It has been a little over a month since I left Nicaragua, and a little over a month since I last blogged... or longer. Chalk it up to procrastination or the inability to process my thoughts, whatever you'd like. Nonetheless, here I go. Last blog? Maybe. Maybe not. Writing a last blog seems so final, like ending a book, finishing a movie; I don't like the finality of it. I'd prefer to think that the story of my time in Nicaragua continues, I know it will still impact me 3 years from now, 10 years from now, for the rest of my life. My life continues in the direction that this trip undoubtedly nudged me, as opposed to how it would have gone if I hadn't lived there. The life of the students that I met, the families, the individuals, other missionaries, continue, without me there. And in this past month, processing everything for myself, debriefing, talking to other people, I realize how small and insignificant the role I played was, how I am simply a cog in the wheel. But I also realize how great the big picture is. Not just Tesoros in itself, but why it's there, why I was there, why I was sent there.
I think I should give some shout-outs.
To...
My host family and Nana... thank you for your kindness and hospitality and opening your home and calling me hijo. I miss that. And it made adjusting easier having two host brothers :) Nana, I could semi understand you by the time I left. Vas a comer?! Vas a comer?! SI SI SI!!!
Meeechelle, and the staff at Tesorsos... It was so wonderful to get to know you, to joke with you, to bring you chocolate... I hope Karen shared some. God bless.
Mama, Papa, Alan, Nestor, Christian, and Alejandra, y hermanito... Alejandra you will never be taller than me, and I admit that you all had me believing that I had to sleep in a bed with Amparo. Caramba! Really, thank you for your love and caring and making wonderful juices.
My family... thank you for your support, love, allowing me to go, and not showing too much worry :) And don't worry, you are still my brother Brayden.
Sarah... Thank you for walking up a smoking volcano with me, watching random movies, waving down taxis, and helping me get my eskimo fix. God bless you in the rest of your time there.
Mikaela, Brookes, and Thomas... I still haven't seen Harry Potter in English. Also the lunchtime cokes were so tasty. It was like a commercial.
Annnnnd.... the students of Tesoros, you are an inspiration, you are loved, and I pray for you. Thank you for showing me humility, joy, happiness, and friendship, and I miss you all. God bless you.
God has worked in me, he is working at Tesoros, and it is an incredible thing to see. I am SO blessed to have been able to go; I'm so glad He led me there. Two years ago this is something I would have never dreamed of, but God opens doors, he challenges our thoughts and our plans, and He uses us for his purposes. For the purpose of helping others and for the purpose of learning and growing, I pray that God has been pleased in this. And I believe he has.
"The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."
I Timothy 1:5
Peace and Love
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Today begins the start of my last full week here. This week, like all weeks, has gone rather fast. I was at Tesoros all week, except for Thursday afternoon, when we went out to eat for my host sister's birthday. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to get to Volcan Masaya, because I'd like to visit there before I leave. I'm not so sure I'll have many opportunities to visit a volcano again once I'm back.
I'm not sure I've mentioned David (Dah-veed) yet. I might have. But anyways, he's a 15 year old boy with cerebral palsy. He goes to NCA Nejapa every day, and then on tuesday and thursday afternoons he comes to TdD. He's the boy that I play soccer with all the time. And that's kind of the point of this story. The other day, we were playing soccer together. I get a ball out... I usually surprise him with it when he's not looking, just because it's funny. David sits in his chair- it's just a rolling office chair, and I'll stand a ways a way from him and we'll kick the ball back and forth. And the other day it got so intense! It was a workout- basically any kick that I would give him, he would return to me, and he was keeping me on my toes. I would pick the ball up sometimes and toss it at him and he would head back at me. And yeah- it was just kind of cool... I was getting tired, hot and sweaty, and David was still going. Ha, it's kind of hard to tell about, but David was so focused and intense, it was a good competition between us.
I always feel like there are catch phrases in Christianity that we use... abstract phrases that have become cliche without us meaning them to be. And I notice it in conversations with people, classes. I noticed it when I was in orientation for this trip. And the cliche that got brought up so often then was "building relationships". I wish there was a better way of saying that. Not because I think it's bad or wrong or anyways, but because to me it just seems so abstract. What is that really? And what does it look like? So I would become skeptical and brush it off every time I heard that phrase. The books I've read about missions- essentially, you aim to build relationships with people. And don't get me wrong, they're right. It's what your goal is. And thinking back on this trip, I have not built anything tangible. I cannot point at something and say, this is the fruit of me being down here. No building, no food for the hungry, nothing to make someones life easier, that I know of. But what I have done, and I know this to be completely true, is build relationships with people, and now I understand that phrasing. I've built relationships with so many of the kids here, and with their mothers and staff. With David, Melissa, Claudia, Javiera, Nayeli, Lot, Reynaldo, Brayan, Moises, Moises, and Moises... I hope that it has been used as part of something greater.
Derek
I'm not sure I've mentioned David (Dah-veed) yet. I might have. But anyways, he's a 15 year old boy with cerebral palsy. He goes to NCA Nejapa every day, and then on tuesday and thursday afternoons he comes to TdD. He's the boy that I play soccer with all the time. And that's kind of the point of this story. The other day, we were playing soccer together. I get a ball out... I usually surprise him with it when he's not looking, just because it's funny. David sits in his chair- it's just a rolling office chair, and I'll stand a ways a way from him and we'll kick the ball back and forth. And the other day it got so intense! It was a workout- basically any kick that I would give him, he would return to me, and he was keeping me on my toes. I would pick the ball up sometimes and toss it at him and he would head back at me. And yeah- it was just kind of cool... I was getting tired, hot and sweaty, and David was still going. Ha, it's kind of hard to tell about, but David was so focused and intense, it was a good competition between us.
I always feel like there are catch phrases in Christianity that we use... abstract phrases that have become cliche without us meaning them to be. And I notice it in conversations with people, classes. I noticed it when I was in orientation for this trip. And the cliche that got brought up so often then was "building relationships". I wish there was a better way of saying that. Not because I think it's bad or wrong or anyways, but because to me it just seems so abstract. What is that really? And what does it look like? So I would become skeptical and brush it off every time I heard that phrase. The books I've read about missions- essentially, you aim to build relationships with people. And don't get me wrong, they're right. It's what your goal is. And thinking back on this trip, I have not built anything tangible. I cannot point at something and say, this is the fruit of me being down here. No building, no food for the hungry, nothing to make someones life easier, that I know of. But what I have done, and I know this to be completely true, is build relationships with people, and now I understand that phrasing. I've built relationships with so many of the kids here, and with their mothers and staff. With David, Melissa, Claudia, Javiera, Nayeli, Lot, Reynaldo, Brayan, Moises, Moises, and Moises... I hope that it has been used as part of something greater.
Derek
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Time is going fast. Right now I'm just chilling in a rocking chair, and I'm thinking about last week at this time, when I thinking pretty much the exact same thing, that time is going really fast. It's just kind of a weird feeling, having expectations about going on a trip for months and months, and thinking about it and planning it, and then actually being right in the middle of the trip, realizing that it's getting closer to the end. I still have a good amount of time here, and I'm not longing to leave or anything, but it's just going by quickly, which is good.
On monday I went with Michelle and some visitors of ours to visit a family. We visited the family of one of the students who comes on Friday, Jefferson. Their family is quite poor, especially now. One of their sons was killed in an accident in June. A couple weeks after that, one of their other sons had a bad accident, and was in the hospital in critical condition. We went to the house assuming that he was still in the hospital, but when we got there we found that he was home, and although he looked like he was doing really well, he had 8 blood clots in his brain and had to go to the doctor for more tests. Needless to say, the mother was incredibly sad, and is struggling with being depressed. The two boys were the ones that help with bring any money or food to the family, and without them, life is incredibly difficult. We brought them packages of food, for which they were incredibly grateful. We sat and talked with the mother, and before we left we gathered around her and laid our hands on her and prayed for her. Not much can be more humbling than her situation, but hopefully we were able to be some comfort to her.
Every Monday and Wednesday I get to ride the van home with all of the mothers, because I walk a student home who lives near me. Her name is Claudia, she's 15 and has Cerebral Palsy. And she's the coolest. I think that we're pretty good friends, every day that she comes she'll always give me a high five, and she always seems to be in a good mood. On Friday I was waiting for the bus to come pick me up near the highway, and a school van pulled on to our road, and Claudia was in it, and we saw each other and she gave me a huge grin and a wave :) She has a hard time talking clearly, she needs help walking sometimes, and it's difficult for her to control some of her hand movements for finer things. But despite that, she's incredibly positive, and that humbles me as well.
So many things to be humbled by.
Derek
On monday I went with Michelle and some visitors of ours to visit a family. We visited the family of one of the students who comes on Friday, Jefferson. Their family is quite poor, especially now. One of their sons was killed in an accident in June. A couple weeks after that, one of their other sons had a bad accident, and was in the hospital in critical condition. We went to the house assuming that he was still in the hospital, but when we got there we found that he was home, and although he looked like he was doing really well, he had 8 blood clots in his brain and had to go to the doctor for more tests. Needless to say, the mother was incredibly sad, and is struggling with being depressed. The two boys were the ones that help with bring any money or food to the family, and without them, life is incredibly difficult. We brought them packages of food, for which they were incredibly grateful. We sat and talked with the mother, and before we left we gathered around her and laid our hands on her and prayed for her. Not much can be more humbling than her situation, but hopefully we were able to be some comfort to her.
Every Monday and Wednesday I get to ride the van home with all of the mothers, because I walk a student home who lives near me. Her name is Claudia, she's 15 and has Cerebral Palsy. And she's the coolest. I think that we're pretty good friends, every day that she comes she'll always give me a high five, and she always seems to be in a good mood. On Friday I was waiting for the bus to come pick me up near the highway, and a school van pulled on to our road, and Claudia was in it, and we saw each other and she gave me a huge grin and a wave :) She has a hard time talking clearly, she needs help walking sometimes, and it's difficult for her to control some of her hand movements for finer things. But despite that, she's incredibly positive, and that humbles me as well.
So many things to be humbled by.
Derek
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Today is the Day
It's a strange thing, being in a different country. I feel like I should always be conscious of the fact that I'm in Nicaragua. Maybe I'm just getting used to being here, and not everything is a new experience. The crazy traffic, the food, hearing the language, the different smells, sights; they're kind of feeling normal, and not getting quite the "Oh My!" response. I think the feeling that I expect should be there is what would be felt if I was just visiting a new place, not actually living here. But I like it, and I guess that I'm just adapting.
This week at Tesoros we celebrated Hippicas. It's a festival in Managua where they parade around on their horses and... yeah that's pretty much all I know about it. But it lasts for about 10 days, and they're doing it to commemorate Santo Domingo. So we had a little celebration with our horses. We did a celebration for each of the groups that came in, so it was quite busy. We had a little presentation on horse therapy, we presented the horses and girls riding the horses in their traditional Nicaraguan clothes, we played some games, and we did a dramatization which I was a part of. I just had one line to say, and it was only until after we had finished the dramatizations for the week did I actually figure out what the little skit was about. It was definitely a fun week, it was good to change things up. We had music playing all day long of course, and all week the staff was trying to get me to dance, so on Friday I was given lessons from Fatima and Patricia, and it was pretty entertaining... at least for those watching.
It's kind of crazy how different this trip is from what I expected. I had some idea what I thought it was going to be like, what I was going to be doing, the difficulties and the things I enjoy, but once I actually got here all of that went out the window. Which isn't such a bad thing. What Tesoros is like, and what I'm doing there is different than what I thought. For example, on a number of occasions, I've had to translate for different groups that have come in. We have a family here helping us for a couple of weeks that I had to go with to translate. 3 months ago if you asked me if I was going to be doing that here I would have thought you were crazy. I also expected it to be more a formal physical therapy setting, but with the kids they're working with, its not so much like they get a half our time slot for therapy, and then they move on to the next kid. They do therapy every day, but it's definitely adapted to these kids. They do things with music, they do specific crafts that cause the kids to use their different senses more, as well as exercises, and it works very well. Although what I thought it was going to be like is different, I'm loving having the chance to work here with these kids. They're so much fun to work with.
There's a little girl that comes in the afternoon whose name is Melissa. She has a little trouble walking, but she always is smiling and giving people hugs. So one day, I was helping out in the education room, and they were checking to see if everyone had been keeping up on their cleaning. So the teachers check their ears, their mouth and then look at their hair. Then a couple kids get chosen to check the teachers. Well, the day that I was in the room, Melissa was chosen to check me. So I bend over, and she grabs my head, and checks my mouth, and my ears, and then pulls my head down so she can look through my hair, gives it a quick look, and then smacks me on the head, as a joke. And she thought she was hilarious! All the professors and kids were laughing pretty hard. It was really funny. So I found out that Melissa likes to joke around, but I think right then and there we became friends. So now she'll give me a high five or a hug whenever I see her.
Vaya con Dios,
Derek
This week at Tesoros we celebrated Hippicas. It's a festival in Managua where they parade around on their horses and... yeah that's pretty much all I know about it. But it lasts for about 10 days, and they're doing it to commemorate Santo Domingo. So we had a little celebration with our horses. We did a celebration for each of the groups that came in, so it was quite busy. We had a little presentation on horse therapy, we presented the horses and girls riding the horses in their traditional Nicaraguan clothes, we played some games, and we did a dramatization which I was a part of. I just had one line to say, and it was only until after we had finished the dramatizations for the week did I actually figure out what the little skit was about. It was definitely a fun week, it was good to change things up. We had music playing all day long of course, and all week the staff was trying to get me to dance, so on Friday I was given lessons from Fatima and Patricia, and it was pretty entertaining... at least for those watching.
It's kind of crazy how different this trip is from what I expected. I had some idea what I thought it was going to be like, what I was going to be doing, the difficulties and the things I enjoy, but once I actually got here all of that went out the window. Which isn't such a bad thing. What Tesoros is like, and what I'm doing there is different than what I thought. For example, on a number of occasions, I've had to translate for different groups that have come in. We have a family here helping us for a couple of weeks that I had to go with to translate. 3 months ago if you asked me if I was going to be doing that here I would have thought you were crazy. I also expected it to be more a formal physical therapy setting, but with the kids they're working with, its not so much like they get a half our time slot for therapy, and then they move on to the next kid. They do therapy every day, but it's definitely adapted to these kids. They do things with music, they do specific crafts that cause the kids to use their different senses more, as well as exercises, and it works very well. Although what I thought it was going to be like is different, I'm loving having the chance to work here with these kids. They're so much fun to work with.
There's a little girl that comes in the afternoon whose name is Melissa. She has a little trouble walking, but she always is smiling and giving people hugs. So one day, I was helping out in the education room, and they were checking to see if everyone had been keeping up on their cleaning. So the teachers check their ears, their mouth and then look at their hair. Then a couple kids get chosen to check the teachers. Well, the day that I was in the room, Melissa was chosen to check me. So I bend over, and she grabs my head, and checks my mouth, and my ears, and then pulls my head down so she can look through my hair, gives it a quick look, and then smacks me on the head, as a joke. And she thought she was hilarious! All the professors and kids were laughing pretty hard. It was really funny. So I found out that Melissa likes to joke around, but I think right then and there we became friends. So now she'll give me a high five or a hug whenever I see her.
Vaya con Dios,
Derek
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Be Opened
The other day, I witnessed one of the more exciting things that I've seen in my entire life. At Tesoros, we had a group of speech pathologists from the University of Northern Iowa come to help out. They came to do speech and hearing testing. Tuesday afternoon, I was walking upstairs for some reason, and a hearing doctor with the group asked me to give her a hand with something. She was trying to put together a hearing aid for an 8 year old boy named Brayan, and it wasn't working for her, so she wanted to see if someone else could. So I helped put together a hearing aid. At first, it was only me, the doctor, and Brayan in the room. The doctor put the first hearing aid in Brayan's ear. Brayan has been deaf for most of his life. Watching him hear for the first time was incredible. I don't think I've seen so much joy and happiness. He started clicking his tongue, clapping his hands, grunting, all while he was smiling. I was whistling and making weird noises at him, and he kept trying to imitate the noises. His speech cleared up noticeably right away, and you see how happy he was. Then we put the other hearing aid in, and it was the same thing all over again. New noises to explore. I remember getting new toys when I was younger and feeling good about that. But I can't imagine how Brayan felt; this was a gift that changed his life. By this time, quite a few other people came in to the room, and we were all sharing in Brayan's happiness. I was quite excited for him. A gift of this magnitude and meaning is not something someone receives every day.
"And they brought him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and the begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha", that is, "Be opened." And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly... He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
Mark 7:32-36
"And they brought him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and the begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha", that is, "Be opened." And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly... He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
Mark 7:32-36
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Good Morning... and Good Night
It's Friday morning, and today I was supposed to leave early and help the driver get hay for the horses at Tesoros. Well... It's about an hour and half after he was supposed to pick me up, so I'm assuming he forgot. Or possibly this is cultural? Oh well, it gives me an opportunity to write a little bit.
I've started to get into a little bit of a routine here, which is helpful for adjusting. I leave for Tesoros around 7:40 in the morning, and then I'm there until about 4:30 in the afternoon. In the morning from 8-12 I have my Spanish tutor. I need to say a little bit about that... When every day is basically a spanish class in itself, having four hours of class straight isn't the most fun. My tutor doesn't speak English, which, I suppose will help me learn faster, but makes things a little difficult at times. Right around the third hour I start to get quite antsy and my brain is telling me to quit. The last hour we have conversation, which I do enjoy a little more, and we talk about everything from family, to education, to health care. It's funny, I'm ready to be done with the class at the end of it, but there's really no break... everyone's still speaking spanish! But I am definitely learning a lot and I do think it is helping. Interesante. I'm am supposed to have it this afternoon, but I guess we'll see.
In the afternoons, I'm usually working with the kids. Sometimes I will do physical therapy with some of them, depending on how many kids come. Most of the kids that we do therapy with have cerebral palsy. I was talking to Michelle (the director) about it the other day, and I asked her why there were so many kids with CP. She said that a lot of times the mothers don't receive adequate care while they are pregnant, or while the child is being born, they experience asphyxiation. One mother she told me about was stung by a scorpion, and that was a cause, along with poor health care. It's sad because we both know that a lot of these cases could be prevented. I've been getting to know a 16 year old boy with CP named David. The other day I was helping him do some puzzle exercises, and after we finished that he was pointing to a soccer ball. So we started playing. I found out that David loves soccer, and he was having a ton of fun. We played yesterday again, and we both really enjoy it. Sometimes its difficult to connect with the kids, or feel that the attention and care you are giving them is being received. However, I know that despite the fact that most of them can't respond well, or react to what we are doing, I also know that many of them are processing and enjoying what we are doing, we're getting to know each other, and I think that they understand a lot more than we give them credit for. Maybe the other people that work there know this, but for me, I'm learning and remember that the connection isn't a reward for myself or there to make me feel like I've accomplished something by connecting with them, but it really is all about them, helping them have the fullest emotional, physical, spiritual, and relational life possible. If I can be a small part of something bigger in their lives, it will be quite a privilege for me.
An entire busload of kids just showed up at the house. I'm pretty sure they're from the church, and it looks like they're going camping. I just asked Lupe and he said they're camping at the house.
Well, it's Sunday night right now; I kind of put the blog writing on hold for a couple days.
I went to Leon this weekend, to visit Hannah's host family. I was a little worried about traveling, because it seemed like everyone was telling me that it was dangerous, and you should have someone go with you, and should really be careful. So yeah, kind of anxious about the trip. Thankfully, I was going to travel with Nana, and I felt a little more comfortable. We left at 6:00 on saturday morning for the bus station. Nana met her two sisters there, and we were looking for our bus. The sisters were talking together, and all of a sudden Nana tells me to go with her sisters, and she hops on a bus and takes off. Ooookay. I, in my conditioned apprehension for traveling, was a little confused and nervous. We (me and Nana's sisters) started walking away from the terminal. Instead of taking a large bus, we took a micro bus, which is a little better than the large busses. Thankfully, the rest of the trip went fine, and I met Papa at the terminal (2 hours late :/ )
The point of that story is that I had no idea what was going on. And as I stood there, my uncomfortableness was mostly due to the fact that I could not understand, or communicate with them and ask them questions. I realize what a gift communication is, being in situations where I'm not able to. Being able to communicate gives me confidence, the ability to know, the ability to persuade. And we are lost without it. More than once this weekend I've thought of the tower of Babel. What that must have been like! That event thousands of years ago is affecting me at this very moment. It's a huge example of how our pride ruins us. I was just reading Mere Christianity, and one chapter addresses our pride, saying that most of our faults and sins can be boiled down to our pride. Pride was the reason the devil became the devil, the reason Adam ate the fruit, the reason men tried to build the tower, and the reason I stood confused in the bus terminal. It reminds me of the humility I need to have, the right kind of humility too. Crazy how God reminds me of that.
Okay, 3 days in the making, and I think I'm gonna call this one good.
Peace and Love.
I've started to get into a little bit of a routine here, which is helpful for adjusting. I leave for Tesoros around 7:40 in the morning, and then I'm there until about 4:30 in the afternoon. In the morning from 8-12 I have my Spanish tutor. I need to say a little bit about that... When every day is basically a spanish class in itself, having four hours of class straight isn't the most fun. My tutor doesn't speak English, which, I suppose will help me learn faster, but makes things a little difficult at times. Right around the third hour I start to get quite antsy and my brain is telling me to quit. The last hour we have conversation, which I do enjoy a little more, and we talk about everything from family, to education, to health care. It's funny, I'm ready to be done with the class at the end of it, but there's really no break... everyone's still speaking spanish! But I am definitely learning a lot and I do think it is helping. Interesante. I'm am supposed to have it this afternoon, but I guess we'll see.
In the afternoons, I'm usually working with the kids. Sometimes I will do physical therapy with some of them, depending on how many kids come. Most of the kids that we do therapy with have cerebral palsy. I was talking to Michelle (the director) about it the other day, and I asked her why there were so many kids with CP. She said that a lot of times the mothers don't receive adequate care while they are pregnant, or while the child is being born, they experience asphyxiation. One mother she told me about was stung by a scorpion, and that was a cause, along with poor health care. It's sad because we both know that a lot of these cases could be prevented. I've been getting to know a 16 year old boy with CP named David. The other day I was helping him do some puzzle exercises, and after we finished that he was pointing to a soccer ball. So we started playing. I found out that David loves soccer, and he was having a ton of fun. We played yesterday again, and we both really enjoy it. Sometimes its difficult to connect with the kids, or feel that the attention and care you are giving them is being received. However, I know that despite the fact that most of them can't respond well, or react to what we are doing, I also know that many of them are processing and enjoying what we are doing, we're getting to know each other, and I think that they understand a lot more than we give them credit for. Maybe the other people that work there know this, but for me, I'm learning and remember that the connection isn't a reward for myself or there to make me feel like I've accomplished something by connecting with them, but it really is all about them, helping them have the fullest emotional, physical, spiritual, and relational life possible. If I can be a small part of something bigger in their lives, it will be quite a privilege for me.
An entire busload of kids just showed up at the house. I'm pretty sure they're from the church, and it looks like they're going camping. I just asked Lupe and he said they're camping at the house.
Well, it's Sunday night right now; I kind of put the blog writing on hold for a couple days.
I went to Leon this weekend, to visit Hannah's host family. I was a little worried about traveling, because it seemed like everyone was telling me that it was dangerous, and you should have someone go with you, and should really be careful. So yeah, kind of anxious about the trip. Thankfully, I was going to travel with Nana, and I felt a little more comfortable. We left at 6:00 on saturday morning for the bus station. Nana met her two sisters there, and we were looking for our bus. The sisters were talking together, and all of a sudden Nana tells me to go with her sisters, and she hops on a bus and takes off. Ooookay. I, in my conditioned apprehension for traveling, was a little confused and nervous. We (me and Nana's sisters) started walking away from the terminal. Instead of taking a large bus, we took a micro bus, which is a little better than the large busses. Thankfully, the rest of the trip went fine, and I met Papa at the terminal (2 hours late :/ )
The point of that story is that I had no idea what was going on. And as I stood there, my uncomfortableness was mostly due to the fact that I could not understand, or communicate with them and ask them questions. I realize what a gift communication is, being in situations where I'm not able to. Being able to communicate gives me confidence, the ability to know, the ability to persuade. And we are lost without it. More than once this weekend I've thought of the tower of Babel. What that must have been like! That event thousands of years ago is affecting me at this very moment. It's a huge example of how our pride ruins us. I was just reading Mere Christianity, and one chapter addresses our pride, saying that most of our faults and sins can be boiled down to our pride. Pride was the reason the devil became the devil, the reason Adam ate the fruit, the reason men tried to build the tower, and the reason I stood confused in the bus terminal. It reminds me of the humility I need to have, the right kind of humility too. Crazy how God reminds me of that.
Okay, 3 days in the making, and I think I'm gonna call this one good.
Peace and Love.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Buenas!
Hello Everybody!! It is my 4th day here in Nicaragua, and I think I could write a book about everything that I've experienced/seen/thought. But I will start with what you need to know. I'm staying with the Gomez family, and I am the 25th person that they have hosted. Lupe and Ivania are the parents, with two younger boys living here, Ruben and Gabriel (Gabrielito), as well as Nana, who lives with the family as well. They also have a daughter Wendy, who I know from school.
Friday night I got to the house and started to settle in, and I felt very comfortable right away. I think that visiting here last October helped me to prepare and know what to expect. Also, the entire family was very welcoming, and they are making me feel at home. The food is absolutely delicious... It was one of the things I worried about because I'm a picky eater, but everything has been wonderful, which has made transitioning into life here a little easier.
Saturday I continued to get settled in, and I played with Gabriel. Gabriel has a lot of energy :) That night, we went to El Crucero (about 15 km away) to church, where Lupe is pastor. They have a service for the younger people that night, where they have a worship service, and then afterward play games. I met some people before the service, but during I got called up to the front and had to talk about myself. Quite intimidating if you don't really speak spanish. Thankfully Ruben translated for me. After singing and the service, we played some games, and I got to participate. It was actually really fun, and I had had a really good time. I got to talk to more people afterwards, some in English, and a few in Spanish. I really would like to talk to the people there more; its just really difficult having a lot of things to ask them, but no words to use.
Sunday I went to the ICF (International Christian Fellowship) in the morning, which is a church made up mostly of missionaries and other foreigners living in Nicaragua. I talked to a few people there, and its really interesting to hear why people are here and what they're doing and how long they have been here. I'm kind of stunned by how people have made this their home, leaving everything that they really have known, and starting up here. I'm humbled by their sense of calling and their ability to start a new life in a new country, knowing only that they trust that God has led them and has a purpose for them here. They forsake the comfortable and easy life, giving it up in order to fulfill God's purpose for their lives. Quite something.
Sunday afternoon I played ultimate frisbee with some foreigners. Ruben usually goes every Sunday, so he invited me a long, and I really enjoyed it. That night we went to church in El Crucero, where again I was introduced to the congregation, but I didn't have to speak in front of them :) Going to church is quite the experience, simply because it is loud, and I don't understand much of what is said. They do have a songbook, so I was able to sing a long, which was great. I knew most of the songs (in English) and I was able to sing them in spanish and know what I was actually saying.
TODAY! Today was my first day at Tesoros de Dios, and it was quite the day. There are about 10 or 11 ladies that work there, some as teachers, and others as therapists. We had devotions in the morning, and then the first group of kids came. 2 groups come each day, one from 830 -1130, and another from 130- 430. The kids that come all have some sort of developmental disability. Their mothers stay at Tesoros with them, and help with therapy and class. I guess the first thing that I thought was that this place is incredible. The services that they offer and how they not only help the children but also the mothers is such a blessing to this community. It really does aim to help the children and family reach their fullest social, physical, spiritual, and intellectual potential. I can't really describe it, but I know that it is sincerely a gift from God for these children and their mothers. Working with these children is quite a new experience for me. I've never really worked with kids with these kinds of disabilities, so it is really going to test me. I did therapy with a few of them today, and it was great to get right in there and help out. A lot of the time I don't really know what to do, or how to help, simply because I don't really understand what the therapists are explaining to me, and I can't communicate well with the mothers. But somehow, we get our points across to each other, and we understand. I can't really say what I feel about everything right now, as it was only my first day. But I am thankful to be a part of this. I'll write more about Tesoros later after I've had time to process more of my thoughts.
Tomorrow I start my tutoring in Spanish. Right now I feel like each day is one long spanish lesson. I'm thankful for how I've been able to communicate and understand what people are saying, but at the end of the day, I'm exhausted just from trying to understand what people are saying. I really want to learn so that I'll be able to talk more with my family, as well as the ladies from Tesoros. They are very helpful with my Spanish though and willing to help me learn. If I am able to understand Nana by the time I leave, I will be happy :) (I never know what she's saying ;))
THANK YOU, Thank you, Thank you for you prayers! I cannot tell you that enough, but God is truly carrying me through this, and your support means so much.
Buenos Noches, Derek
Friday night I got to the house and started to settle in, and I felt very comfortable right away. I think that visiting here last October helped me to prepare and know what to expect. Also, the entire family was very welcoming, and they are making me feel at home. The food is absolutely delicious... It was one of the things I worried about because I'm a picky eater, but everything has been wonderful, which has made transitioning into life here a little easier.
Saturday I continued to get settled in, and I played with Gabriel. Gabriel has a lot of energy :) That night, we went to El Crucero (about 15 km away) to church, where Lupe is pastor. They have a service for the younger people that night, where they have a worship service, and then afterward play games. I met some people before the service, but during I got called up to the front and had to talk about myself. Quite intimidating if you don't really speak spanish. Thankfully Ruben translated for me. After singing and the service, we played some games, and I got to participate. It was actually really fun, and I had had a really good time. I got to talk to more people afterwards, some in English, and a few in Spanish. I really would like to talk to the people there more; its just really difficult having a lot of things to ask them, but no words to use.
Sunday I went to the ICF (International Christian Fellowship) in the morning, which is a church made up mostly of missionaries and other foreigners living in Nicaragua. I talked to a few people there, and its really interesting to hear why people are here and what they're doing and how long they have been here. I'm kind of stunned by how people have made this their home, leaving everything that they really have known, and starting up here. I'm humbled by their sense of calling and their ability to start a new life in a new country, knowing only that they trust that God has led them and has a purpose for them here. They forsake the comfortable and easy life, giving it up in order to fulfill God's purpose for their lives. Quite something.
Sunday afternoon I played ultimate frisbee with some foreigners. Ruben usually goes every Sunday, so he invited me a long, and I really enjoyed it. That night we went to church in El Crucero, where again I was introduced to the congregation, but I didn't have to speak in front of them :) Going to church is quite the experience, simply because it is loud, and I don't understand much of what is said. They do have a songbook, so I was able to sing a long, which was great. I knew most of the songs (in English) and I was able to sing them in spanish and know what I was actually saying.
TODAY! Today was my first day at Tesoros de Dios, and it was quite the day. There are about 10 or 11 ladies that work there, some as teachers, and others as therapists. We had devotions in the morning, and then the first group of kids came. 2 groups come each day, one from 830 -1130, and another from 130- 430. The kids that come all have some sort of developmental disability. Their mothers stay at Tesoros with them, and help with therapy and class. I guess the first thing that I thought was that this place is incredible. The services that they offer and how they not only help the children but also the mothers is such a blessing to this community. It really does aim to help the children and family reach their fullest social, physical, spiritual, and intellectual potential. I can't really describe it, but I know that it is sincerely a gift from God for these children and their mothers. Working with these children is quite a new experience for me. I've never really worked with kids with these kinds of disabilities, so it is really going to test me. I did therapy with a few of them today, and it was great to get right in there and help out. A lot of the time I don't really know what to do, or how to help, simply because I don't really understand what the therapists are explaining to me, and I can't communicate well with the mothers. But somehow, we get our points across to each other, and we understand. I can't really say what I feel about everything right now, as it was only my first day. But I am thankful to be a part of this. I'll write more about Tesoros later after I've had time to process more of my thoughts.
Tomorrow I start my tutoring in Spanish. Right now I feel like each day is one long spanish lesson. I'm thankful for how I've been able to communicate and understand what people are saying, but at the end of the day, I'm exhausted just from trying to understand what people are saying. I really want to learn so that I'll be able to talk more with my family, as well as the ladies from Tesoros. They are very helpful with my Spanish though and willing to help me learn. If I am able to understand Nana by the time I leave, I will be happy :) (I never know what she's saying ;))
THANK YOU, Thank you, Thank you for you prayers! I cannot tell you that enough, but God is truly carrying me through this, and your support means so much.
Buenos Noches, Derek
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