Time is Short

Monday Morning.  Good thing I brought my Starbucks Travel Mug and plenty of Tazo Awake Tea with me to Nicaragua.  I feel a bit sluggish this morning, but I also feel a sense of urgency.  In fact I almost vetoed the blog this morning to get straight to work.  When the sun sets today I enter into my last fifty days as a Missionary Associate.  The time is short, but the work is much. 

Nicaragua is the second poorest nation in Latin America and the Caribbeans.  According to the World Food Program Website, http://www.wfp.org/content/country-programme-nicaragua-2008-2012, 48% of the population in Nicaragua is below the poverty line and 17% live in extreme poverty.  The statistics says that 1.5 million people here are undernourished.  They believe that 20% of the children under the age of 5 have chronic malnutrition and it may be as high as 50% in some of the most food scarce regions.  It is said that the median income of the poor covers only 24% of the cost of the basic foods needed to live ( http://www.wfp.org/countries/nicaragua ).  As is with most third world nations the richest 20% own 60% of the wealth and the poorest 20% only own 3% of the wealth.  That is only the economic side of poverty.  The stats on these pages don't show those who are poor in spirit.  Those who are in need of a kind word or smile, those who are in need of a Savior, those who need to hear the word of God - the Love of God!

The time is short and the work is much.  This is what pushes me as I enter into my last days here in Nicaragua.  To work hard to support the work that the missionaries are doing here, to work hard to help create a way to assess and evaluate compassion projects here in Nicaragua.  This morning I feel urgency for the work ahead.  I encourage you to feel the same urgency where you live and work and play.  For the time is short, the work is much and the harvest is here.

I leave you with this verse:  "Let me give you a new command: Love on another.  In the same way I loved you, you love one another.  This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other".  John 13:34     

Ant Lessons

I moved this weekend.  I basically moved up one floor and over a hallway.  The place is bigger, with a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.  It was quite filthy when I went to take a look at it, but with the help of two ladies who work where I live we got it cleaned up pretty quick.  However, they discovered a bat family that lived in the ceiling above my closest and I think there is still something up there because every morning I find dirt from the ceiling space in my closet.  Also, my refigerator has become over run with ants and I don't think it is really working as none of my food was cold.  Oh well =).  I'm sure I will figure something out to take care of them.  I have used bleach, hairspray, water, instant death by smashing them, and yet they still persist. I had to throw away cheese and butter yesterday. It may be silly, but please pray the ants will leave me alone! It wouldn't be so bad, but since they are in my refigerator I don't know how to protect my food.  Really, in a lot of ways the place is nice with a sitting area and stove.  The bathroom sink is larger for washing my dishes, since I am still without a kitchen sink.  There are plans for redoing the apartment, but that won't happen until the end of my time here in Nicaragua.  I have two fans, lots of space, more utensils, plates and bowls.  The ants and bats are just adventures along the journey.  Frankly, it could be a lot worse.   I don't have any pictures yet of the new apartment, but I will try to post some soon. 

Ants are interesting creatures.  I think we have some lessons to learn from them.  They are incredibly persistent.  They just won't quit.  No matter how many I kill, they always return.  Their job is to find food and that is what they will do.  In many ways this is how we should live and work for God.  In persistence - without giving up.  We should be in constant prayer and lifting up our requests to God.  After all didn't the persistent widow finally get the judge to give her justice? Jesus's intended purpose for the parable was to show the importance of persistent, constant prayer and faith (Luke 1-6).

Ants work as a team.  Ants scout for food and once food is found they form a trail from the food to the nest.  They work together to get the job done.  They cooperate to support the whole.  Wikipedia, the oh so trusted internet source, says this: "The colonies are sometimes described as superorganisms because the ants appear to operate as a unified entity, collectively working together to support the colony" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ants). I believe as Christians we should to operate as an unified entity. Not that we will always agree with each other, but that in the in the midst of the disagreement or difference in opinion that we still support each other and love each other as Christ loves us.  As 1 Thessalonians 5:13 says "Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part" (The Message Version).  

One thing that ants don't seem to do very well is to learn from their mistakes.  While, persistence is a good thing, to never learn that maybe their is another more effective way to do something is not a positive trait.  You would think after realizing that so many of their ants friends are dead they would find a new food source.  One, which would still feed the colony, but would spare the lives of others in their community.  As Christians, we should learn and grow.  We shouldn't keep doing the same things that hurt us or hurt others around us.  We should even be willing to change our ministry programs or how we minister if the current method keeps failing.  We should have confidence in God to be able to say "I messed up" and then begin to fix or change things.  This can be a sin or this can be simple a methodolgy or way of doing things. Again in 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 when discussing the time and hour of Christ return, "He won't call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would.  About the time everybody's walking around complacently, congratulating each other - 'We've sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!' - suiddenly everything will fall apart.  It's going to come as suddenly and iescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman".  So, we should be on our toes, aware, never status qou, constantly learning from our mistakes and mistakes of others. 

Enough said on lessons from ants for today.  "May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together - spirit, soul and body - and keep you fit for the coming of our Master Jesus Christ.  The One who called you is completely dependable.  If he said it, he'll do it! 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.    

(The pictures are all from a google search for ants, mistake and dependable.) 

Life in Nicaragua =)

Goodmorning!  After a few days back in the states, I have arrived again in Nicaragua.  Actually, I arrived last Tuesday night.  The time in the states was fun and I had a good visit. I visited with family, saw my sister and brother in-law graduate from college, took a road trip from Missouri to California and along the way saw both the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, and most importantly Derek made our engagement official with a ring.  My mom threw a wonderful party for us and then I was off again...well almost. I missed my Monday morning flight, so I had to pay a hefty sum and then I left on the same flight, but on Tuesday morning.

Ahorita (Now), I am back in Nicaragua.  Since, I have been back, I have been working on spreadsheets that contains the data of the nutritional states of the children in the seven feeding programs they have here in Nicaragua.  On Saturday, I was also able to particiapte in two food distributions.  On Sundays, I attend a start up church.  Currently, we meet in the home of a missionary, but in the next few weeks I believe we will be moving to a different building.  I enjoy the church and being part of something new.   

I live in a training center owned by Assemblies of God World Missions.  It is a school during the day, a place for teams to stay, a place for nationals to have bibical training and spiritual growth, and a place for MAP workers and Missionary Assocates to live, while they are working here.  Currently, I live in a dorm converted into a studio, but next weekend I will move into one of the apartments in the facility.  Today, mostly I wanted to share with you a little about life here and some pictures.  Below, I have pictures of me playing soccer with kids, children eating during a feeding program, pictures of the distribution and some pictures of my living quarters.  

This is my kitchen.  It consist of a refigerator, water dispenser, toaster, coffee maker and an electric skillet.  Last time I cooked on it I cooked in the hall, so my whole room wouldn't smell like egg.  I learned my lesson from the first time I cooked on the electric skillet =).  The kitchen does the job for a me, since I usually don't need to cook much.  It is a nice little set up they created for me!

My kitchen sink is also my bathroom sink.  So, here I am last night cleaning my spinach.  I also cleaned some apples, lettuce, mangos and so on.  For the first time ever I cleaned my vegetables with some bleach water.  I usually just use water or dish soap.  I guess I like to live on the edge sometimes... =)

The hardest decision I have to make every day - What shower to shower in?  I have so many options =). 

Here I am playing soccer with some children at a school in Nicaragua.  I love the grimace on my face in this picture =). 








The following pictures are from the distribution on Saturday. 

This picture I just wanted to share - This is right after Derek proposed. It was a little dark, but I played around with the photo a little bit and I think it works. 

Lastly, I took this picture of my Dad at the Grand Canyon and I just think it is a cool shot. 

Reporting from Nicaragua

I flew into Managua, Nicaragua Sunday night.  I am working with the AG Missionaries Bonnie and Levys Hernandez.  I took Monday to hang and get to know Bonnie and their two girls and Tuesday hit the ground running! Seven of the LACC schools have a nutrition program here and the Hernandez's hope to expand the program as well as build latrines and water purification systems in the country. 

Latrines and water purification actually go hand in hand because a bad latrine or using a river as a bathroom is one of the causes of unpure water (hence why I got sick after bathing in the river in Panama for a week =) ).  So, if we can have a clean latrine situation we can help purify the water, but at the same time, we want to purify the water that is still unclean either for other reasons or because someone else is using the river as a bathroom. This week we focused on the LACC schools.  We measured students where the program is currently at and measured students at potential new schools.   I also helped with renewing sponsorship photos.  These pictures have to be retaken every two years.  I am a bit tired because I'm not use to heat, but I am enjoying my time here.  I haven't taken any pictures yet, but above is a picture of a volcano, at the end of the blog is a map of Nicaragua and to the side is a flag from a yahoo image search. 

Lastly, I want to leave you with a verse I read the other day.  "And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him" 2 Corinthians 3:18.  I encourage you to become more like Christ today. God takes us as we are and where we are - loving us unconditionally.  However, He does desire for us to grow and mature in our faith in him! Let him change your heart and mind - working towards becoming brighter and more beautiful.

On the Road...

I write you from the Convoy of Hope offices this morning.  Once again it has been too long between blog postings.  You wouldn't know that one of my favorite things to do is writing these blogs.  I really do love sitting down and writing out some verses or some food for thought.  I enjoy keeping you updated on my life with Convoy of Hope.  In fact I even have an idea for this blog after I return to California, but more on that in a few months =). 

This winter was filled with traveling.  I was in El Salvador, then Springfield, MO then Panama and then Springfield, MO and then in  El Salvador again.  When I was in El Salvador I was traveling all over the country.  In fact I visited every single school that has a Convoy of Hope Nutrition Progam. That would be 21 schools. Anyhow that equals alot of driving which equals alot of traveling!  Once I returned to Springfield after my last El Salvador trip I traveled to California to be with Derek and my family for a little visit.  Now, I have finally landed back in Springfield, but only to be taking off again to Nicaragua.  I will leave April 18th and will be there for two and a half weeks.  Then I will return again in May.  Needless to say life has been exciting and a bit crazy.  It is hard to keep up with everything and everyone with my traveling schedule, but I enjoy it being able to see so many different places, while at the same time being able to show God's love and compassion for people.    

Thank you for your faithful support and prayers!  I appreciate you and all your support very much.  Missionaries are able to do their work by God using you to support them through prayer and giving!  Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

"The spacious free life is from God, it's also protected and safe.  God-strengthened, we're delivered from evil-when we run to him, he saves us"  Psalms 37: 39-40       

Best read with coffee or tea...

I try to read Oswald's Chamber's Utmost for His Highest and the accompanying chapter from the Bible everyday.  For those unfamilar with Utmost for His Highest, Chamber's takes a verse from the Bible and expands on it.  I like to read the whole chapter that the verse is found in to get more context.  Many times when I read the chapter I find other verses or stories that are encouraging or thought provoking.  So, I wanted to share a few verses with you today.  Some are out of my reading and some are from a daily verse that is emailed to me.  It's simple, but will give you something to read and contemplate (all verses are from the Message version unless otherwise noted).  So, find ten to fifteen minutes, grab a cup of coffee and tea and read over these verses.  Let them sink in and consider how they apply to your day to day life.    

"The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what's ahead.  He puts a little of heaven in our hearts, so that we'll never settle for less." 2 Corinthians 5: 5-6

"Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that's what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions.  Sooner or later we'll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions" 2 Corinthians 5:9-10

"Christ love has moved me to such extremes.  His love has the first and last word in everything we do." 2 Corinthians 5:14

"We're Christ's representatives.  God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them.  We're speaking for Christ himself now:  Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you.  How? you say. In Christ.  God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.  2 Corinthians 5: 20-21

"So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable.  Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless." 1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT Version

"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promises." Hebrews 10:23

*Photos are from a Picassa photo search under cross and love.

Photos, Photos, Photos

I dropped the Missouri State University team off at the airport this morning along with my friend Megan McFarlane.  This was a great team and I had a great time.  It was so much fun to have Megan join the team.  We hadn't hung out in two years, so it was fun to catch up in El Salvador.   The MSU team was lead by Carmen Boyd.  She is a Profesor of Dietics at MSU.  The team was academic and made up of dietatic students and one student who is getting her masters in Child and Family Development.  We did a tour of some of the Latin American Child Care schools as well as other organizations in the country that deal with nutrition.  Some of the places we visited were the World Food Program, USAID, Love Link, Libras de Amor and various other organizations.  Convoy of Hope's nutritionist in El Salvador, Winny Menendez, set up the majority of the meetings for the team.  She did a great job.  I really appreciate all that she did to make this team go a smoothly as it did.  So, I am tired because the days were long, but I feel good about the week.   I had a hard time choosing, which photos I wanted to share, so I have uploaded quite a few.  I couldn't get all the captions and pictures to format like I wanted, but you'll get the idea. Enjoy =)    

Feed My Starving Children product, dried peaches from Gleanings for the Hungry and a soup mix that we were able to distribute at a very poor public school in a rural area of El Salvador

Megan, Sarah and Krystle distributing food in Convoy of Hope bags

Boy in El Salvador with a toothbrush from the MSU team

Dollie giving a toothbrushing illustration

This is at the LACC school San Jose El Naranjo this is pasta with chicken in it for the students at the school. The pasta is part of the Convoy of Hope Nutrition program.

Krystle weighing one of the students in the Nutrition Program

Measuring for the part of the arm where we measure for the arm circumference

Winny Menendez, Convoy of Hope's Nutritionist in El Salvador, is recording the measurments the MSU students are taking.

A dentist in Springfield donated toothbrushes. In every school the students gave presentations on how and why to brush your teeth and wash your hands.

MSU students with the director of Love Link

At the World Food Program meeting

At the World Food Program.  I thought these were were pretty cool.

These little girl was at a home for children whose parents have HIV or AIDs.  Most of the children here have HIV or AIDS as well.

Sea Shells in El Salvador

Sunset in El Salvador.

A worker at CENTA, El Salvador's agricultural and nutrition center, demonstrating how grafting works with trees. 

Megan and I's feet after walking around CENTA - At least flip flops are cooler than tennis shoes =)

Megan and I at the beach - hangin by the Palm tree =)