Nicaragua 2014 - day1

Day 1

   3:30 came very early this morning.  I got up and the dog looked at me like I was crazy.  I glanced over to the coffee maker and my stomach told me it wasn;t quite ready for any stimulants either.

   I stumbled around, grabbed my backpack, holding everything I would need for the week, clothes, work gloves, headlamp, Bible and journal, and of course, my ipad.  ;-)

   I sat at the top of the steps petting the dog who finally mistered the energy to come say hi while I waited for a few more team mates to stop by and pick me up to head to BWI.  A few minutes later and the truck was puilling into the driveway.  I always think it's funny to see who is and who isn't a morning person.  Between the six of us in the truck I would say that we had two VERY morning people, two who weren't sure about this whole early morning thing (including me) and two who were most definitely not morning people.  We all said hi and started talking excitedly about the trip and getting on the flight.

   Everone was ready to go.

   We got to the airport and hardly ran into any lines at all.  Things moved smoothly and quickly.  It was fun to see a Boy Scout tropp being wrangled by their scout master as he tried despeartely to get some semblance of order to what they were doing.  Boys wandered this way and that.  Some were paying attention and some didnt even seem to know they were in an airport.  The most humorous thing was that the scout master would call them up, one at a time, to check in.  When he called, each boy had some sort of nickname.  Bass-o-matic, Sketchy, Sprints, etc.. it made me smilt to think that these men were invested in their lives enough to have given them these names.  My thought was, "I hope I come back with as many names as they had.".  :-)

   Dunkin Donuts, coffee, checking tickets, and starting to wake up.  Terry said he had something for me and handed me a medium sized manila envelope.  I opened the envelope and a flood of memories came rushing back.  Inside was a huge stack of photos from last year.  Kids playing, families we prayed for and with, smiles and new dresses and seeing faces I knew and had met.  Many of the kids I had personally played with, talked to and worked with as we built the cement soccer court last summer.  It was great for me to see these faces and lives and reconnect before I even got on the plane. - God, please give me the strength, love and energy this week to be there for these wonderful friends in whatever way they need.

   Half way through the stack they started boarding the plane.  We all scrambled to get in line so we could "hurry up and wait".  It's wonderful to hear Kim and Kim, a few rows back, giggling and having fun.  I look forward to working alongside new and old faces this week.  I know God  will use us - even if it's just to sit in the dirt, listen to stories and let the kids climb all over us while we hug and play.  :-)

   Next is the layover in Houston and then on to Managua.

   I still get a bit nervous coming back.  It was quite an ordeal when we adopted Sarahi almost 5 years ago from there.  I know things always change and I know I am not going back into that sale situation, but the memories, stress, fun, challenges and anxiety do still come back mentally.  I look forward to the day when we can come back as a family and visit the country together, without stress, and see the beauty, the land and the people together.

   We will be staying the Buzbee "compound".  Buzbee is their last name.  The wonderful family that does ministry down there, hosts numerous teams on their property as a kind of "home base", feeds us, gives us an oasis at the end of each day, and takes us to Ruby's House....  ah yes, Ruby's House.

   I'm going back to a place that quite literally tore me apart spiritually last year.  It's a long story (ask me some time), but I can tell you this, God met me in a big way there.  I cried and sobbed and cried some more as those aroudn me on my team and frmo teh Buzbee family prayed over me.  The sticking point was something the Mike Buzbee said in his prayer.  "You've been going through a desert for a long time, dry, hard and barren.  But up ahead I see a lush forest, green and teeming with life.  A place of growth and rest and peace."  Quite honestly, it had been a horrific year, tough in all ways, job, life, family, ministry and spiritually.  What I could have never forseen was what God really was going to do with me over the next twelve months.  To sum up, I would say that He has brought me to a place, with Him, that I have never been before.  It's a bit scary because of how new it is and all the Sunday school answers just don't suffice anymore.  It's a place where I see things more clearly.  I see Him, step by step, more clearly and I've come to see and know Him in all of His BIGNESS in a way I had never known - in my life.  So, what does Ruby's House hold for me this year?  It may be nothing more than a wonderful time of prayer, but I guess we never know.  God does what He will do and we see it when it happens, right?  One thing is for sure, I am looking forward to it.  I know I brought back some of Ruby's House into my own house and life over the past year.

And the food.

   Yeah, I'm a big fan of Nica food.  I really like it.  Beans, rice, chicken.  It's wonderful.

The rooftop.

   The best thing daily for me was the rooftop mornings.  The Buzbee's have a building with two levels.  On top ov teh second level is a covered rooftop area that overlooks the surrounding jungle.  Morning coffee with my Bible, journal, (and sometimes headphones) watching the sunrise and taking time to "breathe" was wonderful.  I can't wait.

The soccer court?

   I'm really interested to see what has happened with the soccer court.  My heart skips a beat when I think taht I might see kids playing on it when we get there.  The whole purpose was to try and build soemthing that would be a central part of their community and draw them together.  Life is really tough for many of them.  Anything that might help them come together and help each other would be a great thing to see.

I think that's about it for now.  Please feel free to comment or ask questions.  I'm glad to reply back.  :-)  I'll be doing daily updates, probably early morning or later at night.

Thanks to everyone for your help, support and prayers.

Please pray for:

- patience when we get there.  That we would wait and find the best way we can help while we are here.

- health.  That no one would get sick.

- The heat.  That we would all stay hydrated and keep our energy up.

- For quiet.  That we would be still and quiet - a lot - and let the people talk, so we can listen and become a part of their families.

- That God would use this trip to continue building our BEP-Los Braisiles connection and that we would leave something that lasts and bring something home that continues.

Que Dios les bendigan!  Nos vemos pronto!!