August 20: Closing reflections from me to you on our trip

Words are not enough. They will never be able to do justice to all the emotions I experienced this summer as I spent two months in Nicaragua. Nicaragua is a country that I have heard of for as long as I can remember. As I grew up, my bedroom shelves became cluttered with wooden knick-knacks from the country, and plans for the next trip to Nicaragua were always in the air. Though I didn’t understand where Nicaragua was (for some time I equated Nicaragua with the state of New Mexico and thought it was just a day’s drive from Kansas), or why my grandparents continued to vacation there, it was always part of my life.

When I was 10 years old, I traveled to Nicaragua for the first time to help build a church; it was then that I realized Nicaragua was a little different than New Mexico. Seven years later I visited again. On that trip, I decided that I liked Nicaragua, but building the churches there was my grandpa’s mission, not mine. Of course, I would always be part of the work going on in Nicaragua, because it was a ‘family thing,’ but I wanted to do something different with my life. Remembering these feelings makes me laugh now, because God works in interesting ways. I just returned from a summer spent in Nicaragua, and I am now very attached to this ‘mission’ that I thought was only my grandfather’s calling in life.

This summer took me on a roller coaster of emotions that was comparable to the ups and downs and potholes we faced on the roads as we traveled through the mountains. The height of this roller coaster was Joy. Joy is one of my favorite emotions and I felt it to the extreme on a few occasions. There was one day in particular that comes to mind. We spent seven hours traveling through the mountains on roads so bad that we were the only vehicle attempting to maneuver them. We had already stopped and visited one church that day and had one more to go: the church at Los Limones. I was exhausted, sweaty, and didn’t feel prepared to speak to another church and hold more interviews with the congregation members While in the car on the last leg of the journey, Amber, my friend who traveled with me all summer, opened her Bible and read Isaiah 42 to me. That passage reminded me of how good and awesome God is. The Lord strengthened me in that time and gave me a renewed passion for my work at the precise moment I needed it. I realized that there was no way I would be able to make it through the next six weeks on my own strength; God would have to be my sole Source. The work I was doing was not about me and the way I was feeling, it was about what God had done in the churches we were visiting and giving Him the glory for that.

We finally arrived at the church and there was a group of people awaiting our arrival. The second we stepped out of the car, we were surrounded by people who wanted to greet us with hugs and kisses, as if we had known each other forever. Amber and I were pulled around to the back of the church by a group of children. When I got my first glance of the view that stretched out from behind the church, I stopped dead in my tracks. As we traveled up the mountain to the church, trees blocked my view of the surrounding hillside, but now, I could only stare in amazement at this beautiful creation. A valley opened up in front of us which rose into several mountain peaks crowned with thunder clouds. The sun had just fallen behind the peaks which sent a pink glow that highlighted the landscape. I felt as if God was giving us this once-in-a-lifetime viewing opportunity and I had the pleasure of enjoying it with a dozen beautiful children at my side.

After laughing and taking pictures with our new friends, we were called in for the church service. We walked in and found our seats as the mariachi praise music started. I could only understand a few words, but that was not important. The passion and love the congregation had for the Lord radiated and filled the entire building, a holy presence of the Lord was in that church, so great tears filled my eyes. I realized that God is not confined to a language or culture barrier; our hearts were praising the same God in that moment and language wasn’t a factor. My heart was pierced, my throat was knotted, my stomach was bubbling over, and my soul praised the Lord. That was joy.

We always have something to be joyous about, because we have a great Savior, but I didn’t always feel that joy. If I could describe the low point of my emotional roller coaster, it would be sorrow. There was no escaping the poverty or the needs of the people within the country. At every church, we would hear stories of struggles. The needs were great, ranging from parsonages to teaching material, from building repairs to pastoral aide. The members of the congregations have the desire to help their church financially, but most of the time, they barely have enough money to be able to feed their own families. I was deeply saddened by the injustice, by the great materialism and abundance I see everyday in the United States compared to the great financial needs that were inescapable in Nicaragua.

There is one woman that I remember vividly; she was the life of the church. She was mesmerizing to watch as her body language would tell her stories as much as her words. People would listen to her and rolling laughter followed most of her stories. Her name is Genara. She didn’t know how old she was and she never learned how to read or write. Her husband left her shortly after she had the youngest of her 19 children. They were evicted from their home during the war. She, alone, had to work to support her family and she spent many hours everyday doing physical labor to be able to feed her children. Eleven of her children died from different illnesses, because there was no opportunity to get medical attention. As she told her story, my stomach turned with acid; I was distraught by her suffering. I have never experienced pain close to what Genara has been through. And still, she serves the church with all she has and is determined to see it grow. Her passion and strength are not from this world. Almost every weekend as Amber and I traveled to different churches, we would have stories like this to tell. I wish I could tell you all of them, of how great our God truly is and how I saw Him work every church.

We visited 29 A.C.I.B.E.N. churches in seven weeks and I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with the pastor and the founders of each church. They opened their lives to me and shared their testimonies. They have suffered beyond what I can imagine, and they know what trials are. Nevertheless, they continue to focus on what is unseen, stand firm in their faith, find their joy in God’s promises, and sacrifice for the Labor of the Lord.

July 20: Amber talks of teaching

Sorry this is posted so late....the last couple weeks we were in Nicaragua made it difficult to post and since we have been back everything has been CRAZY! Here is an note Amber wrote a couple weeks before we left.

After a month, two weeks and four days, it is about time to wave goodbye to the beautiful faces in Nicaragua. As my heart will be shattering for the many needs these people have and precocious memories I have; I know that God is turning the page. To my wonderful family and amazing boyfriend I am looking forward to exchanging the stories and seeing how God has worked!

However, I know that God has a purpose for these next few days here. I had a wonderful time teaching grades first through six. I really enjoyed working with each of the sisters. God has a sense of humor. (Many of those close to me know my nun stories and now I have worked with them). I learned many things this summer, but the sisters have exemplified true servanthood. Their humbleness and willingness to help others radiates for all to see.

Thursday was my last and final day with every student and it will forever have an imprint on my heart. I received many special gifts. As I said my final goodbyes to the classes, tears began to stream. I grew very close to the fifth graders imparticular.

I taught each of the grades on different days, but had the opportunity to work with fifth graders everyday! Each of the kids had their own personalities and it was neat seeing the best of them. I have discovered that ! Hopefully the kids left knowing much more in English than when we began. I started working with the students at beginning levels and when I left the students were making sentences! Language is a long process. Over a month and a half I think I learned as much Spanish as my student’s learned English!

I am sorry that we haven’t had the opportunity to update more, but I am thinking and praying for everyone and have many exotic stories to tell! I can’t wait to show everyone the pictures of our neighbor’s pet monkey, the snake that was captured, and the flat tire experiences! God is So good and thank you for your prayers. Please continue to think and pray for us!

July 15, 2007

This is going to be in the newsletter at our church!

The medicine for the summer: a big dose of faith coated with prayer, taken with a gulp of God’s mercy. God has definitely been teaching up many lessons in trust and perseverance. As you might know, Amber High and I are spending the summer traveling around Nicaragua, a beautiful country in Central America. We have been here visiting a group of Baptist churches; the histories of these churches have never been written down and our mission is to tell their stories.
At every church we visit, we give a short presentation: I usually tell of the work I am doing and share a Bible verse that is on my heart and Amber does whatever the Holy Spirit leads her to do. She usually sings a song for the congregations, and sometimes does a bit of Bible teaching as well. Amber also works with the children while I conduct the interviews with the founders of the congregation. As I write this, we only have four of 30 churches left to visit, so we have the routine almost mastered. Nevertheless, there are always those moments that you just never can prepare for: pushing the truck up the mountain, losing the electricity at random times every day, and being attacked by an army of bugs.
Since we are able to be here for an extended period of time, we have had the opportunity to be part of everyday life. We are able to help around the house, run errands, and just experience life in another country. We travel every weekend visiting churches and during the week we stay in a small town with the wonderful family of Nohemy Alegria. Amber teaches English at a nearby school every morning to children between the ages of 6-12; her time at the school goes towards her degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Ozark Christian College. She has enjoyed this experience thoroughly and will be sad to leave the children.
We have had quite the adventure so far this summer, and we want to be able to share all of our journeys with you when we return. We would like to invite you to gather with us on Sunday, August 12, at 7:00 pm, to tell you about our trip and show you the work that God has been doing in the churches here. The churches that we have visited here also send their greetings to all of you as well. There are great needs within some of the churches and we would like to ask that you pray that God will continue to take care of all their needs and prosper them. We appreciate your prayers and the support you have given us on our trip thus far. God has really blessed us and all of our travels.
In God’s Love,
Melissa Yarrow

July 4, a day without fireworks

I highly recommend celebrating the Forth of July in another country. There were no fireworks, there was no parade, there was (sadly) no cookout, there was not even electricity, and there was no celebration.
What exactly did we do on the Forth?
*Amber and I spent 1.5 hours walking through the town with Baby Carlitos in the stoller, shopping for two things: cinnamon and bananas. Apparently, every store in the town was out both ingredients…all at the same time.
*We read for a couple hours, during the 9 hours which we were without electricity.
*We made some water balloons to surprise Nanito and Hilda when they returned home from work.
*We helped cook dinner which was a mixing pot full of the leftovers (chicken, rice, beans, tomatoes, and a can of corn). It was actually our best concoction yet: the Nicaraguan.
*We curled up on the kingsize bed in Nohemi’s room and watched the movie, The Mask of Zorro, which might be on my Top 10 list now of favorites.
Amber and I talked for two weeks prior to the Forth with our family here about the huge party we were going to have with fireworks of our own and decorations They didn’t seem too interested, because they have become accustomed to going along with whatever crazy ideas we have for entertainment. When the day finally came however, half of the family was out of town working and our plans all went down the drain. We gave up on all of our original plans and just went through the day as if it were any other.
I had never thought much about the Forth of July and its purpose until I did not have a “Forth of July.” It was humbling to realize that people outside the United States don’t really care that much about what we’ve accomplished. It is a great day to remember how our country got to be where it is today and to honor those who gave their all for our country, but to me, it was a greater day when the traditions and the hurrah were stripped away.

A day in the life of....

I would like to invite you on one of our many expeditions. For this adventure, you must use your imagination to fully experience one day with Amber and me in Nicaragua. We’ll start on our voyage as we set off on our mission of visiting three churches for the day in the northern part of the country. The first church of the day is relatively close to our hotel, only about 20 kilometers from the town we are staying in. Our destination is San Lucas, a village which still has native Indian tribes practicing their original rituals. The road going to the town is one of the best we have driven on when traveling to the churches; it is made of gray bricks and reminds me of a cobblestone street that you would find in Philadelphia or Boston or any of the Colonial towns.

When we arrive at the church in San Lucas we are expecting, like the other churches, to be greeted by a church full of people praising the Lord. We approach the front door of the church and realize that it is locked and the only people in sight are children who peek at us from around the building and then whisper and snicker. We follow the children around the church to find the pastor’s wife and the rest of their children who are living in the two Sunday School classrooms attached to the sanctuary. Later they show us the ‘parsonage’ across the street which is in such deteriorated conditions it is unacceptable for anyone to live in. The pastor’s wife greets us with a hand shake and takes us into the church building through a side door where two other women await; her husband, the pastor, is out of town for the day. We smile and introduce ourselves, but they are hesitant to return the friendly greetings.

Since there is no church service, I dive right in and tell the three women what I am doing for the summer and they all obligingly smile and nod. As we get into the interview there is an aura of seriousness which later reveals itself as the burden of great distress which is the product of many trials. The building we are sitting in is one of the most beautiful we have visited thus far. Within the first 10 minutes of the interview, we find that the external beauty is not matched by internal strength, because the church slowly weakening. The constructor of the building did not support the walls with iron rods and subsequently the building had deep cracks all along the walls. The roof which is made of concrete, also has much damage allowing water to get into the sanctuary much of the time. The pastor’s wife goes on to tell us of the other major problem in the church right now: their family probably will not be able to stay with the congregation for financial reason. The couple has five kids, and they want to be able to put their children through college; however the minimal income the pastor receives in insufficient compared to the cost of the university.

The stories of the congregation continue to unfold, and my heart clenches a little tighter with each one. As I sit there in the front of the dark church with these three beautiful women, I wonder how I will be able to continue doing this job for the rest of the summer. Then, my faithful Father God reminds me that their pain is not my burden to bear—it is His. The spirits of the women are lifted as they move from sharing the burdens of the church to the testimony of the work God has done in their own lives. The first woman’s mother did not feed her dinner after she would attend church against her mother’s will. The second ran away from home, and her family, to get married because they disapproved of her marriage with a Catholic boy—he was later saved and is now the pastor of this church. The third had a young daughter who loved attending church services which lead the way to her own salvation.

As we bring the interview to a close, the women are easier to smile and talk positively about their future. “The purpose of our church is to continue no matter what happens. We give thanks because the Lord has been with us in all the good times and the bad. The little that we have done, the Lord has blessed us.” As we head out the door and get in the car, it hurts almost as much to leave as it did to hear of their trials. After listening to the women for more than two hours about their lives and about the church, I feel as if I am forever attached to them.
We head onwards up the mountain as another church awaits our arrival. The temperature rapidly drops as we slowly crawl up the mountain in the truck. The road is narrow and filled with crevasses and rocks. The truck bounces back and forth while Carlos tries to maneuver the road. At one point we come around a bend in the road which opens up to a lush valley which is the ‘green’ carpet leading to a family of majestic mountain peaks. For a second I feel as if I have been placed in the middle of a life-size painting, nothing around me is real. This feeling of unrealism is only heightened as we cross back into the forest. Massive trees, bumpy terrain, and foreign shrubbery transport us to a jungle safari ride at Universal Studios. Our trek comes to an end when we spot the town which is the home to our next church: Las Sabanas.

Las Sabanas is small and secluded. No other vehicles are in sight and our red truck stands out like a sore thumb stating that we are not from around here. We pull up to a church but encounter the same problem as the first: this church is locked and deserted. Instead of peeking children this time around, we have neighbors to question. The pastor waited on us at the church all morning, but left to go home shortly before our arrival. A man who attends the church immediately sets off to find the pastor and our group of four is left in the empty sanctuary to wait for the return of the pastor. Half an hour later, a joyous man comes bounding in the doorway to greet us, apologizing that he had not been there for our arrival. After talking to him for a few minutes, he informs us that the third church we plan to visit that day in El Encino is still in the ‘mission’ stage. This means there is a strong congregation meeting in the town, but there is no church building. The congregation has never had any visitors, if we are willing to travel the taxing trip to get there, we would be the first group to see the mission.

With only a slight hesitation, we decide to embark on the next leg of our journey. We are told that the trip will take about 1.5 hours by car because we have to drive around a mountain to get there, but if we had the opportunity to ride horses we could go over the mountain in about 1 hour. I thought we had already experienced the poorest roads in existence, but that notion dissipated within the first five minutes of the drive. A majority of the roads were far beyond anything you’ve seen on any off-road SUV commercial. If the road was not swelling with large rocks, it was overgrown with grasses, covered in mud, or underwater. The constantly changing scenery is enough entertainment to keep us occupied as we stare out the windows for the entire trip. The road makes a drastic incline upwards and the truck starts struggling with the road; our engine is pulsing and we lose traction. The incline is steeper than most paved roads, but we have 2 feet wide trenches and boulders to maneuver as well. The only solution to make it up the ascent is to help push. Carlos drives as Nohemi, the pastor, Amber and I help the truck up the hill. We all feel a burst of excitement with our success when the road levels off again, but the feeling doesn’t last for long. There are several more steep inclines similar or worse than the one we just conquered. We get out and push the vehicle up the truck up the mountain three more times feeling grateful we chose not to wear our skirts for the day. The last incline we face is the longest, most difficult challenge yet. We are close to the top, when we come to a standstill—our pushing is not enough for the four-wheel drive truck to make it up the mountain. We recruit the assistance of a teenage boy walking his bike up the mountain beside us and the extra force is just enough to make it to the top. We are weary and sweaty as the pastor informs us that there are at least two more inclines even worse than the one we just climbed. There is no way we would be able to climb the mountain from this point on with the truck, and so we are forced to turn around after our two hour effort to visit El Encino. The pastor, who usually walks to the mission over the mountain, ensures us that he will tell the congregation of our effort.

Our spirits slightly discouraged, we head back to Las Sabanas where the congregation is gathering and waiting for our return. This atmosphere at Las Sabanas is in stark contrast to the atmosphere earlier in the day at San Lucas. We are greeted by smiling faces and countless handshakes. The interview is very positive, focused on all the great things that God has done in their church, especially with the mission they are working with in El Encino. They have had many struggles of course, but they are hesitant to share of their trials. It is easy to listen to them tell stories and they even ask questions about our work and homes. I feel as if I have known these people all my life and that we are gathering to catch up on everything we’ve missed over the last few years.

We say goodbye to our new friends after a couple hours and head back to the hotel, exhausted from the day. I sit back in the car as the sky darkens with the setting of the sun and just reflect on the day. The churches are beautiful, no matter what stage they in. Even in the midst of suffering, all the work of the churches is for the work of the Lord. God is prospering each of the churches in a different way beyond what I can understand and my heart dwells on these verses from 2 Corinthians 4:15-18 which I would like to leave you with today:

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

June 24: A quick update!

There isn´t much time, but I thought we should give you a few more details on exactly what we are up to. If you check it out below, we have included our Top 10 lists, which had to turn into Top 12 lists. There are just too many great things we want to share with you all! Right now we are in Hondurous! That´s right, we decided we wanted to get another stamp on the passport before returning to the U.S. We were very close to the border, so we jumped over for the night. Hondurous is similar to Nicaragua, but it is much more industrious. We visited four churches this weekend in our attempt at five. The fifth has never been visited by anyone outside the congregation before, and we soon found out the reason why. After traveling for about an hour, and getting out of the truck five times to push it up the mountain, we decided we would never be able to make the rest of the journey and we turned to go back to the nearest village. I am excited to write more about the trip, but will have to post that next weekend. We have plans to visit four more churches a little closer to home next weekend. Your notes and encouragment mean more than you can ever know! Thanks for your prayers our dear loved ones!

Amber´s Top 12 List:

Giving ‘hermano’ Orlando (17) dating tips of what is acceptable, let’s just say we have our own sign language: forhead, cheek, and hand…that pretty much covers it… “no besos, si!”

Laughing until my tummy hurts with Melicita and Hilidita while we are attempting to be Pilates pros.

Gazing at a cascade of mesmerizing skylight and wishing upon my favorite star from the Beholder’s hand.

Making a tent at 2:30 in the morning and let’s not forget, “Lions, Tigers, and Bears, oh my, we are in the jungle after all.”

Unveiling myself before the Maker’s throne with my teammate and amazing friend Melicita.

Telling someone they’re ‘soft’ when I meant to tell them they were ‘sweet’. I learned the right word for sweet real quick.

Getting so excited when a phone booth or internet café is within sight to say hello to my loved ones and hear the breathtaking voice of my most tender-hearted-God-honoring-love-of-my-life on the other end.

Cruising through the jungle in the good ole’ Nissan, let’s just say my prayer life has increased at least a hundred decibels…is that possible?

Hopping off to school to see the smiling faces that await me and be amazed at the joyous children He has granted…did I forget to mention I get to work with an amazing group of Sisters that live at the Abby….I’m the only non-single one in the bunch!!!!

Praising God for each new day He has granted and giving Him all the glory (Gloria A Dios…. “no Melissa, it is not Gloria Adios, it means “to give God the glory!)

Hearing Hilda’s heart and getting to help with little Carlitos’ nighttime routine.

Oh, we can’t forget, Melissa and I trying to sunbathe on the asphalt driveway at Nohemi’s house (it did not take long to find out that baby oil only attracts mosquitos, not the sun, and our efforts were meaningless as it began to pour five minutes into our attempt at a Nicaraguan tan)

Melissa´s top 12 most beautiful moments:

Watching the clouds because they are just as breathtaking whether they crown the mountains of Nicaragua or the wheat fields of Kansas.

Praying on my knees beside the hotel bed with an amazing friend with the humbling knowledge that we are nothing without the grace of God.

Sitting in church service and hearing the words “somos guapos” being echoed throughout the building (in English this means ‘we are beautiful,’ because we are the creation of God).

Weighing 2 lbs of 4 inch nails for a farmer who is very hesitant to trust my ability to do the job correctly and then watch him drive away after shaking his head at me with a confused smile on his face.

Finding a friend who is just as passionate about the Memory Game as I am (you know the one where there are pairs of cards that you have to flip over to find the matches—at home the only competition is my five year old ‘niece’ Alexus.) Orlando is winning 6 games to 5.

Accidently saying ‘Si’ on the phone to a friend from home instead of ‘yes’ because that is one word I have mastered in Spanish.

Realizing how much more I appreciate and love my family when they aren’t always a phone call away.

Riding in the front cab of a truck with Amber and Orlando while singing every song imaginable at the top of our lungs, including Backstreet Boys I must shamelessly admit.

Listening to people share how God has worked in their lives and

Taking a 10 month old baby boy and a 12 year old girl for a walk around the town…we thought we got funny looks before!

Trying to find words to describe the splendor of this country and coming up speechless.

June 15: a few photos

Amber with some of the girls at San Isidro, one of the congregations that will be getting a church building this year when the work camp comes in July.

Leaving the service at Hill of Our Father

Our new friends at Las Limones

The awesome view on our drive through the mountains.

If you look close enough you can see Amber and Melissa riding Joe and Maca.

Melissa with Orlando and Karla while at Papa John's, we've only been here 10 days and we have already had pizza!

Delmar and Orlando, the partnership that started everything 30 years ago.

Melissa and Amber at the house in Sebeco

June 15: Roughin It!

Wow! Where can I begin? Let's just say on Tuesday and Wednsday was quite an adventure for Melissa and I. We set out about 9:00 a.m. San Dionisio, Las Limones, and the hill of our father. Melissa had quite the work cut out for her, three interviews, each in different towns, in a period of two days! We started out in anticipation for what the next two days would entill and we had no idea! The visits at the churches went really well and the people welcomed us with much gratitude into the arms. Everyone left the interviews enlightened with what God has done and is continuing to do among these people. The stories that were left were remarkable, Melissa can tell more on this later. I do not think that I had ever had a more bumpy car ride in my life! I have felt pot holes before, but never an hour and half dirt road of what seemed like pure pot holes. I know that I have many things to be thankful for and that we have many luxuries, but I begin to realize this even more. Not too far into our trip I smelled a certain aroma and begin to look over at Melissa, who had a confused look on her face. We both turned to one another, wide eyed, wondering what was going to happen next. "Is the car on fire?" I heard Delmar's voice project from the front. He verbalized what I was thinking. Before I knew it, we were in the middle of the road stopping for a "coke" break. The car was steaming. As I gazed over at the smoke I could only praise Jesus we were okay! After we found a hole in the ground (bathroom) and recieved some refreshment from the beating sun, we proceeded to the car for what seemed an endless drive. Little did I know that this was just the beginning! The towns that we were going to were deeply embedded within the mountainous jungle area of Nicaragua. Finally, after a long drive that wore deeply on our breaks we made it Los Limones. It was interesting finding Los Limones, we had to stop many times to ask the mountain people for directions! They give directions based on trees and bushes. None of use knew that Nicaraguan time is different than our time. Everytime that we would stop and ask directions and how far our distination would be it was "Oh, about a half an hour longer." When dusk began to fall and we pulled into Los Limones we realized that a half and hour had turned into two and a half or three hours. Needlees to say, the people were excited and ready to see us! Melissa and I had a great time playing with the kids before the service began! The service was a beautiful one and the Lord blessed our time there. It was well worth the drive! The drive did have an amazing jungle scenery! That night we were fed a wonderful meal of chicken, rice, and french fries! Believe it or not french fries are pretty popular here! That has been a little difficult for me considering I do not eat french fries. I do now! A few that is. . . That night after a long hard traveled day Melissa and I were exhausted. We were in for a suprise. I am thankful for the gracious, giving attitudes of all of the people. It was really hard to deal with the bugs this night though. . . I do not know if they thought it was mating season because someone new was sleeping in the bed that night or what, but we were in for a treat! Previously, when I have been in these situations I have been able to recieve mesquito netting, but not tonight. This night, we were going to rough it. In order to help ease the situation we decided to build a tent. Finally, after a well thought out process we dove into our tent. Oh, wait I forgot to mention that it was about 95 degrees in our humid room that was filled with stagnet air. It was definetly a bonding experience with Melissa and I in our tent. I knew the many hours I spent making tents as a kid would prove useful someday. This night it really did! I did not know that we also getting the treat of a sauna at no cost! Of course, once we settled into our "homemade mesuito netting" we had to go to the bathroom. Let's just this was an experience to remember. I have been to many primitive places in different countries, but this was at the top of these experiences. At least no lions attacked us! Nohemi told me there were lions there. Thank goodness we didn't meet any of them. We finally drifted of about 2:30. The roosters were right on schedule to wake us up 5:30a.m. Let's just say the night was short... We did have something to be excited for though, are very first horse ride in the jungle. M,y what a time we had. Melissa had a horse that was a bit fiesty and quickly recieved a guide to direct her with her horse. Alan and Melissa quickly became friends. Oh by the way, Allan speaks no English and well, lets just say Melissa still working on her Spanish. They both smiled a bunch. This was a 10 kilometer horse ride through the mountains. It was a nice pleasant ride through the mountains and quickly beat the bumpy car ride that we had taken the day before. This was the first horse maze that I had ever been through. At one point our journey, as I looked down at the rocky terrain, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. Melissa and I decided to name our horses. She named her horse "Maca" because when she was younger she had a horse named "Roni". I started out naming my horse Juan, but quickly he bacame known as "Joe the slow Poke. He just couldn't keep up with the rest of the crew. Yet, he made it thank goodness. I was hoping that my horse's engine wouldn't break down because that would be a long walk. Oh, I can't forget to mention that through our journey we came across two monkey families. I felt like I was in the Jungle Book!It was a pleasant ride for us,but I am sure was a workout for the horses. I am just glad we made it to the top of the mountain. We had a wonderful opportunity to meet with the church here. Melissa conducted more interviews and I had the privelege of taking some pictures! I also enjoy capturing memories through film for other to see. I hope you enjoy the pictures that Melissa has posted on here. After the services were finished, we set out for yet another long car ride. After a bumpy ride with no breaks and a flat tire experience, we got to see the site where the work camp will be building a church in EL Jobo. This is why we are her afterall, to be obedient and give the Lord all the glory. May we share his glory with others. Finally, after a long two days, on Wensday night Melissa, Delmar, Carlos, Nohemi, and I pulled into Nohemi's house around 10:30! God hand of protection was upon us all. We endured bumpy roads, a flat tire, and a loss of breaks. However, the Lord's angels were with us. Melissa and I definetly had a bonding experience that we will never forget! I am sure there will be many more to come. Even though there are many humorous points. . . God is faithful. I was reminded of this before left, when we glanced to the mountains in Nohemi's town. There glistening before us was an amazing rainbow. God truely is faithful to his promises! He is good! May the Lord recieve all the praise, honor, and glory! Thank you to everyone who has given money to this project. It is all for his kingdom and is such a blessing to those who have nothing in materials. They show the love of Jesus to us constantly! You are part of this process also. I haven't written about my teaching experiences yet, so I apologize. I have just begun and really like it thus far! I really enjoy the fifth graders and I am glad to have this opportunity. There should be an update again when we recieve Internet connection. Thank you everyone for your prayers for us and the Harvest field here in Nicaragua. Hello to my family! Have a safe trip in California. I love and miss everyone, be careful! if you read this- Milly& Kremer's I am thinking about ya'll & praying for you! Brandon thank you for your support. I miss you dearly and give you all my love xoxo! May God have all the glory! I thank him for each new day he grants from his loving arms to share his goodness to others. Melissa and I are having fun and learning so much! *We love you!*

June 11: The need for help

I love God. Have I mentioned that lately? I am sitting here in the middle of Nohemy’s house with my laptop. It is late and I didn’t want to keep the family awake by leaving the light on, so I turned it off. Genius move on my part, because now I am being attacked by bugs of all sizes and shapes. I have a story I want to tell you even though the bugs are being drawn to my light. Yesterday, a church actually broke my heart.

This church was different than the rest we have been to so far. It was deep into the jungle. I don’t think it is actually called a jungle, but it is more than any jungle we have in Kansas. I know that we will travel deeper into rough terrain over the next five weeks, but this was my first experience, so stay with me here. We left the town of Nandasmo and drove for a good hour on a dirt road into the ‘jungle’. The farther we went, the narrower the road got and the more potholes and trenches the road had. With each minute along the journey, the trees and brush crept in closer to the vehicle until we were surrounded by a canopy of vegetation. Finally, we arrived at our destination: a small town which was carved into the forest. I felt as if no one in the world new this little hub of activity existed except us, as if it were a hidden treasure. Within this little town was a little church. This little church has overcome many huge obstacles.
Right now the church is without a pastor, because the last took off one day. The congregation said the reason the pastor left was because they couldn’t afford good housing conditions for a parsonage for the pastor to live. They have been through several pastors which has been a major struggle for them. The families in the church can hardly support themselves and their families on their low income, so the burden of supporting a pastor and his family as well is a large burden. They desire to help, but circumstances do not make it possible. The denomination also would like to help, but the funds are dependant upon donations be other people. The church desires to spread the word of God to people. They have a thriving children’s program every week aimed to reach children with the goal of reaching the parents in the process. They have no resources for the program whatsoever. They have no books. They have no paper. They have no crayons. I can only imagine how much more successful their program would be with some resources.
The parsonage would cost $1200 to build. We can’t even buy a car for $1200 in the U.S., and the thought of buying a house for that price is out of the question. You see, $1200 dollars is impossible to these people. One man shared his testimony with me and I want to pass part of it on to you as a demonstration of their financial challenges. He is currently the main leader of the church, because there is no pastor. Several years ago his fourteen year old daughter was ill with a parasite. They knew she had the disease, but she could not get any treatment for it until she had a special test done in the hospital. The problem was that the test alone was $350 dollars. The man, Andres, whose wife died after their second child was born, could not even imagine how he would get this money. The thought of knowing his daughter was so ill and not being able to help her was unbearable. He did the only thing he could and brought her to the church. The people prayed over her and God miraculously healed her. God is so awesome like that!
Tears came to my eyes as he told me this story, because I have never had to worry about not having enough money to go to the doctor’s office when I was sick. This church has the vision and the passion and the desire to grow, but they don’t have the resources to follow through.
When I left, one lady looked at me and said “Please, do not forget us. Don’t ever forget us.” I promised I wouldn’t and so I wanted to share a piece of their story with you.

June 10: The labor

It has been a few days since I have put my thoughts down on this laptop. We have visited six different churches which belong to the ACIBEN, the Baptist denomination that we are working with here. It has been one of the longest weekends of my entire life. I have learned so much in the last few days about the church and about missions in general. In the U.S. we tend to judge the success of a church by the number of people who attend on Sundays. Success to me is not a figure. You know that one part of the Bible in Romans and 1 Corinthians where it says that the church should be a body, each member with a different gift…that actually happens here. That is success as a church, as a body of Christ. The church is dependant upon each of its members because everyone is important. All the congregations which we have visited have between 30-70 members. The churches go out into the communities to tell people about the Lord; in a couple of the churches, they even have a night designated for just door-to-door evangelism. At the end of each of the interviews, I like to ask the question “What is the purpose of your church?” A majority of the churches have answered by expressing their desire to bring people to the Lord, to have continued unity as a body, and perseverance for the labor of the Lord. There is nothing in my eyes that is more beautiful than that.

June 8: Translation Please!

We are learning Spanish, or trying to do so at least. Everyone is challenging me to learn and God has blessed me with the hunger and desire to learn Spanish. Random words in Spanish are even popping into my head now before their English counterparts. The one phrase that I overuse, and will probably soon tire of, is “Como se dice...?” In translation, this means “How do you say…?” We visited another school here in Sebeco today which is run by the denomination we are working with this summer. Amber and I ‘talked’ with some children who were in computer class. They had to wait outside the classroom until their turn because there were only two computers; however it is a blessing for the school to have computers at all. Amber taught some boys the song “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” in English while some younger girls taught me the song in Spanish. I think that whole experience taught me that I would much rather learn Spanish than teach English. Amber definitely has a gift for teaching. The whole Spanish thing is coming along, but the more I learn, the more I realize how little I actually do know.

June 7: The Beginning

One day in. Earlier today I felt like I had so many things toin my life and we are just beginning our adventures here. We arrived safely after a bumpy six-hour plane ride. God blessed us with wonderful people to talk to on the flight however!
This trip is definitely a change of pace from normal life. Granted, the low-stress atmosphere I am experiencing is heightened by the reflection of the nonstop whirlwind of commitments and activities which was impossible to escape while at school. At this moment I have no worries or problems—I’m not even handling my own money. It is currently 6:30 p.m. and the only plans we have for the evening is a dinner with friends.
We are living with a family that I have known my whole life, in a tiny town here in Nicaragua with a name I can hardly pronounce. Even after one day in Nohemy’s home, I feel almost as comfortable as if I were at my own home without my mom and dad or an air conditioner. Amber and I are even getting involved with chores: setting and clearing the table, making dinner, and watching over Hilda’s baby, Carlos. The highlight of my day was reading a Spanish children’s Bible with Hilda, she corrected my pronunciation as I read and then helped translate words I didn’t know with the occasional assistance of a Spanish-English dictionary. Amber’s highlight, I’m assuming, was visiting the school which she will be teaching in this summer. The school has six primary grades and five secondary grades with around 15-20 in every classroom. After being introduced to every classroom by the school’s regular English teacher, she took a deep breath and spoke to them in Spanish which was no doubt an intimidating undertaking far beyond my abilities.
I already have a manicure and am eating some of the best food mber and I already have new favorites: Rum Raisin Ice Cream, Café con leche, and ground fish. This is all on top of the variety of fresh fruit which is always only a reach away. Everyone is extremely hospitable and they show their love with food…no chance at losing weight this summer away from home!
Roger Ali, an old friend of mine here, gave us a tour of Sebaco where we stayed for the night. The tour was all inclusive with free Spanish lessons and an encounter with a monkey. The beginning of this journey has been full of new experiences and I can’t wait to tell you about all the more to come.

One day left. It doesn't seem real that tomorrow night I will actually be living the summer plans that I have only dreamed about for so many months now. It was Christmas break when the idea came up to spend my summer in Nicaragua. I have been to the country twice before: in fifth grade and as a junior in high school. My grandparents started working with missions in Central America around thirty years ago; they found their niche in Nicaragua and have been part of building over 30 different churches in the country. They formed an organization in the 1990's called Del-Mar-Lee Partners In Christ which feeds directly into a denomination, the ACIBEN, in the Nicaragua which is comparable to the American Baptist denomination. Almost all of the money that goes into Del-Mar-Lee Partners In Christ goes directly toward church planting and the physical construction of the buildings. Once a year, a workcamp crew with as many as 30 people from the United States travels to Nicaragua to be part of the building process.
I am involved this summer because this story has never been told. There are have been so many lives affected by the partnership of the ACIBEN and Del-Mar-Lee Partners In Christ and I want to be able to tell others. This summer I will, through the impeccable translating abilities of the Miss Amber High and the grace of God, try to take the years of memories and put them on paper. My final product will complete my Senior Communications Project at Sterling College and will consist of a video presentation, a magazine, and a brochure.
Amber will have the awesome opportunity to fulfill a practicum requirement for her degree at Ozark Christian College by teaching English in two different elementary schools in Nicaragua throughout the summer. Our goal is to have open hearts to whatever God has in store for our trip and to show the love of God to everyone we meet. God has plans far beyond anything we can imagine! Thank you everyone who has supported this trip and are praying for us!
-Melissa
P.S. We have NO CLUE how often we will have Internet, but we'll update every chance we have!