I will miss…
My dear teammates- my family for the past few months
My many, many, awesome, funny, sweet, crazy, brown eyed, brown skinned, Nicaraguan friends
All the local Vision Nicaragua staff- Mario, Juan Carlos, Antonia, Estella, Thelma, Juan Carlos, Louis, Oswaldo, and Pancho
All the cute babies I want to bring home with me, especially Blanca’s sons Javison and Gerson
The view of multiple volcanoes in any direction I look
My morning runs (although they haven’t been too regular lately)
Coffee ready for me as soon as I walk into the kitchen every morning
Pancakes literally every other morning, and eggs on the days in between
This relaxed pace of life…. U.S., you should take some notes.
People saying “esta bien” or “dale” to everything
Buying enchiladas, tacos, fried plantains, pineapple pastries, churros, and sweet bread off the side of the road
The low cost of everything here
Mangos galore
Riding everywhere in the back of a truck
Nicaraguan peanut butter, “mantequilla de mani”- it’s got only 3 ingredients, peanuts, honey, and sea salt, and it’s so good
Hearing little bells ringing and running down our driveway, sometimes all the way through the gate and across the highway, or down the street of a village, to buy ice cream from an Eskimo man for less than the equivalent of $.50
Our dog Lottie… she looks like a tan version of Freckles and often smells like him
Rice and beans for every meal
Not having a cell phone
Buying chocolate bananas for about $.10
Spanish
But I cannot wait for…
Paul and Karen Miller
My big “little” brother Evan
My dog Freckles
That sweet Harper, wild man Harrison, and cute baby Hudson, who is going to be so much bigger compared to when I left him
The rest of my wonderful family
Spending actual time with my family on Sunday afternoons on the river, watching a Redskins game, or a Carolina basketball game, depending on the time of year, instead of just skyping them
All my friends
Rocky Hock Baptist Church
All the cooking from the women in my family
Weekend trips to Wilmington
My mom’s sweet tea
The beautiful sunset across from my house
Being intentional with the high school girls at my church
Hot showers
CheddarBo’s and BoBerry’s
Steamer’s games
Driving a car
the Chowan River
OBX
Cantaloupe and watermelon (we have it here, but it’s just not from Rocky Hock… you know what I mean if you’ve ever tasted what’s grown in that rich soil)
Clean feet, fingernails without dirt under them all the time, and just feeling clean in general
The ability to understand every word that people are saying to me and not just look at them with a blank stare
"For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord Almighty."
Malachi 1:11
Nicaragua
"From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised." Psalm 113:3
Edenton
Life is full of seasons. God is teaching me how to move from one to the next. It’s amazing how blessed I am in each of them. Knowing how great God is and how much He’s always provided in the past, how can I not look forward to the future, with excitement and expectancy, regardless of what that is? It could be a little scary. The adjustment might be difficult. But He is God and He writes every line of my story, even the details in between the chapters.
“This is my prayer in the desert
When all that’s within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides
This is my prayer in the fire
And weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me lord through the flames
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and he is here
This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on his promise I’ll stand
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and he is here
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and he is here
And this is my prayer in the harvest
And favor and providence flow
I know I’m filled to be emptied again
The seed I received I will sow”
–Hillsong
