January Newsletter: ETU

The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. ~1 Thess. 5:24

Sometimes the most difficult part of new beginnings is knowing where to start. Such is the case with a newsletter, and such is the case with me in Nicaragua. When I arrived at the Nehemiah Center on January 6 for my first day of work, my supervisor, Steve Holtrop, explained the overall idea of the Cohort program and what is expected of me. The details will be worked out over time, he said. For the first time in my life, I am in charge of my activities! However, I am not alone. In this Cohort of Missioners endeavor, I walk alongside a team of people. Mark from Michigan has been in Nicaragua since June. Guissel (GEE-cell) came from Costa Rica in August. Gordon and Peggy, a retiree couple who act as our supervisors and mentors, have been in Nicaragua for over a year. I am not alone in a nebulous cloud of responsibilities; rather, I am joining a group of people who have been in discussion for months about what God wants for this program in Nicaragua. Mostly, we are seeking to live in community with the people around us. Right now, this means I am living with a Nicaraguan host family, working with programs established through the Nehemiah Center, and visiting various churches. The Nehemiah Center programs in which I work focus on community development and partnerships between North American and Nicaraguan churches. Step by step, I am learning how to walk alongside churches and communities in their journey of transformation. Nicaraguans and North Americans walk alongside each other as we follow Christ.

Please and Thank You --Thank the Lord for a safe trip to Nicaragua, and a wonderfully comfortable home with a good family! --Thanks for work that I enjoy in church and community development --Thanks that I have not gotten ill from the food or water --Thanks that Mark, Guissel, and I (the members of the Cohort) are getting along very well --Ask God to help our Cohort to bond well as friends and a team --Ask for patience and humility as I continue to adjust to Nicaraguan culture and climate --Ask Jesus to fill me with his love and courage as I interact with those around me --Ask God to give us wisdom as we try to plan for future participants in the program, including budget considerations and living situations My first few days in Nicaragua were spent with my uncle and aunt on a ministry farm south of Managua. We put my carpentry skills to use making a bean dryer that uses solar energy to dry beans after they have been harvested. The Nehemiah Center has no office in León, where I live and work. However, Gordon and Peggy have opened their home to us for meetings and fun activities whenever we need. Sitting at a table, two of my guides in Nicaragua, Roberto (left) and Mark (right), plan upcoming visits to local communities where we are helping with development work. The Strategy for Urban Transformation (ETU for its acronym in Spanish) seeks to empower people living in poor neighborhoods to consider their strengths and assets and decide what they want to change without depending on outsiders, aka Asset-Based Community Development. A committee from local churches decides which neighborhood to approach, and a team of local leaders from that barrio works with the church committee to plan activities to improve the area. There are three barrios in León and two in Chinandega (the department to the north) where my fellow Cohorts and our boss from the Nehemiah Center, Roberto, have been working. In this coming year, we hope to work with churches to begin two more projects in León. I will spend the majority of my time in these seven communities, visiting them and helping where I can. As the ETU branch of the Nehemiah Center, we walk alongside the teams in the barrios, giving encouragement, suggestions, and providing opportunities for further training so that pastors and leaders can implement change in themselves, their families, churches, and communities.

To partner with me: Go to www.crwm.org/donate OR make out a  check to Christian Reformed World Missions, put WMLA 803904 in the memo line, and mail it to  CRWM USA 1700 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49508 unsubscribe from this list   update subscription preferences To contact me: Adrianna Oudman c/o Nehemiah Center Apartado Postal 1076 Managua, Nicaragua Email: adrianna.oudman@gmail.com Blog: adriannaoudman@blogspot.com

Why Me, Here?

I have recently begun reading Henri Nouwen's A Spirituality of Fundraising as part of my support-raising process, and it is helping me come back around to my money-raising ideals. Nouwen says that fundraising is in itself a ministry as we "proclaim what we believe in such a way that we offer other people an opportunity to participate with us in our vision and mission" (Nouwen 2010, 16).

Many people asked me in September what I will be doing, and why I specifically need to do it. Couldn't a Nicaraguan do what I do? Well, I don't know. Could someone else do what the pastor does? Could someone else build houses like my mother? Probably. But God has asked each of us to do our part, and living in Nicaragua is what he is asking from me now.

That said, there are reasons that I am uniquely fitted to this job of "intercultural facilitator." Let me share the vision with you.

1) Strong capability in both English and Spanish.
As an intercultural facilitator, I help bridge gaps between people who speak Spanish and those who speak English. Beyond translation and interpretation, I provide cultural insights. My fluency in both languages allows me to visit with people who speak Spanish or English, and I can move between the worlds with ease. If someone weren't as fluent in either Spanish or English, this job would be much harder to accomplish.

2) I have theological training which allows me to interact on the same level as the pastors with whom I work.
Working with pastors (though not being one) has been one of my desires since high school, but I never saw a way to do that without becoming a pastor myself. Because the Nehemiah Center focuses on the church as an agent of change in its community, I interact with pastors on a regular basis. A lifetime of Christian education plus 6 years of post-secondary concentration on theology allow me to understand what the pastors are discussing and engage with them on the same level. The other day I had a very interesting discussion with one Nicaraguan pastor about children at the Lord's Supper. Through working with Nicaraguan pastors, I have found that we have many common passions and interests because of our educational backgrounds.

3) I love the people with whom I work.
For me, this is not just a dream job because of the task description. I genuinely love the Nicaraguan pastors and leaders with whom I interact. I enjoy going to the Nehemiah Center and seeing both Nicaraguans and North Americans working together. Nicaraguan culture fits me well, from eating beans & rice to waving down a bus to dropping in for unexpected visits to arriving late. One of my friends called it an "affinity" for the people and way of life here. People have told me that they can sense the Nicaraguans like me, and they know I like them. To me, this is not just a job. It's about people for whom I care, and I am committed to them.

4) I want to see all nations and tongues gathered together praising the Lord already here on earth, learning from each other as Christians.
I really believe the Bible when it says that all nations, tribes, tongues, and languages will praise God in heaven (Rev. 7:9). I also believe that I am an ambassador for Christ who is called to participate in demonstrating God's Kingdom here and now. Of course, the way things work with God aren't going to be the way the whole world works yet, but I can point to it through my words and actions. Part of facilitating intercultural relationships is that we can all learn from each other. Perceptions that Nicaraguans have of Americans or Canadians can be altered through relationships. North Americans can learn from Nicaraguans as well. My role is to help them find points of learning and appreciate their diversity, all the while celebrating our unity in Christ that crosses barriers of language, borders, culture, and logic.

These are some of the main reasons I see myself here in Nicaragua. Maybe someone else could do what I'm doing, but God didn't ask someone else to do my job right now. He asked me. I am convinced that part of my job is to multiply my work and bring others into it as I go(scary for an independent learner/worker like me), but this is my role for now. I am here because God has shaped my path with a series of experiences, opportunities, talents, and personality traits that suit this position at the Nehemiah Center well. Will you join me in learning, bridging, praying, and celebrating with Nicaraguans and North Americans?

P.S. in case you're wondering exactly what this new job is, see my newsletter from August, under the heading "You're Doing What Now?"

Reflection: Armor of God

This morning as I desperately try to center myself on God's Word instead of spiraling out of control with all I feel is necessary to do today, I came to Ephesians 6. Interesting. A couple of months ago, a wise couple encouraged me to pray on the armor of God as I face challenges in Nicaragua. They prayed for my special protection in Nicaragua. This morning, talking to God about earthquakes, boys, and to-do lists, I come to this passage again:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand, therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:10-20 ESV

Well, God knows I need strength for chores, meetings, emails, church visits, etc. And the power of the evil one is strong, upsetting the peace, breaking relationships, spiraling us downward into negativity and doubt, choking out the peace and joy of Christ with saturated schedules. So how do I pray on the armor of God? Today I was thinking about what these pieces of "armor" may mean to me. It's not exegetical, but rather personal reflection...

having fastened on the belt of truth
Belts keep my pants up. They provide handy cell phone holders for some people. When I use truth as a belt, it keeps everything together. Integrity allows me to go out in public without worrying about shame (will my pants fall down in front of everyone?). Here in Nicaragua, many fathers discipline their children with a belt. Truth corrects, too. It may be very painful (not condoning familial violence, but it's a reality here) but truth is discipline. When I put on the belt of truth, it holds me in check (no loosening the belt to overeat at Thanksgiving).

having put on the breastplate of righteousness
In Spanish, righteousness and justice are translated as the same word. If I keep the values of equity and goodness close to my heart, justice will protect me. It's not my own good works, but the goodness of Jesus that protects vital organs and keeps me from harm. I don't have to believe the devil's accusations because Christ has covered me with his blood, with his justice. When I seek the good of others, I am protecting myself with the breastplate of justice.

as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace
Last night we had an earthquake in Nicaragua. We have to be ready to get up and take action at a moment's notice. People wear certain things to bed because of the reality that they may need to get up in the middle of the night due to an emergency situation. We keep our shoes close by so we can be ready for any situation. Readiness. And how does the gospel of peace affect my readiness? I suppose that for me today it means that I have peace about life and where I'm going because I believe the gospel that Jesus dies for me and wants me to have an abundant life; therefore, I'm ready for whatever comes. I can face life and death because of the life the Spirit of God has given me. Peace about eternity, peace about purpose. I can be ready to serve, ready to work, ready to run the race because of God's Good News.

In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one
Sometimes I think I'm strong enough on my own, that I don't need to be on the defensive because I can go an attack. I see this most when I rely on myself instead of depending on God. That's really what faith is, after all. A hope in what I don't see, assurance that God is working even when I can't see it. This dependence on His work protects me from attacks by the evil one. I don't need to be perturbed by the negative comments of coworkers, discouraged by questions from people back home, overwhelmed by the need around me. Firmly believing that God will show me one step at a time, provide for my needs, and make all things well in the end for His creation, I am protected from fatal wounds. When I lower my shield and act on my own, I am much more vulnerable.

take the helmet of salvation
A law recently passed that all motorcycle passengers need to wear helmets. Before only the drivers needed one, but now everyone does. Helmets could save one's life in an accident, protecting the skull from getting smashed against the pavement when there's a fall. Because Jesus has called me his own and I have chosen to live obediently, I am protected when I fall.

the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
If you look at how Jesus acts in Luke 4, it's pretty obvious that the Bible is the way to fight the devil, the world, and my own weak self. When I commit verses to memory or read the Bible in a way that it penetrates me, soaks into my being and changes who I am, I am arming myself. With a sword, I can defend and attack. Oh, may my attacks only be against evil and not against innocent civilians...

Prayer at all time for all the saints, and for myself to have the words I need, are always appreciated. I'll keep praying, and I hope you do, too. May we go out, protected, held up, and defended by what Jesus has done.

Re-entry into Nicaragua

After a whirlwind tour in North America during the month of September, I was ready for my normal life again. Don't get me wrong - it was a great trip. However, I drove roughly 2,000 miles, flew a distance of 1,735 within North America, and didn't stay longer than 4 consecutive days in one town. I presented in three churches, spoke with leadership of six others, and introduced myself in a few college classes. Visits with family and friends filled the rest of my time though I did squeeze in a few days of housecleaning and carpentry. At the end of the month put my logistics skills to use as a bridesmaid for one of my best friends from my time at grad school. By the end of the month, I felt like a chicken with my head cut off, and I was ready to return.

Nicaragua greeted me with muggy heat. The nights have cooled off since I left, and it gets dark earlier. The skies are often overcast with the seasonal rains (thank the Lord!) and the smell of water evaporating off the pavement mixed with fresh manure dropped from oxen going to market fills my nose. Occasionally the scent of jasmine or some other flowers wafts through the air, or food cooking on a barbecue. Buses honk as if to market their presence to passengers while the cars give a friendly beep to alert others of their presence. Motorcycle engines rev loud as they speed past and semi-truck transmissions growl through their gears. Vendors (mostly women) call out their wares in words difficult to distinguish: tortillas, atol, papaya, mousetraps... I'm eating rice and beans again, fresh fruit juices and iced coffee. Hanging clothes on the line and washing the small stuff by hand. Riding my bike or public transportation everywhere I need to go. Paying with cash instead of a card. Rocking in a rocking chair, typing away on a computer, watching the hummingbird visit our bush that's more like a tree. It's good to be back.

The sensory experiences welcome me, but so do the people. My first week back in Nicaragua I was tied up in an organizational evaluation of the Nehemiah Center so I was in Managua a majority of the days. It was great to be back with the Ezra Team and other colleagues of the Nehemiah Center, but I didn't feel like I was really back. I stayed near Managua for a week so that I wouldn't have to travel so much. Finally on Wednesday I returned to León and started catching up with life here. I've been meeting with my bosses, talking to fellow Cohort members, and visiting pastors and communities. Last night I went to IMPACT Club for the first time, and several youth showed up that I didn't expect to come. It's been good to return to Nicaragua. I'm encouraged by people's welcoming smiles, comfortable with my life, and expectant for the future. 

Pleading for Pennies

Yesterday I had the opportunity to make some real money. I strapped on a toolbelt, cut and nailed boards, and wrote down my hours. It was a good feeling, to make some of my own money. I didn't have to ask anyone for it, and I didn't feel even a hint of guilt in looking forward to the check. There were no niggling voices in the back of my head wondering if I was worthy of receiving that money, wondering if I would put it to good enough use, wondering if I should cut back on expenses. Those thoughts come when I ask for money to serve in Nicaragua, when I raise financial support in North America.

I often feel tempted to just go it alone. What if I worked for a few years and then paid my own way as a missionary? The practice of "tentmaking" as I serve appeals to me. I could have a paying job and volunteer on the side, dedicating my time to serving when I'm not working. Not having to justify my use of other people's funds as I work overseas would be one less periodic existential crisis.

But that wouldn't be the point. As I was considering the freedom and self-sufficiency of earning money to support myself, God corrected me. Raising support isn't about me. It's about everyone participating in God's call on their lives. He has asked me to go to Nicaragua, and he has asked others to donate time, money, prayer, etc to his work in Nicaragua through me and indirectly to the Nicaraguan people that I serve. God is asking something of those who donate, and he's asking something of me. I can't say what the Spirit whispers in each heart that prompts the person to write a check or tell me their praying for me or excitedly ask questions and affirm what I'm doing, but I know God is at work.

 In my own heart, Jesus teaches me about humility and dependence. The lesson of Matthew 25 and not worrying about what I will eat or what I will drink or what I will wear takes on a different hue when I'm thinking about a budget overseas and asking others to help pay my salary. When I consider the verse about "bearing one another's burdens," the exhortation to pray for one another becomes more applicable when I think about needs in Nicaragua and asking people in a distant land to pray for them. I search the Bible for verses that guide me in what I'm doing overseas. "For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake" from 2 Corinthians 4:5 describes how I am representing Christ in Nicaragua. I'm preaching Jesus as Lord with my life even though I am not a great evangelist or doing much concrete work. And being a servant? Well, I take great joy in inviting community leaders and pastors into my house and life, giving them a chair to sit on and a cookie to crunch while they share with each other about joys and struggles in ministry. I serve Christ by serving them, the leaders who give up time and comfort to sacrificially do what God asks of them.

Furthermore, by relying on my own two hands for support, I would be continuing the cultural lie that I don't need other people. I can pull myself up by my own bootstraps. However, in the Bible I see that we are created to be dependent - on God and other people. By creating a network of support where we learn from each other and give to each other, my supporters and I demonstrate the Kingdom of God in contrast to what the world says. I learn to be less self-sufficient from Nicaraguans who are more relational and interdependent, and I learn that from my experience as a missionary in North America.

Although at times I feel like support raising is just begging, I have to remember that this is what God asks of me right now. Obedience doesn't look the same for everyone. For me, it looks like reminding myself that asking others for money and prayers is not about me. It's about all of us participating in the Kingdom of God. If I run from my duty in this area, I'm denying others the blessing of obedience. In the Bible, God has called us to give generously, and he has called us to disciple the nations. We are all involved in doing what God asks.

So the next time I feel like I'm just pleading for pennies, I will remember what God has spoken to me. It's not about me - it's about Christ and proclaiming him as Lord in my life. By involving others in that process, we can all be a participate in the Kingdom of God and learn from Him in the process.

Touching Down

I’ve never been to Miami before, but today I got to touch down there on my layover between Managua and Chicago. As far as airports go, it’s fine. As far as cultural bridges, I think it fit my needs perfectly. Because it was a new place, I got excited to see something new, to think that I was in MIAMI. Walking around the airport smiling, I was distracted from feeling sad about leaving Nicaragua, from feeling apprehensive about the busy upcoming month, from my exhaustion… Plus, I heard Spanish. Now, I don’t live 100% of my life in Spanish, but it is always accessible, and it is comfortable. When I don’t hear it, I miss it. In Miami, the majority of personnel were speaking Spanish if they weren’t speaking to travelers, and just hearing it comforted me.

When you change cultures, all sorts of little things hit you. I have felt called to Nicaragua, and I am happy with my decision to live there long-term. I’m to the States today for a month to raise care, prayer, and financial support as a partner missionary with the Nehemiah Center. The schedule is full of travels and visits, theoretically, though I only have rough plans for the month. I’m excited to be home, to see friends and family, to feel like I belong on the streets as just another person… But the fact is that I have chosen a new home now, and it’s hard to leave. It’s amazing how much the little details impact me, how much they matter. Transitions, you know. That’s why Miami was helpful.

Don’t get me wrong- I’m excited about all sorts of things being back in North America. Here’s a list of examples:

• ·         I can and will eat apples with reckless abandon, seeing as how they are way too expensive in Nicaragua, and I doubt they taste the same.
• ·         Flushing toilet paper down the toilet.
• ·         The smell of fresh-cut grass
• ·         Choosing the water temperature. In my shower, washing dishes, washing my hands… well, just about everything. It might not seem like a big deal, but it is.
• ·         Driving a car without feeling like I should be honking at every intersection to signal, “Here I am, don’t pull out, I have the right-of-way”
• ·         Few people will stare at me because I’m white, fair-haired, or blue-eyed.
• ·         I won’t be wondering half the time if I really meant to say what they just heard. Maybe I should be, but I don’t have the same questions about English as I do about my Spanish.
• ·         Hugs will be abundant; kisses will not.
• ·         Unlimited texting and an abundance of cell phone minutes. My calling plan in Nicaragua runs out pretty quickly, and that’s just with making calls to other Nicaraguans
• ·         I won’t be sweating constantly
• ·         In fact, I will get to enjoy fall! Changing leaves, apple cider, crisp breezes. I’m excited to wear hoodies and scarves and fashionable boots – and maybe even a hat
• ·         Since the purpose of my trip is support raising, I’ll get to share about Nicaragua, the Nehemiah Center, and my work as a matchmaker in ministry. That’s right – All the things that I love best professionally.
• ·         Leaving my wallet and keys in the car without locking the car… though I still think twice now before I go inside

But there are also things I will miss about not being in Nicaragua even though I know I will be back in a month, such as:

• ·         Riding my bike everywhere I need to go in town, or walking across the street to buy what I need for supper
• ·         Not needing to drive a car to get from one place to another
• ·         Greeting nearly everyone I lock eyes with on the street, especially my neighbors
• ·         The attention I automatically get. Maybe this isn’t a good thing to miss, but it will be something for me to get used to even if I’m glad about it
• ·         The hummingbird that comes to the tree in our garden every day
• ·         Buying fresh tortillas from the vendor on the street
• ·         Simply twitching my face to ask someone to repeat something, or pointing with my lips
• ·         Speaking in Spanish a majority of the time
• ·         The way a heavy rain automatically cancels whatever activity you had planned
• ·         Not needing to look at the weather because I know that basically every day will be the same temperature
• ·         Not really worrying about being late
• ·         Going to church on Thursday nights as well as Sunday mornings because there’s something centering about going to a mid-week service

I could go on listing, but that’s not the point. The point is, there are things about both places that I love, and things – people, mostly – that I miss. The transition between worlds might take me a few breaths, but I’ll get there. Until then, I’m thankful for places like Miami.

August Newsletter: So Many Changes!

Cohort of Missioners in Nicaragua : Caminantes en la Misión There is a time for everything, and everything changes with time. Since the last time I wrote, many things have changed. I have now been in Nicaragua for over half a year. My fellow Caminantes and I seem to have found our place in the Nehemiah Center. Many of the IMPACT Clubs have started, and we are all acting as leaders in these special youth groups. My brother graduated from university, and I was able to be a part of the celebration in Iowa. I planned and participated in a visit from a peer organization called Communities First Association. Sickness attacked with a vengeance during the month of May, and I've learned some difficult lessons about balance and rest. I moved out of my host family's house and into a place for communal living with the other Caminantes. For the first time in my life, I have my own house! We have had several short-term visitors, and we facilitated their time in León. I had a birthday. I also decided to accept an offer to continue working with the Nehemiah Center long-term. Lots has happened! Through it all, God has remained faithful, and I'm grateful that wherever I go and whatever I do, He remains the same. Mi Casa es Su Casa As the Caminantes in Nicaragua, we have been praying, planning, and searching for a house for several months now. Mark, Guissell, and I started thinking about it because we wanted a place of our own where we could invite all sorts of people all the time. People from the community, our friends, our colleagues, etc. We dreamed of having a place where participants in the Caminante program would live, eat, pray, and play together. As our work became more diversified, we saw a common house as a way to bring us together again. After looking for houses to rent, we heard of one close to the baseball stadium with many rooms and bathrooms at an affordable price. From our first visit to the signed contract, we delayed a month. It seems that this house was God's gift to us because the landlady really wanted us to live there, and she waited for us to agree. Since Guissell and I moved in the first week of June, we have already hosted a short-term team for 24 hours, invited people to dinner, acted as a hostel for traveling friends, and held Nehemiah Center meetings at our place. Our Nicaraguan friends have pitched in to loan us everything from a fridge to a stove to beds to dishes. It's a beautiful display of the generosity among the Body of Christ, and we hope it continues to be a place that points to the Kingdom of God. That said, you are welcome to visit! We have room for you. Please and Thank You -- I got sick with the stomach flu and various colds in the last month, but I'm thankful that the Lord gave me rest in those times. I'm also thankful for health now --Praise God for my 26 years of life! And thanks to all who made the day special and helped me feel celebrated -- I'm thankful for a new place to live as well as continued relations with my old family --Thank God for direction by confirming my decision to stay in Nicaragua and continue to do what is placed before me --Rejoice with me about a refreshing week at a Servant Partners training, with a mini-retreat, group Bible studies, and intercessory prayer with o --Ask God for discernment so that I can balance my life and make healthy choices regarding work and rest -- Ask the Lord to provide for my financial, emotional, and spiritual needs as a partner missionary. I need to raise more funds for a longer period of time. I plan to return to North America from August 30 to September 30, and I hope to have most of my budget raised in that time as well as reconnect with people. -- Ask the Spirit to give us harmony in our new home and help us work together as the Caminantes to describe what our program is and how it should be run in the future You're Doing What Now? Towards the end of May, I received an email from Nehemiah Center staff offering me a long-term position. It will be a bit different from the work I have been doing in the community development program, but it encompasses a lot of the partnership roles I have taken on. The most exciting thing is that I will be a member of the Nehemiah Center's Ezra Team and get to work with local pastors a lot. My official title is Intercultural Facilitator, and I will act as a bridge between Nicaragua and the rest of the world. A lot of the partnership focus is on North America, but we have connections to other Latin American countries as well as Romania with IMPACT Clubs. Some of my duties will include working with the Ezra Team to develop volunteer opportunities, figuring out how all volunteers leave the Nehemiah Center with the same basic ideas, maintaining and expanding church partnerships, looking into and pushing for more Nicaraguan missionaries to go abroad, overseeing and contextualizing the IMPACT program, and encouraging discussions about city vision among pastors and leaders. Some examples of these tasks would be helping university students find internships, translating emails between Nicaragua and Canada, keeping track of how many IMPACT Clubs Nicaragua has and what the leaders need, or calling local pastors to meetings where they pray and dream together. In other words, I get to be a ministry matchmaker on individual, group, organizational, city, regional, and country levels. In many ways it seems like my dream job though I am aware of my inadequacy for the task, forcing me to recognize the importance of prayer in everything that I do, depending on the Lord and His strength. (Pictured above are all of us at the Nehemiah Center who share a birthday on July 7) A Week in the Life When I'm not traveling with a group or participating in some training, my weeks have a general rhythm to them. On Mondays, I go to Managua to the Nehemiah Center for morning devotions. It's advisable to go by car, spend the night in Managua, or do whatever you can to avoid the bus on Monday morning because it's always full. After devotions, we have meetings with the Nicaraguan program coordinators (monthly) or with Steve, our supervisor. I go out to lunch with friends or pack something from home. In the afternoon I catch the bus back to León and go to Nuevo Horizonte to lead an IMPACT Club. Nuevo Horizonte is a neighborhood where I attend most of the community development activities, including this group for young people to do community service-learning projects, and their leadership team is pictured above. Tuesdays are usually planning days with Roberto. We map the week and divide up tasks. Sometimes we have an afternoon meeting in a community where we work. Wednesdays I have been trying to make as quieter days. Usually I have extended morning devotions, clean or do laundry, catch up on paperwork, and visit friends and acquaintances in León. In the evening I go to pick up Guissell from the community where she leads an IMPACT Club. Thursdays are often full days of meetings or trainings with Roberto, or we work on reports together. In the evening I go to church at Promesa. Fridays are also days for training, meetings, and paperwork. I work on translation projects, interviews, writing policies for the Caminantes, etc. Sometimes we have people over for dinner on Friday or Saturday nights. Saturdays are days to catch up, finish projects, clean the house, and have special meetings. Occasionally I go with a projector to a church to show a movie or a slide show at the request of a church member. Sometimes I plan for the next week's IMPACT Club meeting. Sundays, I go to church in the morning and spend the rest of the day with people or resting in my house. This gives a picture of my daily life although there are always exceptions to the average week's schedule. Up and Coming -- Conversations with the Nehemiah Center and Christian Reformed World Missions about my transition from being a short-term volunteer to a partner missionary for the foreseeable future. This includes a lot of work for becoming a partner missionary as well as transitioning from one position to another at the Nehemiah Center -- I will participate on the committee to evaluate the Nehemiah Center and determine the parameters for a five-year strategic plan, with definitions laid out by October -- Training with Roberto in each community about the five dimensions of development -- Describing and writing a lot of the policy for the Caminantes so others can follow us -- Partnership development as a missionary via social media and a trip to North America from August 30 to September 30 to share with c To partner with me: Go to www.crwm.org/donate OR make out a  check to Christian Reformed World Missions, put WMLA 803904 in the memo line, and mail it to  CRWM USA 1700 28th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49508 unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences To contact me: Adrianna Oudman c/o Nehemiah Center Apartado Postal 1076 Managua, Nicaragua Email: adrianna.oudman@gmail.com Blog: adriannaoudman@blogspot.com