Sea to Sea

Yes, the time has finally arrived when we'll saddle our bikes and cross Nicaragua from Sea to Sea.

First thing Monday morning we will fly to the Atlantic coast. On Friday we loaded up all of the bikes (praise the Lord everyone's made it to Nicaragua) onto a truck that started the 12-14 hour drive to Puerto Cabezas. These past few days have been filled with last minute preparations. I think that I'm ready to get going.

From Sea to Sea

A special thank you to all of you who have supported me along the way with energy bars, sponsorship, emails and loads of encouragement.
Here are some specific ways that you can be praying for us over the next 9 days.

• Safety for all the bikers and drivers
• Opportunities to have conversations with many Nicaraguans along the way
• Energy for each day Dec. 29- Jan. 6
• Good health for all involved
• Pray for the money that was raised and is being invested in the people and land that was devastated from Hurricane Felix
• No big hiccups in all the planning that has gone into this event

There is a group blog that will be updated as we are there is internet access. www.bikenica.wordpress.com

On the downloads page you can also download the devotionals that we will be doing every day. Feel free to join us.

I hope to have some pictures and an update with stories and all when I return.
See you soon!

Fun Fellowship

Yesterday was Christmas as we all know. Christmas is the time of year when we make special memories with our families and friends. While this year I was not able to spend it with my family I was invited to a fellow missionary family's house for Christmas dinner. We had great fun. They got Mad Gab for Christmas so we spent the afternoon laughing and eating good food. What a privilege it is to be a part of the body of Christ in that wherever we are there is always family nearby. Whether they are blood relatives or not we can share in fun, laughter and memory-making.

From Luke and Ellen's Wedding

A few days before Christmas I spent some time with Maggie and Jason in Indiana. They are great friends who taught at NCA for a few years and have moved back to the States. We had a joyous time catching up and playing with their little one Noah.

From Luke and Ellen's Wedding

From Luke and Ellen's Wedding

After the wedding Maggie and Jason invited all the Nica guests to their house for pizza it was like a mini reunion.

From Luke and Ellen's Wedding

December Catch Up

Well it is has been a while since I have posted anything. Life has been very busy this month.

Claudia and I had a meeting with all of the directors and pastors of the schools where our scholarship program helps out. We wanted to end the Nicaraguan school year encouraging them to see their work with the children and families in their community as a beautiful ministry opportunity. We also took the time to help lay a foundation for what we expect for the coming year. Praise the Lord we had a great turn out and got some really good feedback from all of the schools on ways to improve in 2009.

December also meant saying good-bye to one of our roommates. Joy who has lived with us since July is moving back to California. We had some fun times together this month in between visitors staying at our house. Joy is creative when it comes to parties so in high form we had a smashing Christmas party. We had lights and a complete fireplace. Joy's friends helped make a beautiful fireplace with construction paper on the wall. It truly is mesmorizing just like a real fire. While we are sad to see Joy go I'm excited to see how God uses her and her talents as she returns home.

From blog photos

On the 16th I headed up North towards the colder weather for Luke and Ellen's wedding. While the weather was in the teens most of the time I was there the fellowship surly kept my heart warm as I visited with old friends in town for the wedding. The week was full of wedding activities and preparations. Now the happy couple will be returning to Nicaragua the first of the year to begin their new life together.

From blog photos

As soon as I returned to Nicaragua Aimee and I biked out to the beach as our final long ride in preparation for the Sea to Sea. We started early and ended at the Pacific beach in the same spot where we'll end on January 6th. Rachel and Aimee wanted to take a Christmas pic on the beach so they brought along the Christmas tree. Here is a great picture of Christmas in Nicaragua. Bright and Sunny.

Welcome to the Family

From Corbin

On November 16th at 1:44 am I became an official Aunt. My middle sister Marnie gave birth to Corbin Bailey. He came in with a healthy whopping 7lb and 12 oz. He looks so adorable. I can't wait to meet him.

Nicaragua Needs Your Prayers

On November 9th Nicaragua held its mayoral elections. The Sandanista (Leftist Party) supposedly won the election. The Liberal Party has contested the results of the elections because there have been widespread inconsistencies reported from many districts. Ballots for the liberal party have been found in trash cans and id cards found in fields that were not distributed on order to keep people from voting.
Therefore the election has not been officially called and the Sandanista party has claimed victory while the Liberal party has commissioned a march against fraud and has requested that the election be nullified. Meanwhile people have taken to the streets with machetes, sticks, rocks and everything else to create disorder in the capital city of Managua. As of yet the president has not stepped up to tell the peole to carry on with life nor has he asked them to stop the violence.
We serve a God who is living and active we know that He knows all the details of the situation in Nicaragua and we pray for His peace to come over this city and allow the leaders of this country to make decisions and take action where it is needed and in a way that will honor Him.

Please join me in praying for Nicaragua's current political situation. Pray that there would be resolution and peace soon. Pray that both sides of the situation will see a way that they can unite behind a solution and work towards peace and not with anger, hate and resentment.

A Tribute to Grandpa Davey

On Monday, November 3, 2008 my grandpa passed away. He was 88 years old and loved the Lord with all of His heart.

From blog photos

God gave me a remarkable gift in September to go back and spend the weekend with my family. I spent a whole day with Grandpa. We went to lunch and played Spinner (his favorite domino game) all afternoon. We had a very special time together. God knew just what he was doing.

From blog photos

My Grandparents lived with us for a while before their health deteriorated and Grandma needed more care. Grandpa tried to stay at home and visit Grandma every day. That only lasted a month before Grandpa decided to move into the nursing with Grandma. I guess after 65 years of always being together they couldn't stand to be apart. Grandma passed away in February and we were so blessed to have Grandpa with us all this year.

Amazing Answer

Romans 5:3-5
"And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

I can say that these surely have been trying times in my life. Praise the Lord for His hope, for it truly does not disappoint.

On Monday afternoon God answered a huge prayer on mine and many of yours. I bought a truck. I had looked at it several times and taken it to the mechanic to have it checked out the week before. I had prayed for the remaining cash to come in so that I could move forward and place an offer on the table. Money came in from all kinds of people and places many of which I still don't know. (Thank you to all those anonymous donors and friends)
So here it is after almost 3 months of biking, walking, catching rides, taxis and buses a gift from God: 1999 Nissan, like a Frontier but not quite, double cab, diesel, 4x4 truck!

From Truck

I am blown away by it all and stand grateful for all that God has taught me through this time. I hope to not forget what travel and transportation is like for most of the people that I work with around the country. Also, the wonderful, visual reminder of God's protection the night of the accident all the way through to His provision of the new truck today.

From Truck

From Truck

Biking Across Nicaragua

I have mentioned a time or two that I am joining up with 19 other bikers in December in a trek across Nicaragua. It is going to be an adventure for sure. Sea to Sea Nicaragua
Step 1
finding a bike. Thankfully I was able to find a good bike here in Nicaragua from some missionaries who were heading back to the States. It was a steal. With a little investment on some newer parts I am pretty close to good running order. Meet my bike I have named her Esperanza which means Hope. Hope because the purpose of the trek is to raise money for hurricane relief on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua. Hope is also appropriate as I hope to be able to finish the 9 day route.

From Sea to Sea

Step 2
Training! Yep you heard that right. Aimee and Mary two of the other riders and I have been spending our weekends biking in preparation for the big ride. On Saturday we did a great little trail that I ran in a half marathon a few years back. The trail is mostly uphill and was quite muddy. Mary got stuck a few times. Surprisingly it wasn't me that got stuck. Usually it is!
Here's a pic of us just about half way up in front of a beautiful view of Manauga.

From Sea to Sea

Here is a pic from the first time we went out and did 110 Kilometers on a beach trip for the weekend. This was upon our return home. I was beat after the trip.

From Beach Bike Trip Sep 2008

Updates

I've updated the prayer requests and praises!

Showers from Above

From blog photos

Here are puddles outside our front door

As most of you already know the rainy season is upon us here in Nicaragua. October generally is the rainiest month of the year. Alcides just told me that according to records October 2008 has been the rainiest in 64 years. Now while the rain cools things off a bit it also causes a lot of problems too.

The roads and drainage systems are not designed for so much rain and have been flooding. The drainage ditches get clogged up with so much trash and debris that the roads become rivers with hidden craters for potholes.

Rains of this type cause already leaky roofs to become even leakier. Mold, mosquitos and many other things grow substantially making life difficult for many Nicaraguans. Pray for the many Nicaraguans that are facing hard times this rainy season. May the Lord protect them as they go to and from work in crazy flooding. May He also protect their homes from flooding.

Promised Pics

Here are some pics from the run last weekend. We all look a little wet not just from sweat but it rained during a good portion of the race too. :-)


Here we are the night before the race. We were told there was a meeting to start at 6 so we showed up a little early and I guess it started at 5. It was pretty long and boring so we were glad that we showed up late

Aimee and I after the race


Laura and David Parajon joined us for the race too. They are the parents of one of my former students. It was fun to run with them.

Coming Full Circle

Pastor Franlym, Myrna and Julia

Something amazing happened last week that I want to share with you. As the news spread among friends that we were robbed I felt an overwhelming amount of love and support from so many both here and in the States. By the time I got to the house after receiving the news of the break in there were already 5 friends at the house being supportive in whatever way they could.
Alcides was in Rivas when he heard the news and must have shared it with a Pastor I know and have worked with lots this year. Pastor Franlym is an amazing pastor that I have enjoyed working with. He is a dreamer and has lots of vision for his church and his community. God has graciously allowed us to partner with his church for two teams this year.
Franlym upon hearing about my situation sent me an email that same afternoon. His email was filled with encouragement and love. He gave several verses to remind me of God’s care for His children. While I didn’t actually read it until several days later God was saving it for a moment when I needed it most. The most amazing thing that I walk away with from all this is that God is so faithful. We have worked to build a relationship with Pastor Franlym and his church. We have provided training, brought supplies and all kinds of encouragement and discipleship tools to the church and now the relationship has moved to another level. The relationship is a recipricol one. In a moment of need Franlym stepped up and used his God-given gifts to bless the people and ministry of Christ for the City.
This is fruit of the seeds that God has planted through you, and me and many others. What a beautiful picture this is of God’s faithfulness played out in the growth, challenges and lives of His children.

Here is a link to pictures from the week that The Kirk was working with Pastor Franlym's church El Nazareno in Popoyoapa.

On the Run

I have really picked up and enjoyed running since moving to Nicaragua. I started partially because I enjoy it but also because there are a lot of other ways to get a workout in consistently. There is a small group of gals that I go with a couple times a week. Amy and Myra are great and we enjoy several routes near where we live.

This weekend Myra and I participated in a 15K fun run in Matagalpa. Matagalpa is in the north of Nicaragua and is where the majority of the coffee that is exported to the world is grown. It is beautiful and much cooler than Managua. There were eight of us in all that caravanned up and enjoyed the ride. The race turned out to be a little shorter than 15K but was still breath-taking (in more ways than one ☺) We ran through a coffee farm. It was a very well organized event. We were all really impressed. Each runner got a really nice shirt and a medal.

The fun run was actually part of a larger event where 22 runners were running a double marathon! Can you believe it 50 miles. The course was difficult but I can’t imagine running 50 miles. Someday I would like to run a marathon but I am not sure if I will ever add a double marathon to my TO DO list.

I’ll add pics later. I didn’t get any on my camera so as soon as I get some from the others I’ll post them.

This is Life in Nicaragua

This past Wednesday I was in a meeting and received a phone call from my roommate Joy. It was the kind of phone call that you hope you never get but in the back of your mind know that it is always a possibility while living in Nicaragua. We had been robbed. The thieves had broken into our house through the back door. They pretty much got all of the electronics that we had in the house as well as all the cash that we had hidden in various places.

We called the police and boy oh boy was that an experience. Honestly, the way they treated us felt worse than being robbed. This left us to do some of our own detective work. We canvassed the neighborhood talking to all our neighbors and getting the word out that we would offer a reward for information leading to the recovery of some of our goods. More than anything we wanted Lori’s computer back which had all of the files for the organization she works for Manna Project International. Thankfully in the process we also found our dog Chaco who escaped during the robbery.

In the meantime we are trying to get back to some type of life as usual although we have struggled a bit with feeling insecure while we are at home. Little by little I think we are sleeping a little better at night but we could use your prayers. Please pray that we would submit our fears and worries to the Lord and not let fear overpower our thoughts and actions. Also pray that our landlord would be willing to make some necessary repairs and changes to the house to make it more secure. Of course please pray that we would be able to recover Lori’s computer.

Where Does it Go?

We receive many teams each year here in Nicaragua and people often ask where does all of our money go? There are many ways that your money goes to work here in Nicaragua. First your money covers your food, housing and transportation while you are here. An offering is given to the families that you stay with as well as to the pastor and his family. The ministry also uses some of the money to help cover rent and utilities for our office here in Managua. An offering is also given to the church to help with whatever supplies/materials etc they need in order to continue the work that may have begun while you were here. These funds are used at the pastor's discretion and is always received with much gratitude.

Recently, Fabricio made it out to the church in Caimito to see what they have done with their offering. T bar M Camps brought a team out to work with them in March. A children's camp was held all week long and the kids had a blast. I think the team did too. :-)

From Caimito

The church in Caimito used their offering to build a kitchen so that they could start a feeding program for kids in the area. They receive food donations every week from another organization and give lunch to kids after school. The kitchen has been a huge blessing for the church and the community. They were also able to make some chairs for the kids to sit on too.

From Caimito

From Caimito

Click here to see a video of T bar M's week in Caimito

Quesiiiilllooo quesiiiiilllloooo

MMMmmmm quesillos are my favorite Nicaraguan food. They are simple, yet flavorful.
Ingredients:
Tortilla
quesillo cheese (similar to mozzarella)
onions soaked in vinegar
sour cream
salt

Some friends and I went out to Nagarote the birthplace of the quesillo on Thursday night to celebrate my birthday and it was DELICIOUS. There is a special way that you eat a quesillo. Watch the video for step by step instructions.



Here are some pics of the roomies from our outing too.

From Birthday 2008

I got to wear the special B-day hat!

From Birthday 2008

Freedom

Every time I tried to update my blog this past week the website wouldn't load so I am a little late but nonetheless the thoughts are still the same

Freedom! What does that mean to me. Well I could name a long list of freedoms that I enjoy and cherish but the freedom that I relish most is the freedom to share my faith with others. The freedom to openly encourage others through the things that God is teaching and working in my life.

Nicaraguan Independence day was this past weekend and as always it is celebrated in grand fashion. I had the joy of attending NCA’s celebration and watching many former students and colegues perform. I am so proud of the Nicaraguan culture and all that it encompasses. I proudly sang the national anthem and joyously clapped along during some of the folk songs. What a wonderful thing it is to be able to share in the celebration two great countries.

Here are a few pics of former students and my good friend Aimee and her 4th grade class

A Tearful Good-Bye

Here is a pic of my red truck in action in Caimito earlier this Spring. The kids in Caimito loved to play in the bed and sing and dance. Here Nathan is showing them a video he shot of them singing "Zapo"!

Wednesday morning I said my last good-byes to the red truck as I cleaned out the remaining of my belongings. She has been sold to a friend of the ministry who has family that can help them get her up and running again. We made the sale somewhat official today with the exchange of money and receipts. :-) Legally we are not finished as we wait for some paperwork on a motor number change but we pray that will be a quick process and we can be officially done.

Where does this leave me now? Waiting and praying for God's provision of money to buy a new vehicle. I currently have $1,400 towards a goal of between $9,000 and 10,000. Your prayers and contributions are so appreciated. If you want to contribute to a new vehicle follow this link:

Plans

This week we spent three days filled with evaluation of ministry and goals from this year 2008. It was wonderful to hear from the team some of the high points from the year. My high point was definitely was when the Mosaic Teacher team came in June. It was such a joy to work with kindred spirits and share ideas and excitement for Nicaraguan teacher training.

Some challenges for me in ministry this year have been missing teaching. Surprisingly this has made it hard at times to fully commit to short term teams. I have learned some valuable things through this time and continue to see God at work in my life teaching and shaping me for some future ministry that I don't quite know yet.

2009 is looking exciting as I can dive into developing our teacher training project. Our days of planning and goal setting always fill me with energy for new starts with new ideas and some fresh changes for some old ideas.

NEW and OLD

Today I made some observations about how my days have changed through my years of living in Nicaragua.

Day in the life of the OLD Carey:
4 am gym
5:30 head to work
Teach all day
Work on lesson plans, grading etc until 4:30pm
6:30 Church or Bible study
8:30 eat dinner and grade papers
10:00 bead time


Today, Wednesday, August 27, 2008
5:30am run with friends
7:30 work on some emails and work stuff from home
9:30 Supposed to meet a mechanic, waited around for 45 minutes but had 2 great conversations with others while I waited.
10:15 Mechanic shows up and we chat for a while
10:45 meet with a director of a guest house to make arrangements for a team and we chat about life and encourage one another for 45 minutes and then get down to business.
12:00pm Walk Home
Meet some old friends on the way and stop and chat for 15 minutes.
Work on some stuff for the afternoon
2:30 meet a friend to go on a walk for her birthday
4:30 bake a cake for Bible Study
5:00 Jason another friend drops by and we chat and feed him dinner
6:30 Jason leaves just as gals from Bible Study arrive
9:30 I'm here writing this blog entry and then heading to bed :-)

Ok so before my days were focused on tasks and the to-do list. I'm not saying that those lists are bad. I still write them and attempt to cross things off. Now my time is not measured in the number of items crossed off the list but rather in the quality time that I spend listening, sharing and spending time with others. The majority of my meeting with people today was completely unplanned but just happened because I was not so busy running from one place to the next. Wow! I think I like the new way of doing things. Sure there are times when it is frustrating because you really do need to get some things done but I find that God blesses and uses me through others when I take the time to slow down and be used by Him.

Cardboard Testimony

A friend just sent this to me and I cried as I watched it.

Growing Pains

Monday afternoons are a very happy time for me. Lily Thurlow a fifth grader and I head up to Vida Nueva Orphanage and play with the kids for a few hours. We have been going for the last 9 months or so. We are really happy because the 40 some kids ages 2 weeks to 10 years old have been in a house that was really too small for them. The Lord has provided a bigger house and set up for the orphanage while they are constructing their own building nearby. The director and all of the workers are so thankful for more breathing room for all of the kids.

A typical afternoon involves playing with the toddlers for a little while. Singing, hugging and laughter fill our time. Zooming trucks and lots of funny sound effects entertain the boys and girls alike.

Then we move on to feeding the little babies. There are a few that have found a special place in my heart. Isabella is one of them. When she first came she was 3 months old but the size of an newborn, severely malnourished. She cried and cried and cried for the first bit but now she is growing happily and is healthy. She has a sweet smile and loves to laugh. Soon she will be walking. She is already standing on her own and is very strong. Praise the Lord there is a family waiting to adopt her soon we hope.



Once all the little ones are fed, changed and put to bed then we head over to play with the big kids. There are 7 of them who love any attention you can give them. Last night they were arguing over who was going to sit on my lap while we watched "Super Perro" Underdog in English. Sometimes Lily and I bring different activities to do with the big kids and they love it. We have already decided that next week we are going to bring some books for them to make. Many of them have learned how to read this year so that is lots of fun.

moving at a snails pace

Good news and bad news have surrounded the truck this week. We finally got the resolution from the police on who caused the accident. We lost! That's the bad news but the good news is that we can now get quotes on what it is going to cost to fix the truck or sell it.

Here is my truck sitting at NCA while we wait. We covered the engine so that the rain wouldn't cause any more damage.

I just got the first quote yesterday and so far it is not looking feasable to repair the truck. I am beginning to raise funds for buying a new vehicle. If you are interested in helping me out in this way you can send in your donation to:

Christ for the City
P.O. Box 241827
Omaha NE 68124

Mark your donation with my name and Travel and Expenses. This will ensure that it goes towards a new vehicle. Thanks in advance for your prayers and donations in this area.

God continues to be faithful in providing for me. My roommate Mary just bought a new car and her old one hasn't sold yet so she is letting me borrow it until it sells. God is so good!

Newsletter

I am moving up in the technology world with the help of Nathan from our office. Here is the link to my newsletter online. :-)

Watch out! Who knows what will come next.
http://cfcinic.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/july-2008-nicaragua.pdf

Only in Nicaragua

Last week the faucet on the outside of the house broke off. The pipe was old and when the dogs bumped into it and it fell off. Having a Dad that taught me how to fix things like this Mary and I went to the hardware store and bought the necessary supplies for $1.50. We went home and fixed it right away so that we could fill our water tank before the city water was turned off. We went to bed that night thinking we had fixed the problem. Unfortunately that was not the case. We have spent all weekend without water and with multiple trips to the hardware store and still no resolution. This seems to be the way things go here in Nicaragua. Even the most simple repairs are not simple. We are now waiting on a plumber to come and fix the problem. (we hope)
Here I am adding another coat of PVC glue in hopes that this would hold it.

Visitors

On top of all the teams we have had this summer we have also had a number of special visitors. Michaella from our home office in Omaha, NE USA and Sonia from the base in El Salvador were here last week. They had the opportunity to learn a little about the history of Nicaragua and CFCI here. They were fun to hang out with for the two short days they were with us.

God of Details

So I know it has been a week since the Kirk of the Hills team left but I have had trouble accessing my blog so I am sorry this is later than I had hoped.

The week with the Kirk was great! God totally reminded me of His greatness and that no matter how hard I try I can't plan for everything and that is ok. Before the team even arrived there were details that I couldn't have expected. One of the adult team members was going to arrive 3 days after the team. I had made arrangements for him to stay with one of the families from the church. Later on he had to pull out of the trip all together. The same day I found out that he was no longer coming was the same day that the grandmother of the Nicaraguan family got really sick. It was a relief for the family to be able to focus on caring for their grandmother and not worry about a guest in their home. During the week that we were in Popoyoapa, Rivas the grandmother passed away. God knew the plans for that week and He took care of all the details before we even knew what was going to happen.

It was marvelous to see the youth from the team working together with the youth from the church during the week. We had the opportunity to clean up, paint and repair desks at a little two room school in the community. Everyone worked together joyfully. Even the kids from the school were out helping clean up their school. Thankfully not too much blue paint ended up in places that it shouldn't be. :-)

Take a moment to check out the pics from the week. I didn't post all of them but there are a few here. Hopefully I'll have the Kirk video linked up soon too.

Home Sweet Home

Yes, that's right. I am home (my house in Managua) now for at least a few weeks. Last night was the first night of many to sleep in my own bed and wake up and not have to dig through my backpack for my toothbrush. :-)

The summer has been downright BUSY! We just finished up with a Tsunami of teams for the summer. Praise the Lord we saw lots of amazing things happen during the past few weeks with three different teams all here at the same time. Grace Church sent a medical team and spent the week sleeping in hammocks and running a clinic in Villa del Carmen. Seacoast Youth spent the week in Madroñal working with the youth there and ended with a weekend retreat with youth leaders from around the area.
Kirk of the Hills youth spent the week in Popoyoapa working and playing with the youth of the community. Now there is one more team on the way this Friday.

As we take time to finish up with this last team and regroup after a busy time I'll write more with specific stories if how God is working and has worked through the summer.

TRUCK UPDATE
Still waiting on the final police report and court decision. They keep telling us to come back. Hopefully this week we'll know more. Meanwhile, the truck sits and waits for the mechanic to do an estimate of repairs. I still can't touch it until we get the final ruling.

Only on a Mission Trip

So in my line of work I see a lot of people come to Nicaragua for the first time. They are amazed at so many things and often times have lots of questions. They are faced with a language barrier, cultural differences and lots of new foods to try. Gumby is known as a pretty flexible guy right! So we have a Gumby Award that is given each day to team members who show flexibility.

Well with the Emmanuel Team a week and a half ago Gumby went on a little adventure. There was some pranking that went on during the week between the boys and the girls. Watch the video all the way through and you'll see who won. :-)

So I know that some of you have been waiting on an update from the court ruling on the accident. On Wednesday we went to the police station and in true nica form we were joined by about 15 other people who had appointments at the same time. As we waited I had the opportunity to chat with a few other people I knew in line that had been hit in accidents recently. Finally, we made it to the front of the line and the verdict was given. Jason was declared at fault for the accident. He has decided to continue on with the appeals process. Until the final verdict is rendered I can't do anything more with my truck to find out how much the damage is going to cost to fix.
It is all a waiting game now. It has been hard this week to face all the work that I have to do in the midst of now many more time consuming things to add to the list. God is gracious and He has surrounded me with good friends here who have been so understanding, offered me rides, let me cry on their shoulder and give me lots of hugs. Pray with me for God's provision in all of this as I wait. My my actions and my responses reflect the love of my Savior.

Close Call

I just got back from a great week with a youth team from Omaha, Nebraska. I have lots of stories and funny things to share and I hope to have time to write them up for you this next week.

Last night we had a very close call to having a really bad accident. Lori had a flat tire so a friend borrowed my truck to go up and help her out. On the way he had an accident and ran into a big truck that had no tail lights. Below are some pictures. Basically the truck is out of commission until we get the final police ruling on Wednesday. Praise the Lord NO one was hurt and everyone was able to walk away safely. The damage to the other truck was minimal.
Please pray for me as I deal with all that this involves. Currently I am feeling overwhelmed and in need of the Father's strength to get through this one. I appreciate your prayers for wisdom and God's provision for another vehicle soon.

Saying Good-Bye

The end of June has come and our lease is up at our old house today. I will be happy to have the back and forth stuff between two houses over. Although part of me is sad that I am leaving for good the house that I have lived in for 3 years. That is the longest I have ever lived in one place. Happily though we brought over some of the plants that Aimee and I planted almost three years ago. The soil at our new house is better and I hope that our plantains and sweet oranges will grow a little faster. I’m thinking about starting a small garden with a few other vegetables to see what will happen.

Dreams Becoming Reality

6 years ago when I first started coming to Nicaragua my dream was to someday do teacher training for Nicaraguan teachers. This last week part of that dream became a reality. For the past week I have been with Mosaic church from Charlotte, NC in San Rafael del Sur making my dream a reality. A team of teachers and a construction crew stepped onto the campus of New Jerusalem Christian School and did some amazing things. Each afternoon teachers from 4 different schools took part in workshops that were designed to be as interactive and engaging as possible. Nicaraguan teachers learned how to use some new math manipulatives that many of them had never seen before. They also saw some creative ideas for teaching map skills and even read some Big Books in Spanish during the Literacy class. All in all the teachers were delighted to see some new things and share ideas among themselves. This team has opened the door for many more BIG things to happen. I look forward to seeing God at work in teachers in various ways in the near future. Here is a link to some pictures from the week.
http://picasaweb.google.com/careyinnicaragua/MosaicChurchTeam

Lights on Lights off

We moved out of our old house almost one month ago. Just a few days after we moved out the power went off in the house. At first we thought that it was just the normal power cuts to the sector that we often experienced. Once we realized that it was just our house and that it was not getting better we called the power company. They said they'd send someone out. Long story short with many, many phone calls and visits to the power company and over two weeks later we called a private electrician. Pablo was amazing. He fixed the whole problem including a trip to the market to buy the right cable in less than an hour. Pablo did tell me that it was no wonder we had no power the cable from the transformer to the meter had been cut and patched several times and was in bad shape. Thanks a million Pablo for turning our lights on again. Now the guests who are staying in our house can eat their dinner in the light. :-)

Class of 2008

Last week I had a glorious opportunity to visit my family in Texas. I had the honor of attending my youngest sister's graduation from High School. This was the first time in I don't know how long that my entire family mom, dad, brothers and sisters were all together in one place. It was such a nice time. We mostly hung out and shot the breeze. My lil sis Bethany even helped me pick out a brides maid dress for a friend's wedding later this year. Family is such a precious gift and all too often taken for granted. I love my family.

Survivor

Two years ago some friends and I hiked Concepción volcano. It is an active volcano located on an island in the large lake of Nicaragua. A few days before we hiked the volcano it apparanetly erupted. (small, but enough to call it an eruption) We unknowingly climbed it anyway. When we neared the top the guide told us we couldn't go any further. Well some of the group was already too far ahead and made it to the top and came down to tell us about it. Ever since then it has been a sore spot for me because I did not make it to the top.

However this last weekend a new group of friends set out to climb the volcano. Once again a few days before hand there were eruptions and gas clouds at the top. The guide told us that we would go as far as we could but that we probably wouldn't make it to the top. Well the weather was clear enough and the wind strong enough to blow the gases away and we made it to the top. Now I can officially check it of my list of volcanoes summited.

Promised Pictures

Here are some house pics I promised. I took a little bit but here you go. The new roomies!
While we were untying a load of stuff the rope got thrown up on the barbed wire. Here I am trying to get it unwrapped from the barbed wire. Nothing like a little challenge to make you feel right at home.