Day 1:
We left the house around four and got to the airport in good time... even catching an earlier flight from Spokane! Praise God! We flew to Seattle and had a 3 hour layover there not leaving the airport till 11:30 pm. My Dad and I finally landed in Houston the following morning around 5:30 am Texas time and 3:30 am my time. We had another 3 hour layover which I cat-napped through. That afternoon we arrived in Managua, Nicaragua. Being at the Nicaragua airport was crazy and scary. I had no idea what the people were saying or what to do. From that experience I realized that we tend to forget God when we know the language. If you know what people are saying or what's going on, you think you know everything. I started praying for little things like, who to talk to, how to find baggage claim, to make it out of the airport, and so on. I couldn't believe how much more I relied on God when I didn't know the language.
God has also put 3 Christians in our life since the morning we left. The man who checked our baggage was a Christian and encouraged us, I sat next to a guy on the flight to Houston who was a Christian and the Lord then put Marvin our life. Marvin was from L.A and he spoke Spanish and had been to Managua many times before. He was a Christian and was bringing his Pastor down to see his mother. Marvin helped us around and also made us feel at home at the hotel. Thank you Lord for putting these men in our life who have encouraged us and who I know will be thinking of us on this trip.
Dad sleeping
Me sleeping as well :)
View from the plane
A volcano near Managua
A truck outside the airport
Managua
Safe in the hotel in ManaguaDay 2:
I woke us this morning prepared for another adventure! My Dad and I walked over to the bush plane airport so we could fly to our village, Waspum. We sat around the small airport for awhile but met up with Ted. Ted is a man who is making his second trip down to Waspum to work on the Seek The Lamb building. It was so nice to finally speak English to someone! The three of us took a 2 hour flight to the village and landed on a dirt runway... with cows everywhere. It is so hot! I think today its in the 100's with humidity worse than I ever imagined. I thought Houston was bad! :) The Mosquito people watched us get off the plane and it felt really strange to have the whole village staring at us. Nutie came over to me and gave me a huge smile and a very warm welcome. Camille,19, was also with her and we became fast friends. Tom and David also welcomed us and helped us get the bags home. We walked to the house and got settled in. The people here lead such relaxed lives. They sleep, talk, wash clothes, cook meals, the children play, and everything is slow paced. It's actually a really nice change.
We went swimming today in the river, which was really fun! The water was refreshing and clear. We met Marlin, a 19 year old. He and the guys jumped off stumps and some of them bathed.
I really have learned to appreciate English... haha... it sounds so funny but knowing what people are saying is such a comfort :) It kinda nice because no one here cares what you look like, what you wear, if you are wearing make-up or not. They don't care how your hair is done or even you have showered. Very different from America.
Today we also went to "the building". That's what they call the Seek the Lamb building. It was beautiful and it was hard for me to believe that it was made all by hand... its incredible! No machines were used, talk about hard work! Compared to the other houses, the building is a mansion. It is made of cement instead if wood and is three stories instead of one room.
Chickens, cats, dogs, cows, mules, and donkeys are everywhere! They just roam around the village and go anywhere they want. The funny thing is the people don't care and everyone knows what animal belongs to what person.
I love the people here and the way of living but today I really miss my friends and family. I've been saving my Ipod battery, music from home is so nice to listen to in a strange environment. It oddly helps me feel at home... weird huh?
For lunch we had rice, beans, meat, and cabbage. And then we had noodles for dinner. Really good! I played with some boys tonight. They would draw a line in the dirt and throw coins and try to get closest to the line. If you were far away from it they would hit you on the hand. Mosquito people love music and right now people are singing and clapping. Almost every person has a radio on... its crazy!
I thank God for bringing me here and I can't wait to see what God has planned!
~Stacey
Bush plane airport
Security at the little airport
Our plane that took us to Waspum
The runway
Camille and Peachy
Tommy :) and Ted
Camille and me on top of "the building"
Nutie on top of "the building"
David with boys we played with
Neighbors
My room
My view
My windows
Dad's room
The hallway with doors to our rooms
Meeting room, coffee room
The office
A view from the meeting room
Another view of the meeting roomDay 3:
Last night there was a large fight outside our house. I guess they settled the fight without much violence, which is good. Lots of men here get very drunk at night. They drink until they can't stand up. This is one of their biggest problems.
Today we had morning worship with Tom, Tommy, Ted, David, Nutie, Camille, Peachy, my dad and me. It was really good and I got to know the team better. Nutie plays the guitar and has an amazing singing voice! After worship I went with Peachy and the boys to a football game (soccer) and basketball game. It was really cool to see the kids play.
Peachy and I left the games early and went home. When we got home we saw the neighbors slaughter a pig. It was fascinating!!
Today Camille had a bible study for the girls which was really good! The girls are very sweet and one even spoke English. It was so encouraging to see the girls get so excited about God and to hear the questions they asked. After the Bible study Camille and I both took naps. It gets so hot and humid that walking and breathing are hard... so you nap :)
Phelix is my new friend :) He is 15 and very smart! We talk every night and today he wanted to take us to the museum today. The museum is very very small but filled with Mosquito history. Phelix was so excited to show around and talk about his history.
I haven't showered in a few days and I feel gross! We really take showers for granted. I would give anything for a shower (or running water) with soap to actually get clean.
I love it here but I'm getting homesick and culture sick! Really! I miss my culture! I've been asking God to give me love for these people. I love them but its so hard to communicate with them. Today I found myself counting down the days until I get to go home. Why am I not content here? Is it me being selfish and wanting my life of luxury back?
The bugs here arn't horrible but I have gotten a ton of bits on my legs! I tell you what though, God gets you through the day. Normally, dealing with all this heat and discomfort would be insanly hard, but now it really isnt that bad. I've been able to handle everything the Lord has handed to me so far.
~Stacey
The Seek the Lamb building
A house near the building
Kids watching the football game
A Catholic church in the village
The park
Women and girl walking in the street
Me and Tony walking back from the games
Camille preparing for her lesson
teaching the bible study
The slaughtered pig
My dad, phelix and me outside the museum
Inside the museum
Phelix, the owner, Tom, and my Dad
Some houses
Day 4:
Today was great! We started out the day by having breakfast and worship. We are crazy because we are getting ready for the teachers conference which starts Monday. We are expecting 70 teachers from down-river. Today my dad and I got the books ready for the teachers which contain English lessons and songs. It was quite fun or "living the dream" as David would say!
After making the books we all went over to the building to have English class with the kids. Phelix got up at 5 to go to work so he could get done in time to come to the lesson. We decided to teach the kids animal names in english, and because we were teaching animal names it seem right to teach the story about Noah and the Ark. David did a good job teaching them and all the children loved him. Some of the local children wanted to show us there native dancing and I really enjoyed watching them dance :) These kids are so smart and just plain adorable! I love all of them!
Marlin and Phelix came over and talk with me for an hour. They were teaching me Spanish and I was helping with there English. They both love the fact that I can't roll my r's. They always laugh and say "I love your accent" :) We had a lot of laughs! They also love taking pictures and we took lots tonight.
Peachy and I recorded an English lesson for the radio today. It was fun and I think its great that we are able to use the radio to teach.
And the most exciting thing that happened today was that I was able to take a BUCKET SHOWER!! Oh my goodness!! You never realize how amazing it feels to be clean until you are filthy. It is so hot and sticky here... almost to the point of being unbearable! But a shower felt so good!!
Being here is amazing and I'm starting to feel more at home. The boys and girls that I talked with today were sad that I was leaving so soon and they told me I had to come back. They said they would be waiting by the airport for me to come again. I told them I would love to come back but I would have to see what the Lord's plan was. Marlin made me laugh today because he asked if I was going to get married. I found this question interesting because in there culture marriage is not really common. I told him probably marriage is in my future and he then said "Well, if you do you still need to visit". :)
Missionary life is so hard! I never realized how hard it could be. There are some things I really love here that we as Americans have lost. American families are small and they rarely eat together or have dinner conversations. Here families are huge! 8-12 kids per family and they eat together and sit and talk with each other. There is no TV or internet so at night people just sit down and share stories.
The bugs are not bad here but I still managed to get 12 more bits on my legs... gah! Camille and I joked around today by saying "my lotion is sun block and my perfume is bug spray". No Joke!
God Bless!
Peachy making the english lesson
Making books
More book work
Nutie singing at english class
English class
Dancing
Little Nutie
More of Little Nutie
David teaching
Marlin\
Me and Tony
Me and Phelix
Tony
Me with my boys!Day 5:
Today was amazing and sad. I really had my eyes opened. We went to church this morning and it was very interesting since I had no idea what the preacher was saying. Tom was kind enough to translate for us and from what he said the sermon was really good. It was about the end being near and us as Christians needing to save the unbelievers in the world. He told everyone that even though we have different colored skin we have the same color blood and are brothers in Christ. They asked our team to sing so we sang couple songs for them. After the service we went to Abbey's house. I was amazed! The house was one room... no bigger than my own room. The floor had holes and was made out of wood planks. The roof was tin and leaked. There were three beds and one bench, that was all the furniture they had. The house was bare, damp, and the floor was shifty. Abbey works at the house we are staying at. Her husband abandoned her 13 years ago and left her with 5 small children. Her mother died 2 years ago and she takes care of her dying father. He is bed-ridden and can't eat solid food. She takes extremely good care of him. This man is not her real father but when her husband left her he took her in and took care of her and her children. She told us today that she was just "returning the favor". We sang and prayed over her father and at the end he told us "I want to give you something but I have nothing to give, but I will be praying for God to give you mercy and love." I couldn't help but have tears in my eyes seeing this man and his family. He was living in the worst of conditions yet he was asking God to look after us? Why did God give me so much and them so little? Why am I so blessed? What did I do to deserve the life I have? I can't write down on paper this experience I had or what I saw, but I can tell you that we know nothing of suffering or the meaning of poor. Abbey leaves for work at 5 every morning and walks 45 minutes there and back to take care of her family. She will always be in my prayers... as will all these people.
When I got home I took a nap because I had gotten a headache from the heat. It rained which cooled the air down but its still very hot.
When I woke up Dad, Marlin, Phelix, Camille and I packed up 70 some backpacks for the teachers tomorrow. We also blew up air beds. After eating dinner I worked on the boys English for a few hours. Camille and I also talked about GCBI (Great Commissions Bible Institute) today for a couple hours.
OH! Exciting news!! Today we got running water!!! I was actually able to take a shower!!! Its only a slow drizzle but still!!
~Stacey
Getting ready to work on backpacks!
Lots of work...
But great helpers!
Blowing up the air beds
Our helpers Phelix and MarlinDay 7:
I just got done talking with Phelix. He brought over a Spanish book for me to read and I gave him an English book for him to read. It was really fun but I don't think I did very well :) He is such an amazing guy! He listed off all the capitals all over the world, which I don't think I couod ever do! He told me today that he wants to become a teacher... he would be really good at it! Marlin also talked with me today about his "big dream". He told me he wants to leave Waspum and get money to buy a nice house for his mom. Once she's comfortable he wants to get money for school. I couldn't believe how selfless this boy was! If he asked me about my dreams, my dreams would all be selfish and centered around me. This really hit me to the core!
Today was the first day of the teachers conference. Peachy taught English class and it was really fun. Because I don't know the language it was hard for me to follow what she was saying but from the teachers faces I could tell that it was pretty good. I went home for lunch and fell asleep in the hammock. Such a beautiful thing. Camille and I washed clothes today which was good because I was running out of clothes :)
Tomorrow's another busy day!
~Stacey
Worship
Some boys at the conference
Peachy teaching
The teachers
Dad with Abbey at our house
Getting his picture taken
Him seeing his picture
My friend TommyDay 8:
The conference was today and the team taught there lessons. We were there till later in the afternoon. Tommy and I messed around with cameras and talked for 2 hours. We had a very large storm come through with lots of lightning, thunder, and RAIN. I guess this is why they call it the rain forest.
Phelix and Marlin took us to the Rio Coco river today! It was really cool! My dad also held a pet monkey :) It was even for sale but... we didn't get it. Haha I don't think I could handle a pet monkey, they are pretty strange creatures.
I love the people here and I wish I could stay longer. There is so much I could do here but I know the Lord has His plans. Hopefully me coming back to Waspum is in His plans :) I would love to come back!
Boats on the Rio Coco
David with the monkey
My dad with the monkey
He's kinda cute, isn't he :)
Roberto on the Rio Coco
Phelix and me on the river
Day 9-10:
For the next two days I wrote nothing in my journal because I got real sick. I do have pictures of the airport and other various ones. I went to the hospital in Waspum, got some medicine and have mostly recovered.
Thank you all for your prayers! God is doing amazing things in Waspum and I'm so grateful for the time there He gave me!
Thanks for reading and God Bless!!
Sitting at the airport... feeling really sick (I think this was after I got back from the hospital)
The runway
Baggage
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