2000 Miles Away

The last few weeks have been wonderful. I have spent some time with my amazing family, and gotten to catch up with numerous friends. Christmas was a blessing and I am looking forward to an always fun New Years with our closest friends and family.

Here's a picture of me and my great fam from earlier this summer :) We are really good at laughing when we are together!

Even though I am 2000 miles away, life in Nicaragua is of course, constantly on my mind. I love checking up on Charity's facebook updates, and fortunately I've been able to stay more or less up to date on everything going on down there with phone calls and emails. I have gotten to talk to all the kids, including the babies, (talking with them would not necessarily be considered real conversations, but fun nonetheless) and see the newest Christmas pictures!

I have realized though while being here, how easy it is to forget about the difficulties that come up in a children's home in Nicaragua. Which brings me to the purpose of this particular post. Among others, I want to bring a couple pray requests to your attention:

1. There is a constant struggle to find honest, loving employees to care for the children. We have been through a number of Nicaraguan women who don't quite make the cut in providing the care and love the children need and deserve. Please continue to pray that we can find someone who is called by God to truly love these children and don't just treat them as a job.

2. The doctor came up with some disappointing news about Luviana's eyes. The first doctor said we could put an artificial eye in her left eye, and with a cornea transplant she should be able to regain good vision in her right eye, but the last doctor said a cornea transplant wouldn't make any difference to her nearly blind eye. While we still plan on trying to get another opinion, above all else, trust is put in God and His ability to work miracles.

3. When one person gets sick, everyone gets sick. . . While most of the kids have gotten over being sick, Charity's immune system has decided to go on vacation and leave her body prey to the germ bugs. Pray for a speedy healing, as she has plenty on her plate!

4. A few months ago numerous things were donated to the organization, and sent down on a large semi truck to be delivered. Due to various complications, it has still not arrived and facing more issues. Please pray for God's favor in the whole situation, it is greatly needed!

5. Please keep one of the girls in the home in your prayers. There have been some issues that have recently come up that simply need the Lord's intervention.

On the otherside, there are always reasons for rejoicing and praising the Lord.

1. Yelka walks!!!! While the tiniest (in size not age; at 2 years old she is the second youngest) member of the home was taking her first steps before I left, she hadn't yet taken the plunge. But since I have left, (although this picture does not give real proof) I was informed she has found her legs and is walking like a pro!

2. Olfelia is learning how to use the potty! Ideally all the babies would be potty trained by my return, but I know that is not quite a logical desire :) So I have been studying up on my potty training skills, and thanking the Lord that we will have one less baby to buy diapers for!

3. The organization has a new website that is looking fabulous, check it out here.

4. Since I have been home I have been blessed with some free time. I have been using some of this time in attempt to improve my Miskito and learn more about the culture and language of these people. So I have a praise and a request. A request that I can be successful in my attempts to learn this other language, and a praise that I am actually progressing!

5. The Lord is constantly providing, and always present regardless of whether we know and acknowledge it or not. Just the thought of this is reason enough to direct all our praise to Him.

Love and prayers to all of you and your families during this great time of year!

Life back in the states

Tuesday night, my body which had happily adjusted to the 80 degree weather in Nicaragua was shocked into reality after stepping off the plane and into a 19 degree winter wonderland! Fortunately along with this bitter cold I found my parents who i was thrilled to see, and them equally excited to greet me, plus knowing i had nothing more than a long sleeve shirt, they came carrying my winter coat and a scarf! Once in the car I found a snack of grapes (a fruit so ridiculously expensive in Nicaragua we hardly ever were able to indulge in them) and crackers and cheese (real american colby jack cheese, the first I'd had in over 3 months :) On the drive home I was able to have a brief but great reunion with Joslynn and Ryan Heath (who have just come back from Nicaragua about a month ago after finalizing the adoption of their three boys!)

I of course am missing all my kiddos and friends in Nicaragua but the little girls were reassured when I explained to them that I would only be gone a month and I would be back before school had even started for the next year. Luckily I am able to talk about them all the time and it makes them feel not so far away! And it always help to have pictures of them with their gorgeous smiles :)

I'm so excited to be back and have the opportunity to spend the holidays with my family and remember how fortunate that God placed me in such a loving home with an amazing family and friends.

Waspam

We got back yesterday from spending the week in Waspam. Who knew you could find a completely different world without even leaving the country. There are more differences to be found than simply the language. Most of the people in Waspam speak Miskito and Spanish, although the people in the villages really only speak Miskito. There was actually a man who came up to Charity and I while we were visiting one of the villages who, in spanish told us, 'Don't worry, I speak your language!' While waiting for him to begin speaking in English, we realized he meant spanish! I've never had anyone refer to my language as spanish before! haha.


In some ways, most of the houses look nicer than those you would find here on the other side of the country. For the most part they are all made of wood (a supply of which there is always plenty), so although most of the villages don't have any running water or electricity, they can still build a sturdy home. Most of them are up on stilts like this one too. 

When we were in the villages, we always had an entourage! The people (kids especially) would flock around the vehicle daring each other to get closer and closer. 

We came across Ruvi on Sunday. She is 12 years old and weighs barely nothing. She has never been seen by a doctor, and we are hoping to have her brought here to the home in El Crucero in the next week or so. She can't walk or crawl, and only says 'mama.' She can feed herself, and brings the water to her mouth to drink, but otherwise is dependent on the help of her siblings. We are still continuing  to keep her in our prayers, and hope God can work a miracle in her life. 

We brought two kids back with us, Samari and Billy. Samari is 5, and the older sister of Frankie who is already in El Crucero, while Billy is 2 and a half. There are five other children that are living in the home in Waspam ranging in age from 4 to 10. God blessed us with finding a new house mother, so hopefully all will go well with her and the kids there.  Here is a picture of Charity and I in the house in Waspam with Billy and Samari. 

Please continue to keep this region of the country in your prayers, they are often forgotten even by the people of their own country. Many of them farm, and the crop harvests have been really down. There are hardly any good beans to be found in the whole city, and other foods are very expensive. We know God is good and always provides, but for many people there miracles are especially needed. Also pray that Ruvi will be safely brought to Managua where she can get more medical attention.