Onward

Well, I've finally come home. A week ago, I was home alone, cleaning the house and doing random tasks, and I found myself comfortable with me again. Somehow, something had clicked. I think it must have been the Spirit moving because I'd been praying about how weird and disconnected I felt from everything, and then suddenly - I was home, physically and mentally/emotionally/spiritually. It feels good, and much healthier.

But, despite the hand warmers and toe warmers I received for Christmas, I'm still generally cold all the time! The acclimatization is taking a bit longer than the homecoming. So I'm fleeing the frigid weather of Indiana and flying south. South to Alabama, to visit my friend, Laura, for a week. We're going to go to the Passion 2011 conference in Georgia for a few days, and I'm going to be a part of her life in the south. I told her I want to eat her favorite southern food. We'll see what I end up getting...

Laura is one of my best friends. We met at a college visit neither of us ended up going to, but we lived close to each other, and we started hanging out. Now she has relocated to Alabama, and she's going to attend med school there and be a kick-butt doctor. Since I haven't seen her in a year, I'm going to go check out her life in the south. Unfortunately, it's not near the beach, and it won't be shorts weather, but 50s are better than 20s (Fahrenheit). Off to another adventure, and looking forward to it! :)

This is a picture from summer 2008, but we look pretty much the same. Laura came to the lake with my family and cleaned the fish we caught for dinner. :)

Spanish withdrawal

I miss Nicaragua. There are a lot of things I miss about it, but Spanish is a huge one right now. While there is a certain relief to being able to say what I want, when I want and not worry so much about miscommunication or how I should say something, I miss living in Spanish.

Yesterday I worked with Dad on a house, and the crew outside siding was speaking Spanish. Although it is cold outside (something I'm still adjusting to: I'm almost always cold), I was eager for Dad to send me to the truck for things just so I could hear some words in Spanish. When one guy told the other to open the "puerta" for me I couldn't stop grinning for a while afterwards. Just knowing there were Hispanics outside made me feel excited. Sadly, I realized that whenever I would go outside, they would stop talking! I'm not sure why, but one time I went back in the house and complained to Dad. So what did he do? Went outside and told them his daughter wanted to speak Spanish with them. Talk about shoving me out of the nest! I hadn't wanted to because I felt embarrassed and shy... But I had to go after Dad told them to expect me. They were from Mexico, and we had a nice little chat. It was good to speak Spanish again, even if they didn't know my country and culture of Nicaragua.

Today, I took another Spanish field trip to the Mexican store in Roselawn, 20 minutes from my house. I looked around at their merchandise, bought Maseca to make my own tortillas, and talked to the cashier a bit. Unfortunately, I had a time schedule so I couldn't sit around and talk very much. But the little reminders of my "home" were nice.

So, anyone who wants to speak Spanish, come on over! I'm desperate!:)

Tourist

When I got to the Chicago airport with Hannah Cooper, it was a strange feeling. We weren't quite ready to be back, and yet we were. I just wasn't sure how to feel, really. Walking to the baggage claim, we were awed by the huge Christmas decoration displays. We took pictures in the concourse (is that the right name for this hallway?) and laughed at all the people in coats. Mind you, the cold of the North is not a laughing matter, as I have been aware of the past several days, but people DO look funny.
Here I am, Saturday night, warming myself by the fire as we cook dinner. The cold is no laughing matter, as I said.

The staring feeling did not wear off. I do a lot of looking around, marveling at everything. I imagine taking my friend Roberto or one of my family members home and showing them all of this. I take a lot of pictures to document my re-entry. I feel restless and can't concentrate on one thing at a time. I hung up my hammock in the basement yesterday and enjoyed a little bit of "home." The adjustment will come. Until then, I'm working on my independent linguistics study and cleaning my room. Oh, and taking advantage of constant internet. :)

The Loose Ends

Just a quick note to let you all know that I am still alive. The time is flying past! The loose ends are not tied, but I'm furiously trying to finish things. I have made projects on my final papers. 2 projects pretty much down, 2 to go. This week I worked at the Nehemiah Center, went to Chinandega for the International Day for the fight against HIV/AIDS (where I put pins into a LOT of ribbons), worked at the Nehemiah Center, worked on homework, went to Roberto's house to hang out yesterday, worked on homework... You get the picture. I'm trying to soak up every little bit I can, but the balance is difficult. I want to be with my friends from Dordt, especially the Hannahs. I want to hang out with Roberto and other Nicaraguans I'm friends with. I want to spend time with my family. I want to finish my projects for the Ezra Team. And I have to do homework. Please pray that I will have the discernment to balance everything well and make the right time decisions. Right now, I need to practice our final presentation with the Hannahs, so I am going to stop typing about how to spend my time and actually go spend it doing something! :) Peace out!

Happy Thanksgiving! Today my thoughts are pretty scattered. I feel like I should write a blog since it has been a while, but it is harder and harder to keep connected to things back home, even as the time to go home comes closer and closer. I understand mentally that today is Thanksgiving, but I don't really feel like I'm missing it because I'm in León, the sun is shining, and I ate a salmon salad at the café for lunch. I'm very thankful, and very glad to be here although part of me is a bit sad not to be spending the day with my family for the first time I can remember...

We had our own celebration (not for Thanksgiving, but for Evan's birthday) last week Sunday. I asked Roberto if we could have a piñata at his house because I thought it would be less complicated than rearranging one of our houses in the city, and he has a big yard area (compared to other Nicaraguans). He said yes, and Hannah Ponstein and I went shopping for food and such on Saturday after learning how to make tacos with her mamá. Sunday, after a "culto unido" of Apostolic Free churches with my family, I went to Roberto's house and helped get stuff ready. Then, Roberto's neighbors, all family, came over to watch our group of students hit a piñata and have an American/Nicaraguan party. We ate chocolate cake and fruit, and a good time was had by all.

Tacos at Hannah's house. I LOVE TACOS HERE!!!

Roberto preparing to decimate the piñata - he broke their clothesline instead...

The birthday boy, 22-year-old Evan, with his cake

Roberto's in-laws, gathered around. We made them hit the piñata too - and we were all laughing a lot. The woman in the front row with the sky blue shirt is Gricelda, Roberto's wife.

This week at work, I finished the data for León and Chinandega Congresos (a big project that I had been working on since the beginning of my time at the Nehemiah Center), and started on a new project. The Nehemiah Center is starting to work in a new area, Estelí, and I am entering the participants' names and questionnaire answers into the computer. However, today I am in León, working on final projects and relaxing, and tomorrow and Saturday I am going on a bicycle trip with a bunch of people from the Nehemiah Center. I am a bit nervous because of the ride and my lack of in-shape-ness, but I am looking forward to hanging out with the people, spending the night near the beach, and seeing turtles! Roberto is going, and so is Alex from Dordt, plus various other people I know.

I can hardly believe that we only have two weeks left in León. The time is going by faster and faster. I feel strangely not ready to leave. Although I haven't had any banners in the sky from God regarding the future, I haven't seen any closed doors either. I think I could do this. The people at the Nehemiah Center say they would welcome me back, and I said that I am waiting for an opportunity, listening for God's voice. I can hardly believe how fast I'm growing up! Pray for wisdom, time to listen, and strength as I, and the rest of the group, go through a lot of changes and contradictory emotions over the next little while...

Snapshots of Life

I have neglected writing. There's so much else to do, and so little time! Ironically, this is probably the time when I have the most to write about as well. So, I will catch up a bit. Life has been going very well, with one adventure after another. The last time I wrote, we went to the beach on a packed bus.

After a week of commuting to and from the Nehemiah Center, Friday I stayed in León. I attended the final presentation of the Spanish class participants - Alex, Hannah, and Hannah. They did a play of Little Red Riding Hood in Spanish. In this snapshot, the wolf is chasing Little Red, and the hunter is chasing the Wolf. During one act, they did a musical, so they were singing, "no!" and "sí" as they ran. It was quite humorous.

In the afternoon, I tried to be productive, but it didn't work very well. Roberto and his wife, Gricelda, came to visit. Then, Mamá took me shopping at a new store. In this picture, she was looking for sheets. It was a giant thrift store of international stuff. Let's just say, Mamá is a shopper. I got some new clothes because she kept saying, "Adrianna, éste te quedará bonito!"

Saturday, I was a campesina, a country girl. I went out to Roberto's house on the outskirts of town to learn how to make tortillas and use a machete. If you don't remember, Roberto is my friend with whom I commute to the Nehemiah Center. He is our second-in-command for the program, and if we have a problem in León, we go to him. He's the Nicaraguan link, like Alicia is the director. We are friends. Here, you see me making a tortilla. I learned how to pat it out, stick it on the fire, take it off, etc. I can do it myself now.

After Gricelda, Roberto's wife, taught me to make tortillas, Roberto showed me how to use a machete. We cleaned part of his front yard. It's the same idea as mowing the lawn, but WAY different from using the rider. :)

This is Roberto's family on the motorcycle. Roberto received a motorcycle to use for his work, a great blessing from the Lord - for me as well as for him! I got to ride from Managua to León with him on the motorcycle Monday, and I couldn't stop smiling the whole time! So now, I get motorcycle rides once in a while. Pictured in their back yard, Roberto, the baby Jared, the toddler Jacer, and Gricelda.

Monday and Tuesday, I worked at the Nehemiah Center. Wednesday I went on a three hour tour... but by bus. I left at 5 a.m., met up with another missionary lady from Switzerland, got to the church in Estelí at 9, sat through a workshop about the Biblical worldview for marriage, got on the bus at 3 p.m., got home at 5:30, went out with my sister Marlen at 6:30, got home and went to bed at 11 pm. It was a long day. But good. Here you see my boss, Luz Largaespada, holding up a poster with one of our interactive activities. If there's no coordination or communication, things turn out funky. :)

At night, I went out with Marlen and her friends. They have beauty pageants for the university in León, and the night before the contest, all the majors have a float with their contestant. The idea is that you go with your major's float, cheering and having a good time (you know what that means for some people), or you pick your favorite contestant. We ended up not really liking any of them, stood around and watched, then got something to eat. I was dead on my feet, but I was glad I got to meet some of Marlen's friends.

Thursday we had culture class in León. Us girls took bikes to class. It was an adventure because there were three of us and two bikes. I tried to carry Hannah Nica-style, but I was too short for the bike, and we ended up in a heap. Hannah Cooper carried Hannah Ponstein, and they did much better. We were entertained, and probably the Nicaraguans watching us were too.

In the afternoon on Thursday, Roberto took me to the hervederos de San Jacinto. He picked me up on the moto, and we went to a volcano vent. The volcano has never erupted, and they suspect it is because it vents in this area. The mud and water boil (similar to Yellowstone), and it was a warm experience! :) Good thing it was rainy and cool - I was glad for the heat radiating from the ground up.

That's the short version of life lately. Tomorrow I hope to learn how to make tacos and gallo pinto with Hannah Ponstein, and Sunday we are having a birthday party for Evan at Roberto's house. It should be a fun weekend. I hope I can get some homework done too!

Do you have enough space?

Lately, I've been riding some pretty crowded buses. Instead of the American bubble, I'm getting smashed from all sides. Example: On Saturday, a bunch of us went to the beach, and we sat three to a seat, and there were three people in the aisle - across. Granted, it was brief because it was the guy collecting money going through, but it was still impressive. Today I came on an expresso bus from León to Managua, and although I got a seat, it was on the aisle, which means I was smashed against the lady in the window seat, and there were men smashed up against me on the aisle side. At one point, the guy was practically embracing me as he had one arm along the seat in front of me, and the other along the seat behind me. Let's just say, they know how to pack on the people here in Nicaragua.

I also got proposed to at the bus stop this morning while waiting for Roberto. I was sure glad when he showed up and I could excuse myself from the conversation with an old and eager Nicaraguan! They do not give you much physical space or informational privacy. Everyone asks how old I am and if I have a boyfriend!

Usually, I range between feeling proud of myself and my Nica ways (how well I've adjusted) and wanting to scream and start punching my way out of the mass of people. It is just not comfortable to have people's stomachs, butts, and everything else smashing into you while on the bus! Half the time, I want to ask my neighbor, "Do you have enough space?"and then I realize that would be a completely ridiculous question because I can't give them more space, and they don't care anyways.

Life abroad. What an adventure. (wry smile)

Workshops

Well, life is so full lately, but so much of the same, that I don't really know what to say. My voice is normal again, thank goodness! It wasn't really on Tuesday, but I didn't get a chance to talk to Bill Hybels anyways. And yes, I would have been able to because I attended a workshop where he was the speaker. He flew down to Nicaragua for this leadership training day, and many people from the Nehemiah Center went. It only cost me $5 to see the great Bill Hybels!

Alicia and I decided that he's not necessarily the great Bill Hybels, though. At least not in Nicaragua. He was not culturally aware, and this ignorance was a major short-coming. And I'm a little wary of the big power executive type pastors anyways. I agreed with some of the things he said, and I disagreed with others. He said that you can rank people on a leadership scale. He made it seem too easy. What qualities make a good leader? (please feel free to respond because I'm seriously wondering) I don't think he can make a person a 2 and another person an 8 unequivocally. He also said that the 8s won't follow a 2, but isn't serving others part of leadership - even if the person isn't as good of a leader? I think it will make a good KSP paper for next semester.

I am attending a lot of workshops and conferences with the Nehemiah Center. I go to their trainings for church leaders and write reflections. I hear that the Ezra Team is pleased with the speed with which I finish my tasks. María Luisa, one of my supervisors, says that they don't want to abuse my time, but I tell her, please do! I love working there. It puts a smile on my face all the time.

I also enjoy riding the bus and talking to Roberto. He is becoming a good friend of mine, and we talk about some really deep stuff. He is a nice bridge for me because I feel like I can be honest - completely - with him, and I can ask him awkward questions about culture, religion, anything. I got to see him in action last Sunday (see picture above), and I enjoy knowing more about his work since I'm at the Nehemiah Center with him.

Life in León is good. I feel more and more Nica all the time. I will be glad to go back home, but if I decided that this was going to be my life, I think I would be very excited about that too. The culture here is very alive and rich. There are more and more gigantonas (tall dancing woman - really a small boy under a costume) and drummers in the streets, practicing for December 7, the big celebration of Mary in León. When it comes, I'll explain what I see. From what I hear, it's sort of like our Halloween - Catholics go from house to house, sing a song of exaltation to Mary, and receive treats from the owners of the houses. It will be interesting to see.

I think I'll sign off for now. Tonight they are going to operate on my Papito (my mamá's father) because his prostate is enlarged and he is experiencing a lot of pain. Please pray for guidance for the doctors and healing for Papito. May the Lord bless and keep you.

Frog with Laryngitis (is that how you spell laryngitis?)

Yes, I sound, as Roberto says, like a jovencito en desarrollo - a developing youngster. I have a bit of a cold. It hit really fast, and I have the same symptoms as my sister Marlen, and now my voice sounds weird! I can't talk loudly without squeaking!

But it's not keeping me down, gracias a Dios! Saturday I hung out with Hannah Ponstein, and we had a good chat. Sunday our group of Dordt students went to Roberto's church and house. It was a great experience! Iglesia Los Cocos is quite a bit different from my host family's church. For one, it was huge. Instead of 40 people, it was more like 400. The music was not spontaneous; they invited predetermined people to come sing at certain times.

The message was about witchcraft. October 31 is a day of witchcraft in Nicaragua. Halloween in the United States is a festival, a day for dressing up and getting candy - primarily. Here, on the other hand, it is primarily a day of the occult and devil worship. So the message pointed out how our God is victorious over the evil powers of the world. I thought that it was very good for me to be in church hearing that message because in North America, we often ignore the spiritual realm except in theory. Here, people lose their lives because of witchery (human sacrifices were mentioned). Hearing a message about the evil influences of the world was a heart-opening experience. And it was empowering to pray that God would protect people and open the witches' eyes that what they are doing is wrong. God can save witches, as the pastor proclaimed.

We also took the Lord's Supper with the church. I have missed it, and it was great to be reminded about the body and blood of Christ through partaking of the bread and wine. It was one of the first days that I could put aside my critiquing and cultural analysis to worship God.

After church, we walked to Roberto's house. He is from the country - the outskirts of León. It's a simple block house with lots of trees. We enjoyed eating with him and hanging out, even though I got a lot of mosquito bites. Everyone from the group went except for Evan (who wanted to spend time with his host family), and we enjoyed the campo.

In the afternoon, I went with Roberto to a church. I listened to him present about the youth program that the Nehemiah Center has. One of the church members completed a course at the Nehemiah Center, and they are going to present the same course at the church. It was a challenge to the church to get involved with the youth in the community because youth are the most at-risk group in Nicaragua. It was good to hear the statistics about youth, hear the hope for change - and see Roberto working. :)

The work at the Nehemiah Center really inspires me. I like going to their workshops and presentations. They have good vision for the future, and their ministries are bearing fruit. Moreover, they are working with the local churches, and people are being transformed. Their lives are changing because God is changing their hearts. Glory to God!

Busy, busy!

I have not written in a long time. No, I did not fall off the face of the earth. I did not get sick. I did not get mugged or kidnapped. What I did do was start working!

Vacation ended last weekend, and I have been going non-stop since then. It's been great. I can't wipe the smile off my face. This is a slight problem because I don't want to encourage the men on the street, but I can't stop smiling because I feel so happy.

What has me so happy? Well, I'm almost done with my history and worldview classes, but that's not so joyful because I've been enjoying them, and I would have liked to dig into it deeper. But Tuesday, I started an internship/Spanish class/service-learning at the Nehemiah Center. I work with the Ezra Team, the national group of the Nehemiah Center. I thought that one day I would tell you all about the Nehemiah Center when I started my internship, but I haven't figured it out yet. So another day... haha

But my job: I work with the Ezra Team, doing what they need me to do. One aspect of my work with them is attending the workshops and conferences that they present and writing observations/reflections about them. This past week I went to one about HIV/AIDS. They told leaders of the churches in Managua about generalities about HIV/AIDS, and they'll follow up with another one in a month about a Biblical worldview on the issue. HIV/AIDS has become a widespread problem in Nicaragua, especially because of sexual promiscuity. It carries a great social stigma, and the Nehemiah Center is trying to teach the churches how to be places of hope and solidarity for the victims of the disease as well as educating their church members in order to avoid getting HIV.

Another part of my work involves the computer. The Nehemiah Center has "Congreso"s every year where they evaluate their work with the leaders of churches in different cities and encourage people to be agents of transformation. I made a directory of names of people who were most interested in different areas of capacitation from the Nehemiah Center. I also figured out the percentages of people's answers from 1-4 on a questionnaire about the changes that people and churches have undergone as a result of training from the Nehemiah Center.

Next on the list is creating a spreadsheet for a new area that the Ezra Team is working with, called Estelí, in the north of Nicaragua. I'm a bit intimidated because it will be a lot of work, but I'm glad to be of use to the people at the Nehemiah Center.

It is odd for me to be working there because they have been my "heroes" for a long time, since I came to Nicaragua two years ago. I think the Nehemiah Center has one of the best models for missions that I have seen, and I can't get over the fact that I actually belong there right now! I feel very grown up... Odd. But good.

Tonight, I'm having some girl bonding time with the Hannahs because we have missed each other! After being together for two weeks straight, we have been separated for a week, and it feels strange. So Hannah Ponstein is spending the night at my house, and we are going to catch up. Tomorrow morning most of us Dordt students are going to Roberto's church and house for lunch.

Roberto. I know that I have mentioned him before, but I would like to revisit this topic. Roberto is like our second-in-command. He is our main contact besides Alicia (program director) if there's a problem, and he is our contact in León. Because he lives in León, we commute to the Nehemiah Center together. He is my cousin through my host mamá. I have met his wife and two sons already. Roberto and I get along really well. The long bus ride offers us a chance to talk about a lot of things, and I would consider him a friend. I thank God for his presence in my life because talking to him puts me in a good mood, and he is willing to help me with anything - like traveling with me to and from Managua. So the social visit to his house tomorrow will be fun.

Thank God for good experiences. I have a lot to occupy my mind. I feel like there is always something I could do. In fact, I've had to turn my family down on some invitations lately because I need to focus on homework or something. Life is good. Rejoice with me!

But also remember those who are struggling. My papito - my mamá's father - is sick right now, something with his prostate. It's not getting much better, but the family wants to avoid surgery. Pray for wisdom, relief from pain, and healing for him. My church in Indiana has had several deaths, so pray for the congregation, please. They are being hit hard. Thanks for your support. I'm thankful to be part of the community of saints and the priesthood of believers.

The end of vacation...

I gave a brief summary of what we did in San Juan del Sur, but I thought I should expound on it a bit more. We three girls met up with the guys, and we stayed in a house in the mountains near San Juan del Sur. Although town was a half hour ride away, we could walk to several beaches.

The first beach we went to was Mayagual, where we had our surfing lessons. This beach was pretty empty because it is on a resort property. In the morning, we walked down the mountain, set up our umbrellas on the beach, and waited for our instructors. They brought our surf boards and taught us how to get up on the board. We practiced on land first, then we took our skills (or lack thereof) to the sea. During the 4 hours we were out there, I managed to ride a couple of waves. I never had a really good, in-control, long ride, but I had some success. I rode several waves into shore on my knees, I stood up several times but the wave ran out shortly, and a few times I caught a good one standing. They were long boards, so I just waited for the wave to break and stood as the momentum carried the board to shore. All in all, it was a very fun day!

The next day, our potential plans fell through. The boys decided to go to the beach and into town, but us girls stayed at the house. We had a relaxing time reading our homework and talking. We met up with the guys on the beach to watch the sunset. It was a great view, with rocks jutting into the sky and the clouds aflame with color.

It was a good experience. From our house, we saw monkeys. We got to cook for ourselves. I could dress however I wanted without worrying about whether or not my shirst was wrinkled (they dress much more neatly in Nicaragua, and they think Americans are sloppy - but I was a tourist so I could fulfill their expectations!). I had a great time talking with Hannah P and Hannah C, and I learned more about the guys in our group as well.

Regardless, I was happy to be back in Managua on Sunday night. The trip was taxing because we were always having to plan what we would do, haggle with taxi drivers (and usually ended up getting ripped off and spending more than we wanted), and be completely responsible for ourselves. It's nice to be back in the routine (or lack thereof) of school, as well.

Monday we had history class in the morning, and in the afternoon we had our worldview and transformational development class. I have been learning a lot from these classes and the readings, but I feel like we've barely gotten started! In reality, we only have one more class, and then the final at the end of the semester. Unfortunately, it seems these classes will stir the waters enough to muddy my thinking, but not hand the answers to life's problems back to me in a neat package at the end of the course.

This week will be challenging, I think. I already have a lot of ideas swirling in my head from the books we're reading. I think I will witness hard situations this week. Now we are in Costa Rica (after a day of traveling on a coach bus), and we are going to study Nicaraguan immigration here. Tomorrow we go to a Nicaraguan neighborhood in San Jose, and we will talk to Nicaraguans and work with Christ for the City programs. Thursday we have meetings with development groups. Friday is a sight-seeing day, and Saturday we return to Nicaragua. I am praying that God will give me strength to see hard things, and that I will have discernment to know what He is calling me to do about the problems I witness.

A few days ago I realized that I'm going to graduate in May. By then, I'll need to have some direction for the next step! Right now, I don't really know what that will be. As I read books and talk to people, I agonize over how God wants me to help others and how He wants to use me to solve some of the problems in the world. I start an internship/class with the Ezra Team at the Nehemiah Center next week, and I'm hoping this hands-on opportunity will help shape some of my thinking about the future. Please pray that I will be patient and wait for God's timing. Pray for those around the world who are suffering from injustice. Pray that we will all find the place and the task God is calling us to in order to be His agents of salvation in a broken world. Thanks.

Yeah Man

We on vacation!

Last Thursday (when I wrote that I was getting over dengue), we had our last class for over a week! Friday we went to the beach at Poneloya, about 20 minutes from Leon. I went with the Hannahs and their boyfriends, who were visiting on their break. We spent the night on the beach: swimming, watching the sunset, arguing whether or not that boat out there was a cruise ship, freaking out over all the little crabs on the beach (I was mostly the only one freaking out), and laying on our backs looking at the stars. It was a great weekend! We swam and walked a lot on Saturday, and others met up with us.

Sunday, I had bonding time with my papa. He, Alejandro (the 2 year old), and I were the only ones from my family who went to church. He played guitar to accompany all the songs, and I liked it. It was the first time I'd been to church with him. Afterwards, we ate lunch together at a comedor (he had traditional Nica soup, and I had roast chicken. Yum!), and I watched as he and Alejandro got their hair cut. I really enjoyed spending time with him because we don't see each other very much. We have an amiable relationship even though we don't know each other very well, though.

After getting back to the house on Sunday, I packed my stuff for 2 weeks and took a bus to Managua with the Hannahs, their boyfriends, John, and Daniel. John and Daniel got off the bus before us, and the rest of us got off and walked to the Nehemiah Center, where we spent the night. The boyfriends left the next morning at 5 a.m., and we girls took a taxi to the bus station at 9. A bus ride, taxi ride, ferry ride, and microbus ride later, we were at Hacienda Merida, our home for the next three days.

Hacienda Merida is on the island of Ometepe, in Lake Nicaragua. Hannah P, Hannah C, and I shared a room. We brought our own groceries, but we ate supper at the hostel's restaurant. The first night all three of us laid in a hammock together (they had HUGE hammocks!), and we saw some very large spiders. Like the size of a saucer... They freaked us out so the first night, I kept waking up and shaking my sheet, imagining spiders in my bed!

The next day, we were going to hike the extinct volcano Maderas, but after reading signs about how it took 10 hours, required a guide, and was a very difficult, we skipped it. Then we were going to hike to the San Ramon waterfall, but when we woke up in the morning, we decided we'd seen several waterfalls in Nicaragua, and it wasn't worth a 5 hour hike. So we relaxed, took a little walk, and swam in the lake.

The next day, we kayaked to Monkey Island in the morning. Everyone told us not to get close to the monkeys because they are aggressive, and we believed them! But we saw them, and we took pictures. :) At noon, we baked bread with the staff in the kitchen, and they let us try our handiwork - so we got free lunch! Then we embarked on a three hour tour...

We kayaked to the Rio Istiam, in between the two volcanoes on Ometepe Island. It took us about an hour and a half to get there, but we made pit stop so I could take a dip in the water. The river is actually more of a swamp, and we manuevered our way through plants, trees, and narrow passages. It was an interesting experience! We paddled back to Hacienda Merida, very tired because we were fighting the waves and wind, and relaxed that evening. The next morning, our microbus driver picked us up and we left the island.

Us girls had a great time hanging out together. I really appreciate the Hannahs. It is easy to lump them together because they have the same name, but they ARE actually different people, with different personalities. :) They have really blessed me here in Nicaragua, and we are becoming good friends. I could not have asked God to provide better companionship for this trip. I really enjoy spending time with them. We have our funny experiences, shared quotes, etc. Therefore, we have had a great break, hanging out with just the three of us.

Yesterday, we met up with some other guys. Evan, his friend Mike, and Alex, plus us girls, are at San Juan del Sur, a beach in southern Nicaragua on the Pacific. We have rented a house together, up in the mountains. Today we learned how to surf. Plans for tomorrow are pending. We go back to Managua on Sunday. I think that all in all, it has been a great break, and going with other students means that we are all scrambling to finish our homework!

So I'm thankful for good friends, good views, good times, and a good God!

P.S. The title is what Hannah, Hannah, and I say a lot on this trip. :)

The Saga Continues...to the end

I had dengue! I found this out after going to the doctor again yesterday. I woke up in the morning with weird blotches on my legs, and after they didn't fade or go away by lunch, I texted Maria, our nurse. She suggested I go back to the doctor. So I did.

I took a taxi all by myself, gave the directions to the office, waited for the doctor, and had a visit. He took my temperature, looked at my limbs, felt around a bit, and said it was the dengue leaving. He told me not to scratch (it's itchy), and keep drinking a lot.

Praise God! I had been feeling nervous, but I was glad to pay the doctor just to tell me I was getting better. :) It feels like quite the health saga, just emotionally. I was feeling afraid of what would happen, getting better or worse. I'm so thankful that my experience with dengue was minor, and that I'm getting better now! See, they call dengue the breakbone fever because it is very painful, and most people who have had it have been in the hospital with it. I only had sore muscles and a high fever one day!

And I'm better just in time because today begins our fall break! Tomorrow we are going to the beach, and we're going to spend the night there. On Sunday, the Hannahs, their boyfriends, and I will go to Managua. The boys go back to Dordt, and we chicas embark on an adventure to Ometepe, an island in Lake Nicaragua. Then Thursday we'll go to San Juan del Sur to meet up with the guys at a beach house and finish up the week there.

It will be exciting. We still have to plan the trip - good thing it's Nicaragua! :)

and in health!

Well, life never seems to go quite like I plan. I thought I would go to the finca on Saturday, but I didn't. I was tired, and I thought I would recover better if I just slept at home. So I stayed at the house, and throughout the day, I talked to a nurse who takes care of us Dordt students here - Maria. She took me to the doctor in the afternoon because I still had a fever. The doctor thought it might be dengue because I am taking pills to protect me against the other mosquito viruses. I wasn't sure because I only had a fever and fatigue, not severe muscle pain or other symptoms of dengue. The remedy for dengue is to drink a lot of gatorade and water, take tylenol, and rest. So, I did that. Sunday morning I went to the clinic for a blood test, and the doctor didn't say much about the results. If I continued to have a fever, I was supposed to get another blood test and see him again.

I was home alone Sunday afternoon. My family went out with a visitor, and I was able to have the house to myself. It was great! I enjoy being alone in the place I live, and this was the first time I've been home alone in Nicaragua. I was able to relax.

Thanks be to God, Monday morning the fever was gone! I went to class in Managua, and the fever hasn't returned. I'm so thankful because I was beginning to feel discouraged. I was sick because I had a fever, but I didn't really feel sick. It was a disconcerting state of health, not getting worse or better for days... Praise God for his healing touch!

Because of my illness, I wasn't able to join my class on a trip to Santa Maria and Somotillo today and tomorrow, but I think the rest will be good for me. This weekend starts our fall break, and then I will have a nice combination of relaxation and busyness, I think.

In Sickness...

Wednesday, I felt fine. In fact, Alex's host dad had just commented how I hadn't been sick at all because I was "fuerte" (strong). But then Thursday night, I was shivering, and I woke up sweating with a fever - 102 according to my disposable thermometer that I still had from the H1N1 breakout. So I stayed in bed, sick-sick-sick yesterday. When my fever was higher at night, I was afraid I would have to go to a clinic. I called the nurse who takes care of us students here, and she told me to push the fluids and try to stay cool. So, I did, and I felt better.

Thanks be to God, my fever was gone this morning! Throughout the day, it's risen a bit. I'm a bit nervous about a relapse, but I think I'm on the mend. Tomorrow I'll go to the finca with my mama so that the mother hen can keep an eye on her chick. :) God is good, and I'm thankful that I don't have more symptoms than the fever today. Please pray for health to be fully restored to me and the others in the group who are under the weather.

Hard Times

Last night, I really missed my Grampa. I was thinking about things that I have suffered in my life, and his death in March has played a huge role in my life this year. My cousin Taylor and I drove a 13 hour (one-way) road trip from Dordt to Ohio to visit Grampa in the hospital, thinking we might never see him again. I got to see him again when I went home for Spring break in March, and I was there when he died.

Grampa's death was the key motivating factor to me living with Gramma this summer. I realized that my idea to live with Grampa and Gramma "someday" wasn't actually much of a plan. Gramma needed someone, and neither of us are getting any younger. So I lived with her this summer and learned a whole new dimension of family.

I was thinking about Grampa because I was thinking about visiting hospitals and suffering. I visited my friend, Daniel, in the hospital last weekend. Well, it was a clinic, not a hospital, but it felt like a hospital. He had pneumonia and had gotten quite sick. So when we found out, some of us went and visited him, IV and all. I don't really know how to visit people when they're sick. The last time I had to was when I visited Grampa...

Daniel is on the mend, though, gracias a Dios. He came with us to the Museum of Legends and Myths today, and he is here with me at the internet cafe. Yes, I'm using a Cyber for the first time. Usually I just go to a coffee shop, buy coffee, and ask for their wireless internet password. But this method is much cheaper. I'll probably switch between the two.

Another reason I was thinking about Grampa is because I was thinking about suffering. Two nights ago, I had a really good conversation with my mamá and younger sister Juniette. They ended up telling me more about their lives and how they've come to live in the house. Mamá went through a lot of suffering. Sometimes she couldn't feed the girls, and she had to rely on God for her daily needs. When they asked me to tell my story, Grampa dying and the events related have probably been one of the hardest times in my life.

Grampa is also the person closest to me who has died. One of Juniette's best friends just died yesterday. She was hit by a truck, and her entrails, according to Juniette, were outside of her. The doctors operated three times, but at the end they couldn't put her together again. Her parents decided to take her off life support, and today Juniette is going to her friend's funeral.

There are times when life is just hard.

It feels a little cheap to smooth the rough edges of pain with comforting words about God. But after the pain subsides, I'm sure glad to find out He's been there the whole time, holding us in His arms.

Mountain Time

The trip to Matagalpa was great. I went there two years ago with Prof. Bajema, and I was surprised by how much I remembered. This place must have left a huge impression on me.

We drove from the Nehemiah Center on Tuesday morning in two Toyota Hilux trucks. I was in a truck with Alma (a Nicaraguan who works with CRC ministries and teams that come to visit), Evan, and the Hannahs. Alex, Daniel, and John went with Lester (a guy who works as a tourist guide but also does stuff for the Nehemiah Center). We drove north, had lunch in the city of Matagalpa, and drove farther north. We went to visit Acción Médica Cristiana in the El Tuma/La Dalia/Santa Luz area. They are an organization that trains farmers on the landbanks of La Esperanza, El Progreso, and Nueva Jerusalen, which have been purchased through funds from the Farmer 2 Farmer program. We spent our time at Nueva Jerusalen, which is about 2 years old. Tuesday afternoon we saw their community area: gathering place, kitchen, mess hall, bio-digester for gas. When we went to AMC’s headquarters to stay there for the night, we ate supper and hiked around the coffee plantation there. It was interesting to see coffee growing right on the bushes. We could touch it and know that it could potentially be in our coffee cups eventually.

Wednesday after breakfast we drove out to Nueva Jerusalen again. Thank the Lord that it hadn’t (and didn’t) rain those few days we were there because the road was difficult enough without being slippery and wet! We worked in the garden in the morning, digging holes and constructing table things to put vegetable tires on. Well, some of us worked, and some of us went around with Chipito and ate fresh oranges off the tree and had him explain the idea of the coffee machine/process they have, and then we worked after that. J After lunch we walked up through the forest area to a waterfall, and we swam in our clothes. It was fun!

We also visited two families each (in two groups), talked to them about their lives, and saw their land. Our second visit with Don Digno, we walked around his land, saw his crops, and sucked on sugar cane. The farmers were very open and excited to share their hopes with us. They all said they are happy to be on the land bank, working to pay off their own land, and providing for their families. I think it must be a very hard life because they are subsistence farmers, and I don’t know how they earn money to pay for things, but the Lord provides. Their joy and contentment amidst their worries was evident, and I am convinced that Farmer 2 Farmer, Acción Médica Cristiana, and the Lord are doing good work among these Nicaraguans, bringing them together in community and teaching them new things.

Wonderfully, I thought I was going to be cold the first night, but then Alma came to the rescue and got us blankets so I could take off a few layers of clothes.

This is Don Digno, a farmer we talked to in the afternoon. He was happy to show us his parcel of land (nearly 6 acres), teach us the names of plants, and give us sugar cane to suck on.

We worked hard in the morning, digging holes, hauling dirt, and pounding nails. Even the girls got to do some of it!

This is the waterfall we hiked to, and we swam at the bottom of it, in a little pool.

And our final product at the end of the morning - elevated flower beds!

New Session

¡Buenos días! ¡Mucho gusto! I have been meeting a lot of people here at the Nehemiah Center yesterday and today. We had our first day of class in Managua yesterday, and I really enjoyed it. A full 8 hours of class is a bit intense, but I like the content of the classes. Here’s what the day looks like:

6 am: get picked up by Roberto – either in microbus or camioneta

8 am: arrive at the Nehemiah Center, have devotions with the staff for an hour

9 am: start History and Culture of Nicaragua class with Joel Huyser and Alicia Hamming

12 pm: class ends, lunch time!

1 pm: start Worldview and Development class with Jim Padilla-DeBorst and Steve Holtrop, with lively discussions (hopefully) about how to make the world a better place, especially in Nicaragua

4 pm: get out of class

I assume that on normal days we will go back to León after 4, but yesterday we spent the night at the Nehemiah Center. That meant a huge amount of time with internet access! It was great. I got to call my parents, and I set up a Skype account. Granted, my computer doesn’t have a mic or web cam, but I can borrow my classmates’ stuff or I can buy something. I decided that I miss talking voice to voice with people. Although I don’t have consistent internet access, at least I have the option of using these things now. I’m also thankful for the gmail call option that’s available now – it’s free! And you know, being a cheap girl like I am, I always like free stuff.

Today we are going to Matagalpa. It’s a region in the mountains. We are going to visit landbanks and talk to people there. I am looking forward to it. I am a little nervous I will be cold. I accidentally brought along my sweatpants to Nicaragua, and I thought the only place I might use them would be in the mountains. But we didn’t know we were going to Matagalpa until we were in León yesterday, so my sweatpants are still in my dresser at my house in León… Rats! I will probably wear them sometime just on principle. But yesterday was a lot cooler in Managua, and we have our classes in the media room at the Nehemiah Center, which is air-conditioned, so I was almost cold! It was a wonderful feeling after weeks of sweating most of the time. J

So, life is good. I learned some tongue-twisters in Spanish from Don Antonio, one of the men here, today. It was fun. I am looking forward to spending time at the Nehemiah Center for classes. The people here are great: friendly, godly, supportive, committed. I’m glad to be here. The classes seem interesting, and they are already helping me get a better picture of people in Nicaragua and some of the things that confuse me about my host family. Lord willing, I will learn a lot and be able to witness to God’s transforming grace in my life to the people with whom I interact.

Prayer request: my church at home in Indiana has been going through a hard time. There have been a couple of shocking deaths, and I think the community is really hurting right now. I’m praying for them here, but I feel pretty disconnected. Ask God to wrap his arms around them. And for me, pray that I will have the words to speak and God’s love to show to the people here in Nicaragua.

School's out!

Today was our last day of Spanish classes. We started the Monday after we arrived, and we’ve had class for four hours a day since then – three weeks. We walk to Iglesia Filadelfia, where the pastor and his family graciously opened the second floor of the church for us to use. It was a bit rustic, but it was cool when the wind blew, and we could learn more about Nicaraguan life with a bird’s eye view.

I had an individual class with Professor Raúl. We studied the life, works, and literary movement of Rubén Darío, a native Nicaraguan. He lived in the late 1800s, early 1900s. The literary movement Modernismo thrived and died with him. He traveled a lot, and he wrote poems and short stories while being a diplomat and newspaper writer (periodista). I have really enjoyed learning more about Hispanic literature, especially this Nicaraguan author. He grew up in León, so there are monuments and things named after him all over the place. He is entombed in the cathedral in the plaza here, and I visited his house for a field trip.

I decided that it is really exciting to study in a place where the things I am studying actually took place. We get to go out and see the places we read about. The people here are very passionate about their heritage and history, so it is interesting to talk to them about different subjects. My host family does not always seem very well-informed, but they support my studies. Raúl says that I can participate in discussions about Rubén and his works now because I’ve learned about it. Perhaps he has more faith in me than he should, but the class has gone well. Instead of a final exam, I’m writing a research paper covering Modernism, how it began, Rubén Darío’s influence, and analyzing his principal books. It’s a beast. However, I have til Monday to finish it, and I can see the end of the tunnel. It’s calling my name, though, so I should work on it some more before I have a sleepover at Hannah Ponstein’s house tonight. Oh, the life of a student… J

We take two breaks during the class. Alex and Hannah Ponstein are relaxing in the window.

The other group I go to class with – the Hannahs and Alex – study on the other end.

This is the corner where Raúl and I discuss the literature and culture of Nicaragua.

A Healing Balm

Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

~ Psalm 139:4

God is so good! On Friday, I realized that I was feeling overwhelmed by life. I needed some down time, some peace and quiet. Well, I didn't get an empty house or a remote island, but I got a farm, and people to encourage me. Friday night my mamá asked me if it was easy for me to leave my family since I was used to it or if I missed them. As I told her, "a little of both" I started crying. I missed them especially on Friday, and a whole combination of things led to a (long-overdue and completely normal for me) crying spell. So she left me alone for a bit and I talked to God about how I was feeling. I realized that I haven't taken much time off. I have been going and going, and not just taking time off. Plus, life here in Nicaragua takes a lot of work. I have to plan everything more because it takes more time. Things like internet are not just right there at my fingertips. I walk a lot of places, so it takes time. And I'm always thinking about whether or not I'm saying the right things (grammar and content), dressing the right way, etc. It's a lot of mental pressure, I think. And I didn't realize these things until I realized I was feeling overwhelmed. So I prayed for some peace...

Saturday, I went with my family to the finca, the family "farm" just out of León. It was beautiful! It wasn't the middle of nowhere, but it was quieter, and I felt very peaceful there. I also got to meet more of my "family." Roberto is one of the people who helps us from the Nehemiah Center this semester, and he lives in León. He's actually my cousin through my host family. I got to go to his house with his brother, Mauricio, on a motorcycle. I love motorcycle rides! Even in Nicaragua, when I was a bit more nervous because people here drive crazy! I really like talking to Roberto, and I get along well with him and Mauricio. I got to see wedding pictures and all sorts of things.

My family was worried that I was bored at the finca, but it was a balm to my frayed nerves. Even though I wasn't all by myself, I had peace and quiet. The church service we'd been planning on going to was cancelled because of rain, so we spent the whole day at the finca, rain and all. When we got home, I went to bed.

On Sunday I went with Roberto and another student, Alex, to Poneloya. Alex played baseball with a group there, and I spent the day with Roberto, his pastor friend Rodrigo, and Alex. I also met a girl from North Carolina who married a Nicaraguan. It was nice to make new friends. We went to an island at Poneloya where Rodrigo's wife works, and it was a beautiful place.

So even if it wasn't exactly what I craved on Friday, the weekend was a great experience. It was relaxing and peaceful. I got to spend time with people who make me feel comfortable and accepted for who I am. Because Roberto works at the Nehemiah Center, he has a bigger worldview than many Nicaraguans here, so I feel closer to him in our theological perspectives, too. God definitely answered my prayers and fulfilled my needs this weekend. Praises are unceasing.

The finca in the rain... So many fruit trees and exotic plants - but they belong here! It was gorgeous.

From vine, to mature, to glass - the journey of granadilla, a fruit that makes a great "fresco" with little seeds in it.

I miss my bike - so I got to take a little tour around the finca on the bike there. :) Good times.

Pictures of Life

Here are some pictures from Nicaragua!

Our group at the beach of Poneloya from left: Alex, Daniel, John, Hannah C, Evan, and Hannah P next to me in the front.

At a beauty pageant at UNAN the contestants needed to make their own outfit that represented something important to Nicaragua.

Our patio at my host family's house - with my freshly washed clothes hanging up! :)

Me washing clothes in the lavadero.

My first Sunday here was my "nephew" Alejandro's birthday, and we took pictures at the church. They sang to him during the service, but it's a small church with only 40ish people. The girl is a "cousin" who was actually named after one of the Dordt students last year - Genesis Nadji.

Solitude

Life in Nicaragua has been good lately, but busy. I have had class in the morning this week. When I get home around 1:30, I eat lunch and do homework. One day I washed my clothes. This may not sound like a great act, but washing clothes in Nicaragua means I haul my laundry out to the lavadero/pila (a big concrete sink thing with water in the middle and two shallow areas that drain on the sides), wet it, soap it, scrub it by hand, rinse it, squeeze it out, and hang it on the line in the courtyard. I actually like doing it, but it's quite time-consuming.

My homework usually consists of reading books by or about Ruben Dario, one of Nicaragua's famous poets. He was actually a journalist, embassador, etc (he had a lot of different titles in his life) as well as the principal figure of the literary movement Modernismo. I have been reading his poems and short stories. This weekend I get to read his thoughts about Nicaragua after he returned for a visit after being in Europe a long time. As a visitor to Nicaragua, I like reading what he appreciated and disliked about his home country.

Last night I went to a beauty pageant sort of thing at the university of Leon (UNAN). The candidates wore traditional dresses, then a costume they made representing something important to Nicaragua (ocean, corn, sun), and finally evening dresses. Between times there were groups that danced and a lot of shouting from the students who were there. After we left the auditorium, my sisters and I had trouble hearing!

This weekend I'm going to the family farm with my mama, then church in the afternoon. Sunday I'm going to the beach for a church service with a pastor who ministers to the youth in Poneloya through sports. After the service I'll watch one of my fellow students, Alex, play baseball.

In the midst of all the busyness, I'm feeling a bit revuelto - scrambled. I think perhaps I need to have some quiet time, but it's hard to find quiet time because there's always someone at my house. I don't like just sitting in my room because 1) it's hot, 2) I can still hear everything because the house is pretty open, 3) I feel like I'm missing things. I'm finding it hard to balance life here in Nicaragua: family and friends, homework and free time, etc. Please pray that I'll be able to decide what things I need to do. I would love to have some alone time, as well, but at this point I don't see how that would be possible because someone is always around me - in the house, in public, when we go out as friends...

Don't get me wrong - I like the things I'm doing. I just feel tired and frazzled today, and I don't know how to make it better. I know that things will change, and with some sleep tonight I'll probably feel better about life. However, I also know that I have a tendency to put other people and their wishes ahead of what's best for me and my relationship with God. Pray for me to be firm about my priorities. Thanks.

Meal Time

Usually the hardest thing to get used to when living in a new place is the food, and Nicaragua is no exception. So far, I have liked most of the food. However, it is completely different from what I eat in the States. Typical meals include rice and tortillas with everything. There are a lot of eggs, some meat (fried chicken, sauteed beef), and cheese. I have eaten some typical foods like nacatamal (a special dish with barbecued pork and corn mash cooked in a banana leaf) and fish soup. Their soup has huge chunks of stuff in it, though - like meat, casava, platanos, etc. You need a fork to eat it! Yesterday my mama and I cooked flan together (with instant mix, not from scratch), and it turned out well!

Although I like the food pretty well, my family usually gives me way more than I can eat comfortably. Meal time is a struggle: me against the food, who will win? Can I eat it all? Ironically, in the second poorest country in the Western hemisphere, my friends and I have been trying to come up with ways to avoid eating so much. I mean no disrespect, but the amount of food we are expected to eat here is one of my biggest struggles. That said, the past few days have been better. I think it's a combination of me getting more of an appetite as I get accustomed to the place and the heat as well as the influence of my comments to my Nicaraguan sisters that I don't understand how they can eat so much all the time!

With these improvements in mind, my Hannah friends and I have been joking about ways we can creatively avoid eating. I thought it might be humorous to share a few:

The classic: let the pets have a few bites

The effective: tell them you don't feel good and they let you skip a meal or eat way less

The sneaky: take some of your food with you when you need to leave for class or something, and give it to one of the Dordt boys with a ravenous appetite

The honest: admit you can't eat it all and save it for a mysterious, undetermined "later"

The homemaker: eat when no one else is around and put half of your plate back in the pot

The busy: schedule meetings close to meal times so that you can say you’ve already eaten (preferably the meeting should have something edible there)

The family-oriented: give food to your siblings or little kids running around the house

Thankfully, I no longer have to implement these strategies, but some day they might come in handy for your travels! J

And yes, the plate in the picture is something I ate last weekend at the beach, but I had to have someone else turn it over for me because I couldn't touch the fish head!

Immersion

Being in a foreign culture, I´ve decided, is a lot like jumping off a diving board into a pool. At first, it is amazingly refreshing. The water caresses your skin and you feel alive. Pretty soon, you realize you can’t breathe and you want out. But, if you´re in the middle of swimming lessons, they don´t let you out. Then you get mad at everything. The water, the swim instructors, yourself, etc. I’m not a swimmer, but I think that the idea is that you finally get accustomed to the water, get in the zone, and fit.

This idea goes along with a seminar I heard at the Nehemiah Center last Saturday, the 28^th of August. Mark and Nancy V, who work with CRWM at the Nehemiah Center, talked about the stages of transition. First comes fun = the honeymoon stage. Then, flight and all its avoidance issues. After you progress to fight, where you can´t stand it anymore and think it stupid, to be extreme. At the end, you fit. Acceptance and openness to living.

I think people sway on a pendulum through these stages quite a lot through any transition, but eventually they stay in the category of acceptance and fitting more often. My experience with Spanish and the Nicaraguan culture has been like that.

At first, I loved it all. I didn’t feel like anything was going badly. There were things to get accustomed to, but it was okay. Speaking Spanish a lot of the time was exciting for me. There are things that are really hard to talk about, or I feel mute sometimes. However, I haven’t been too embarrassed about asking people to repeat themselves. I feel comfortable enough with the language that I can have good conversations with people. I thank God for my host family. I was really nervous about it, but they are great. We are still getting accustomed to each other, but I think it will be a great friendship.

I have three sisters: Karen, with a 2 year old son; Marlen, a university student, and Juniette, still in high school. My papá works at a metal recycling place. He goes to work early in the morning, comes home at night, and goes to bed. I don’t know him very well yet. But we smile at each other happily. My mamá works at the national University in León as a facilitator to the dental students. She is very affectionate, and we’ve had a lot of [scary] conversations about some deep stuff, like immigration, racism, church issues, etc. It is hard to express myself on these issues in English, worse in Spanish.

I was in flight stage last Sunday in church. Everything was very different, and I felt very uncomfortable. The service wasn’t bad, but very different. The women all wore veils to cover their hair, everyone kneels to pray, they pray all together in audible voices, everyone leads a song, etc. I think I will grow to like it, but it was intimidating.

The fight stage hasn’t been very strong yet. I had a few feelings of rejection of Nica life, but they have passed. I need to remember to bring my feelings before God and ask him to guide me. You can pray for the Spirit´s guidance in my words and actions.

I have been feeling pretty good. They eat a ton of food at once here, and I have trouble eating it all. I´ve felt a bit nauseous in the morning, but nothing too unusual for me. My stomach usually reflects my stress level.

I really like my Spanish class right now. I have an individual study on Rubén Darío and his literature. I learned about the literary movement Modernism, and now I´m reading poems and short stories from Darío. Next week, professor Raúl and I will visit Darío´s house of culture and his tomb.

I have been learning a lot. Although I´ve only been in Nicaragua a little over a week, it feels like a long time. There are a lot of things to get used to, but God is good, and He is faithful. I´m so thankful that I serve a God who takes care of me wherever I am. He is a God of love. My mamá reminded me that God´s love is what I need to focus on while I´m here, not all the issues that overwhelm me. Hooray.