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.