I am sorry that I really haven't had a chance to update until now! I have not been in in access to internet for more than a couple of minutes and it is usually not on a computer, it is usually on a mobile device. We have been BUSY here in Masaya, Nicaragua! That's where I am, by the way! If you don't already know about this, look at my previous blog posts.
God is good. We got down here in travel with barely any glitches. We only had one hold up and that was temporary and easily sorted out. Our luggage all arrive, and with us too! So, I am on a team of 23 people. 3 leaders: Will and Erika Strickland and Kevin Looper. They have done a great job at leading a very varied team. Alliteration? Yes.
We are staying at a boys home home for previous street kids. Mariano, our contact and translator is super great and we felt welcomed right off the bat. They have been SO incredible at hosting us. Attending to our every whim, actually! For example, we had an incident with a scorpion at which Jayeon (my lovely south korean cutie) does not have a good impression of. Nubia (noovia= Mariano's mother and the main worker here at the house) came into our room and shook out all of our bedding and clothing to make sure there were no more scorpions for us! So gracious and so kind. They have cooked all of our delicious meals and cleaned and been so amazing. For example, this is some of the delicious food I get to eat!
Anyways, we have spent our last many days having a lot of fun, and loving on a lot of people. Our first night we simply spent relaxing at the boys home. After a red-eye flight and long layovers and no sleep in the airport, we were all very exhausted. I love it here though. It really does remind me of my time in Belize in Feb 2010 with Project Serve and Youth For Christ. Being here makes me miss my little best friend Lindy (but there is a girl Lindy on my team as well, so I guess that void is filled at least in name! She is a sweetie) I really do love it here already and it hasn't even been a whole week. What a great thing to have God just softening my heart towards and entire country. He really does set our hearts on the right things at the right times.
After we did that, our first day was spent simply touring around Masaya. We went to an old prison/castle where prisoners of war were kept. Nicaragua has been a very war-torn country and has only really been peaceful over the last couple of years. So we visited that,. It was weird to be in the exact same place where so many people had been tortured. So this (below) is a picture of the view from there. Pretty. Also, there is a volcano in the background. COOOOL, hey? Ps: they, in america, would say "coooooool, huh?" Blegh. When it rains, it rains acid rain because of the volcano. We also took a walk through the streets of Masaya.
We have spent time with the boys at the home. We have also done a couple of kids ministry days. I am the one in charge of kids ministry along with my buddy Nate. We do little fun skits, puppets, games, share testimonies with them, and simply love on them with God's love the best we can without knowing their language. I am already picking up Spanish. There are a few people on our team who are helping us to learn more quickly.
Pretty sunset view across a lake on our Masaya walk
We have worked with lots of ninyos (kids). And it is a lot of fun. I love to hug kids. I have realized that my favourite thing is taking a child who is in tears and making them have a broad smile on their face! Best feeling in the world. SO nice to be able to share Christ with these kids, even without words!!
Volcano Swimming
We also swam in volcano water! So it was nice and hot water. Lots of fun bonding with our team and spending time just loving each other. The work that we have done is rather exhausting.
God is teaching us all a lot about what it means to be humble and to serve others through the strength we can get from Him, not from ourselves. We are open and willing to do whatever He wills from us! God have your way with our team.
worship on outreach
If you are a "talking to God" type, or even if you are not, please pray that we would have safe travels, no bugs, no sickness, and just a crazy amount of energy to be able to pour our all into all of the ministries we are invested into.
Anyways, I will write more on our adventures later. Feliz Navidad (MERRY CHRISTMAS) to all of you back home or anyone following. I love you all a lot. We are having a great time. God is great.
Cheers. I love you all. I miss youz (well, most of you)
Just joking around. God bless you all in this Christmas Season. I am excited to spend next Christmas with you, or so I hope.
I just had an amazing visit here back in Saskatoon! I had the chance to unexpectedly come back home for American Thanksgiving. It has been such a blessing to be around familiar places, people, and things! I haven't ever truly lived outside of Canada for more than a few weeks, so I haven't really experienced missing my country. I can no longer say that. Even though I was only home for a few days, I got to throw a great surprise birthday party for my dear Cody (he was completely shocked), have great visits with friends, be with my family, relax, set up some Christmas decorations, and participate in the first advent supper!
I am excited, however, to head back to Denver. There are sweet things ahead in our program! On December 17th, we are headed out on our outreach to Honduras and Nicaragua! How amazing!! We affectionately like to call our team the Nicaduras team. Since I am in Nicaragua for Christmas. I had Christmas in November. Oh home sweet home! Here are a couple of pictures from my visit:
I will try to keep updating this blog. I apologize for my lack of diligence in keeping it up to date. Especially when I am on my mission, I will try to do better!
The program that I am in here in Denver is a MUSICIANS dts. There's a little bit of emphasis on the musicians part there. It has been really an amazing experience to be in an environment where everyone in my school loves music or is themselves a musician. I don't know that I've ever really had that opportunity anywhere else. The school itself is not centered much around music, but more-so directed at people who find a passion in music. I would definitely categorize myself as such. I love music. Every single thing about it.
I can pin-point in my memory the day when I truly developed an appreciation for it. I was at my Aunt and Uncle's house in Regina around Christmas time and the radio was playing. The song "Breakfast" by the newsboys was playing and I did not know the song yet, but I just wanted to sing along and dance to it. I probably did both. The amazing thing about music is that it moves people, in one way or another. Whether they are moved to dance, sing, clap, sway, change, or simply stop and listen, it doesn't matter. The point is that music causes movement.
Another thing that has been so amazing being here in Denver is that there are so many people from different cultures represented. Music is this universal language that we can all share! How beautiful is that? "When words fail, music speaks." I mean, we have people from the United States, Germany, Norway, South Africa, Korea, Switzerland, Canada (woot woot), Kenya, and I probably forgot some.
Today I got the chance to share a song I had to write about wisdom. So I want to share it with the outside world, too. My friend Austin helped me out by playing the Jimbe (sp?), so props to him for the beats! Anyways... the song is about finding the fear of the Lord (the beginning of wisdom Prov. 9:10) when we come to the River of Life... no matter where we are at in our lives. We can be distant from God and He'll still grant us wisdom in those times too. It's an open invitation to come into a relationship with Him. It was fun writing this song. I hope you enjoy it!
Ywam is really great this week.
And here are the lyrics:
When our tongues were mixed, not by the tower, but by the lion
When our eyes weren't fixed on Him, we were false idoling
When the stones were small, but the faith was bigger than a giant
When the walls were thick, but we blew them down with the trumpets
When I fall: There's a River
When I call: There's a River
The River's deep. The River's wide.
There my soul is satisfied
I'm diving in. I'm going deep
Heavenly treasure I am seeking
At the bottom I find
The fear of the Lord can be mine
If I choose to swim in stride
I can come to the River any time
When our hope grows thin, like thie pictures on the magazines
When we spend our time on the useless, wordly things
When we come as one, and lift up Holy hands
When we lift our prayers, trusting God to heal this land
