Update

I realize I am long overdue for an update on my blog.  This Summer has seen the busiest  and most challenging season of my life to date.   While it has been challenging it has also been full of God's amazing blessings.

Here are just a few highlights:

Students continue to learn lots as we make headway through our second semester.   Students and teachers are learning new ways to work together.   We have been able to build important relationships with students and God  has given us some really neat opportunities to mentor and pray with them through some difficult choices.

July brought some fun visitors from the old days.  First, Kate came for a few weeks from New Mexico. Kate and I taught together at NCA and were roommates for many years.   She helped out for a few days and then provided a great excuse to sneak away for the weekend and enjoy some of the great outdoors.  

Then a team from Grace Church came to Matagalpa.   The group split up and worked in three areas.  A medical clinic,  Pastor/leader training at a local church and then at NCA Matagalpa.  7 teachers from Greenville, South Carolina spent the week with teachers talking, teaching, playing and learning from each other.   The week was a tremendous blessing.    They were able to do so much of what I have not had the time to be able to do.   Now thanks to someone from my small group who is bilingual the teachers can continue their relationships and communication.

 Mary stayed on after the team left and came back up to Matagalpa for a few days.   We went for a couple hour bike ride just like old times.  It was refreshing to sit and share life with a good friend who loves Nicaragua just as much as I do.

The 5th and 6th graders planted squash around the school at have been faithfully checking up on their plants.    Right before the two week vacation in July the kids pulled this out of the garden.   Their firstfruits.  YIKES.   It was huge.   Each of the students have taken one home to share with their families and they even gave some to the cafeteria to cook up and add to the lunch menu.  Now, they are going to plant spinach and maybe some other vegetables.