This past week I was given the opportunity to help at the school. I am mot going to lie; i was really nervous and a little scared that they would make me teach.  Just to give you some info- There are about 100 kids at the school, and the school consists of about 4-5 classrooms that are connected to a hallway/sidewalk  that is outside.  Anyways, Monday morning Madison and I headed to the school, and when we got there they sent her to preschool and me to first and second grade which are the most spirited of the bunch. The teacher greeted me with a look desperation on her face...

It's hard.  We live in a critical society. A society that is constantly struggling to be the best, to know it all, and has the need to put incredibly high standards on everything. This society has such high standards that there is a constant fear of being vulnerable or opening up about weaknesses or opinions. We live in a society that is quick to condemn and quick to judge. Examples of this: Models starving themselves to be so thin it is unhealthy. On top of that, photographers photoshop the images to make any "imperfections" into "perfections". The result...

This past week in Rivas was not easy. We had more luxurious accomodations but ministry and feeling purposeful there was a constant struggle. We had expectations that we carried with us that were not met and became easily frustrated with lack of planning. The church we were helping out was much different than we expected. It actually contained no walls, and was on a farm, pigs and all. Back in Fort Collins at the church I attend we go to a building on campus to have Sunday services; demonstrating that church is not a building but a people of Christ. Walking onto the farm expecting a building...

This past week, I spent the week in Rivas with 8 other of the girls. While we were there we helped out with a church in San Jorge. The people were so welcoming to us and treated us like friends immediately. In order to get to this church, we walked about a mile. This was down a few different dirt roads and back near the woods. When we got to the church, it was at a home of one of the members. It was all outside and the only equipment they had was a speaker to use for worship. There was no screen with the song lyrics on it, the people knew all the words by heart. Luckily, they LOVE Hillsong...

  What do seven girls do on a Saturday night on the island of Ometepe? Our great group decided to get stranded in town. After a fast time trying to figure out the Internet cafe in moyogalpa, we made an attempt to return to CICRIN on the bus. Unfortunately, the buses were all full because it was the end of the day. We walked along the bus route and waited. After we waited, we waited some more. We were able to contact our leaders when we were in town to tell them we were late, but continued to hope for another bus. Feelings of anxiousness set in as an hour passed, our stomachs...

Our first week is officially done! It feels like we've been here a lot longer than that, in a good way though. It's been a huge adjustment from the food to the amount of bugs and the fact my mosquito  net falls on me every night. However, it's all become so normal to me and it seems almost natural now. God has really been testing me and totally taking me out of my comfort zone completely. I can't even remember the last time I looked in a mirror or thought twice about what I look like but instead I have been so focused on God and what is going on here.  It's...