Buenos Dias! Saturday, January 14
As
I am writing today's update the team from Nicaragua is almost home.
Rod & Jeremy have posted news of the teams arrival in Atlanta.
I
can confirm that the medical team, though delayed, arrived safe and
sound. After an uneventful trip through customs and immigration we
headed to Jinotega, arriving about 6:00 pm. We are thankful for safe
travel in both directions and are excited and looking forward to next
week.
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Lunch at Tipitopa
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As
usual Martha and Maria had a wonderful dinner prepared for us. After
dinner we began to prepare for the week. Bags were unpacked, crafts
were sorted for the " caje del tesoro." (treasure box), medicines are
being sorted and cataloged, vitamins are being counted out and bagged.
The old hands are integrating the new members. Already the team is
working in unity.
As
I write this I am witnessing the essence of Philippians 2:1-4 "If
you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has
made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit
means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care- then do me a
favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.
Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top.
Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with
getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a
helping hand." From the Message
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The makings of a rope pump
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Each
member of the team has found a place to help, following the leadership
of the ones God has place here. Chrissy and Kristen as we prepare the
meds, Dayna and Angie as we sort through the crafts, Bill as we prepare
the rope for the pump in Puerta Azules. Shared Apostolic leadership is
empowering the team to reach beyond themselves to create opportunity
to bring the love of Christ to Santa Emilia, Puerta Azules, and Las Loma
del Nance.
"I
therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy
of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and
patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity
of the spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit,
just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call. One
Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all
and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6)
To
the God who is able to do immeasurable more than we could ask or
imagine, pour our your blessing this week on your servants. Amen.
Buenos Dias! Sunday, January 15
Today
started off as a rainy day in Jinotega, but the weather cleared up for
us to go check out our first clinic site in Santa Emilia. The Baptist
church in Santa Emilia is the site for our clinic tomorrow and Tuesday.
We are expecting at least 100 people from the medical tickets that the
construction group passed out last week.
Santa
Emilia is about 45 minutes from Jinotega, so we were able to see
another city, Matagalpa, and more of the country side. We noticed the
homes in the cities have more structure, but on the outskirts and in the
rural areas they are more like shanty shacks. The shanty shacks look
like scraps of wood propped up against each other with a roof on top.
After
lunch, we had some time before going to church at Shalom, so we headed
over to the orphanage to spend some time with the kids. They were really
into their Nintendo video games, but they also played some other games
with us like basketball and jacks.
We
went to church this evening. Most of the service was in Spanish, but we
were able to sing along with Dan and Leigh Anne for one song. Then Dan
shared with us and the congregation about God's provision last week in
putting the water tank on the tower at the orphanage.
After
dinner at the house, we continued our work on some projects for the
week ahead. We also finished counting the vitamins into one month
supply units for the clinics. we bagged a little over 22,000 vitamins.
We
are looking forward to our first clinic of the week tomorrow.
We pray that God will use us to minister to those who are sick and
hurting in the rural areas of Nicaragua.
Buenos Dias! Monday, January 16
We
woke to a breezy rainy morning. Rain in Nicaragua has little affect on
the people. Many walk, ride the bus, or ride bikes regardless of the
weather and go about their daily routine. Even the field hands go into
to the fields to pick coffee. So we loaded up our supplies and
equipment and headed out to Santa Emilia. Upon arrival the weather
created several new jobs. Jason Barr and Moises, one of our
translators, hauled gravel to fill in the low spots in the path to do as
best they could to keep us all out of the mud. The damp weather could
not dampen our spirits as we readied the clinic to receive those in need
of medical care.
One
of our first clients proved to be one of the most memorable. A 95 year
old gentleman in a walker and his wife were coming up the road. Ron
and Troy went out to help, giving the wife the walker and assisting the
gentleman into intake. Later Ron helped the couple back home. As he
was turning to leave the old man hugged Ron not wanting him to leave.
Ron sat with the gentleman and the two embraced as both men were
overcome with emotion. What a reminder to us of the need our world has
to know that someone loves them.
Though
wet and muddy, we were able to serve 110 persons from the community
today. We are excited to see what tomorrow brings! Continue to pray
for our team and the people of Santa Emilia as we share the love of
Christ through hugs, medicine, toys and bubbles to the glory of the
Father.
"For your Name and Your renown is the desire of our hearts"
Buenos Dias! Tuesday, January 17
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| Ron and his new friend, Frank |
Our
day began with great hope! The weather was clearing and we were
confident from our experiences on Monday. We loaded up and headed out
to Santa Emilia. Leigh Anne even commented that we were actually ahead
of schedule. As we arrived in Santa Emilia the sun was shining, the
ground was drying up and we had a host of moms and young children
waiting to see the Doctor. We quickly set up so we could begin our
clinic day only to find out we had left the bags with today's medicines
in them back at the mission house - one hour away! We had the left over
meds from the day before but not near enough for the day and we were
out of most pediatric meds. Eliud and Troy took off back over the
mountain to get not only the meds but our scales and the stand to
dispense our drinking water.
Chrissy
and Troy were bummed thinking that they had let the team down. Things
happen! It wasn't a good thing but what is the first rule of missions?
That's right, be flexible!! So armed with the med. from the day
before we began clinic on time at 8:30! We filled prescriptions for as
long as we could but about 9:30 we had to stop. Chrissy was worried
that all these people were having to wait and that many would not return
to receive their prescriptions.
Not
very long after that Jason Ellis and Moises gathered a group of
children together and had them counting in spanish at the top of there
lungs. This was the beginning of what God had for us to do today. Who
would have suspected that today was play day! If we would have had
our meds we would have never taken the time to play with the children.
The doctors finished seeing all the patients we had before lunch and
joined in playing with the kids. During all of this the meds arrived
and those of us in the pharmacy got to work. While Angie, Ron, Troy,
Jason E., Jason B., Sara, Gail, Moises, and Heilymn entertained the
children, we got caught up on the meds. At a little after 12:00 we had
seen 74 patients and filled 191 prescriptions and spent two hours
playing with about 40 children. We worked to the sounds of children
singing and laughter as our "big kids" played with their little kids.
After lunch we continued to serve the people in need of medical care.
By days end we had seen 121 patients, filled 296 prescriptions, and
hokey-pokeyed all to the glory of God.
I
never cease to be amazed at how God accomplishes His purpose if we will
be open and willing. What in the beginning looked like a disaster God
turned in to joy. God really did turn our sorrow into dancing!!
Buenos Dias! Thursday, January 19
Buenos Dias! Friday, January 20
Buenos Dias! Thursday, January 19
Well
we finally made it back to Jinotega after two days of ministry in
Puertas Azules. God blessed both the communities of Miraflor and us.
From our clinic in the school in Puertas Azules we saw people from 32
communities in the area of Miraflor.
Wednesday
morning we had planned to leave at 5:30 am but after our forgetful day
the day before we took our time and made sure we loaded all the supplies
we that we would need for two days of clinic as well as the materials
to repair the well pump at Puertas Azules. Leaving at 6:00 am we made
our way towards our home for the next two days. The paved road lasted
about 30 minutes of a two and one half hour drive. Learning from past
trips we did not push ourselves to make up time. Besides we're living
on Nica time!
We
arrived in Puertas Azules at 8:30. We surveyed the school, made our
plan, and quickly went to work setting up our Clinic. At 9:30 we were
open for business. Leigh Anne, Sara and Dr. Rios, saw patients at our
clinic while Dr. Darlyn saw patients at the Minsa clinic next door. Our
team served 166 patients from 9:30- 3:30 and the pharmacy finished up
with their 456 prescriptions around 4:15. We were greatly assisted by
Allissa, Amy, Sara, and Jessica. These young ladies are Peace Corps
volunteers in various villages around Nicaragua and were recruited by
Dr. Darlyn to assist us while in Puerta Azules.
Earlier in the day, Eliud traveled to the village and enlisted a lady to cook our dinner. We
packed and ate dinner at the clinic. Dinner was beans, rice, cuajada,
and tortillas. Cuajada is cheese made by hand squeezing the curds of
soured milk. After dinner we drove about 20 minutes to the "community
center" in Miraflor to spend the night. The 10 ladies slept upstairs in
one room while the guys slept downstairs in the meeting hall. It was
just a litte chilly! Troy has a thermometer that also gives the wind
chill temperature. At one point during the night the wind chill in the
guys room was 50 degrees! We were a bit unprepared but we all managed
to shiver through the night.
Thankfully
the night ended. We packed our gear, then feasted on breakfast bars
and water before heading back to Puertas Azules for the second day of
clinic. Though tired from a long cold night, we began clinic at 8:30
am. Realizing that we had a long drive home we decided to work straight
through and take lunch in shifts. While some took a break and ate PBJ
and chips the rest of the team continued serving. By 3 pm our clinic
team had seen 180 patients, Dr. Darlyn had seen 38 patients and the
pharmacy had filled 455 prescriptions. In our two days in Puertas
Azules we touched the lives of 428 patients and their families, gave out
shirts, shoes and toys, as well as dispensed 911 prescriptions. At one
point during the day Gail was sharing with a family in evangelism and
all 4 daughters in unison prayed to receive Christ! Shy and reserved
Gail gave a big shout for all the clinic to hear.
While
all of this was going on Jason B. and Bill were working on the well
pump in the same community. Last week when Bill was surveying the well
he was told that the well was 60 meters deep. As he arrived to begin
working to replace the rope for the pump on Wednesday he got new
information that the well was 80 meters deep. He and several of the
guys had spent countless hours assembling a piston rope for a 60 meter
well. Moving ahead in faith, Jason and Bill fed the rope into the well.
As the two ends of the rope came together at the well head, once
again God, the "GREAT ENGINEER" had made the correct plan. During
lunch, the helpers from the community were so excited about have a
working well that they sanded and repainted the pump housing cherry red!
Testing late in the day saw water gushing from a well that had been
unusable for ten years. Sixty-six families who currently travel over a
mile to the river will soon have access to clean water in their
community.
Thursday
was to be a day of fine turning. While making an adjustment on the
rope tension Bill and Jason were met with disappointment. After
shortening and re-splicing rope, the splice failed during testing, and
the rope fell into the well. Without time to go fishing for the rope,
it was decided that Bill and Eliud would return on Sunday while the
language school team holds registration and finish the repair.
Philippians 2: 4-7a has been the theme of the week of ministry here in Nicaragua.
Let
each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the
interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in
Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count
equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing,
taking the form of a servant.
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Buenos Dias! Friday, January 20
Reflections from the week
This is my first time
coming to a third world country, so I was very nervous about this trip.
My verse coming into this trip was Isaiah 41:10 "Don't be afraid, for I
am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen
you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." God
has certainly kept these promises to us this week. He has been with us
every step of the way, and it has been amazing to see how His plan has
worked out even when it didn't seem right to us. He has encouraged us
through His word, each other, and the people of Nicaragua. He has given
us strength and endurance even through long days and not much sleep. He
has given us victory with a successful trip to Nicaragua to help His
people. This trip was not about us. It was all about God and His love
for His people. Psalm 115:1 "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your
name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness."
Kristen
This week was really all
about humbling ourselves and moving outside of our comfort zones. I
believe God calls us not to settle or remain complacent in our walk.
This week has really brought to my attention, even as a minister, that
we forget the glory of God because we become so busy and overlook the
great things He has done for us. The verses that have been my verses for
the week are Romans 12:3-5, "For by the grace given me I say to every
one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but
rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the
faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one
body with many members, and these members do not all have the same
function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member
belongs to all the others." We have all worked together using our
different talents and abilities all for the glory of God during this
trip. This week has shown me that we often sit around waiting for God to
show up in our circumstances, but He is really always there. We just
get distracted by our personal agendas sometimes.
Jason Ellis
I have been looking at
these beautiful people of Nicaragua through Your Eyes, Lord; hugging
them with Your loving arms, and speaking Your words of life to them this
week. Thank You for using me and this wonderful team of Your servants!
All honor and praise to You, Jesus we give who is able to do more than
we could ever ask or imagine. Eph. 3:20
Gail Walston
Ron Jaeh
What an amazing week
this has been. I have learned so much about Nicaragua and these
wonderful people. It has been my honor and privilege to share the love
of God with them. I have received so much more than I ever have given.
Have received so many hugs, smiles and shared laughter with them. I am
humbled by some of their meager existence, but yet there is laughter and
smiles. We all worked together as a team filling in wherever there was a
need. It has also been my privilege to get to know all of us on this
team and YES what a team we became. I was moved when we visited the
orphanage in Jinotega and saw what the Lord has done for these needy
children, thanks to a wonderful lady named Joy who heads the orphanage.
This week that has impacted my life in such a positive way. I also
greatly appreciate the leadership and love that Dan has shown all of us.
Thanks be to God.
God blessed me today
when he broadened my role from 'pharmacist inside the pharmacy' to
'pharmacist with a home delivery service!' Shortly after arrival in Las
Lomas del Nance, our medical team was made aware of 87 year old Catalina
who was partially blind and too feeble to travel to the clinic but
wished to receive medical attention. Leigh Anne and Troy were sent to
her home along with an interpreter for a brief examination. Upon
returning to the clinic, Leigh Anne informed me of Catalina's heart
arrhythmia that we could not do anything for. Aside from some
multivitamins, calcium, and Tylenol, that was the extent of medical care
that we could provide. We decided we would cut our lunch break a bit
short so we could personally deliver her meds. After PB&J with
chips, a portion of our pharmacy team including Kristen, Dayna, Troy,
Alex (an interpreter), and myself set out on a hike to Catalina's.
Feeling very inadequate with our feeble supply of meds, we entered her
house to find tiny Catalina feeling well enough to sit in a chair close
to the door. This room was sparsely furnished with 1 chair and a wooden
bench. There was no light except for the sun coming thru the doorway,
but that's all we needed to see the delight and joy on her face with our
visit. I approached her to shake her hand and sit beside her. She took
my hand and didn't let go until 15 minutes later when I stood to leave.
As I prayed with her and hugged her goodbye, I realized we had all the
medicine the Great Physician had ordered. God sent us to Nicaragua to
supply a physical need for health care but also to meet the people's
need to know God's love - a need we all have. I am so humbled that God
allowed me to be His instrument to share His love with Catalina. I'll
gladly fill that prescription!
Chrissy Lightsey
As I reflected on this
week during our worship time tonight, I'm amazed at God's power and
strength to work through our meager hands, to accept our meager
offering, and to use us, His instruments, to point people to the path He
has laid before them. My prayer all week long has been, "Lord break my
heart with the things that break your heart". However along with that
heart break comes such joy in seeing all of our group work together to
make each day such a success. Not a success in the world's eyes, but a
triumph in God's eyes. I had the privilege of meeting every person that
came through the clinic, and I was humbled by how incredibly thankful
they were. They were thankful not just for the meds but also for the
shoes, the t-shirts, the toys, the hugs, and most of all God's love.
Angie Bowling
I am so thankful for the opportunity-our last day here, to make a "house" visit today for our medical team. I
got to meet a sweet, little, frail, 87 year old lady. She lives in a
dimly lit, mud and stone hut. Walking into the house, I prayed that the
Lord would be my help-not knowing what her needs would be. It was so
dark, with only a dirt floor. No tables or chairs, no furniture at all.
Only a wooden, homemade bed for her. She said she hurt all over, and
felt weak--couldn't walk anymore and that what she really wanted was a
wheelchair. I thought at this point that all we had in our little mobile
pharmacy for her, was vitamins and Tylenol....and then I knew, that the
one thing we could offer was our Lord-His love and comfort.
How true are the
words that we sang tonight--"Into the darkness you shine," His love was
there in that dark little house--in the smiles and touch of these humble
people.
We prayed with
her--and as I left that little quiet home, I felt as if the Lord was
saying to me "What a beautiful, long life she has lived." He is in
control.
A verse that has touched me and given me guidance this week is Isaiah 50:4.
When I felt as though I had very little to offer or say to these people in such desperate need-I claimed this verse.
"The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary."
Leigh Anne
Most of you have
no idea who I am, but Sara (my wife) and I felt that we should join
Celebration in serving the people of Nicaragua. I am glad we decided to
come along. Sara is a Physician Assistant, so it makes sense for her to
go on a medical mission trip. I have no medical background and wasn't
sure what God would do with me, but I felt confident that He wanted me
here.
On the flight
over, I read about Nehemiah (Dan also talked about him on our first full
day here). Nehemiah was the king's cupbearer. He had no construction
background, but he had a vision and passion to rebuild the temple. God
used him to do exactly that. God doesn't care as much about our ability
as He does our willingness because our abilities are pretty
insignificant compared to what He can do.
He used a farmer
to build the arc, a meek shepherd to slay a giant Philistine, and a
persecutor of Christians to write half the books of the New Testament.
When we put ourselves in uncomfortable positions and rely on His grace
and power rather than our ability, we truly do see that His power is
perfected in our weakness.
Jason Barr
Buenos Dias! Saturday, January 21
Another
week of ministry in Nicaragua is complete. Our week of medical clinic
was simply amazing. God provided in so many ways. Though tired and
warn we are content in Christ. Paul talked about being poured out as a
drink offering, this team of wonderfully gifted people poured themselves
out on the people of Santa Emilia, Puertas Azules, and Las Loma del
Nance. Thank you to all of you faithful servants.
The
baton has been past and we are looking forward to what God has in store
for this coming week in the language school. We have a great group of
workers this week. Nine from Hibernia Baptist Church in Fleming Island
Florida, one from Hickory Flat United Methodist Church in Canton, Ga.
and seven from Celebration. Pray for unity, strength, and flexibility
as we go about the work God has prepared for us to do.
"Do
all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless
and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked
and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be
proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain."
Philippians 2:14-17
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