, eat, and have group devotion time and team meeting.

We did this monday through friday. Saturday was our relaxing day. We went to Monkey Island. It was an Island with monkeys obviously. One monkey named lucy would climb on the boat and you could feed and pet her. It was interesting. After that we went to a resturant that looks out over the lake. It was really nice. Then we took a trip to the market and then onto the volcano. It was a fun filled day and a nice break.

A few highlights from the trip:
*3 people got kinda sick or didn't feel very good

*Darby almost lost her pinky because a girl shove a tiny ring too far on her finger and it turned purple. We did get it off and she does have all 5 fingers on both hands.

*I got stung by a wasp twice and found out I'm allergic.

*Leanna witnessed to a little boy and he said he made a commitment to God a few years ago but didn't know what it meant and wanted to recommit his life to God.

*A couple Brother Vann talked with a couple that were living together but not married. She ended up moving out and they are trying to work things out and hopefully get married soon.

*Dad found a guy that had gotten hit by car and broken his foot. He didn't have money to go to the doctor so we ended up giving him money to get to the doctor and get it checked out and the next day we found him with a cast of his foot!

*Jenny talked to a lady that was pregnant with twins. She was due in about a month and they only weighed a pound each. We bought her some formula to help get her and the babies some nutrients and help them grow.

Overall the trip was AMAZING! God was definately in control! I'm so thankful for that because there is no way we could have done any of that on our own. To God be the Glory!

Let all that I am praise the LORD! -Psalm 103:22

Nicaragua was AMAZING! There are no words! Every time someone asks how the trip went I am at a loss for words. It was just incredible! I have so much to say but I think I’m going to tackle one thing at a time so the next few blogs with probably all be about Nicaragua.

Last August I went to Guatemala with a friend of mine. It was my first time out of the country and with a group of people I only knew one person. I loved it! We went to dedicate a church the group had built there and the help the leaders of the church step up and out. I was shocked at the poverty down there. Houses made of sticks and children with one pair of clothes. No stove, microwaves, hair dryer. You see pictures of these places that are like that in magazines and other peoples mission trip pictures but when you see it for yourself it becomes real. It changed my heart. I came back from that trip just with a love for the people and a desire to meet their needs. But also share the love of Christ with them and let them know someone does truly care about them. I couldn’t really describe this to my family when I got back. It frustrated me. They could look at my pictures and hear my stories but unless they knew that person, saw them in their stick and trash made house with rats running around and a smile on their face they wouldn’t get it.

I ended up talking to my parents and telling them “You have to experience this!” There was just no way to describe it. So in March a girl from my church was organizing a trip to Nicaragua and invited everyone to join her. I was jumping up and down! I was like here it is! We have to go as a family. We went to the meeting and I really thought my parents were kidding. The whole family going to Nicaragua for a week?? REALLY? Dad barely gets a weekend off, let alone a WEEK!! I was ecstatic to go serve God as a family! (If you ever get the chance DO IT!!)

It had to be the best experience we have ever had as a family! I enjoyed seeing how each of my family members interacted with the kids and just loved on them! Memories to last a lifetime and that we will always share together. It really brought us closer as a family.