Dear 'Merica

We've been "stateside" for the last 5 weeks. Even though we are beginning to have a routine to these yearly returns, I still haven't gotten completely used to the whole thing--this whole one foot in one world, one foot in another thing. I won't drag you through all of my existential crises in the Wal-Mart bread aisle, but as we begin the journey back to Nicaragua there a few things I just have to say:

Dear 'Merica,
       I didn't get the memo in the immigration line that all human females were going to be required to wear leggings and tall boots. How long am I allowed to stay in the country with only my citizenship and plain ol' shoes?

Sincerely, 

an un-fashioable-ista

Dear 'Merica,

       WHY aren't the libraries full? Seriously, have people seen what's in there? They are sooo nice! Couches, coffee shops, carpeting, computers, artwork, books, books, books, books--and you can go in completely FREE! I understand why you might be intimidated, might think all this beautiful stuff must be reserved for members of some expensive, exclusive club. But you, me, anybody--are all welcome to go in without any charge! Honestly people, Get thee to a Library!

Sincerely, 

a country bumpkin

Dear 'Merica,

       Hey. Hey. Listen. I know you feel guilty a lot. I've seen your first-draft "Resolutions 2015" and it's plum full of things you won't be eating, things you won't be buying. Full of plans to simplify your life (that for some reason require lots of color coordinated stickers and labels made with penmanship you don't possess). I just want to encourage you to give yourself a break! And some credit for how many good choices you are making.  Sure, you probably give in to sub-optimal choices. But you should totally grade yourself on a curve for how many choices you have to make. And all the time, too! Even if you buy "healthy good stuff" at the grocery store, you've got to drive past 12 burger places, 3 ice cream shops, and avoid all the delicious stuff in your cupboard already. You have to choose over and over and over in order to actually get that "healthy good stuff" into your face. And I know that you want your house to look like some minimalist magazine cover. But there is like, Dollar Tree and stuff. Just miles and miles of stores full of pretty sparkly stuff that probably would be nice to have. And even if you avoid all those stores, you can tap a few keys and guy will just bring stuff right to your door. You say "no" to bad choices a bunch of times for every time you say "yes". Keep fighting, but give yourself 2 points. 

Sincerely,

a "giving you some credit"-or

Dear 'Merica,

       What is your deal with the weather? Really pick a season, people. And evidently it doesn't matter what part of the country you're in, everyplace I check it's gonna be Monday: 80 degrees, Tuesday 33 degrees...you're killing me! 

Sincerely, 

a hot house plant who can't adjust

Dear 'Merica,

       I had cynically assumed that all those fall photos of you and your friends frolicking (in tall boots) through piles of leaves were heavily filtered and edited. Boy, was I wrong! Fall is so so beautiful! What a wonderful latitude to live at with all these kaleidoscope trees. Just lovely. 

Sincerely,

foliage so bright, I gotta wear shades

Dear 'Merica,

      For real? Free toilet paper in all the bathrooms! This is great! I won't bother to carry my own then, since you have generously provided it in all the bathrooms already...except this one. 

Sincerely,

trying to make a pal at the truckstop

Dear 'Merica,
      What are you doing to pizza? Pretzel crust pizza, bacon and cheese stuffed crust pizza, philly steak sandwich pizza, taco salad pizza...What's going on? What problem are these innovations addressing? Here's the thing--you know what's already delicious? Pizza. I mean, it would make sense if you were creating pretzel crust broccoli or something. But do you really have to trick people into eating pizza? It's pizza!

Sincerely, 

trying to order plain 'ol pizza flavored pizza




Dear 'Merica,
      The indescribable luxury of washing my hands in hot water at the sink. ahhhh..... And don't even get me started on bathtubs. I just don't have the words.

Sincerely,

one living it up like royalty

Dear 'Merica,
      Why do you insist on calling everything "pumpkin spice"?? Pumpkin is not a spice, it is a squash. I think you mean to say "cinnamon". You shouldn't feel the need to hide that. Cinnamon is a perfectly delicious spice. Enjoy it!

Sincerely,
a spice cabinet aficionado

 

Dear 'Merica,

      Shhh...can we keep this one just between us? For the first time, I'd really rather stay here with you. Not because I don't love the life that we live in Nicaragua, or because I don't value the work we get to participate in there. It's just that I miss how easy it is here. How comfortable. Everything is just so convenient. That used to be a judgmental, negative word. 

      And I guess the remarkableness of convenience  is a badge of how acclimated and proficient we have become in our Nicaraguan life. I can celebrate that. I don't ever go through my day there, thinking "things are hard." But digging warm toes into plush carpet knowing I can choose the temperature with the touch of a button. Standing in front of a full pantry weighing my options, and knowing that if I don't like them, I could be sitting in a chair being served anything I could dream of...well, it's hard to want to leave that level of convenience behind. 

       Like most "gut reactions" I know this will pass. But for tonight, just between us 'Merica, I hate to leave you and your comforts. 

Sincerely, 

a nostalgic nomad

The day of THE Talk

Today marks the three year anniversary of a very important and completely insignificant moment.

It was today, three years ago, that we were here in Jinotega on a one-time only, one-week only trip to bring an auto-refractor to Mision Para Cristo. As we sat on a breezy veranda, singing and sharing the events of the day, a guy I had never had a conversation with made an off-hand remark that would change my immediate future in ways I couldn't imagine. It was the comment that meant we'd be leaving our US life for a very different one in Nicaragua.

Even in hind-sight (you know, when everything makes sense and seems reasonable) the process from "never once considered it" to "packing stuff in a box" was unbelievably fast. (just 48 days!) This is what I was saying about it then:

off hand remarks                happening so fast

And now? It's still such a surprise to me how different things are. How different we are. Here are a few things I notice as I look back on the Hollands who first considered moving here on Oct. 28, 2011.

September Update

September Update

Hello all:

This year is moving right along and our hopes to enjoy a bit slower pace has become the opportunity to learn to enjoy the same hectic pace, but with different matters outside the scope of guest missionaries and their work with us.

Travel Notes

As I write this update I realize that one month from today Sheila and I will be heading south to Managua, then north to Portland, OR for a wedding/family reunion with her family. This will be the first time the whole group has assembled in many, many years and we will be celebrating with her brother and his soon-to-be-wife.

From there we will head back to the Lone Star State. I will be working with the school group north of Mt. Pleasant as I have for the past 20 years. I always say that returning home is tiring and as I look at our schedule I see that we will not spend more than three nights in a row in any one bed. We look forward to seeing as many of our friends and family as possible, but also realize we will not get to see as many as we would like.

As always, I have dropped a few pounds (not enough to notice) because of river trips, etc., just before the return to the States. I will, of course, pack them back on once I get there and return home to Jinotega heavier. My wallet is always lighter as travel is expensive – no way around it, but we have budgeted well and are excited about the five weeks we will be back.

Vision Screening Meets Bible Hour

With the addition of some new equipment it is safe to say that we operate one of the most complete vision screening operations in Nicaragua. For specifics about the number of people screened, check out a sight for sore eyes. When we screen children’s eyes we include in the follow-up an invitation to our children’s  Sunday afternoon program. We continue to have 85 to 100 children meeting with us weekly with newcomers each week as a direct result of the vision screening.

This last week I handed the blank schedule sheet used to plan every month’s lessons and activities to the three group leaders. I provided nothing but a fill-in-the-blank form. They planned and prepared the October schedule completely on their own. I am proud of these 20-somethings for their leadership, willingness to learn a new way of doing things and the Godly attitude with which they lead. The program has spilled over into the youth group as older brothers and sisters have come with younger ones and have been invited to the Saturday evening youth meetings. They are even participating in the youth retreat to be held in a couple weeks at a nearby Young Life Camp Facility.

I have mentioned little Carmen Lopez at times in my reports. She is the little girl, now 6 years old who you have helped over the course of the last two years with transportation and other travel related expenses to the seven eye surgeries she has had. She will have her next surgery in December. Often, this family comes to visit, and often brings a gift. Last week they brought a box of jocotes,( a wild local fruit). Her father stopped by Friday to say thank you and pay for services rendered. (We don’t charge anything for what we do.) The corn they grow and eat is pretty much what we grow for feed in the States and I got a whole sack of it! I was told there was no hope for it because this was harder than what the locals eat. It is the thought that counts.

By the way, Marina, our head cook, turned that hard corn into some wonderful things. She turned it into enough for the whole staff to have lunch together. She made tortas de maiz, atol, güerillas, tamales dulces and more. And if you don’t know what any of those are I am afraid you are missing out on some good stuff. Please com eon down and try them out!

our friend Carmen

SPOT

The SPOT machine is here and is literally the answer to prayers. Within seconds this little machine, roughly the size of my late Grandmother’s Polaroid camera, gives us diagnosis of six vision maladies. Based on the person’s age it takes the information and compares it to appropriate parameters and gives a pass or fail message. If the test recognizes an issue we refer the child to the local optometrist for a more complete eye exam. We then help the family pay for the child’s new glasses or fit used ones on the adults.

Sheila and I will try to complete the vision screening of the five remaining schools in Jinotega before we travel. These are big schools with one of them having a student population of over 2,000. With the addition of the SPOT machine, a gift paid for with donations from the Kaufman and Lubbock Lions Clubs, we should be able to complete the screening this month.

El Rio Coco

The Mission was gifted with opportunity to have two boats built and given motors to go along with them. The boats in which we travel are genuine dugout canoes. The canoe builders begin the process by finding an enormous tree. Then they dig it out – using only hand tools.  The cost of the boats and motors was a donation from church of Christ in Mulberry, AR.

I have had two trips to the Rio Coco since the last group left in August. Normally they are not booked that closely together. This last one was a medical brigade from Olive Branch Ministries International and I was blessed to make many new friends, the majority of whom were from the Austin area.

I was slowed down a bit by dehydration, something that is hard to admit since I have deemed myself the Misión Para Cristo Dehydration Czar. I have been back off the river a little over a full week and am still feeling the effects of not quite being right. A bit of a bug and more dehydration put me working from home for a few days. I am ready for this to be over. Maybe in was the noni. For more on this obscure, cryptic reference read here: Probably the last fruit of the day ever.

Los Cardinales

Our little league baseball team, the Cardinals, still have not won a game. We are competing better and have won a couple of innings. Our team has some skills but lacks fundamentals. Just last week we didn’t even get run ruled in one of our games. After seven weeks of doubleheaders (only 13 more weeks  J) official team rosters, forms, birth certificates and photos were submitted. Our two best players excelled partly because they are 14 years old, and in a 12-and-under league that can be an advantage. They are not any larger than the other players. Go figger…  

The team has been blessed with cleats and uniforms. With the cleats, we are able to run faster so that our base runners at least get to see who is on the base waiting for them with the ball. We are also able to overrun and misjudge while fielding. The cleats were a gift of Maryellen Grounds, who support Misión Para Cristo in many ways including lending her nursing skills, working in construction while she is here, and filling and delivering Smile Boxes before the holidays. The uniforms are a gift of the Tyler Duke Foundation and have been ordered. Learn more about this foundation here: The Tyler Duke Foundation 

The general managers of our team made the decision to buy used international name brand (Nike, Body Armor, Umbro) cleats because the cost and quality of what was available in Nicaragua proved to be expensive and of poor quality, mostly made of plastic in China. They are thinkers and by allowing me to tag along as the team grandfather it has opened the doors to some folks I would otherwise not have had the opportunity to get to know.

Please join us in our…

…Concert of Thanksgiving

·         success in the linking of our version of children’s Bible hour and the school vision screenings taking place

·         success in the young adults taking leadership and ownership in the children’s program

·         donation of funds to purchase the SPOT machine

·         continued opening of doors to new people

·         Colette Price, who keeps Sheila and me from going crazy by filling in all the little gaps and keeps them from becoming great chasms

·         Improvement of health issues

·         You, for your continued support through prayer and finances so that we are able to do what we God has sent us here for

…Concert of Supplications

·         understanding, fairness, grace and mercy as we deal with the daily challenges of working with Mission staff

·         continued prayers of support, especially for spiritual stamina

·         an additional congregation/individual(s) to fill in the financial gaps

·         continual prayers for the process of adoption documentation presentation

  

What is probably the last "Fruit of the day" ever: noni

I'm not going to drag this out or tease you.
I found noni in the market.
I brought it home.
I may  now have PTSD.

Noni is bad. Really, really, really bad.

Day One: Hope
Look at that big grin. I have no idea what the future holds.

So, here we go. Noni are smooth and firm, a buttery yellow and look a bit like a tiny, lumpy pineapple. Inside, a very firm fibrous flesh surrounds lots of small black seeds. Oh, forget it. All this detached description is unfair to the horrors that follow. Here. Just look at them.

The guy at the market said they were for making a drink. He said to treat them the same way as sour oranges. So, yeah. I tasted them. Even Jonathan tasted them. Nothing. Tough, slightly juicy, and almost no taste. And yeah, I had heard of them before. I've seen that expensive juice in U.S. supermarkets. I'd heard it was a "cured" or fermented product. The guy at the market even said, "Take these firm ones and they will soften tomorrow." I thought I knew. But I had no idea.

Day Two: Realization
"soften"
"ripen"
Look, I am not naive. I know these are all just stages of decomposition. And I don't think I am particularly squeamish. I've dispatched my share of critters for the dinner table. I am versed in the fragrant arts of pickling vegetables and fermenting sourdoughs. I take pride in my composting skills. I'm a grown-up who's certainly cleaned up my share of indelicate things.

But here's the thing: noni stinks. I don't mean "smells strongly" I mean s t i n k s!

 On the morning of day two the skin was stretched and soft and the whole kitchen smelled--well--awful. The noni was moved outdoors to finish it's ripening process. I read some more stuff about noni.
This site which calls noni "the vomit fruit" should have been a warning.

Here I read, " It is sometimes called starvation fruit. Despite its strong smell and bitter taste, the fruit is nevertheless eaten as a famine food."
Did you catch that? In the detached scientific-ish definition of this fruit they point out that only people starving in a famine would eat this.

But even worse--This site  which is designed to sell the stuff says, "Most would describe the taste somewhere between "not too bad" and "really, really awful." The kindest way I heard our noni juice described was that it tasted like smoky coconut. However, another woman told us it tasted like rancid funky cheese. Personally, we find that the smell is far worse than the taste. While the taste of noni juice has never been described as good, most people we know get used to the taste, and even begin to like it...just a little."
I mean, come on, if that's the kindest the marketing department can come up with..

On the evening of day two, I was so amazed at the power of the smell, that I convinced Jonathan to give it a whiff. He did.

I. am. not. kidding: I haven't seen or spoken to him since.

.Day Three: Aftermath

for real: this picture is blurry because I am gagging

oh, the horror! I can smell it just by looking at this photo

When I woke up this morning, (from a nightmare-filled night, clearly fueled by this horrible stench) my top priority was ridding my immediate environment of this smell.

Keeping the fruit out of the house was not sufficient. The smell has permeated everything. I washed the container it was in, which just made my kitchen sink stink. The smell on my hands has proved intractable to soap, Fabuloso (a scented liquid disenfectant), and bleach.  The area of the yard where it was, (not IS--was) still smells like a week old laundry hamper in a locker room populated by gassy teen-aged demons from the deepest pit.

And here's something to note: We live in a place full of little critters. From stray mammals to hordes of ants and fruit flies--there has never been an occasion since moving to Nicaragua that I was the only living thing in a particular place. But near the noni? nothing. Not a single bug. In fact, after dropping it on a pile of compost in the yard that was buzzing with fruit flies, every single one, gone.

As for me? How will I go on? Well, it's far to early to tell. There will need to be a lot of healing. I'll have to try and convince Jonathan it's safe to come back to the house. I'll have to face my new fear of walking the market. I'll have to decide if I can live with the lingering smell, or if my hands will have to be removed at the wrist.

All I really know is this: noni smells very, very, very bad. Don't go smelling it for yourself. Your life is far too precious.

a sight for sore eyes

I know that in this blog, it seems we mainly write about adjusting to the differences of life in Nicaragua, and the things we are learning while here, (and evidently we learn a lot about fruit).  But we are actually also working toward the goal of providing vision care as we reach out with the love of Christ.

We set ourselves the lofty goal for 2014 of screening all elementary students in the city of Jinotega. That's a bunch of kids.

I am so delighted to announce that with the addition of a new piece of equipment, we are well on our way to meet, and even exceed that goal!

Here is "the SPOT machine".

It allows us to evaluate very rapidly if children have vision needs that require more in-depth examination. Today alone, with just myself, Jonathan and Ricardo, we were able to screen one of the larger schools in town. That's 563 students screened in just one day! Students who were identified as having a need will visit a local optometrist and receive financial assistance with brand new glasses, if needed, with the support you provide Sight for Sore Eyes. Before year's end we will have served well over 3000 people, and provided eyeglasses for almost 1000.

twins Jensel and Jansel (the J sounds like "H") model their new glasses

We continue to hold "open hours" in the Mision Para Cristo Clinic, and always have a crowd of adults waiting for care. This week, I was so honored to help some of the midwives that our local Casa Materna was hosting for a seminar. These ladies had come in from very remote regions along the river, and arrived at the clinic with their Miskito translator. After the glasses were fitted and distributed, one of the ladies asked me to take her on an errand in the market. I was sensitive to how loud and bustling Jinotega must seem to someone from such a remote place, so we avoided the main market, and wound our way into the secluded back portion of the old city market, which does very little business. As we walked down an aisle with bags of dried corn and beans, she exclaimed, "That is so much food! Are there enough people to eat that much food in the whole world?" Having experienced those "culture shock" moments, both here in Nicaragua, and on visits back to the States, it was interesting to watch someone else experiencing the same thing. She added, "People can just buy corn already dry like that? They don't even have to winnow it?" I thanked her for helping me remember how very blessed we are to live in such an easy place.

It reminded me that, while our goal may be providing vision care, and our goal may be sharing the love of Jesus, God has all sorts of blessings planned our for us--both to give and to receive.

Thank you so much for all the support you have provided us that enables us to experience His blessings, in all the many ways He reveals them.

P.S. Speaking of "many" blessings---At the time of this writing, this blog had just passed 10,000 views. Wow. There are certainly times I feel alone, but it is such an encouragement to know that so many of you out there are walking this road along-side us. Thank you!

Fruit of the day: Ciruela de coco

Some great friends brought me a new snack to try called "ciruela de coco." This is one of those moments when burgeoning bilingualism is just plain confusing. Translated, "ciruela de coco" is "plum of the coconut" or "coconut plum". The English name of this fruit is "cocoplum"--not "coconut plum" and it has absolutely nothing to do with coconuts in any way at all. It doesn't look like a coconut, grow on a tree that looks like coconut, taste anything like a coconut. So for absolutely no reason it's just called coco. Cuckoo.

But it's delicious!

The fruit are small, roughly Cordoba sized, with a smooth, thin skin.

  **special hint: quarters and Cordobas are very similarly sized**

It was recommended by the fruit bringers to peel the skin. It is probably fine to eat the skin (if you aren't in a dirty market in central america, and you can like, wash it off and stuff) but I make a point here to accept the advice "don't eat that" in a place where people eat plenty of stuff that previously, I might have found questionable. Think I'm exaggerating? See for yourself. (click here)

What's not questionable, is the deliciousness of these tasty little fruits. Soft, super sweet, and pleasantly juicy, they are very plum-like. To me, there was a definite reminiscence of grape as well. It may be the novelty, but after a handful I was thinking I had never had a fruit I'd enjoyed so much. Nothing overpowering, a mild smell, and a flavor that, while different, was somehow familiar.

Inside, there are three fairly large seeds. They were so dark and shiny, I felt guilty for spitting them in the trash, and felt somehow, that I should've been polishing them and stringing them into a funky tribal necklace or something. I later read here that the roasted seeds can be eaten and are supposedly almond-ish.

So a big giant thanks to friends who climbed trees and brought me an exciting new taste treat!

Post Script--OK, I found the answer to the "why is it called coconut, when it is so un-coconut-y" mystery. The hint was hiding in the scientific name all along. The "coco" part of the name is just a mispronunciation of the original Arawak indian name of the plant: ikaku. Thanks, internet. You're the best.

August Update

I am blessed to be writing this report from beautiful Costa Rica. Benny and Donna sent us on a vacation to get away from the grind of the work so we are relaxing near the beach and in the pool for a few days.

wow!

As soon as our last summer group left I headed to the Rio Coco. This is a place with great need. We distributed parasite medicine to about 600 children and delivered about 2,000 T-shirts and dresses. We also took fortified soup mix to the residents of the Rio Coco communities in which we work. We spent time in two communities on this trip. Although I enjoy the work on the river in spite of its difficulty, I continue to struggle with the behaviors of desperate people. I am happy to report that we are making progress. There is such a distinct difference in the two communities in which we served this last trip.

In Pankawas, the people are very much removed from even the comforts that are experienced in San Andres. San Andres is a very large place. Although they have no running water and still cook with fire, there are some who have generators and who enjoy a slightly more modern life. On exceptionally small levels, the people of San Andres have internet access and telephone service via the internet, expanding their reach beyond the most primitive levels. Although they have a long way to go before they are recognized as “modern” they have made a few steps to further their status. Their small taste of a life outside and the vast gap they see between their world and the outside world leaves them pretty frustrated and dissatisfied. This is what makes serving In San Andres so difficult. There are many gracious recipients, but others in the community tarnish the work trying to be completed there.

In Pankawas, where life continues to move at a far slower pace, the people are appreciative, thankful and graceful as they receive the gifts we are bringing as God has provided. They wait patiently for their turn to revive the goods – without pushing, fighting or being less than truthful about what they have received previously.

Groups that visit are a blessing in all God is able to accomplish while they are here. For three months- mid-May through mid-August – we accomplish much and prepare the work for the immediate future as groups come and go and set the table for the periods of when there are no groups here.

If there is a downside to groups being here it is that many of the issues needing attention are put on hold while we work with the groups. That seems to bring them all to the top of the list of what needs attention once the groups have left. Personnel issues, challenges facing the local church, management changes that are needed, but not necessarily accepted, all must be addressed. Chauffeuring this bus through these storms is not so much fun. Over the course of the last three weeks we have devoted ourselves to dealing with such issues. But, by the grace of God, we have survived these, even when we see the face of Satan himself at the forefront of these challenges. It is tiresome, endless and necessary. The only way to escape it is to get away…all the way away. So we find ourselves relaxing in the sun in a tropical paradise on the Pacific side of Costa Rica.

Our Sunday program for the children of the market is continuing to grow. This past Sunday the Jinotega church provided supper for the families. We had about 260 in attendance. The children acted out the parables they had been learning about and sung the songs they had learned. Our cast of directors took the bull by the horns and showed their new leadership skills. The parents were into it and the families were welcomed. All in all, God was glorified and doors to the Kingdom were opened.

this is only about a third of the room

We have an official baseball team: Los Cardinales. Jesus loves the little children and this is in spite of baseball talent. They are truly horrible. Okay, that is harsh. Don’t get me wrong. Their level of preciousness as souls far outweighs their importance as future professional athletes – a fact not wasted on this missionary/coach. They are truly in need of divine intervention in the form of angels in the outfield, the infield and at bat. While I volunteered to help coach without committing to the every Saturday double-header for 20 weeks, I have been deep into practice with these 7-to-12 year old boys. There are a few marginally talented players among the 20 boys. I would stop short of saying gifted. As of his writing they have never scored more than three or given up less than 16 runs in any one game. While the other teams show up in professional-style uniforms our boys show up in the borrowed baseball pants and semi-matching T-shirts. They use borrowed gloves. Most of the boys play in their dress uniform shoes required for school. Two play in cleats that have no cleats left on them. A couple players wear actual tennis shoes. One plays in aqua socks, one in sandals and one in sliders. Until recently, one of the boys played in mud boots with holes in the sides. These boys are children who participate in our Sunday program. They are the poorest of the children in the city of Jinotega. They have few baseball skills and fewer social skills. They have bad attitudes and little support from home. More important than their personal trials is that these boys are God’s children and we have a unique opportunity to teach them sportsmanship, manners, and a love that surpasses baseball abilities, proper etiquette, and what appears to many as a marginalized existence.

Prayers of Thanksgiving:

·         A chance to rest

·         Continued spiritual support through prayer from all corners of the world

·         Continued financial support for the work God has placed in us

·         Fairly good health

·         Finances to purchase a SPOT early childhood vision screening machine

Prayers of Supplication:

·         Continued spiritual support through prayer

·         Continued financial support as long as God wants us working here

·         Continued Nicaragua personnel to follow-up with the contacts made through vision clinics

·         Continued growth on the parts of Nicaraguan leaders as they lead the children’s program each week

June & July update

In preparing this update I looked back at my notes from June and can’t find where I actually sent a report. Please accept my apologies.

The last two months have been a blur. We are accustomed to this being the busy season, but we stepped off into uncharted territories with sheer numbers of guests hosted this summer. We have hosted 778 North Americans so far this year and have, with God’s guidance and direction, not only survived, but excelled. (In comparison, we hosted 454 in 2012.) Our limits were tested, and although they were stretched, the seams held fast. We walked the edge of exhaustion and lived to tell of it. This is not complaining, this is rejoicing at the strength God provided when He knew we needed it most.

Here’s a breakdown of what our first three Junes and Julys looked like:

·         2012 – 288

·         2013 – 343

·         2014 – 465

For you math whizzes into statistics that is an increase of some percent I do not know how to figure.

This summer, and really going back into the spring, has been a challenge from a more personal standpoint. God has blessed us with a renter for our house, but the stress of the transition created tension in important relationships.

We have seen some seriously Godly people be called up to a better place and feel helpless except to grieve with people who were not only good friends, financial supporters of our work, but incredible prayer warriors at the Masters’ feet. I can’t help but feel that Janis Black and Marsha Swenson continue to champion our small portion of what we are doing here directly to the King Himself.

We continue to lift up dear friends such as Hannah Jackson and Kathy Latta who we have learned are fighting (and beating) cancer. Not only are they winning the battle, they are doing so graciously and honoring God in all they do. The battle belongs to the Lord.  

We missed the opportunity to celebrate with Sarah and Madison, my niece and her new husband, as they wed just a couple weeks ago. As I looked over pictures of the wedding I had a rush of memories as the wedding took place in a private banquet hall that once housed the West Berry church family that meet on Fort Worth. This was a structure my grandfather built as the general contractor. It was my father’s childhood church home, and my grandparents were charter members.

Concurrently the newly established family of Jarrett and Courtney Stone – kids form my children’s ministry days – also was formalized. Few children have had the impact on my life Jarret Stone has, and this is in no small part to the spiritual dedication of his brother, Damon and parents Jim and Stacy. Sheila and I are left to sit idly from afar and watch. Know that our hearts are with you.

We have been blessed to meet up with people we have known from past times and friends we have made since we have been part of the Mision Para Cristo family. Sheila has encountered college friends and I keep running into folks from days gone by. We have also been greatly blessed by the friendship and encouragement brought by the summer interns. This excellent group of young people has not only modeled selfless service, but have helped the loooooong workdays pass with joy and laughter. We are proud to call them our friends. Truly God was looking out for us by sending this particular group here for the summer.

We have been blessed with relatively good health throughout the summer and even though the pace doesn’t appear to be slacking up much over the next two weeks, we continue to see that God is in control.

I recently received photos of blessings in the form of school supplies that are being prepared to be shipped here. Just so you know, the used supplies are what we put in our churches for support of the children’s programming.

 You may recall that in May we started a new Sunday outreach program to children in the community. The goals were simple: Reach out to the disenfranchised youth of the local church (that encompasses just about anyone who is aged 12 years -25 years, or so) by giving them a place to serve; Reach out to the children of the community, specifically those who live nearby and the market families; Teach our youth better methods of teaching and learning the Bible. We consistently have between 70 and 80 in attendance every Sunday afternoon. I have been stepping aside a little more each week as the crew becomes more confident and empowered to lead this program. Women from the church have stepped up and are preparing snacks for the children and meeting and having Bible studies with parents of the children as they wait during the class time. The group continues to change weekly and this week we added some new students who we met through the vision screenings we conducted at schools over the last two weeks.

Additionally, we continue to coach many of the local ministers in more modern Bible class teaching methods for children. A surprise donation from the 9^th Street congregation in Deming, NM has allowed Sheila to organize a library of packets of non-consumable Bible class materials to be distributed to the various congregations we serve. Donations of out-of-service curriculum from the Highway congregation in Judsonia, AR and 4^th Ave. congregation in Franklin, TN have provided the beginnings of materials for the packets.

The months of June and July were busy in the vision clinic as we saw a total of 926 clients. Over the course of the last two weeks we were able to screen the vision of 646 children at three Jinotega schools. Our screening methods have improved greatly thanks to the generous donation of updated acuity charts and stereo testing courtesy of Dr. Kent Wilson from Terrell, TX. Dr. Wilson purchased equipment needed for exams based on some valuable, practical screening information provided by Dr. James Chamberlain of Fernandina Beach, FL. Of those, 94 were referred to our vision office for a follow up and over half of those were sent for new glasses. All referrals come with an invitation to the children’s spiritual, congregational-based events. This past week we had 8 children join us for Sunday School as a direct result of the vision screenings. This is a specific manifestation of your prayers and donations at work here in Nicaragua.

The long hours have made enjoying our new home a challenge, but we anxiously anticipate the slightly slower fall season so we can move at a slightly slower pace. The lemon and guyaba tree continue to produce fruit and the mango count is OUTRAGEOUS!!! We are hoping to have bananas, limes and avocados soon. I have built a futon…I’m not a carpenter and I have the furniture to prove it, but we are slowly getting accustomed to quieter nights outside of the mission and market area.

This Month’s Thanksgivings:

·         Good health

·         Progress in teaching the teachers

·         Positive impact on the community using student leadership

·         End of a successful summer campaign

·         Your continued prayers and support

·         Renter in place (and paying!)

This Month’s Requests:

·         Continued good health

·         Continued progress in all things spiritual – personal and otherwise

·         Safe trip on the Rio Coco (Aug 8-15 2014)

Our wish list:

·         Do you have DVDs you are finished with? We want them! We are always on the lookout for videos the North Americans serving here can enjoy. Anything you are done with we will gladly accept. We don’t want you to buy anything. Just pass on the old ones.

·         The final amounts needed to secure a machine named SPOT. SPOT is a portable device that allows vision screening for early childhood (3 months) through adult. It provides extremely reliable, very specific, information regarding ocular development. We are closing in on the $8,000 price tag.

·         Time: We have also been provided an eyeglass inventory tracking system and need time to input all the used eye glasses we have in our inventory.

·         Specific elements of Bible class curriculum from your storage. Our needs are fairly specific so please contact Sheila before sending anything. She will give the low-down on what is needed as well as how to get it to us. coachandsheila@gmail.com.