Chinadega Teacher Training

This morning a truck bed full of teachers and leaders were taken to Chinadega for classes and training by Samaritan’s Purse. For the youth that did not go, we had an open discussion Bible Study about making good decisions from Tuesday and Tommy’s Wednesday night message of keeping secrets and hiding from God and each other. I also used this time to get 6 youth that will help Scarleth and I with a clothing sale on Saturday.

Most of Tommy’s pastors and key men were in Chinadega so we did not have class this morning. In the afternoon, the Gables, Julia, and I visited in Santa Matilde. I think it has been almost 3 months since I was last there, and without Friday night youth I haven’t seen any of the kids in a long time either. We visited with Carmen, Griselda, and Margarita for most of the time and then walked around seeing some other friends.

Kervin and Andres lost their grandmother this morning. The wake was at their aunt’s house and started at 7:00 PM. Pastrana and Eduardo led the service with Daniel, Rigoberto, and Kervin sharing music. It was very well attended and I was happy to see all of our youth their supporting Andres and Kervin. The funeral will be tomorrow.

Wednesday Meetings in Leon

I woke up refreshed and ran a few errands in Leon before heading to the Gables house. I spent some time talking with Tommy and Linda just the 3 of us before staff meeting began. We have been facing some trust issues with some of our leaders and needed some time to share different things we have seen and heard this past week. We really want to get things cleared up before next Wednesday when the Gables will be gone to the states for a month.

We had an extended Bible Study discussing our mission needs and priorities. We got things clear for the time we will be here without the Gables, and began looking into our focus for 2009. Tommy shared a lot of his vision and goals with open discussion for the Leon staff and our Candelaria staff. Linda then shared our schedule for closing out 2008. We are asking everyone to pray with us to get our finances up and even to close out this year. America’s economy has really affected giving towards all missions, including NewSong. For the last 2 months payrolls have been cut short, and some projects put on hold. We are trusting God to provide what is needed to end out this calendar year.

We all went out for Wednesday night service, with Tommy speaking on living in the light. He is challenging us to not hide things from God or each other in the darkness. For two weeks church attendance has been down, when Tommy has had very important messages. Please pray for the people here to have a heart to learn the scriptures and be a part of a loving Christian community.

Tuesday

Tuesday morning Yahaira and Julia led a great Bible Study on making good decisions. They talked about the process of making decisions, and how to ask God’s help when we need to do the right things. The youth really listened and interacted for some good discussion and examples.

Carlos came out in the afternoon to lead dance and drama practice. They have a dance and 2 dramas planned for this coming Friday night. Sergio was in Candelaria most of the day seeing over the house construction and clinic progress. Sergio, Julia, and myself all rode back to Leon with Carlos for the night.

I got some emails caught up and had time to talk to my mom on the phone, before falling asleep. I can’t remember the last time I was that tired by 8:00 at night.

Swimming & Friendly Dinner

Following December 7, Monday is a work-free holiday nationwide so only a few people were even around the church today. A few garden workers came and worked a couple hours, and some of the grounds people showed up in the morning. The girls went home and brought down breakfast, while we sat guard at the property. In the afternoon we planned to go swimming, about 20 of the youth, but people kept changing their mind until it was late afternoon when no one wanted to go. Itzel, Jose, Rigoberto, and I went anyways.

Making a decision here takes forever, and then people change their mind based on what their best friend or cousin wants, so they sit the fence and wait for you to beg them to join. Instead of wasting more time with this, I am working to just inviting everyone and whoever wants to do something joins in.

We had a youth dinner together at Cony and Jessica’s house. The two of them and Daniel planned for about 10 of us to pitch in some money and have a meal together. We had grilled chicken, salad, and tortillas then had a napkin fight, and played some games.

Some of us left early to meet some policemen at the church to talk more about catching the stealing problem that continues at the land. With all the construction going on, more people are at the land and ladders, tools, and cement are tempting people to make some money stealing and reselling the churches things. We are afraid some of the same people hired, being fed and paid are assisting friends in this. We had an extension cord, 2 bags of cement, and an expensive electric saw stolen last week. We are trying to teach responsibility to the people who lock-up the bodegas, and also end the stealing problems here.

Sunday: day of rest

I slept the best I have slept in a long time last night and after breakfast, while the kids were busy with Sunday school I escaped into the clinic for a very productive morning. I got things unpacked and setup more of a room atmosphere in the back room of the clinic, where I’ll be staying until the house is complete.

I ran some errands in the early afternoon, for some last second shopping for our youth Secret Santa, gift trade planned for 4:00 PM. We had about 20 youth plus our Leon team playing in a gift exchange. I got Gloria a dress shirt and some candy, and Kenia got me some new, much needed, flip flops. We had cake and soft drinks to close out the afternoon.

December 7, is a holiday in Nicaragua for the Virgin Mary that is probably bigger than Christmas, due to the number of Catholics here. There are parades and lots of partying all night, so we didn’t have service. I slept under the church building with Kervin, Rigoberto, and Alfredo. Julia had a sleep over in the clinic with Itzel, Kenia, and Mauren.

Saturday Graduations

Some of the youth and I spent Saturday morning getting things ready, and decorated, for a big church event. In the afternoon we had graduations and a time to honor our church servants. 11 women graduated from their 2nd year of sewing school, and 4 other women completed bakery school. The sewing ladies were all dressed in brand new clothing they had made for themselves, and also had time to model their outfit, and 1 other outfit they had made for a child or friend. Esther had Itzel model her dress. The teacher shared some brief words and then gave each woman a diploma.

Linda preached on all of the great things God has done here in 5 years. How the land used to just be weeds and how far our faith, trust, and prayers have allowed Him to help us here. She challenged more people to get involved here, and see how much more God can bless us in the future.

Then 5 women were recognized and received diplomas for finishing bakery school. Their teacher shared some words, and let everyone know that these women will be qualified and ready to take over the bakery that is going to be done in the next month, and open for the 2009 school year. These women each made cakes and other sweet breads and treats to share with the congregation once they received their diplomas.

Linda closed the service by calling forward all of our current church servants. She honored each pastor, prayer warrior, Sunday school teacher, and grounds worker. She brought forward every garden worker and volunteer along with everyone who has been helping in the construction. We honored everyone that takes care of a goat or other small animal, and every member of the Leon team. These people stood upfront together, received applause, and got to be first in line for the refreshments.

In the afternoon we went to 5-year old, Marilaysi Vegas, preschool graduation party. She had music, a piñata, and a snack dinner. It has been a lot of fun, but really busy the past 10 days in and out of many gradations of all ages. About 6-7 of the youth came to the church shelter and spent time talking and hanging out before bedtime. They had some jump rope, pushup, situp and other silly competitions to pass time. I got my computer setup in the clinic and updated some blogs before falling asleep.

Friday

Friday morning in Leon, I got our fund raising DVD put onto Vimeo divided into chapters. We are hoping they will be on the NewSong website soon. I worked more on emails and ran some errands in Leon before our staff meeting at 10:00 AM. We talked about our upcoming week schedule and divided our work for who sees over each project when the Gables are gone to the states from mid December – mid January.

Sergio, Tommy, and I went out to Candelaria for the afternoon. I packed the entire truck bed with the rest of my stuff and put it all into 1 room of the clinic. We had planned to start Friday night youth services today, being the first Friday in December, but some of the youth thought it’d be better for us to have a pre-start back meeting to share their hearts with each other and get any problems they have had between each other settled.

Tommy and I shared our vision for a new, more impacting Friday Night Youth Service, not just babysitting, then Darling and Itzel led the meeting representing their groups. Carlos shared with them about his drama and dance goals. Two of the young men got in an argument and left the church building to fight, but we got settled down and Carlos helped our group understand that we must get along. He led a time of us praying for each other as a group and individually to close out the meeting.

Friday night I visited with Nubia and Kenia. We did not have any plans, just shared stories and talked. It was a good time to be relational and talk about serious things and also just joke around and laugh with each other, enjoying friendship. I laid a mattress on the floor of the clinic and slept in the back room.

Thursday

Thursday morning I led Youth Bible Study in the waiting room of the clinic. It was decently attended nad we shared more on having faith in God no matter what. We are also talking about bringing information forward when people know about the stealing problem we have here, and having fear of knowing something and not sharing it, compared to fear of being a tattletale.

Tommy led Pastors class continuing in Philippians for the second week, and also shared verses and conversation on keeping order in the church. We did some other errands in the village and Chichigalpa before heading back to Leon for the night.

I used internet and the international phone to catch-up some emails and contact with family. I have also been working to add some more videos online, that I hope will soon be on the NewSong website. I stayed the night in Leon, with our Leon Bible Study and staff meeting the following morning.

Wednesday

Wednesday I spent time doing the finances with Linda's laptop in the morning. I found a halfway quiet place in the clinic and got a couple of hours of work in before lunch. The men were putting in all of the drop ceiling and cabinets. Next week they will add lights. In the afternoon, I spent time visiting with Eddy's family, his little sister turned 9 today. I also spent some time with Kenia in the afternoon before getting back to the church and setting up for evening service.
Tommy, Linda, and the Hunters met a family of 4 from Washington state during their trip to Matagalpa that also came out for service. Tommy shared on having faith in Jesus, sharing the stories of Jesus taking the disciples on boat rides in Matthew and Luke. The two teenage boys kept the kids in the clinic with Rigoberto and Nubia translated. They sang songs, shared some bible stories, made balloon animals, and painted faces.

Tuesday

Tuesday morning we had our Youth Bible Study, and Itzel brought soft drinks and bread. She said she just wanted to bless the group, and it really made me happy. I wish so badly others of the youth could see her example and follow it, rather than be jealous of her when she gets blessed for walking out her Christianity. In the afternoon about 20 of us biked 20-30 minutes back behind the church property and Quitanka to a place called La Presa. It is a river with a dam that allows for about a 30-foot deep swimming hole. We swam for about 2 hours in very cold water, which helped us beat the afternoon heat. We came back and I helped Bismark, Wilmor, and Ernesto finish digging the septic tank for the house and future public/church bathrooms. I spent time Tuesday night visiting with Cony and Jessica and watched Jurassic Park at their house. I got a mattress on the floor of one of the clinic rooms to sleep without mosquitoes now.

Monday

Jessalyn and Susan left this morning before the rest of us woke. Tommy, Linda, and Ben and Jennifer Hunter left this morning for a 2.5 day trip to the mountains in Matagalpa. Carlos and I bussed out with as much of my belongings the two of us could carry in the afternoon. I put away clothes and other personal, items into the clinic bodega, while Carlos started drama/dance practice. I biked to La Isla/Guanacastal to Rosa’s house and visited with her 4 youth aged kids. I talked with Maria about her college classes, and plans for next year. Yasmina and Glenda will both graduate from high school on Friday, and we talked about their future education plans. Monday night I spent time visiting with Franklin, Katherine, and Itzel in their house and then went back to sleep at the church with the 6 boys.

Moving Out, Moving In

Sunday morning after taking the kids to the bus stop at 7 AM and still half asleep from only getting 3 hours of sleep I went back to my place and began finished packing up my room. I let Dona Lutrecia that I would be out on Dec. 1 to move to Candelaria to keep from paying rent for December, and with Sunday night service this was my only time. I really wanted to sleep, but instead I got everything I've collected in 10 months of living there into 4 trunks, 3 moving boxes, and 3 suitcases. Sergio used the mission truck and helped me load the bed and back seat of it completely full and drive my stuff 2 blocks to the Barnum's house.

Tommy shared from Hebrews about faith in God in Sunday night service, and Jennifer Hunter sang How Great Thou Art acapella dueting with Ben on the refrain. We closed the service with Susan and Jessalyn saying their goodbyes and Jessalyn praying over the youth group. It was a well attended service and Daniel shared some new worship songs too.

We came back and had dinner together and said our goodbyes to Susan and Jessalyn with them leaving at 5:00 AM Monday morning for the airport. It was great to see the friendships and fun they brought to the village and the software training for our NewSong staff.

The Gables left Monday morning with the Hunters for a 3 day vacation/trip to the mountains, so without the truck I only took as much as Carlos and I could get in the taxi and bus of my stuff to Candelaria. Carlos will went back to Leon at 6:00 after drama/dance practice and I will be staying out here until Thursday evening. The house is not done, but I can lockup my belongings in the bodega and shower in the clinic.