**Ok, I started this blog nearly a week ago, and it’s getting longer and longer, so I’m thinking I should post now and add more as I get more thoughts together.\u00a0 So for those of you who are still checking our blog… enjoy!**<\/p>\n
I’ve had more than a week now to get caught up (not that I’ll ever be!) and process my thoughts (still thinking!).\u00a0 Because my amazing hubby did such a fantastic job posting pictures during our trip, it’s the least I can do to chime in with my thoughts about all things related to Nicaragua.\u00a0 Warning… they are a jumbled lot!\u00a0 I’ll try to bring some order, though, through my editing.<\/p>\n
“How was your trip?” <\/strong> I love hearing this question.\u00a0 It brings a huge smile to my face to have people remember what we were doing and want to know how it was.\u00a0\u00a0 And my first answer is, “Amazing.”\u00a0 It was an amazing trip.\u00a0 It was overwhelming and scary to have God lay it on our heart to make this trip happen at a time when finances were very tight for our family.\u00a0 It was humbling to see Him provide through our friends and family in the middle of the Christmas season and financial uncertainty.\u00a0 It was awesome to take my family and Abigail back to the country and people who are so dear to my heart.\u00a0 It was awesome to see how God has continued His amazing work that I had the privilege of being a part of nearly 6 years ago.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It was an adventure to see Nicaragua through the eyes of Analise, Josiah and Abigail.<\/p>\n “Glad to be home?” <\/strong> It’s wonderful to be seeing everyone back here in Alabama, and quite often, this is one of the first things people say.\u00a0 Yes, I am glad to be back in my home, in my own space, letting the kids entertain themselves and make as much noise as they want (both things we struggled with in our small hotel room with two very busybody kids!).\u00a0 But in all honesty, I’m not 100% happy to be home.\u00a0 I love Nicaragua… I love the culture and the language.\u00a0 I love the people.\u00a0 I’ve become very accustomed to the way of life there, so the weak tepid showers don’t bother me.\u00a0 The heat wears me out, but it’s part of life.\u00a0 I do like my air conditioning, but I can manage without it.\u00a0 I love the work I’ve been involved in there, and if God were to call us back there to call it “home”, we’d follow Him without question.\u00a0 But for now, our place is here in Alabama, and we’re challenged to keep His work there at the forefront of our hearts and minds from a distance.<\/p>\n Mom Fellowship <\/strong>One of my favorite parts of our time in Nicaragua was visiting with my friend, Jane.\u00a0 We keep in close touch over email, and with 2 little ones at similar ages, we joke about our “parallel mom worlds”.\u00a0 She has a different setting, but we face similar issues with potty-training, tantrums, and picky eaters.\u00a0 We both enjoyed seeing our little ones together, and we had lots of time to talk about all kinds of mom things.\u00a0 We even had 2 fun evenings after the kids were in bed for crafting.\u00a0 One evening we made hairbows… I think we made 14 of them!\u00a0 Another evening, we made beautiful silhouettes of Jane’s girls (pictures to come!).\u00a0\u00a0 It was fun sharing daily life in Nicaragua and getting a glimpse of what her side of the “parallel mom world” looks like.\u00a0 I have new prayers for her… from 7:50 to 8:15am as the three of them navigate the 4 blocks of crazy streets, dangerous sidewalks, and crowded corners on their way to preschool; again at lunchtime as they go home; nightly bathtime (we can slide by every couple days here, but you get dusty and dirty EVERY day in Nicaragua); early morning wakeups from random fireworks and churchbells.\u00a0 And on top of raising two beautiful girls in a different culture and language (which they are learning SUPER fast!), she plays a huge part in supporting Andrew’s direction of the work of Nuevas Esperanzas and managing the accounting.\u00a0 Whew!\u00a0 She – and my other mom friends on the frontlines of missions work – are SuperMoms, in my eyes!<\/p>\n Las Discipulas Bellas <\/strong>When I first arrived in Nicaragua in September 2001, one of the first things I was asked to help with was a Bible Study for teenage girls.\u00a0 I was very hesitant.\u00a0 I felt like I didn’t really know how to connect with that age, let alone in my second language!\u00a0 But I started meeting with these girls every Saturday morning.\u00a0 Our group grew larger and larger, and our topics got deeper and more practical for their lives.\u00a0 And my Spanish got better and better \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 I called them my “Discipulas Bellas”, my beautiful disciples.\u00a0 They grew in grace and stature with God, and week after week I was blessed to be a part of their lives.<\/p>\n Saying goodbye in March of 2003 was one of the hardest parts of leaving.\u00a0 I wasn’t sure who would continue to meet with them.\u00a0 What would happen to them?\u00a0 But my dear friend Claudia took over for a long time, continuing pouring into their lives.\u00a0 And then a young woman I met in California after Brian and I were married, Michelle, decided to go to Nicaragua for several months.\u00a0 She stepped in as Claudia left, and she grew to love the girls as I had.\u00a0 I gave her photos of our wedding and our new little baby girl to share with the girls.\u00a0 When she came back to the US, I again wondered what would happen to them.\u00a0 But God continued His good work… Through Michele, I heard of another young woman from another ministry who had stepped in to continue the discipleship.\u00a0 Though she has since gone, someone else has continued the weekly Bible study, though at this point, it’s with almost a completely different group of girls..<\/p>\n It’s been nearly 6 years since I said goodbye to my Beautiful Disciples, and one thing I looked forward to most was reuniting with them.\u00a0 I went back to their village wondering if I would find any of them.\u00a0 After lots of knocking and asking, we came to the right house, and the reunion was tearful and sweet.\u00a0 Marjorie is nearly 22, and she will be finishing her university degree in psychology this year.\u00a0 What an accomplishment from a family who’s lives were devastated in the mudslides of Hurricane Mitch 10 years ago!\u00a0\u00a0 She has even gone on a mission trip to Honduras with her church!\u00a0 Her sister, Kenia, is starting at the university next month.\u00a0 Yubelka is in her last year of secondary school.\u00a0 They have grown into beautiful young women.\u00a0 It’s amazing and humbling… such a testimony to God’s faithfulness.\u00a0 And a poignant much-needed reminder that it is not US who works, but God who works through us.\u00a0 Our efforts, no matter how large or small, are in His all-powerful hands.\u00a0 Seeing these grown-up girls was like a glimpse of heaven for me.<\/p>\n (to be continued as I continue processing…)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" **Ok, I started this blog nearly a week ago, and it’s getting longer and longer, so I’m thinking I should post now and add more as I get more thoughts together.\u00a0 So for those of you who are still checking our blog… enjoy!** I’ve had more than a week now to get caught up (not 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