Wednesday, March 16, 2011
God's Provision
Typed: March 15, 2011
We had an evening of giving. We were told to go pray about what God would like us to say to people (words of encouragement or Bible verses), as well as items and money. God called me to give my spending money to a few people who still needed Outreach funds, as well as a few other items.
When we got there, they had all of the people who still needed funds to stand up at the front. They wrote out how much each person needed and totaled it for both DTSs (mine and the Not For Sale). It was $10,664 and some change. Then they asked us to pray for them. Those called to contribute to them to give them the financial gifts. After about 20 minutes of this, we added how much everyone got. There was less than $3000 left in need. Then, they asked for those who hadn't given but now felt like God was calling them to contribute to also give. After about 5 minutes everyone had their full funds!!! All of this was given sacrificially from other poor students, not outside funds. It was amazing how God just multiplied and provided huge amounts of money! You wouldn't have believed it unless you were there! It was so cool.
Then, we had a time of communion and committed to each other through prayer. I have really felt drawn to a certain girl. She is an Aussie, 21 years old. She lost her mom to cancer when she was 16 and she is the oldest in her family. Her dad remarried almost immediately and she moved out on her own soon after. She has experienced some abuse. She was very much a loner when we first got out here. Anyway, I prayed about it and have really been seeking a friendship with her from the beginning. I just felt like I needed to commit to being a big sister to her and hold her accountable and pray for her regularly. It was really cool to just spend time in prayer with her and commit to walking with her through life, no matter where we are at. She was cute and finished by telling me she feels like deep down I am really Australian and belong here.... prophetic? We'll see. She is one of about five Aussies who has told me they think I am secretly an Australian posing as an American. I do get along with them the best.
Anyway, then we had a time of giving gifts and items to each other. During Lordship week, I had given away some books I really liked to people who I felt needed them more. Well, my darling Brit, Laurie, gave me two books without knowing I had given away my books. They are 2 books written by journalists about the middle east and central asia.... which is the area I've been reading about lately. They look incredible and I can't wait to start reading. It was just a huge blessing to see how God spoke to people to give up things and all of the things they gave were items the person who received them had really needed or wanted.
We had an evening of giving. We were told to go pray about what God would like us to say to people (words of encouragement or Bible verses), as well as items and money. God called me to give my spending money to a few people who still needed Outreach funds, as well as a few other items.
When we got there, they had all of the people who still needed funds to stand up at the front. They wrote out how much each person needed and totaled it for both DTSs (mine and the Not For Sale). It was $10,664 and some change. Then they asked us to pray for them. Those called to contribute to them to give them the financial gifts. After about 20 minutes of this, we added how much everyone got. There was less than $3000 left in need. Then, they asked for those who hadn't given but now felt like God was calling them to contribute to also give. After about 5 minutes everyone had their full funds!!! All of this was given sacrificially from other poor students, not outside funds. It was amazing how God just multiplied and provided huge amounts of money! You wouldn't have believed it unless you were there! It was so cool.
Then, we had a time of communion and committed to each other through prayer. I have really felt drawn to a certain girl. She is an Aussie, 21 years old. She lost her mom to cancer when she was 16 and she is the oldest in her family. Her dad remarried almost immediately and she moved out on her own soon after. She has experienced some abuse. She was very much a loner when we first got out here. Anyway, I prayed about it and have really been seeking a friendship with her from the beginning. I just felt like I needed to commit to being a big sister to her and hold her accountable and pray for her regularly. It was really cool to just spend time in prayer with her and commit to walking with her through life, no matter where we are at. She was cute and finished by telling me she feels like deep down I am really Australian and belong here.... prophetic? We'll see. She is one of about five Aussies who has told me they think I am secretly an Australian posing as an American. I do get along with them the best.
Anyway, then we had a time of giving gifts and items to each other. During Lordship week, I had given away some books I really liked to people who I felt needed them more. Well, my darling Brit, Laurie, gave me two books without knowing I had given away my books. They are 2 books written by journalists about the middle east and central asia.... which is the area I've been reading about lately. They look incredible and I can't wait to start reading. It was just a huge blessing to see how God spoke to people to give up things and all of the things they gave were items the person who received them had really needed or wanted.
Biblical Studies Lecture
Typed: March 10, 2011
This has been a great week back. It has pretty much not stopped raining and I am so thankful that I am no longer sleeping in a tent. My clothes smell good, not like campfire and moldy tent. I am ready for some sun. Hopefully we will get some this weekend since we leave next weekend for Ayer... the beginning of our Australia Outreach.
This week we have been doing a lecture on Biblical studies. Learning how to read and study the Bible. They really encourage us knowing the Word. I really enjoyed it. We took the book of Philemon and did chapter titles and then highlighted things like the who, where, repeated words, and then we went through the text and discussed what was known from reading it. Then we further delved into the culture and region at the time to gain a better understanding of the people involved in the letter. Then, we discussed not just knowing but applying the text to our lives. (This was one of my favorite lectures so far!)
A few more highlights from camping: not only did we get to hike some really amazing scenery but one of the girls found a wounded wallaby (small kangaroo like animal) and its baby. Roger (the "Aussie bloke" in my class) ended up having to kill the wallaby since it was paralyzed but he saved the baby.... I will post photos as soon as I can. He put the baby in his hat and everyone passed it around and cuddled it. He and Ben (our Aussie leader) got up every hour of the night to give it water. The next day they transported it to a wildlife refuge and it was saved! We also got invaded at nights by paddy melons (small marsupials that look like giant mice... I enclosed a photo I took offline).
Outside of lectures, we spent the week getting ready for our first Outreach. We learned a really great skit/dance to an Underoath song.... great band. We are also putting together teachings and activities to do. Our Aussie outreach is in a week. We go to Ayr, Bowen, and Whitsunday. In Ayr we'll be working in schools (you can teach religion in schools here), Bowen mostly with churches and backpackers, and Whitsunday we'll be doing more building, cleaning communities and meeting with backpackers since it's a huge tourist area.
This has been a great week back. It has pretty much not stopped raining and I am so thankful that I am no longer sleeping in a tent. My clothes smell good, not like campfire and moldy tent. I am ready for some sun. Hopefully we will get some this weekend since we leave next weekend for Ayer... the beginning of our Australia Outreach.
This week we have been doing a lecture on Biblical studies. Learning how to read and study the Bible. They really encourage us knowing the Word. I really enjoyed it. We took the book of Philemon and did chapter titles and then highlighted things like the who, where, repeated words, and then we went through the text and discussed what was known from reading it. Then we further delved into the culture and region at the time to gain a better understanding of the people involved in the letter. Then, we discussed not just knowing but applying the text to our lives. (This was one of my favorite lectures so far!)
A few more highlights from camping: not only did we get to hike some really amazing scenery but one of the girls found a wounded wallaby (small kangaroo like animal) and its baby. Roger (the "Aussie bloke" in my class) ended up having to kill the wallaby since it was paralyzed but he saved the baby.... I will post photos as soon as I can. He put the baby in his hat and everyone passed it around and cuddled it. He and Ben (our Aussie leader) got up every hour of the night to give it water. The next day they transported it to a wildlife refuge and it was saved! We also got invaded at nights by paddy melons (small marsupials that look like giant mice... I enclosed a photo I took offline).
Outside of lectures, we spent the week getting ready for our first Outreach. We learned a really great skit/dance to an Underoath song.... great band. We are also putting together teachings and activities to do. Our Aussie outreach is in a week. We go to Ayr, Bowen, and Whitsunday. In Ayr we'll be working in schools (you can teach religion in schools here), Bowen mostly with churches and backpackers, and Whitsunday we'll be doing more building, cleaning communities and meeting with backpackers since it's a huge tourist area.
CAMPING and LIFE
Typed: March 6, 2011
This afternoon we returned from "Hidden Valley" Queensland. It was an interesting time of camping and lectures. I am exhausted and smelly.
First day there I got heat stroke. Then, it pretty much proceeded to rain for almost the whole 2 weeks. My tent was flooded. We readjusted, set up tarps, then had another hard rain and flooded again. Finally moved our tent out of the swamp our campsite became and it still got wet but not nearly as much. I also got a cold due to being wet all the time. So, it was fairly miserable in a lot of ways but also really good. Most of the time it was just our DTS and the Not For Sale DTS, so about 60 of us total. No phones, no internet, no cars, noooooo anything so we got to spend a lot of time together and in nature (despite the rain, we played).
Lectures our first week there were the most intense so far. It was on Lordship (making sure God is the first thing in our life in every area). Our speaker was this hyper Kiwi man, Mark Parker. And when I say hyper..... I mean really hyper. He would end most of his sentences with "SHUT UP! You're not the center of the world!" He was hilarious, but also a very powerful speaker. I'm still processing through a lot of it. Recognizing how much crap is in our lives that keep us from fulling living for God and to the potential we are called to. God revealed a lot in my life.... especially pride. (Learning that pride isn't just thinking you are better than others, but involves a whole lot of other aspects).
I cannot get over how pretty Australia is. Yesterday we hiked to these ridiculous falls and rivers in a gorge. And when I say hiked, it was an adventure..... don't let Aussies tell you it's just an easy walk over a hill. We had to swim across 4 rivers and creeks, climb rocky hills, and then came to miles of these large rocks with waterfalls and pools everywhere. We climbed over so much stuff, swam another river after hiking across rocky ridges. I couldn't take my camera due to the conditions (it would have gotten destroyed). It was the most beautiful scene. I am cut up and sore but it was really fun. We did a talent show last night. It was hilarious! It was pretty much everyone doing skits making fun of everyone else. The best talent was when Aleski (a tall, 18 year old, really stereotypical Canadian guy) got up and told us he found verses in the Bible that really spoke to him and he was going to do interpretive music with it. He started reading some laws in the Old Testament like "do not boil a baby goat in it's mother's milk" and he played a recorder really obnoxiously after each law. I laughed so hard I almost stopped breathing. He was super serious the whole time.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Pre-Camping
Currently in my 4th week of lectures (5th week in Australia) and preparing for 2 weeks of camping.
Life is flying by in an exciting and amazing blur. Lectures have all been so intense. I know God is moving in me and building me up, I just pray that this isn't one of those temporary changes. I want this to be a lifetime change. To live deeper in His grace daily.
This week we are learning about intimacy and fear of God. How God longs for a relationship with us. One that is deeper than this distant creator but one that is close. Isaiah 62:5 ... as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you...." Our relationship with God needs to be less about discipline and more about striving to know God on a deeper level. Read the Bible like a love letter from God rather than a strick set of rules and regulations. If we love Him, we will obey His commands because we want to serve Him.
Life has been awesome living in constant intercession and prayer. One of the things I love most about this place is that we are always living in prayer. In all that we do, we bring it to God. He is revealing Himself in ways I never knew He could.
On another note, had an amazing weekend. Youth Street on Saturday was Nerd themed. We (the Jan DTS) carried it to a whole other level of nerdiness. Seems like us leaders have more fun than the crew do half the time.
Sunday was "Fun-day" and we had pancakes for breakfast at one of our leader's houses. I don't think I've laughed so much in my life. We literally were just sitting in a group making faces. It's amazing how something so simple and childish can bring absolute joy. Then, I went with two of the Aussies in my class to Crystal Creek which is about an hour from here. It was beautiful. I will include photos.
Sunday-Funday with my Aussie friend, Emma, and Aussie leader, Dave.
What a bunch of Nerds! (Vianee "Ger", Laurie "UK", Chelsea "USA", Hannah "Den", Me)
Life is flying by in an exciting and amazing blur. Lectures have all been so intense. I know God is moving in me and building me up, I just pray that this isn't one of those temporary changes. I want this to be a lifetime change. To live deeper in His grace daily.
This week we are learning about intimacy and fear of God. How God longs for a relationship with us. One that is deeper than this distant creator but one that is close. Isaiah 62:5 ... as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you...." Our relationship with God needs to be less about discipline and more about striving to know God on a deeper level. Read the Bible like a love letter from God rather than a strick set of rules and regulations. If we love Him, we will obey His commands because we want to serve Him.
Life has been awesome living in constant intercession and prayer. One of the things I love most about this place is that we are always living in prayer. In all that we do, we bring it to God. He is revealing Himself in ways I never knew He could.
On another note, had an amazing weekend. Youth Street on Saturday was Nerd themed. We (the Jan DTS) carried it to a whole other level of nerdiness. Seems like us leaders have more fun than the crew do half the time.
Sunday was "Fun-day" and we had pancakes for breakfast at one of our leader's houses. I don't think I've laughed so much in my life. We literally were just sitting in a group making faces. It's amazing how something so simple and childish can bring absolute joy. Then, I went with two of the Aussies in my class to Crystal Creek which is about an hour from here. It was beautiful. I will include photos.
Sunday-Funday with my Aussie friend, Emma, and Aussie leader, Dave.
What a bunch of Nerds! (Vianee "Ger", Laurie "UK", Chelsea "USA", Hannah "Den", Me)
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
A Glimpse of My Day
5:15 am I get up. By 5:30 am I am running or hiking up the huge hill here with a group of my peers. The sun comes up around this time, so it's beautiful to sit at the top and stare out at the ocean. Then we hike back down.
Breakfast is at 6:45 am. We have quiet time to pray and read our Bibles for about an hour after that, then we either have worship or prayer time in groups for an hour or so.
We have lectures until 12:30 pm and then lunch. Lectures are pretty in depth, intense Christian and Bible teaching.
Then, we all have chores (I clean our flat which 9 girls live in).
We usually have an hour or so of free time (I usually swim or read), then dinner. Depending on the evening, we have free time or Outreach Prep and sometimes more lectures.
Saturdays we do "Youth Street" which starts at 1 pm. About 100 of the local teenagers come and spend time with us. I am on the Dance Team, so we teach and learn dances. We'll be performing in a few weeks.
Sundays are usually free days. We usually walk to the beach, swim, and play games. There are stingers (jellyfish) and tiger sharks here, so we can only swim within special nets set up.
Breakfast is at 6:45 am. We have quiet time to pray and read our Bibles for about an hour after that, then we either have worship or prayer time in groups for an hour or so.
We have lectures until 12:30 pm and then lunch. Lectures are pretty in depth, intense Christian and Bible teaching.
Then, we all have chores (I clean our flat which 9 girls live in).
We usually have an hour or so of free time (I usually swim or read), then dinner. Depending on the evening, we have free time or Outreach Prep and sometimes more lectures.
Saturdays we do "Youth Street" which starts at 1 pm. About 100 of the local teenagers come and spend time with us. I am on the Dance Team, so we teach and learn dances. We'll be performing in a few weeks.
Sundays are usually free days. We usually walk to the beach, swim, and play games. There are stingers (jellyfish) and tiger sharks here, so we can only swim within special nets set up.
Cockroaches, Cyclones, Sunburns, oh my!
Life is a giant whirlwind.... possibly a cyclone.
Speaking of cyclones, I just went through my first hurricane. Category 5, one of the worst in Australian history. Yay, welcome to "Down Under."
We are into our fourth week of DTS. It is intense. My processing is going to take a long time. Just like when I returned from Nicaragua, I don't think half of this will hit me for months if not years.
Our first week of lectures was on our identity in Christ. Powerful stuff. Learning that we are co-heirs and conquerors through Christ. Why do we fear, what holds us back? Knowing that the God who created the universe is our advocate, we should stand in righteousness and truth. I wish I could give you a glimpse into what God did/is doing in me but am not sure if words are sufficient. I cannot live in the fullness of Christ, if I do not completely believe I am loved and made new through God. I started to realize this and refuse to let fear or anything else bring down what God has done for me and what He plans on doing in me.
The second week of lectures was on Confession/Repentance. Although we are new creations in Christ, in order to live for Him, we need to make sure we have a right heart and clear conscious before Him. If our thinking and actions are convoluted with sin, we allow things into our lives that are not in direct relationship in our service to Him. It is not just important to confess our sins to God, but sometimes we need to confess to others and be reconciled. Ken Mulligan, our base director, gave these lectures and really challenged us in our relationship with God, along with our knowledge of the Word.
We are now in our 3rd week of lectures and it is on relationships. So far, we are learning to have a right, healthy relationship with God. All of our other relationships are a reflection of our walk with God and our maturity in this area.
So far, I have really loved all of our lectures. But, it's not just about learning. If I can't take this knowledge and apply it, then it is useless. Pray my pride is broken and I am open to the fullness of what God wants to do in me. My friend (and staff leader), Maddie, had a word for me the first week. It was "Refinement". God wants to mold and refine me. I pray I am eager and willing.
What I'm saying here is a very pale, simple description of what we are learning. There is so much more depth to it. If you have more questions, feel free to ask.
As far as life goes, we had a blast celebrating Australia Day, a few weeks ago. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!
Then, Australia week was followed by a cyclone which wreaked havoc on Townsville up to Cairnes. Thankfully, there was no loss of life that I know of. Lots of big trees blown over. We waited it out in our powerless, dark, hot, leaking flat. We had a bit of flooding, but otherwise, no real damage to our place. It was interesting running around in the middle of the night with a headlamp, winds blowing outside, trying to find pots, bowls, and buckets for the leaking ceiling.
More on life later. I know this is a really brief synopsis, but my brain is ready to explode so I'm going to go.
With love from Aus, Erin!
Speaking of cyclones, I just went through my first hurricane. Category 5, one of the worst in Australian history. Yay, welcome to "Down Under."
We are into our fourth week of DTS. It is intense. My processing is going to take a long time. Just like when I returned from Nicaragua, I don't think half of this will hit me for months if not years.
Our first week of lectures was on our identity in Christ. Powerful stuff. Learning that we are co-heirs and conquerors through Christ. Why do we fear, what holds us back? Knowing that the God who created the universe is our advocate, we should stand in righteousness and truth. I wish I could give you a glimpse into what God did/is doing in me but am not sure if words are sufficient. I cannot live in the fullness of Christ, if I do not completely believe I am loved and made new through God. I started to realize this and refuse to let fear or anything else bring down what God has done for me and what He plans on doing in me.
The second week of lectures was on Confession/Repentance. Although we are new creations in Christ, in order to live for Him, we need to make sure we have a right heart and clear conscious before Him. If our thinking and actions are convoluted with sin, we allow things into our lives that are not in direct relationship in our service to Him. It is not just important to confess our sins to God, but sometimes we need to confess to others and be reconciled. Ken Mulligan, our base director, gave these lectures and really challenged us in our relationship with God, along with our knowledge of the Word.
We are now in our 3rd week of lectures and it is on relationships. So far, we are learning to have a right, healthy relationship with God. All of our other relationships are a reflection of our walk with God and our maturity in this area.
So far, I have really loved all of our lectures. But, it's not just about learning. If I can't take this knowledge and apply it, then it is useless. Pray my pride is broken and I am open to the fullness of what God wants to do in me. My friend (and staff leader), Maddie, had a word for me the first week. It was "Refinement". God wants to mold and refine me. I pray I am eager and willing.
What I'm saying here is a very pale, simple description of what we are learning. There is so much more depth to it. If you have more questions, feel free to ask.
As far as life goes, we had a blast celebrating Australia Day, a few weeks ago. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!
Then, Australia week was followed by a cyclone which wreaked havoc on Townsville up to Cairnes. Thankfully, there was no loss of life that I know of. Lots of big trees blown over. We waited it out in our powerless, dark, hot, leaking flat. We had a bit of flooding, but otherwise, no real damage to our place. It was interesting running around in the middle of the night with a headlamp, winds blowing outside, trying to find pots, bowls, and buckets for the leaking ceiling.
More on life later. I know this is a really brief synopsis, but my brain is ready to explode so I'm going to go.
With love from Aus, Erin!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Week 2 In Aus
Sorry to all of you supporting me and reading this. I have had a lot of internet issues since arriving in Australia. I have some bigger posts and updates to put up but do not have the time right now.
I flew in with no issues 33 hours of flying and sitting in an airport were not pleasant but really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. God really worked on me as far as my fear of flying goes.
The past week and a few days have been spent exploring Townsville, making new friends, attending lectures and worship, lots and lots of prayer, and going to the beach (also includes getting sun burned).
Note to self: Don't be a skeptic when told there is a hole in the ozone layer above Australia. There is and you will burn. I pretty much never burn and even wearing slathers of sunscreen, I fried. The good news is, I am really brown now. Barring having to get half my skin cut off from cancer, I should be okay.
God is doing amazing things here. After getting to know the people in my DTS, it was re-affirmed to me that I am where God wants me. My biggest concern in coming was the people's attitudes and reasons for being here. I have to say, from what I've seen of everyone's hearts displayed so far, they are crazy about God and willing to serve Him.
I flew in with no issues 33 hours of flying and sitting in an airport were not pleasant but really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. God really worked on me as far as my fear of flying goes.
The past week and a few days have been spent exploring Townsville, making new friends, attending lectures and worship, lots and lots of prayer, and going to the beach (also includes getting sun burned).
Note to self: Don't be a skeptic when told there is a hole in the ozone layer above Australia. There is and you will burn. I pretty much never burn and even wearing slathers of sunscreen, I fried. The good news is, I am really brown now. Barring having to get half my skin cut off from cancer, I should be okay.
God is doing amazing things here. After getting to know the people in my DTS, it was re-affirmed to me that I am where God wants me. My biggest concern in coming was the people's attitudes and reasons for being here. I have to say, from what I've seen of everyone's hearts displayed so far, they are crazy about God and willing to serve Him.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Simplicity
Praise God for the gospel. Praise God for the simplicity.
I had an echoing reminder today as I got in my car after work. Sometimes we over-jumble and complicate our faith. We present the gospel as a litany of arguments, apologetics, and viewpoints. I thank God all of these concepts and ideas matter nothing to to pure Gospel.
Christ came because He loved us. We are flawed, less than God. Christ died as a sacrifice, the perfect lamb. We can be made perfect through Him. Either we pay for our sins or we accept His gift. If we accept that He is our Lord and our Savior, we have the assurance to live forever in communion with God. If we don't, we will pay and we will be separated.
There are not sects or denominations. There is nothing. Absolutely nothing we can do. It is through Him and Him alone. How blessed we are!
I was talking to an LDS co-worker today. The conversation started with him saying we basically believe the same thing. But the deeper he got, the more layers of works and levels and God-ship and never really knowing where you stand. Even after you are dead, there are still works, and things and possibly moving in positions from one heaven to another. There is prison where you pay for your sins. There is another level of judgement even after you are a follower of their gospel and have done all these works. And in the end, you still don't really know. How complicated?! How hard it must be! And, to end it all and move on to eternity where you will continue to struggle for your place. And, to never really be sure when you die of where you stand with God. I wanted to cry for him.
I praised God as I walked away from that conversation.... more of You and less of Me! It doesn't need to be complicated. There doesn't need to be a lack of assurance. I rest in knowing that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. He paid it all. He knows me and He loves me. Praise God!
I had an echoing reminder today as I got in my car after work. Sometimes we over-jumble and complicate our faith. We present the gospel as a litany of arguments, apologetics, and viewpoints. I thank God all of these concepts and ideas matter nothing to to pure Gospel.
Christ came because He loved us. We are flawed, less than God. Christ died as a sacrifice, the perfect lamb. We can be made perfect through Him. Either we pay for our sins or we accept His gift. If we accept that He is our Lord and our Savior, we have the assurance to live forever in communion with God. If we don't, we will pay and we will be separated.
There are not sects or denominations. There is nothing. Absolutely nothing we can do. It is through Him and Him alone. How blessed we are!
I was talking to an LDS co-worker today. The conversation started with him saying we basically believe the same thing. But the deeper he got, the more layers of works and levels and God-ship and never really knowing where you stand. Even after you are dead, there are still works, and things and possibly moving in positions from one heaven to another. There is prison where you pay for your sins. There is another level of judgement even after you are a follower of their gospel and have done all these works. And in the end, you still don't really know. How complicated?! How hard it must be! And, to end it all and move on to eternity where you will continue to struggle for your place. And, to never really be sure when you die of where you stand with God. I wanted to cry for him.
I praised God as I walked away from that conversation.... more of You and less of Me! It doesn't need to be complicated. There doesn't need to be a lack of assurance. I rest in knowing that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. He paid it all. He knows me and He loves me. Praise God!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Half-way There
I sit here on Christmas Eve day, with less than 3 weeks until I leave. God has been providing in some big ways and my funding is 1/2 way there. Which, essentially, is enough to get me to Australia since I have my own savings. However, I would ask for prayers for more just so I don't spend every penny I have locked away. Thanks.
Love all of you! Have had so much love and support through this process. Almost to AUS!
Love all of you! Have had so much love and support through this process. Almost to AUS!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
T-Minue 1 Month
Not much new to update on. Just 1 month left in the States before I depart. I am trying to privately journal as much as possible because it's good to look back at my prayers and see how God comes through. Always a good reminder.
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Funding Update
With promised, but mostly given funds, I currently need about $1700 by mid-December to reach my minimum goal. Pray, pray, pray. Somedays I'm at perfect peace about it, other days I'm a bit nervous. Here's the part where I continue to trust and jump in with both feet!
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Boise: 5 Years
Five years ago today (barely 22 years old), most of my worldly possessions were crammed into my 1989 Grand Marque station wagon. It was about 4 am in Castle Rock, CO and I drove off in the cold and snow. I had no idea what lie ahead but I knew I was going where God called.
I hit a blizzard outside of Cheyenne, WY. When I got out to fill up with gas, my car door froze shut. Planting my foot on the side of the car, I pulled with all my strength to get the door open and continue on my way. The next five to six hours were full of tension as I struggled to see the front of my car, let alone the road for all of the snow. The winds were harsh. I cried at a few points, tired and running low on money, I just wanted to get there.
"God, what am I doing?" I didn't have a job there. I didn't even know anyone there.... but I was moving to Boise.
I had been to Boise for about 48 hours a few weeks earlier. It was my first time in Idaho. The minute we drove into the city, I saw the desert mountains with snow lining them, the Cross alight on top of Table Rock, the sun was setting and the sky lit up in a bright pink, I knew this is where God would bring me. I did not know when or how but I knew I would end up here.
Years earlier in college, I felt called to missions. My parents were missionaries when I was younger. The closer I grew to God, the more I felt the call. The only difference was, my parents never had an anchor. They didn't have a home church to report to. We didn't have a city in the US to call home. Where we laid our heads was our home. I wanted things to be different. I knew no matter where I went, I wanted a place to call home.
A few weeks after visiting Idaho for the first time, I was back at my job as a nanny in Colorado. Before I had taken my vacation, things were not going well. I wanted to quit but felt bound to my year contract. Finally, after an accident by the five-year-old which sent the mom into an angry frenzy, I quit. I couldn't stand how the kids were treated by their parents and how I had no authority. I gave them until the new year to replace me. It was the Monday before Thanksgiving. Later that week, they came to me. "We feel it would be best for everyone if you were out by the end of the week." I had three days to pack all of my belongings and figure out what I was going to do.
I prayed. My parents were in West Virginia, my siblings in Texas, my friends mostly in the Midwest or out East, my grandmother in Arizona, and I had an offer at an old job in a resort town in Colorado. But, Boise kept coming to my head. I kept praying. My dad didn't like the idea of me moving further west. My friends were not supportive, and my grandmother wanted me back living with her. But, I could not shake that I was called to Boise. So I went.
After 15 tension filled hours of driving, I arrived in Boise after dark and found a hotel. The next morning, I promptly grabbed a newspaper and searched for a place to live. I felt defeated after a calling many places and having them all tell me the apartment was rented out. Finally, later that day, I found a place. The next day I moved in. By my second day in Boise, I was looking for a job and started at the mall. I walked into the first store and asked if they were hiring. It was Christmas season. They hired me a few hours later and I started training the next day. Three days in Boise, I had a place to live and a job.
Loneliness was my biggest obstacle at first. I had to work about 70-80 hours a week to pay my bills the first 6 months. I worked at jobs with people I really couldn't relate to. I liked them all but they all partied, drank, and smoked pot. And, I was always working. I curled up at night and prayed for God to bring me Christian friends.
But, God did more than that. He drew me closer to Himself. He used all of the silence to speak to me. I had seen God most of my life as a distant and powerful being. He could crush and destroy. In that time of silence, my heart began to be filled with a new love. Promises of who He really was. I think of Hosea where he says, "I will allure her, bring her into the wilderness and speak kindly to her."
I started to see God in a new light. A perfect and never ending love. My heart was mending. So many hurts, so many lies I had believed about myself, and bitterness was being washed away and replaced with a joy. I cannot put into words all that God did in me but for the first time in my life, I saw Him as a close, loving and intimate God who yearns for a relationship with us.
About two months after I moved here, I was hosting in a restaurant when a cute, bubbly server came over and introduced herself to me. She talked so fast I could hardly understand her. She asked me how I ended up in Boise. My response, "God."
Her eyes lit up. "You're a Christian!"
"Yes."
"I have a church for you." She told me about how a year ago, she had met some people passing through town who invited her to this brand new church. She grudgingly went, completely hungover and ready to find fault. That day, at the end of the service, she gave her life to Christ.
I hesitantly went to her church. Like her, expecting to find fault since I was pretty jaded from past "church" experiences. Instead, I found a group of people devoted to reaching others, loving, and seeking God. I found my family. Over the past five years, the church has grown from about 200 people to 2,000 impacting hundreds of lives. Mine included.
I prepare to move on to the mission field. To leave Boise and The Pursuit (my church) behind. These past five years have been anything but easy. But, I have my anchor. A place to call home. No matter where I roam, I will always know I have a group of people here devoted to praying for one another. I will still love that bubbly server, Steph, who has been an encouragement and good friend through the years. And, I will long for the beautiful mountains, the Boise River, and so much more that make this place exactly what God had intended for me.
I love Boise, Idaho. HOME.
I hit a blizzard outside of Cheyenne, WY. When I got out to fill up with gas, my car door froze shut. Planting my foot on the side of the car, I pulled with all my strength to get the door open and continue on my way. The next five to six hours were full of tension as I struggled to see the front of my car, let alone the road for all of the snow. The winds were harsh. I cried at a few points, tired and running low on money, I just wanted to get there.
"God, what am I doing?" I didn't have a job there. I didn't even know anyone there.... but I was moving to Boise.
I had been to Boise for about 48 hours a few weeks earlier. It was my first time in Idaho. The minute we drove into the city, I saw the desert mountains with snow lining them, the Cross alight on top of Table Rock, the sun was setting and the sky lit up in a bright pink, I knew this is where God would bring me. I did not know when or how but I knew I would end up here.
Years earlier in college, I felt called to missions. My parents were missionaries when I was younger. The closer I grew to God, the more I felt the call. The only difference was, my parents never had an anchor. They didn't have a home church to report to. We didn't have a city in the US to call home. Where we laid our heads was our home. I wanted things to be different. I knew no matter where I went, I wanted a place to call home.
A few weeks after visiting Idaho for the first time, I was back at my job as a nanny in Colorado. Before I had taken my vacation, things were not going well. I wanted to quit but felt bound to my year contract. Finally, after an accident by the five-year-old which sent the mom into an angry frenzy, I quit. I couldn't stand how the kids were treated by their parents and how I had no authority. I gave them until the new year to replace me. It was the Monday before Thanksgiving. Later that week, they came to me. "We feel it would be best for everyone if you were out by the end of the week." I had three days to pack all of my belongings and figure out what I was going to do.
I prayed. My parents were in West Virginia, my siblings in Texas, my friends mostly in the Midwest or out East, my grandmother in Arizona, and I had an offer at an old job in a resort town in Colorado. But, Boise kept coming to my head. I kept praying. My dad didn't like the idea of me moving further west. My friends were not supportive, and my grandmother wanted me back living with her. But, I could not shake that I was called to Boise. So I went.
After 15 tension filled hours of driving, I arrived in Boise after dark and found a hotel. The next morning, I promptly grabbed a newspaper and searched for a place to live. I felt defeated after a calling many places and having them all tell me the apartment was rented out. Finally, later that day, I found a place. The next day I moved in. By my second day in Boise, I was looking for a job and started at the mall. I walked into the first store and asked if they were hiring. It was Christmas season. They hired me a few hours later and I started training the next day. Three days in Boise, I had a place to live and a job.
Loneliness was my biggest obstacle at first. I had to work about 70-80 hours a week to pay my bills the first 6 months. I worked at jobs with people I really couldn't relate to. I liked them all but they all partied, drank, and smoked pot. And, I was always working. I curled up at night and prayed for God to bring me Christian friends.
But, God did more than that. He drew me closer to Himself. He used all of the silence to speak to me. I had seen God most of my life as a distant and powerful being. He could crush and destroy. In that time of silence, my heart began to be filled with a new love. Promises of who He really was. I think of Hosea where he says, "I will allure her, bring her into the wilderness and speak kindly to her."
I started to see God in a new light. A perfect and never ending love. My heart was mending. So many hurts, so many lies I had believed about myself, and bitterness was being washed away and replaced with a joy. I cannot put into words all that God did in me but for the first time in my life, I saw Him as a close, loving and intimate God who yearns for a relationship with us.
About two months after I moved here, I was hosting in a restaurant when a cute, bubbly server came over and introduced herself to me. She talked so fast I could hardly understand her. She asked me how I ended up in Boise. My response, "God."
Her eyes lit up. "You're a Christian!"
"Yes."
"I have a church for you." She told me about how a year ago, she had met some people passing through town who invited her to this brand new church. She grudgingly went, completely hungover and ready to find fault. That day, at the end of the service, she gave her life to Christ.
I hesitantly went to her church. Like her, expecting to find fault since I was pretty jaded from past "church" experiences. Instead, I found a group of people devoted to reaching others, loving, and seeking God. I found my family. Over the past five years, the church has grown from about 200 people to 2,000 impacting hundreds of lives. Mine included.
I prepare to move on to the mission field. To leave Boise and The Pursuit (my church) behind. These past five years have been anything but easy. But, I have my anchor. A place to call home. No matter where I roam, I will always know I have a group of people here devoted to praying for one another. I will still love that bubbly server, Steph, who has been an encouragement and good friend through the years. And, I will long for the beautiful mountains, the Boise River, and so much more that make this place exactly what God had intended for me.
I love Boise, Idaho. HOME.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Social Norm or Crazy?
I love my church. It is filled with people who truly seek God and desire to do His will. We, like so many other churches in America, still fall under some brutal problems when it comes to our faith and obedience to God. The American church seems to be fairly complacent and not willing to challenge social norms. We are comfortable. Way too comfortable.
I've become so much more aware of the issue as I read the Word, attend leadership conferences, have traveled to Nicaragua, and am now preparing to go to Australia.
I had an epiphany, if you will, on my drive home from church today. Since choosing to leave my good-paying job and start training to become a foreign missionary, I have come under severe questioning about my motives, my heart, and my calling. I have had Christians I respect oppose me.
I understand accountability and respect it. What I don't understand, is why did no one have a problem with me getting up everyday to do the corporate grind, live in a nice apartment, buy new clothes and gym memberships, go out to eat, and attend a nice church on Sunday? Did anyone sit down with me and question my motives, where my heart was? Did anyone pray with me to make sure this is where God was leading my life?
Sure, I wasn't doing anything wrong. In fact, I was paying off debt, working hard, had good relationships, and supporting my church and missionaries financially.
When I chose to move forward, give up my security and follow a calling I have felt on my life for a really long time, all of a sudden, people become suspicious, cautious, act as if I am running from something, questioning if this is really what God wants from me.
If I had chosen to follow the "social norm" for America, no one would question God's call on my life. But, when I choose to step out in faith, leave the "huddle" and act, I meet with opposition. Making $50K a year sitting at a desk is a worthy cause, but traveling into jungles to love people and lead them to Christ is a problem? Are we really that afraid? Do we really not believe in the great commission? Is it really that hard to believe my heart was in the right place when pelted by commercialism and the need for "things" but it's not in the right place now?
I appreciate all the advice and concerns people have for me because I know my motives can stray. I am far from perfect and pure of heart. But, I am frustrated that it was fine for me, as an American Christian, to live comfortably without question.
Do I fear what lies ahead.... sometimes. I am more afraid of waking up some day to realize that everything in my life was vain, lives weren't changed, people perished because I was too busy following a social norm. God can work with or without me, but I don't want to stand before Him someday to have all of my good deeds burned up because they were never really good at all. I long to follow Him to the hurt and the broken, to love the unloved. American church, shouldn't that be our social norm? Shouldn't we be questioning anything less?
I love MercyMe's song CRAZY. "I have not been called to the wisdom of this world, but to a God who is calling out to me. And even though the world may think I'm losing touch with reality. It would be crazy to choose this world over eternity..."
I've become so much more aware of the issue as I read the Word, attend leadership conferences, have traveled to Nicaragua, and am now preparing to go to Australia.
I had an epiphany, if you will, on my drive home from church today. Since choosing to leave my good-paying job and start training to become a foreign missionary, I have come under severe questioning about my motives, my heart, and my calling. I have had Christians I respect oppose me.
I understand accountability and respect it. What I don't understand, is why did no one have a problem with me getting up everyday to do the corporate grind, live in a nice apartment, buy new clothes and gym memberships, go out to eat, and attend a nice church on Sunday? Did anyone sit down with me and question my motives, where my heart was? Did anyone pray with me to make sure this is where God was leading my life?
Sure, I wasn't doing anything wrong. In fact, I was paying off debt, working hard, had good relationships, and supporting my church and missionaries financially.
When I chose to move forward, give up my security and follow a calling I have felt on my life for a really long time, all of a sudden, people become suspicious, cautious, act as if I am running from something, questioning if this is really what God wants from me.
If I had chosen to follow the "social norm" for America, no one would question God's call on my life. But, when I choose to step out in faith, leave the "huddle" and act, I meet with opposition. Making $50K a year sitting at a desk is a worthy cause, but traveling into jungles to love people and lead them to Christ is a problem? Are we really that afraid? Do we really not believe in the great commission? Is it really that hard to believe my heart was in the right place when pelted by commercialism and the need for "things" but it's not in the right place now?
I appreciate all the advice and concerns people have for me because I know my motives can stray. I am far from perfect and pure of heart. But, I am frustrated that it was fine for me, as an American Christian, to live comfortably without question.
Do I fear what lies ahead.... sometimes. I am more afraid of waking up some day to realize that everything in my life was vain, lives weren't changed, people perished because I was too busy following a social norm. God can work with or without me, but I don't want to stand before Him someday to have all of my good deeds burned up because they were never really good at all. I long to follow Him to the hurt and the broken, to love the unloved. American church, shouldn't that be our social norm? Shouldn't we be questioning anything less?
I love MercyMe's song CRAZY. "I have not been called to the wisdom of this world, but to a God who is calling out to me. And even though the world may think I'm losing touch with reality. It would be crazy to choose this world over eternity..."
Friday, November 19, 2010
Plane Tickets
I now have my plane tickets to Australia! I just need 73% of my funding to go..... praise God, in 1 week I got 12%.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Dear God, We Need This Much Money
Discouragement has been rearing it's ugly head lately. If only I weren't human and didn't have to fight my flesh!
I prayed on Thursday night as I left my life group. Should I keep forging on to Australia or play it safe, keep my job, and save more and more? So, as I drove, I prayed. Recognizing that God is so much bigger than my needs. What is any of this to a God who spoke and created the world?
But, I desire to do His will and want to make sure where I am headed is where he is leading.
An electronic billboard flashed through ads in the night sky as I headed downtown on the connector. A lottery sign flashed up. I laughed. When I was about 4 years old, my parents needed money for missions. We prayed as a family. With the absolute faith of a child, I prayed, "Dear God, we need 'this much' money." I held up my small hands indicating a large stack of bills. And, God showed up. Someone who knew my parents had purchased a lottery ticket.... a winning ticket for the exact amount of money my parents needed.
Here I am, 23 years later, praying the same prayer and God sent me a little reminder of how He always comes through.
The next day, I came home from work to find a $1000 check in the mail. I felt it was the confirmation I needed. Keep moving forward, don't give up, God is so much bigger!
I prayed on Thursday night as I left my life group. Should I keep forging on to Australia or play it safe, keep my job, and save more and more? So, as I drove, I prayed. Recognizing that God is so much bigger than my needs. What is any of this to a God who spoke and created the world?
But, I desire to do His will and want to make sure where I am headed is where he is leading.
An electronic billboard flashed through ads in the night sky as I headed downtown on the connector. A lottery sign flashed up. I laughed. When I was about 4 years old, my parents needed money for missions. We prayed as a family. With the absolute faith of a child, I prayed, "Dear God, we need 'this much' money." I held up my small hands indicating a large stack of bills. And, God showed up. Someone who knew my parents had purchased a lottery ticket.... a winning ticket for the exact amount of money my parents needed.
Here I am, 23 years later, praying the same prayer and God sent me a little reminder of how He always comes through.
The next day, I came home from work to find a $1000 check in the mail. I felt it was the confirmation I needed. Keep moving forward, don't give up, God is so much bigger!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
NICARAGUA (Part 3)
CONTINUED.....
The vendor. One man probably impacted my trip in Nicaragua more than any other. He was a slender guy, probably in his early twenties. I saw him on my first day in Diriamba. Mentally, he was a little lower functioning than most adults. He carried a bag of candy, selling 2 pieces for a small coin. As he stepped onto our bus, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Our eyes met and locked. There was nothing physically striking about him, but there was something defining in his spirit. His gaze held an assurance, innocence, and a peace I hadn’t seen.
With street noises, vendors shouting, and people talking on the bus, he began to sing. His voice wasn’t clear or strong or even beautiful. But, I was struck again. I didn’t know what he was singing but I had to listen. Then, he proceeded to sell his candy. Most people ignored him. After he left, I couldn’t get the humbling image of him out of my mind.
Days later, on another bus at another location, he stepped on. The same bag of candy was in his hands. This time it was a lot emptier. My heart sank when I saw this. It had been days and he hadn’t even sold all of the candy in his bag. How did he live off of less than 50 cents a day? He was in the same stained white shirt. And, then he sang. Above all the noise on the bus, he sang.
I turned to Kari and asked what he was singing about. She looked at me, “He says that God is the only thing that can satisfy man. He sings praise to God before he sells his candy.”
Here was a man who rose every morning to wander the streets and vend for not even enough to survive and he praised God. I found myself purchasing candy from him. I didn’t want the candy but I had to do something.
My heart cried out. “God, he is yours! He praises You when he has nothing. I am discontent when I have more than enough.” I continued to pray as we stepped off the bus and into the streets. I found myself praying that like the woman in the Bible whose oil never ran out, God would provide for this young man. That he would always have enough. His heart was so pure.
I smiled as I thought of his treasure in heaven. How foolish are we. Those who appear of little value in our world are the closest and dearest to God’s heart.
I could say so much more about my trip, but little could a book hold what God started in me. I faced trials like getting robbed, getting a parasite, being eaten alive by mosquitoes, taking freezing cold showers, and sweating day and night. It was not the most comfortable place to be. Yet, somehow I walked away fuller. Despite all the bad, God was there. God loves Nicaragua and the people in it. God continued to put the desire of missions in my heart.
It would be easy to go home, make good money, live well, be comfortable but I would be missing the fullness of what God can do in me. God doesn’t need me to impact the world. I can offer nothing to His cause, but I am held in awe by how He longs for me. He wants to use me…. Me of all people! Nicaragua was a first step, a glimpse into what He can do.
In Plato’s “Republic”, there is a cave analogy. In it people have spent their whole lives being chained to a cave wall. Shadows from a fire cast on the wall are their only reality. They are unaware of anything outside of the cave and those shadows. I realized at that point, my life was only a partial truth. I had only lived in a fraction of what the world is really like, of what people really experience. I could crawl back into the cave and be comforted by my mere shadows or I can face the world outside. To grow in the fullness of drawing closer to the heart of God. This is where I want to live.
The vendor. One man probably impacted my trip in Nicaragua more than any other. He was a slender guy, probably in his early twenties. I saw him on my first day in Diriamba. Mentally, he was a little lower functioning than most adults. He carried a bag of candy, selling 2 pieces for a small coin. As he stepped onto our bus, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. Our eyes met and locked. There was nothing physically striking about him, but there was something defining in his spirit. His gaze held an assurance, innocence, and a peace I hadn’t seen.
With street noises, vendors shouting, and people talking on the bus, he began to sing. His voice wasn’t clear or strong or even beautiful. But, I was struck again. I didn’t know what he was singing but I had to listen. Then, he proceeded to sell his candy. Most people ignored him. After he left, I couldn’t get the humbling image of him out of my mind.
Days later, on another bus at another location, he stepped on. The same bag of candy was in his hands. This time it was a lot emptier. My heart sank when I saw this. It had been days and he hadn’t even sold all of the candy in his bag. How did he live off of less than 50 cents a day? He was in the same stained white shirt. And, then he sang. Above all the noise on the bus, he sang.
I turned to Kari and asked what he was singing about. She looked at me, “He says that God is the only thing that can satisfy man. He sings praise to God before he sells his candy.”
Here was a man who rose every morning to wander the streets and vend for not even enough to survive and he praised God. I found myself purchasing candy from him. I didn’t want the candy but I had to do something.
My heart cried out. “God, he is yours! He praises You when he has nothing. I am discontent when I have more than enough.” I continued to pray as we stepped off the bus and into the streets. I found myself praying that like the woman in the Bible whose oil never ran out, God would provide for this young man. That he would always have enough. His heart was so pure.
I smiled as I thought of his treasure in heaven. How foolish are we. Those who appear of little value in our world are the closest and dearest to God’s heart.
I could say so much more about my trip, but little could a book hold what God started in me. I faced trials like getting robbed, getting a parasite, being eaten alive by mosquitoes, taking freezing cold showers, and sweating day and night. It was not the most comfortable place to be. Yet, somehow I walked away fuller. Despite all the bad, God was there. God loves Nicaragua and the people in it. God continued to put the desire of missions in my heart.
It would be easy to go home, make good money, live well, be comfortable but I would be missing the fullness of what God can do in me. God doesn’t need me to impact the world. I can offer nothing to His cause, but I am held in awe by how He longs for me. He wants to use me…. Me of all people! Nicaragua was a first step, a glimpse into what He can do.
In Plato’s “Republic”, there is a cave analogy. In it people have spent their whole lives being chained to a cave wall. Shadows from a fire cast on the wall are their only reality. They are unaware of anything outside of the cave and those shadows. I realized at that point, my life was only a partial truth. I had only lived in a fraction of what the world is really like, of what people really experience. I could crawl back into the cave and be comforted by my mere shadows or I can face the world outside. To grow in the fullness of drawing closer to the heart of God. This is where I want to live.
Monday, October 25, 2010
NICARAGUA (Part 2)
Continued...
The kids. You had to be in Nicaragua no more than a few hours before you started falling in love with the kids. While many of the adults appeared indifferent, the kids were anything but. They all had beautiful round faces with big dark brown eyes and bigger smiles. They wanted to know you, where you were from; they all wanted to be held by you. Even the shy ones longed for your attention. I remember coming back from the ocean on my first day only to be greeted by about 6 boys and a little girl waiting at the front gate. These were the neighborhood kids. Turns out they were almost all related. The “primos” as I dubbed them. They all asked a thousand questions in Spanish. Laughing, pointing, and playing around.
Unlike my experience with American kids, Nicaraguan kids were much more independent. They wandered the streets, came in and out of the house, and looked out for each other. We spent evenings with 10 or so kids sprawled out on the tile floors, sharing a handful of colored pencils. Laughing, singing, and vying for our attention. While some got rough with each other, and they could be wound-up from time to time, they lacked the spoiled nature of a lot of kids I have been around. They had a contentment I was not use to experiencing. And, they loved. I felt immediately loved and accepted by these little people.
Fernando. The oldest of the kids was Fernando. It was love at first sight. He was the natural born leader of the group. He had one of the most handsome little faces with big dimples, a crooked smile, and an intelligence in his eyes that proceeded his years. He was small for eleven years, but most Nicaraguans were smaller than me. He had compassionate soul even though he had faced a lot of hardship at his tender age. He was special. I pray for that boy on a daily basis. People will look to him for guidance as they get older. He is at a crossroads. He will either be a great man of God or do a lot of evil. I can’t help but see God’s hand in that boy’s life. I immediately wanted to love him, to take care of him, to raise him, and to just hold him in my arms and take away all the hurt he had faced. Oh, but how much more does our God love him!
Fernando was a revelation for me. I always knew that one day I would want to adopt kids but had no idea how I could pick one when so many needed to be loved and cared for. I was made aware of how possible it was. I also realized in a heartbeat, I could give up all of my “freedoms” as a single person to make a better life for someone else.
Transportation. If going anywhere nearby, you walk. We walked all over the city, to the barrio, out to Orlando’s farm. If we wanted to go to another city, we hopped into an old van filled with people and paid about 5 cents. If you like your personal space, you will not survive. The van was crammed with people. Then, we rumbled off to the next destination, the person who collected money hanging out the window shouting our destination to anyone we passed, hoping to get a few more passengers. If we were going anywhere far away, we took the bus. Normally, it was an old school bus with painted images of saints and the Virgin Mary over the front dash. The bus didn’t leave until it was full. And, not just every seat full, but every molecule of space. Roofing materials, tires, shopping bags, pets, and people were crammed in. Three to a seat and standing room was taken. You couldn’t fall over and we bounced and fast speeds down the Pan American. The breeze blew through the open windows cooling us all down. Amazingly, there was no smell of humanity. Nicaraguans are very conscious of their personal hygiene. The bus mostly smelled of blooming plants from outside, car exhaust, and cologne.
At every stop, vendors somehow found a way to walk up and down the aisles, shouting out their goods, and selling to the passengers. How they maneuvered around people, I’m not sure but it worked.
My favorite part of the rides were when all of the school children packed onto the bus. They all were wearing their white collared shirts; blue slacks or skirts and carried their packs. They laughed and pushed. They made eye contact and smiled. Then they would reach their stop, and run off down a muddy side road or chase a soccer ball. I was amazed at how clean they always looked when the red dirt of the roads were muddy and rutted.
The kids. You had to be in Nicaragua no more than a few hours before you started falling in love with the kids. While many of the adults appeared indifferent, the kids were anything but. They all had beautiful round faces with big dark brown eyes and bigger smiles. They wanted to know you, where you were from; they all wanted to be held by you. Even the shy ones longed for your attention. I remember coming back from the ocean on my first day only to be greeted by about 6 boys and a little girl waiting at the front gate. These were the neighborhood kids. Turns out they were almost all related. The “primos” as I dubbed them. They all asked a thousand questions in Spanish. Laughing, pointing, and playing around.
Unlike my experience with American kids, Nicaraguan kids were much more independent. They wandered the streets, came in and out of the house, and looked out for each other. We spent evenings with 10 or so kids sprawled out on the tile floors, sharing a handful of colored pencils. Laughing, singing, and vying for our attention. While some got rough with each other, and they could be wound-up from time to time, they lacked the spoiled nature of a lot of kids I have been around. They had a contentment I was not use to experiencing. And, they loved. I felt immediately loved and accepted by these little people.
Fernando. The oldest of the kids was Fernando. It was love at first sight. He was the natural born leader of the group. He had one of the most handsome little faces with big dimples, a crooked smile, and an intelligence in his eyes that proceeded his years. He was small for eleven years, but most Nicaraguans were smaller than me. He had compassionate soul even though he had faced a lot of hardship at his tender age. He was special. I pray for that boy on a daily basis. People will look to him for guidance as they get older. He is at a crossroads. He will either be a great man of God or do a lot of evil. I can’t help but see God’s hand in that boy’s life. I immediately wanted to love him, to take care of him, to raise him, and to just hold him in my arms and take away all the hurt he had faced. Oh, but how much more does our God love him!
Fernando was a revelation for me. I always knew that one day I would want to adopt kids but had no idea how I could pick one when so many needed to be loved and cared for. I was made aware of how possible it was. I also realized in a heartbeat, I could give up all of my “freedoms” as a single person to make a better life for someone else.
Transportation. If going anywhere nearby, you walk. We walked all over the city, to the barrio, out to Orlando’s farm. If we wanted to go to another city, we hopped into an old van filled with people and paid about 5 cents. If you like your personal space, you will not survive. The van was crammed with people. Then, we rumbled off to the next destination, the person who collected money hanging out the window shouting our destination to anyone we passed, hoping to get a few more passengers. If we were going anywhere far away, we took the bus. Normally, it was an old school bus with painted images of saints and the Virgin Mary over the front dash. The bus didn’t leave until it was full. And, not just every seat full, but every molecule of space. Roofing materials, tires, shopping bags, pets, and people were crammed in. Three to a seat and standing room was taken. You couldn’t fall over and we bounced and fast speeds down the Pan American. The breeze blew through the open windows cooling us all down. Amazingly, there was no smell of humanity. Nicaraguans are very conscious of their personal hygiene. The bus mostly smelled of blooming plants from outside, car exhaust, and cologne.
At every stop, vendors somehow found a way to walk up and down the aisles, shouting out their goods, and selling to the passengers. How they maneuvered around people, I’m not sure but it worked.
My favorite part of the rides were when all of the school children packed onto the bus. They all were wearing their white collared shirts; blue slacks or skirts and carried their packs. They laughed and pushed. They made eye contact and smiled. Then they would reach their stop, and run off down a muddy side road or chase a soccer ball. I was amazed at how clean they always looked when the red dirt of the roads were muddy and rutted.
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