Cool Presentations

This weekend I was with a team that is looking into how they can be involved in Nicaragua in the future, and I made a presentation on Prezi, a format I have never tried before, to explain the work of Christian Reformed World Missions in León. It turned out really well! Since I am so proud of it, I wanted to share it with you about the kinds of things I am involved with. Perhaps it lacks some explanation for you, but you can still get an idea.

CRWM in León

The rest of the weekend went really well. After an explanation of everything on Saturday morning, we ate lunch together (team and guides). Then we went to a neighborhood where the community development program is going strong, and we watched women learn how to make cushions while talking with them about their microenterprise. The team got to ask the ETU leaders questions about their community initiatives. Then they bought a bunch of handicrafts from the girls who were learning needlework crafts as well.

After the ETU community, we visited a business owner at her stall in the main park. She makes and sells preserves. In the morning she goes to the market and buys seasonal fruit, and then she transforms it into jellies, preserves, and spreads. Her daughter takes pictures and puts them on facebook, and people can order the wares that day. They deliver same day via motorcycle or send it with a bus if the people live outside of León. This business woman believes in using natural ingredients even though she is a chemist and knows how to mix the preservatives. From raw material to consumer takes one day, which is pretty cool.

Then we went and talked to Lourdes and Alejandro, a pastoral couple who have seen their marriage, family, and church turn around because of God, recognizing their worth in his eyes, and some Nehemiah Center programs. Pretty cool testimonies, and I happen to like them a lot as a couple.

After a delicious supper with some mint lemonade slushies and rich ice cream, we went to my house for a debriefing time. The team left just as it began to pour, and I had a good night's sleep. Sunday morning was sunny for our stroll around downtown León before church. We saw the cathedral, the public university, the church where Mary is the patron, and murals celebrating the Nicaraguan revolution. We worked up a good sweat in the León heat and humidity before going to church at 10 am at Promesa, my church home here. After singing some good songs and hearing a message about trusting God's promises in the midst of our difficult situations, we went to the beach for a swim and fish for lunch. Then they were gone.

Wow! A whirlwind, but a good taste of what goes on in León, and a reason that I'm quite satisfied with my weekend even though I spent it working very hard. We'll see what God does next!

At the Gate

Houston.

The last time I was in this airport, I was running to catch a flight and worrying about not being with my friend because she had missed the last flight. January 2, 2015. The day I moved to Nicaragua.

And here I am again, but today I have lots of time and free internet. I don't think I knew what to expect over a year and a half ago as I dashed through the terminals, but I didn't expect this. I didn't expect to find such good friends in Nicaragua, friends Nicaraguan, Canadian, American... I didn't expect to have to suffer through over a year of ambiguity as we were involved in strategic planning meetings, feeling like everything was up in the air and feeling responsible because I was on the committee. I didn't expect to be coordinating IMPACT Clubs and watching leaders and young people change as they struggle to figure out how to do life in the balance of ideals and reality. I didn't expect to become a bridge between Nicaraguan and North American churches and subsequently become the coordinator of the whole church partnership project. I didn't expect people to let me into their lives and to come into mine. I didn't expect so much joy, or so much sorrow.

But I think I hoped.

Sometimes in the midst of busyness and the long to-do list, I get bogged down in negativity. I forget that I'm in Nicaragua because God wants me there, and He wants to use me for his glory. Like Jeremiah or Gideon, I tell God that he is probably wrong about wanting me for the job. I tell myself that I am just a normal person and begin to think of my life in small terms. I forget that I (along with every other human being) have been crafted by hand, prepared for good works long in advance. What I am doing in Nicaragua is special not because I am a missionary, but because God has crafted and called me to do it. The same as he crafts and calls the people who pick up garbage or repair cars or teach children or walk with old people or do anything that matches their gifts and joy to the world's needs.

Some days, dashing through life (or airports) I forget about the beauty and wonder of being me, of doing what I do. Going to North America on home service trips reminds me to reflect on what I do and why I do it. It reminds me that I have a purpose and place in Nicaragua. It reminds me that I firmly believe in the diversity and unity of the Body of Christ, and I want to be part of its physical manifestation in the world.

I'm on my way to Alberta, Canada. I'll get to meet with churches who partner with the Nehemiah Center and talk about our future together. I'll get to thank supporters and update them about what is going on. I'll get to enjoy my first Oudman pig roast (famous in our family) and celebrate Canadian thanksgiving with people who share my blood. I'll get to spend time with my parents and brother, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends. I'll get to practice English and learn how to really say things again. And hopefully,  in the midst of the work and the family and everything, I will be able to remember that I am God's handiwork... and see others that way, too.