Parting Words for the Team

Greetings Team!

It is hard to believe that our time in Nicaragua has now come and gone.  As always, there is much anticipation for our week in Santa Maria, and there is sadness when it’s done.  I am sure, like me, you are once again enjoying warm showers, clean feet, the ability to throw toilet paper in the toilet, water from a tap, trash in cans vs. the street and air conditioning.  Still, I know for me, and for many of you, your hearts remain with our friends in Santa Maria.  God has truly blessed us, and He truly blessed our ministry in Nicaragua this year.  First and foremost, we give glory to our Father in Heaven, who provided and met our needs this trip.

I also want to take a minute to truly thank each and every team member this year.  I am always amazed how God brings us together to participate in His work, and how enjoyable it is for us to do.  I am thankful that each of you were called, and each of you responded to that call.  The ways in which each of you had an impact are too numerous to write, but know that you did.  Know that many were encouraged, many were called to deeper faith in Christ, and many seeds were planted.  We had 161 kids the final day of Bible camp.  It was not an accident.  You continue to show the love of Christ.  I want to give special thanks to the team for the mime idea and development.  This was a great addition to the trip this year.  I know it was something that touched us all.  I look forward to us sharing it with our congregation in the near future.

I am sure that many of you are now also reflecting on what this trip taught you individually and for the future of the mission.  I encourage you to write those thoughts down.  We will be holding a debrief meeting in the next several weeks.  Of course, feel free to email me your thoughts as they come along.  I want to challenge each of us to see how we can expand our ministry during the year, and bring more St. John’s members into the “team.”  Most importantly, please continue to pray for our friends in Santa Maria.  The situation there remains ever challenging in so many ways.  Some of these situations we heard and saw, many more we didn’t.

For those of you following on this Blog, thanks for your interest in our work, thanks for your prayers, and thanks for your support.  It is a great blessing to know we have such great support for this ministry.

As always, I was humbled to serve as the leader for this trip.  To have such a great team makes the job so much easier, and allows us all to focus on the ministry.  Finally, on behalf of myself, St. John’s and Mark, well done, and thanks for your good works!

Growing the Kingdom together!

Chris

Home!

San Cristobal, as seen from the entrance to Santa Maria

It was back to normal life today for the team, as we all returned to our typical activities.  We had a wonderful week in Santa Maria.  As always, there was great enjoyment in seeing our friends and having fun with the kids. We give thanks that everything - health, food, weather, support from the church leaders at Verbo, transportation, translation, etc. - went well.  We also give thanks for the great team from St. John's that served faithfully and sacrificed many comforts of home during the week.  God truly blessed our time in Nicaragua.  We thank you for your prayers and support, and for following us on this year's blog.  Look for some more pictures and closing thoughts in the next few days.  Hasta pronto!

Alexander Gomez Muños

Landed in Philly!

Late night, but back home after a wonderfully blessed trip.

Plane to Philly!

After about an hour delay, we are finally on the plane to Philly.

Landed Miami, USA.

Friends!

Friends!

Morning in Managua

After a nice dinner with our translators last evening, today we have a few hours of relaxing prior to leaving for the airport. We have been very blessed during this trip. Thanks for your prayers.

One of our Sponsored Students

Mens Bible Study

Meet Me in Managua

The team has arrived safely in Managua. We've missed a few updates, sorry about that. We're at the Hilton for our final night in Nicaragua and we catch our flight home early tomorrow afternoon.

Our last full day in Santa Maria was quite busy. The day began with a very early breakfast. Although planned for 7 AM daily, each day it seemed to come earlier and earlier. By Thursday, it's was 6:20 AM. :)

After breakfast we did our skit practice, mime practice, then craft preparation for Bible camp. We also took some walks through the community and filled 400 water balloons for the closing toss.

Bible Camp on Thursday broke a record....161 kids at camp! When you keep in mind that this is one of the smallest teams we've ever had and the largest group - well, you'll get a sense of the potential for confusion!

We closed with glorious worship. We had a mime for them to a great song we have all learned and they surprised us with one of their own. It's strange how two churches and groups with two different histories and forms of churchmanship can be so united. We also have learned some great things about worship music - just wait!

As always, there's a sense of bitter-sweet. Departure is hard, with tears and hopes of "hasta pronto" (see you soon). At the same time, there have been no complaints about A/C, the pool, or restaurants - at least so far!

What St John's has been doing here bears some obvious fruit, some possible fruit, and always the question "what can we do better?" Actually, Mark and I think that sounds a lot like ministry everywhere!

Thank you for remembering us in prayer!

131 Kids Today

After craft, skit, mime, and Bible study preparation the team set out in groups of 4 to travel throughout the village visiting families. We visited new people and some old friends, inviting them to church, the Bible studies and VBS. As a result of the invitation attendance at VBS went from 95 children to 131. Being slightly shy of craft materials for 131 "ninos" we scrambled to make 13 more masks out of cardboard paper. Todays lesson was Saul's coversion and the kids decorated masks to represent Saul's blindness.

For those of you who have been here before, you will be jealous of the consistant gentle breezes that have made our stay most enjoyable.

Saludos

Craft Preparation

Morning Day 2

This morning the team spent time preparing the skits and crafts for today's VBS. The rain held off til just about 5 minutes ago. We hope it will pass before the camp starts. The work peoject, fixing the lunch tables for the feeding program, finished this am with the final coat of red paint. Resting now prior to lunch.

A Day at the Market and More....

The first two days went very well with only one small incident. Yesterday we had church at 2:00 and visited for a good long time with friends. Dr Orly was called into service to give first aid to a young man who fell into barbed wire while playing Santa Maria style baseball. The patient required 3 stitches at the local hospital. This morning Chris and Butch shopped with Doñia Nubia to purchase food and buy water jugs for us from Noth America. We went to the local school to watch volunteers from Mississippi install a water well on the school property. They were with "Living Water" a mission who has put water wells here at the church and throughout the village. We are now about to eat lunch and await the kids for VBS day 1.

They're Here!

Mark and I arrived at the airport via a new route from Granada. We are now watching the team collect their bags. Soon we will be off to Santa Maria.

Laguna Appoyo!

Beautiful view from a future Opportunity International EcoLodge. This hotel will help fund a secondary school, and provide hospitality learning for the students.

Our Police Escort!

We are now on our way to Granada. We are with the police...well, they are with us.

They hitched a ride from us and are in the back of the truck. If you can't beat them, join them.

Beautiful morning here in Nicaragua. The church is ready for the team arrival tomorrow.

Answer to yesterday's question..... It's Nicaragua! Today's question... how many Nicaraguan's can you fit on a bus?

Thanks for your prayers. A lot of driving today and tomorrow.

Waiting to leave for Leon

Question and answers...

Mark keeps asking....what are we waiting for. And a quick 2 word answer was appropriate....can you guess? Answer comes tomorrow.

Otherwise, we spent the morning negotiating our supply needs for the team, shopped for food, lumber, and other supplies. After our return, we set up beds and mosquito nets.

We've had a couple of very hard rains typical of the tropics. In other words, about the time that you're CERTAIN it can't rain any harder, it does. The rains don't last much more than 1/2 hour, but wow!

We're getting ready to head out with a truck load of folks for a mid-week service in Leon, and right now it's raining bears and lions (related to, but bigger than cats and dogs).

Off to Granada tomorrow at 6 AM. More tomorrow, keep our travels in prayer.

On the road!

Headed to shop! Hardware store, then Walmart.

After - good!

Arrived in Santa Maria. All is well. More tomorrow and thanks for the prayers.

After - good!

Before - bad!

Problem Solved!

Mark can't kick the back of my seat anymore! We are back to diesel! :)

Uh oh!

This could get interesting. :)

Landed in Nicaragua!

Landed in Miami

Arrived in Miami, already immersed in Spanish. Good practice for the week to come. Departure is 11:20 AM.

On Our Way!

We are now boarded the flight to Miami.

Sent from my iPhone

Checked-in!

Last Saturday, the team had their final gathering prior to departing for Nicaragua at the Steege's house.  After enjoying dinner, the team went over final preparations, last minute concerns, and the normal dividing up of supplies to pack in team member luggage.  The team is ready to go!  Mark and Chris are now checked in to their flights bright and early tomorrow morning.  Bags are packed, skits, crafts, lessons are prepared.  We appreciate your prayers during our mission trip.

Craft Preparations

During the church picnic this past Sunday, members of the congregation were assisting with craft preparations for the VBS that we will run in Santa Maria.  Nice to have folks involved in the mission even if they are not headed to Nicaragua with us.  We are very grateful for  their support!

Welcome!

Welcome to the 2012 Nicaragua Mission trip blog.  As is our tradition, this blog comes alive for every trip we take to Santa Maria.  We are once again blessed to be able to return to Nicaragua with a team from St. John's.  This year, we have a team of 10 headed down in June.  This year's team included one new member, Orly Alvarez, as well as returning members, Chris Freisheim, Liz Christian, Sue Steege, Mayo Dunn, Butch and Ellen Bodenhimer, Missy Gentles, Cliff Gobin and Mark Rudolph.  Our home coordinators this year are Lisa Gentles and Sandy Buckley.


The trip begins in about 2 weeks now, and the team is in the process of finalizing last minute details on the Vacation Bible School plans and the Men's and Women's Bible study plans.  In addition, the team is preparing spiritually under our theme this year, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,  which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10


As the days pass quickly towards our departure, please keep the team in your prayers.  If you are interested in supporting this ministry, donations to the church, noted for Nicaragua Mission 2012 are welcome.


Thanks for taking the time to enjoy our trip with us virtually.  Check back often to see the latest updates.