Learning to be Nicaraguense

    Now that I am an official landowner here in Chichigalpa and soon to be an official resident of Nicaragua, I want to learn how to do the things that I need to do in order to take care of my land. I don't want to be one of those foreigners that doesn't know how to do things for herself within her host country. I really desire to learn how to do the things that need to be done for my home and my land. So, yesterday Rosita, Gema, Haille and I set off to the Abide land to learn how to machete cut my grass (Haille and I pictured right with our newly sharpened machetes before heading to the land). I am so incredibly grateful to be surrounded by such incredible women who stand with me, pray with me, and dream alongside me. Yes, I am blessed!
    Machete cutting grass is a brand new experience for Haille and I, but thankfully Gema and Rosita are experienced and were happy to help us learn. When I first attempted on my own, the girls just start laughing and yelling, "No, not like that Lisa. Not like that." Then Gema and Rosita came and gave me a little mini-machete wielding lesson and my grass cutting skills improved greatly (Rosita showing me how it's done- pictured left). By the end of the day they were telling me, "You're doing good. Not great, but SO MUCH better than at the beginning of the day." Haha! I guess I'll take good. One day maybe I'll be great at it, but for today good is good enough for me. 
     Even though this is such hard work and I was so sore this morning that I could barely squeeze toothpaste on to my toothbrush, I feel incredibly accomplished getting out in the sun and working on my own land. It's a good feeling! I like the work. I love being on the land. I love praying over Abide and its future children as I work. I just feel blessed to carry forth this dream of the Lord's heart (just sitting on the land talking, resting, and praying with some beautiful ladies- pictured right). I also love to see continuously how many people are standing with me in this dream. I especially love to see how my Nicaraguan family is dreaming with me. A group of incredilbe women prayer warriors prayed me into my land (read: Releasing Inheritance), my New Song family and youth built my fence around my land, my girls helped me work the land, and so many of the youth have already told me how they want to use their gifts to help my children one day. It's just a beautiful outpouring and I love seeing how the Lord is bringing together my community to build this little family.

    Below is a fun little video of our machete adventure yesterday: