Monday was our last day in Jinotepe, Nicaraugua. Here are some short stories from the final two days.

 

Viva La Revolution!

 

     Throughout the last two months I have had the privledge of watching the Nicaraguan presidential campaign unfold, and to learn a little bit about it. Sunday was the election. The current, and re-elcted president, Daniel Ortega, is a dictatorial ruler who altered the constitution in order to stay in power. His government is corrupt, anti-American and revolutionary, but also, in recent years, groundbreakingly progressive. Commercials, flyers, thousands of free t-shirts and radio broadcasts have ignited a youth movement in his support. Today there was a celebration in the evening. Despite the oppresive nature of the victory, it was fun to join into the celebration with our Nicaraguan friends. Everyone with a car, motto or motorcyle took to the streets with flags, stereos and cheers, proudly wearing the yellow and pink campaign shirts. Pick-up trucks held 15 people, dump trucks 40. I climbed a tree beside the road with a Nicaraguan friend and we watched and cheered as the parrade passed and neighbours flooded onto the street to dance and sing. 

 

Saying Goodbye

 

     Over the last two months I invested my heart in a lot of people, and they, in turn, trusted me with pieces of their love. So, of course, saying goodbye was difficult. However, it was also an incredible testement to our purpose in Nicarauga. A group of fifteen year old boys spent our last night sleeping in the courtyard where we live because they couldn't stand to leave knowing we were departing so soon. Dozens of people from age 2 to literally 99 cried and hugged us over and over again. People came together on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to say goodbye. We did make a significant eternal impact on those barrios and that church.

 

 

Now Go Build Your Lighthouse

 

     Havier and Yvonna are two are the most incredible, servant-hearted, totally in love people that I have ever met. She paints nails and cuts hair. He sells oranges. They are a couple who live in a home in the poorer part of the barrios and have raised three boys, now 15, 12 and 9. The 15 year old, Jaison, is one of the most spirit-driven passionate people I have ever met and he is a major spiritual leader and teacher in the church and amoung his friends. The family met Jesus only within the past couple of years, but God evidently pursued them and they have made Christ the center of their family. They pray together, serve together and talk about their faith together. Someone always has a bible open in that home. The family has welcomed people from our team to spend the night many times and thir home is always filled with people from their neighbourhood. They readily give food or shelter too everyone who comes over, despite having little. Unfortunately, their house is small and fragile, with a mud floor, shaky tin walls and very limited space. They have aquired property beside their house and have been saving to, very slowly, build a better house there. With very limited resources, the houses walls are only heightening very slowly. Because of the amazing way in which God has provided for our team, some members of my team were able to give Havier and Yvonna the money that they need to finish building their house (about $200). It was presented to them, the cash rolled in a ziplock bag, and the whole family cried. Their house shines so brightly for Jesus in the dark barrio, there home is a beautiful refuge! So it was an incredible privledge to be able to say, "Now go, build your lighthouse."

 

  Monday was our last day in Jinotepe, Nicaraugua. Here are some short stories from the final two days.

 

Viva La Revolution!

     Throughout the last two months I have had the privledge of watching the Nicaraguan presidential campaign unfold, and to learn a little bit about it. Sunday was the election. The current, and re-elcted president, Daniel Ortega, is a dictatorial ruler who altered the constitution in order to stay in power. His government is corrupt, anti-American and revolutionary, but also, in recent years, groundbreakingly progressive. Commercials, flyers, thousands of free t-shirts and radio broadcasts have ignited a youth movement in his support. Today there was a celebration in the evening. Despite the oppresive nature of the victory, it was fun to join into the celebration with our Nicaraguan friends. Everyone with a car, motto or motorcyle took to the streets with flags, stereos and cheers, proudly wearing the yellow and pink campaign shirts. Pick-up trucks held 15 people, dump trucks 40. I climbed a tree beside the road with a Nicaraguan friend and we watched and cheered as the parrade passed and neighbours flooded onto the street to dance and sing. 

 

Saying Goodbye

     Over the last two months I invested my heart in a lot of people, and they, in turn, trusted me with pieces of their love. So, of course, saying goodbye was difficult. However, it was also an incredible testement to our purpose in Nicarauga. A group of fifteen year old boys spent our last night sleeping in the courtyard where we live because they couldn't stand to leave knowing we were departing so soon. Dozens of people from age 2 to literally 99 cried and hugged us over and over again. People came together on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to say goodbye. We did make a significant eternal impact on those barrios and that church.

 

Now Go Build Your Lighthouse

     Havier and Yvonna are two are the most incredible, servant-hearted, totally in love people that I have ever met. She paints nails and cuts hair. He sells oranges. They are a couple who live in a home in the poorer part of the barrios and have raised three boys, now 15, 12 and 9. The 15 year old, Jaison, is one of the most spirit-driven passionate people I have ever met and he is a major spiritual leader and teacher in the church and amoung his friends. The family met Jesus only within the past couple of years, but God evidently pursued them and they have made Christ the center of their family. They pray together, serve together and talk about their faith together. Someone always has a bible open in that home. The family has welcomed people from our team to spend the night many times and thir home is always filled with people from their neighbourhood. They readily give food or shelter too everyone who comes over, despite having little. Unfortunately, their house is small and fragile, with a mud floor, shaky tin walls and very limited space. They have aquired property beside their house and have been saving to, very slowly, build a better house there. With very limited resources, the houses walls are only heightening very slowly. Because of the amazing way in which God has provided for our team, some members of my team were able to give Havier and Yvonna the money that they need to finish building their house (about $200). It was presented to them, the cash rolled in a ziplock bag, and the whole family cried. Their house shines so brightly for Jesus in the dark barrio, there home is a beautiful refuge! So it was an incredible privledge to be able to say, "Now go, build your lighthouse."