A glance from the outside in at our team may make our life here in Ometepe Nicaragua seem like a page torn straight from a storybook. We live on a tropical island with a majestic smoking volcano in our backyard, as well as a grassy beach and calm clear waters. There are farm and wild animals (cows, horses, chickens, pigs, goats, dogs, etc.) that scavenge and flock around us close enough to touch daily. We wade out in the water to hand wash our cloths. Nature is living and breathing in unity around us (one peek at the ground and you’re watching “a bug’s life”), and storms come like clockwork every night to sing us lullaby’s. No pictures or words could describe it. But this is also real life, full of dirt and constant sweat and chores and bug bites, very little communication to our loved ones, and we even experienced an insect plague (yes they do exist, is wasn’t just in Egypt around exodus, just ask and I’ll give you more details haha).
However, everything we do, and every experience we have is in perfect harmony with the mission and ministry were here to serve. We’ve only been here a short time but I know everyone on our team and I are placed here for a reason and wouldn’t trade this summer for anything else.
The children we’re here to serve gave us unconditional love before even knowing us. When we first arrived they burst through the door of our vehicle we were in so they could say hola and hug us as quickly as possible as if we were best friends who had just returned after a long time away. And we have a lot to learn from these children. They appreciate and find joy in the little things (like catching frogs, teaching us Spanish, throwing lizards onto the dinner table as a prank’ or my favorite, bursting into song and dance randomly!) And these kids love of God is so inspiring, it really gives a whole new meaning to having ‘childlike faith’. They’ve also been teaching us a lot about living for today and in the moment, casting worries aside.
“Do not worry about tomorrow, tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:34a)
Great things are happening on this trip! This summer is going to be so phenomenal!
Feeling very blessed right now
