I was so blessed to start the month with a full day of relational discipleship with two of my favorites, Rosita and Junieth (a few photos from our day- pictured above). May 1st is Labor Day here in Nicaragua so it provided us with a day that was free from work and from school. Cadence and I took Rosita and Junieth for a full day of fun. We swam at the pool in Chinandega, enjoyed the water slides, and went out for pizza and food dares. This day was a gift to my heart! We had a great time laughing and joking with the girls, had good heart-to-heart time with each of them, and found some random people to help me shout encouraging messages to Rosita to help her overcome her fear and try out the water slides. Things are so busy with all the requirements of sponsorship, Abide things, residency renewal, mission expectations, etc. that I find myself rarely having time to spend the entire day just hanging out with people that I love. I've been missing huge chunks of relational time and this was just what my heart needed. I'm so grateful!
At the end of April, one of our families lost their dad/husband to chronic kidney disease (Read: The Disease that Whispers Death). Both boys are really involved in Sunday school. Our Sunday school teachers decided to reach out to the family and provide them with a care package, prayers, and outpouring of the Lord's love (Read: The Church that Shouts LIFE). It was such a beautifully sacred moment! I love working with these incredible young people who walk in such compassion. They are becoming more like Jesus every day and I love to be a part of it.
We were able to take a couple of day off trips to Matagalpa this month. Matagalpa is my absolute favorite day off place! It has everything that makes my heart happy… mountains, cooler weather, adventure, great coffee, and amazing community. Nothing makes my heart more at rest! (Pictured above hiking to one of the mountain overlooks).
This year we have added weekly tutoring sessions into our sponsorship program to help better support our struggling students. Running the first and second grade literacy group in Santa Matilde has becoming one of my favorite parts of the week. This month our kids received their first report card of the year. It was so encouraging to see how much better our kids are doing overall with the addition of these tutoring sessions. I don't have a single 1st or 2nd grader in my group that is failing a class. It's a huge success! I'm so proud of my kiddos!!
This month Cadence and I have been bringing more children's books out to Santa Matilde to read with our kids. I have always been an avid reader. I absolutely loved books as a kid! I couldn't get my hands on enough books. My goal is to get books into my kids' hands as often as possible and to see them fall in love with reading.
Oneyda is one of our English class students from La Isla. She is vibrant, intelligent, and full of life. The past couple of months she's been struggling with a genetic condition causing an irregular heartbeat. Her heart will speed up and then stop without warning. The family was constantly having to give her chest compressions to re-start her heart. She's been so sick. I was really worried about her. Thankfully, she's been able to receive medicine and is doing much better. It's wonderful to see her back to her spunky self!
Cadence and I have been into several of the schools to visit our sponsored children, check in with their teachers, and see how they are doing (sweet 1st grader, Carodin, pictured above). I love being in the schools to see the kids in their classrooms, to see what their learning, and to support the kids in their classrooms. I love still having the opportunities to support education. Plus there is nothing cuter than the kids in their school uniforms.
This month all of the girls in our house started running together three mornings a week. I'm not really much of a runner (or a runner at all), but it's been good community time and a good way for me to get exercise. I still don't really enjoy running that much, but I do really like setting goals and pushing myself to do more than I think that I can. And I'm already getting much better than I used to be. Plus we get gorgeous views of the volcano in the mornings.
This month we've been celebrating with Claudia Patricia in the birth of her miracle baby, Isaac Alexander (pictured above). The doctors told her that she had miscarried and then when he was born and wasn't breathing they told her that he would die. However, the Lord has plans for this precious little one and gave him life when everyone said it wasn't possible. If you want to see the full story, watch New Song's video about baby Isaac.
This month I've been trying to make home visits a priority. I've been missing my relational time with families so I have been setting aside time each week just to get into the homes to just BE with families. This time is so life giving to my heart! I've been able to visit and visit with precious little loves in Santa Matilde (pictured above), Candelaria, and Nuevo Amanecer. There is nothing that makes my heart happier than sitting with families in their homes, hearing their stories, cradling new babies in my arms, praying for the sick, and laughing together.
We were able to do a dental teaching day for our Sunday school kids in Nuevo Amanecer and Candelaria. One of our amazing dentists, Maria Jose, volunteered to come teach over 200 kids how to properly brush their teeth on her day off. It was adorable to see all the precious kiddos practicing dental hygiene on the giant teeth and getting their free toothbrushes. We really want to see kids moving in better health and to focus on preventative health care.
The Lord has been moving among our youth. I've been watching over the last month as He began to pour out His Spirit during worship and speak to our teens' hearts during prayer. It's been beautiful to watch Jesus pursuing their hearts. This month we started a series of teaching on the cross. We knew that many of our kids didn't yet know the Lord in a personal way and we wanted them to understand His sacrifice for them and come to know His love and grace. Three of our girls gave their whole hearts to Jesus this month (including Alison and Keyla- pictured above), so many of them have heard their Father's voice telling them of His love for them, and several are planning to be baptized next month. My heart is completely overflowing with JOY as I watch them fall in love with Jesus! Keep praying that this outpouring of His love and presence will continue among them and for wisdom for Cadence, Sandra, Kenia and I as we walk alongside them and disciple them.
May 30th is Nicaraguan mother's day and it's one of the biggest holidays of the year. Our Sunday school teachers were asked to plan a special Mother's day service for the women in our community. We had such a wonderful time celebrating and honoring these women. The moms in our community are some of the most hardworking, selfless, loving women that I know. They love relentlessly and serve tirelessly. I am so glad that we had the chance to honor them and to give them a night to put aside their responsibilites and to feel loved, celebrated, and to enjoy one another.
In the midst of so many exciting things happening at New Song, there have also been two big personal updates that have happened this month. I was able to renew my Nicaraguan residency for another year and Abide finally received our non-profit status (joy at the Abide land- pictured above). In the next month, I hope to start a fundraising campaign for the foster home. Right now I'm working on websites and house budgets, etc. so that we will have everything set up to start raising funds. The goal is the fundraise for the next 6 months of the rainy season and then be able to break ground for the home in January 2015. I'm so excited to see the Lord moving in this dream once again! Please continue to pray for wisdom as I figure out how and when to continue stepping forward toward this dream of my heart.
Loved the updates with photos. I remember last year when we were there, day off so we were out in La Isla…memories. Prayers that funding goes well for your abide home and work will start so you can have it next year, maybe I’ll get to see it! Keep me posted! Hugs and have a great week in the Lord, my friend!
I can’t tell you how much your updates encourage my heart. It is absolutely beautiful what the Lord is doing in Nicaragua. I love you so much, friend!!!