Unexpected Blessings

In January I had a wonderful opportunity to visit Nicaragua for a week.  After 7 years of living in a place it becomes more and more of a home than where you came from originally.    As soon as I stepped off the plane and soaked in a long, deep breath of that warm, humid air I knew I was home.

The week at "home" was packed with lots of fun meetings with my friends and co-workers with Christ For the City Nicaragua (CFCI).   God has been so faithful in providing direction for my next steps in ministry in Nicaragua.   I'll tell you more about those next steps in another post. :-)

Anyone who has spent anytime overseas knows that things don't move as fast or go as smoothly as we often expect and hope.   This trip was quite the opposite of most of my experiences in Nicaragua.   Here are a few examples of how God blessed every step of my journey to Nicaragua.

• My luggage was lost but the airline called me and sent it out to me the very next day.   (In all of my time in Nicaragua I have never seen this happen)
• I was able to participate in CFCI devotions and meetings as we prepare for the upcoming year and ministry
• My friend Melissa got married the weekend I was in town and was able to go to the wedding!
• The annual Triathlon that NCA  does also was the same weekend and I was able to help organize final details and even participate.   I placed first in the women's division.
• Another friend Alicia had just had her first baby the week before I arrived and we were able to visit and catch up and I was able to attend her baby shower.
• Opportunities to watch little 6mo David try carrots for the first time.  It was very entertaining.
• Prayer and fellowship with friends at church
• Vision sharing with the person heading up plans for the new school I am going to be working with.  (more to come on this)
• Rattling around in my Nissan truck and remembering how to drive NICA style.  :-)
• Reading some SkippyJon Jones with my last first grade class.
• Catching up with all of the ladies at the school cafeteria and sharing lots of great laughter with them and seeing Doña Blanca  finding joy in little things after her world was changed 1 1/2 years ago with the death of her 15yr old daughter.

The time seemed to multiply and I had great conversations, prayer and fellowship with so many people and I never felt rushed!  I praise God for the blessings he continues to lavish on me. 

Sorry I didn't take many pictures while I was there but I managed to capture a few Nica moments.

I went into the immigration office for a few minutes and came out to find the car next to me so close I really had to squeeze to get back into my car.  I didn't even realize that I had become used to so much SPACE in the US parking lots. :-)

Who says you can't use a truck for almost anything?   We were hanging up the Finish sign for the Triathlon.  Believe it or not this is actually safer than what we did last year.