Nicaragua Take 2

WE ARE GOING BACK TO NICARAGUA!!! I'm soooo excited! I can't wait to go back! I can't wait for what God is going to do this time around! We have a bigger team this time...I think right now we have about 27 people signed up to go! (compared to our 12 last time!) Praise God! So we are preparing more this time. We have done a few fundraisers already and collecting a few items.

For VBS this past summer, the kids colored these drawstring backpacks:

We didn't raise enough money during VBS to send them where they needed to go so our children's pastor kept them. I talked with him one day and He said we could take them down to nicaragua! So we have 116 of these bags that have either been colored or tye dyed. So we are collecting a few school supplies to fill them!

I recently found these on sale! I was so excited about it! Its easy to just find pens around the house. The pink pens were from a doctor's office that my grandma had and were brand new. She was going to get rid of them so she asked if I wanted them!

Also, we are collecting SHOES!

If you don't have closed toed shoes in nicaragua you can't attend school. So some of the kids we are visiting aren't in school because they don't have closed toed shoes. Most of the kids do have flipflops that they were around to play in. So shoes are very important. Chosen Children Ministries has a program where they collect shoes and when they get enough they hold an event where they get the nicaraguans to sit down and they wash their feet, give them a new pair of socks, and a new pair of shoes...like Jesus washed the diciples feet. I think that is so awesome! So that is why we are collecting shoes.

So I'm super excited about our trip! We will leave June 2nd through the 9th!

New House!

Many of you many know we have recently moved. The middle of September we moved into our house that we built. It was supposed to be ready in may, then july, then august and we finally moved in the weekend of september 15th. Its been crazy being in school and moving and still having to keep track of where your books and homework are. That was a new experience. So after spending 1 year and 9 months with four of us crammed in a 2 bedroom apartment I made a list of things that I had missed, but am now enjoying again! :)

*Eating together as a family (all 4 of us at one table)
*having my own room
*Having more than one bathroom
*keeping my tolietries in the bathroom so I don't forget anything
*I can now study in my room and not hear what everyone else is doing
*Eating at the kitchen bar eating cereal out of my normal bowl (which had been packed up) and my favorite spoon (again packed up)
*Having my own closet
*We can now fit more than 2 people in the kitchen without bumping into eachother
*having a garage door opener (it just feels offical haha)
*no neighbors talking outside my bedrooom window or flashing their lights into our window at 3 am
*having our own backyard with no one else in it
*my dresser

I'm sure there are more things but we all missed different things....
*Mom missed her big kitchen and double over
*Dad misses his garage and tools (still working on getting his shop built)
*Darby probably just missed her room and her stuff

It's funny how we thought we were just moving into an apartment for 2 or 3 months and ended up staying a year and nine months. I know at first we complained alot but we got pretty used to it. That little apartment became our home. We really didn't know what to do when we got moved into our house. I couldn't walk out of my room just to see what everyone was doing. I didn't have to worry about everyone's schedule in using the bathroom. We have lots of memories there and I believe it brought us closer as a family. But we are enjoying our house! :)

Let all that I am praise the LORD!

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

Just the begining...

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.

Kinch (my older brother) playing with Stephanie. I absolutely LOVE this picture. She captured his heart.

Darby (my younger sister) lovin this boy. He adored her.

Leanna (my sister-in-law) lovin on the sweetest little baby!

Momma doing round and round the garden patch to a little girl! They loved this! :)

This little boy LOVED DaddyO! He just hung around him. Dad gave him his hat and sunglasses the last day and he was soooo excited! haha

The family! :)

Nicaragua

In one month I will be in Nicaragua!! I am so excited! I will be going with my family and a group from our church (Troy First Baptist). We will be going to Managua, Nicaragua. We will be doing Bible school 2 times a day at two different locations! We will be leaving June 5 and back in that States on June 12th. Please pray for us while we prepare and as we travel and spread God's word and love!

The Places I've Been

I'm from traveling 8-15 hours to visit grandparents
I am from sittin' on Pawpaw's lap eating cashews
I'm from going to the zoo and shopping with Meme
I am from hunting and fishing with Dad and Pop
I'm from Aunt Peg's annual Christmas party
I am from playing with 16 cousins
From spending my birthday in 5 states
I'm from spending two weeks with Meme and Pop at the Lake House

I am from Springfield, Illinois
I'm from being born in St. John's hospital by Dr. John Saint
I'm from going to church every Sunday
I'm from climbing the stairs to my brother's room
I am from getting my first dog, Gizzy,
I'm from getting my first swing set
From stayin' up all night with Ms. Ruthie playing Farkle

I am from Fowler, Indiana
I am from eating fruity pebbles outside until Mr. Richard walked by
I'm from playing on the swing set with the babysitting kids
From walking to the library with my mom and brother in the summer
I am from waiting at the bus stop for my brother to get home from school
I'm from watching summer baseball games
I'm from becoming a big sister
from packin up boxes and moving when my dad said he was changing jobs

I am from Ankeny, Iowa
I'm from counting Pepsi trucks on the way to school
I am from my crazy brother's driving, blaring the music with the windows down
From talking "girl talk" while pulling all nighters with friends
I am from friday night football games
From going to Indiana every other Thanksgiving to visit the Tragessers
I'm from going to youth group on Sundays and Wednesdays
I am from waking up early on Tuesdays to go to Tuesday Morning Prayer
I'm from taking family vacations every summer
I am from building snow tunnels when it snowed alot
I'm from going sledding on the golf course
From babysitting the Oiens and the Byrds

I am from Aurora, Nebraska
I'm from turning sixteen and cruisin' the town
From havin' girls night out with Tabbie and Sam
I am from driving 25 minutes just to get to Walmart
I'm from taking weekend trips to visit friends in Iowa
I am from working as a teller at Heritage Bank
I'm from being a trainer for the football and basketball team
From being a Cubbies leader at church

I am from Seward, Nebraska
I'm from attending Concordia University
from sharing a bathroom with 28 girls
I am from chilling in Janzow with Rachel and Whitney
I am from staying all night in the art building
I'm from eating animal crackers with peanut butter
I am from pranking our brother floor
from weekend trips to lincoln with Mikaela

I am from Siloam Springs, Arkansas
I'm from John Brown University
From learning the "superman" swing with Holly
I am from girls night in with Holly and Jessi
I'm from coffee dates with Jessi
From having dinner with the Dees

I am from Troy, Tennessee
I'm from working at Walmart
from a place where everyone wears camo
I am from becoming a youth group leader at church
I'm from traveling less than 3 hours to see family
I am from Garth Brooks being my first country concert
I'm from blowing bubbles in the Walmart parking lot with Mallori
From attending the University of Tennessee at Martin

All these places and things have made me who I am today.

"What if blessings come through raindrops?"

I know its been awhile. I've had a very busy semester with not much time to write. A lot of things have been happening its just been crazy but God has been teaching me alot. I have so many posts to write I don't know where to begin.

This semester has been a hard one. I'm taking Chemistry. Anyone that knows me knows I am not a science person. That is why I am an interior design major. I hate science. I don't get it and someone trying to explain it to me doesn't help me understand it anymore than I already do. So it has been a struggle to say the least.

On top of that, My grandma was diagnosed with breast cancer in february. My grandpa had cancer. He died in 2006 from it. My aunt (all on the same side of the family) has cancer. Her and my grandma are both going through chemo right now. I was not prepared for this. I saw my grandpa and aunt go through this pain. I wasn't ready to see my grandma go through this same pain. I was so mad that she had cancer. On top of everything else. I didn't understand God's plan in doing this.

That is just the thing though. I don't need to understand God's plan. I will never understand God's plan. God knows what He is doing. He created ALL things. He knows EVERYTHING. What do I know? I can't even understand Chemistry. That is why He is in control and I am not.

My grandma having cancer hasn't been easy. It has taken away from my time with my mom because she has been going down to help take her and my aunt to appointments and treatments. It is hard seeing Meme sick and in pain. BUT God has a plan. He doing something big. My grandma is doing pretty well though. If you could keep her and my aunt in your prayers that would be awesome!

A song I have loved through this whole deal has been Blessings by Laura Story. It has helped me realize God is always in control. He will work in ways I can't imagine (even through my pain) and He is always with me. No matter what.

* I'm posting the lyrics because I love them, but if you don't want to read them I recommend youtubing it. They have some awesome videos of this song. For some reason it won't let me post a link to one. Anyways, here are the lyrics.

Blessings by Laura Story:

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

Whatever you are going through, God will work through it, bring you closer to Him, and make you stronger. He will bring you through your fire, He is just refining you in the process!