Past 2 Weeks

Wed 11
We took 200 pineapples to be planted later this week. Pastor Jose bought a new keyboard for the church with the money raised through offering. The land at the end of the field down by the river has been plowed and ready for corn and beans to be planted. The Gables got back tonight from their week vacation and will be catching up in the village tomorrow.
Thurs 12
We went out today for the afternoon and Tommy and Oscar met with some pastors. Linda and Scarleth talked with the sewing ladies and garden workers. Leo ran baseball and I spent time visiting and letting the youth know about the big youth event at the baseball stadium in ChiChigalpa tomorrow that we would go to instead of hosting our usual Friday Night Youth Group. Linda and I met the 4 girls with World Race at the bus station in Leon and took them out to stay at the Bloquera Bethel for the night.
Fri 13
We went and got the girls from the Bloquera and made it to Candelaria around 2. Leo began baseball practice and Scarleth got the girls setup with some of the garden workers and other women in the church to plant corn. The church got the pineapple planted in the morning. Scarleth and Tommy held some pastor meetings and I visited La Isla. We went to the Chichigalpa baseball stadium for a big youth event put on by some people from Managua. There were probably 250 or more young adults in attendance. The first couple hours were drama and worship; we had to leave to get the World Race girls to dinner at the Bloquera and ourselves back to Leon.
Sat 14
We rode out to get the girls at the Bloquera and then drove back through Leon and out to Poneloya for an afternoon at the beach. We had time to talk to the girls about their 11-month Thailand-Central America World Race and make plans for them to lead Sunday School tomorrow. We had dinner at Suyapa and then drove them back to the Bloquera and back for bed in Leon.
Sun 15
Scarleth and I went out this morning on bus to meet the girls to lead Sunday School. They shared dances, songs, and stories from the different countries they have been visiting since September. Scarleth translated and I hung out with kids in the congregation. In the afternoon, Oscar’s brother, Freddy, led drama practice and the World Race girls and I played with some of the other kids. Tommy, Linda, and Oscar came out for evening service, but with both Tommy and Linda fighting some sickness we only stayed through worship.
Mon 16
On Monday, Scarleth and I went to watch some baseball at a University in Leon. A team called Athletes in Action, AIA, from the US was in Leon to play a double header. The teams is made up of different college baseball players through Campus Crusade for Christ and they are in Nicaragua for 3 weeks. They scheduled some mission work, baseball clinics, and 18 games with young men in Nicaragua. We watched them play a 7-inning game that ended in a 0-0 tie and then another game against Leo and some of his Dominican teammates that ended in a 7-7 tie.
Tues 17
Tuesday was a day off for the Gables to try and fully recover before a group of 6 from Atlanta City Church get here for 2 weeks. Oscar and I worked to answer some emails and settle some finances from San Juan de Leon all day. Scarleth is still sick on and off the past 2 weeks, so Oscar and I are trying to stay healthy and praying for the rest of the team to feel better before all the groups start coming for the rest of summer.
Wed 18
We had our first full staff meeting since the Gables return from the States. We spent some time checking up on each other and Tommy shared from 1Timothy 4. We went over our extremely full calendar for the next 3 months and Linda shared dates for upcoming staff retreats and meetings. We all went out for a typical Wednesday. Leo is staying busy with a growing baseball team. Tommy, Linda and Oscar held a Candelaria church and small business leaders meeting. Scarleth and I went to meet with Pastor Pablo and Rosa in La Isla to help them with Sunday school attendance and getting the right families ready for Adopt-a-Family to kickoff soon.
Thurs 19
Scarleth and I worked with Linda today in Leon to get almost all of the families online and ready for Adopt-a-Family to be ready online. Tommy and Oscar had a meeting with Pastor Jose and took Leo to run baseball practice. Freddy drove the Gables and me in his bus to get the ACC team from the airport. We left Leon at 6 pm and got back a little after 10. The team of 3 guys and 3 girls ages 17-27 will be here for 2 weeks helping with youth group, drama, and whatever else comes up. They will also be spending about 5 vacation days site-seeing the country.
Fri 20
We went out today with a very big group: Our team of 6, ACC team of 6, 2 extra translators and a 16-year old girl named Sarah from California visiting my neighbors. ACC spent time visiting homes and playing with kids in the afternoon, while Scarleth and I setup for youth group. ACC ran the youth event tonight with games and dancing for the first 45 minutes. Adam led worship singing 2 songs in English and 1 in Spanish. Daniel also sang 2 songs in Spanish before ACC shared some drama and testimonies. Jade shared first, and then the full team did a drama called “the gift.” Adam shared his testimony and we all enjoyed refreshments.