Victor's entry

Earlier this week, on the morning of Wednesday July 27, Linda and I visited two elderly ladies from the church: Eufemia and Claudia. The purpose of our visit was to see their living conditions and evaluate how we might be able to help them. The first lady we visited was Eufemia.

Eufemia can hardly walk because of some kind of a spine decease. She is about 55 years old, but looks like she is 65. In addition to this, Eufemia just married her long time boyfriend. He is about 81 years old, and can hardly walk, see, or hear. I asked Eufemia if there was anything we could do for her while we were there. To my surprise, all she wanted was her floor swept and her dishes washed. I grabbed the broom and swept her floor and back yard while Linda washed the dishes. Once we finish she said to me "Do you know... when the floor is clean, I am happy". I asked her if there was anything else we could do and she said "what else do I need? I have everything I need here". Then she said "You can pray for us... then... one thing you can do for me is make a window in my bedroom". So we went to her bedroom. Eufemia's bedroom was maybe 7 x 7. The temperature in there was easily 105 degrees. I hope I can add a window to her bedroom before I go home.

Next we went to visit Claudia. Claudia had a stroke about 6 years ago and the right side of her body was paralyzed. Claudia lives in conditions a little better than Eufemia's, but still far more difficult than I expected.

Before we left both Eufemia and Claudias' home they thanked us for coming. It really got to Linda and I when they said "You have made me feel so important, you made me feel that I exist." Something as simple as a friendly visit to do a small chore or to talk and pray is all that they wanted. This was an eye opening experience. It made me feel that none of us appreciate what we have, and I pray that we in America can be stop being so arrogant and selfish with all that we have. Even though Eufemia's needs were great, she asked for nothing. I looked at her home and asked myself how could anyone live in this condition? How can she survive? If I don't have a clean pair of socks in the morning, I am unhappy. In reality, I am the one that is in need. The faith that these ladies have is incredible. I pray to God that I get just a little of their faith.

On Friday, July 29th, the whole team worked very hard in the morning doing projects around the church. In the afternoon we went to the city dump. John, Stig and I were having the time of our life, even though the smell was horrifying. We were so pleased to be there right in the middle of everybody, feeling out side of our comfort zone. We wanted to serve God by bringing His word to these people with the simple gesture of a cup of water. With the water we were giving away bible tracks to those who wanted them. We were walking through the dump responding to people calling for water when all of a sudden it started to rain.

While we were going back to the van I saw a young man looking at one of the tracks we had given out. I asked him if he understood what he was looking at and he said no. So I asked if he wanted me to read it to him. He said he did, and we both got wet as I read through the whole tack with him standing in front of the van. The rest of the team ended up in the van waiting for me... but it was well worth getting wet to be able to share the simple message in this gospel track with someone who wanted to here it at the Managua dump.

On Saturday, July 30th, the team went to the orphanage. What an experience it was to be surrounded by all of these kids with the energy of a lion. We played a baseball game and they killed us 13 to 0. They were so happy to be winning that no one wanted to stop when they called us for lunch. While some of us played baseball, Joe, Michaela and some of the girls from the orphanage cooked hamburgers and hot dogs in the kitchen. The girls from the orphanage helping Joe were confused. They could not understand why a man was cooking with them. When it was time to eat, the team served the food. I'll tell you, I have never seen smiles that big before; smiles for a hamburger and a hot dog.

After lunch we all danced. The saddest part of the day was when we all had to leave. You could see the smiles drop, and all of the kids were asking me why. But we had a good reason for leaving a little early. We had to go to the pharmacy to pick up some medical supplies for a 91 year old lady at the church, a member of the congregation who we wanted to help. We wanted to get to the store before it closed.

Victor

Jinotepe

Today the whole team traveled about 50 miles outside of Mangua to visit an orphanage near a town called Jinotepe. Managua is surrounded by mountains and as we drove out of the city we gained elevation until we reached the top of a plateau. The views were beautiful. In some places you could see as far as the Pacific ocean. This picture doesn't do it justice. While traveling to Jinotepe we drove through several small villages which gave one a real feel for what the other 90% of Nicaragua is: rich, green, and simply beautiful.

We visited this orphanage last year and as soon as we arrived I was instantly greeted by several of the children who remembered me. To my right is Maria, who remembered my name before I could recall hers. Maria also surprised me by speaking very good English. With me also is Noel and Sandra.

As some who came on this missions trip last year will recall, we have a bit of a baseball rivalry going on with the kids in the orphanage, and as soon arrived this year we were out on the field playing baseball - Nicaragua against USA. As a gift we brought a duffle bag full of bats, balls, and gloves. In the picture below, Hugo, one of the youngest kids at the orphanage is up at bat. As usual, the Nicaraguan team won, and we all had lots of fun.

While some of us played baseball with the kids, others went to work in the kitchen to prepare a special lunch of hamburgers, hotdogs, soda, and potato chips. The kids, 18 in all, ate everything. There was nothing left. After lunch Maria was so excited she started dancing with Michaela. They took out a boom box, and next thing you know, we had a whole room full of kids dancing.

The saddest part of the day came when we announced we had to leave. All of the smiles turned to sadness. Little Hugo was so sad he ran out of the building and some one had to go and get him. After joining together in a circle and saying a prayer of thanks, all the kids gathered in front of the orphanage for a goodbye picture. (We put Victor in there with them because he's just a big kid too ;-).

After driving back to the church, everyone on the team agreed that this visit to the orphanage was one of the highlights of our trip. We all wanted to turn around and go back to spend another day with the kid's at the Jinotepe orphanage.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading.

John Meneghini

Laura

Where to start... well, yesterday was quite a day. While Michaela, Alysha and I successfully finished painting the church roof and bathrooms, the guys fixed lights and fans and computers, doing all manner of other necessary work that I can't remember. :) In the afternoon, we paid a visit to Martha, who is 60 years old. We then took her shopping to supply groceries, shirts and shoes for her and her 6 grandkids. The smile on her sweet face was far, far more than happy, and she felt so blessed that she cried when we prayed together and dropped her back at her dirt-floored home.

Today, we traveled to the local trash dump to pass out tracts and cups of water to the people who live there. Yes, they livethere! Hundreds of Nicaraguans daily scour acres of garbage, simply because they have no better venue. Every one of them appeared malnourished, and the air was barely breathable. Many people gladly accepted free drinking water and some curiously flipped through the tracts we distributed. I was able to personally approach one little girl (who was there, alone, in the dump!), and afterwards dearly wished I knew more Spanish. That experience was an eye-opener. They have so little, and we have so much. How can we then not cling only to Christ, who is all that we really need?

I recently came upstairs from the church sanctuary, where Youth Group was wrapping up. Three of the young people led us in worship, and then Victor R gave an excellent sermon in their language. I was approached afterwards by two older girls, who kindly introduced themselves and made me feel rather welcome. Funny how close it was to being in Youth Group at home. On the other side of the language barrier, I can plainly see that they're all normal teens, just like me.

One thing that God has shown me this week began at the mid-week prayer service on our first night here. After worship, all the ladies took seats together in the sanctuary – and just prayed. We prayed back and forth, in English, in Spanish, in voices both old and young. Listening, I realized that even though I could not understand in words the prayer of the woman next to me, it didn't matter, because God speaks in a way that goes beyond the tangible things of this life. That was really quite amazing...and I'm sure others felt it, too.

Hhhhm. It's late and I'm running out of words. Hope you enjoyed this update.

Until later...keep praying. :)

Laura C

Team Picture

John Meneghini, Joe Pirello, Alysha Rosado, Laura Corell, Michaela Meneghini, Linda McElhinney, Sean Hays, Stig McElhinney, Victor Rosado, Julio Chardon

Linda

Here I am @ Calvary Chapel Managua. There are several things that come to mind that I'd like to share The first is how universal the desire of all of us is to have our family members saved. At Tuesday night prayer meeting and during home visits the past few days, all of the women have asked for prayer for unsaved children. I encouraged them that God will finish the good work that He started in each one. Then God gently confirmed for me that it is God's job to save hearts not a mothers job. We met a young girl who walked by the church as a young girl and the pastor invited her in. That's all it took. None of her family is saved but God did the work and called her to him. Her mom and dad have done nothing to encourage her to salvation. Just trust the Lord.

The second is that I was washing dishes for a woman the other day. I needed strength to not make faces as ants crawled in and out of the sink and into the place where I was placing the dishes. Dishes? I would not have allowed those dishes in my kitchen. And really it was a plastic cup, that has seen better days, a old tin cup, a well used fry pan and several odd utensils. I would have given them to the kids to play in the sand. I am ashamed of my discontentedness as I thought recently that my blue dishes no longer match my new kitchen so I wanted ones. As I looked around her home, a dirt floor, walls mismatched pieces of board nailed together, walls shared by both families on both sides, nothing but a few bits of furnatiure you would see at the dump, I thought our sheds and dog house are much better constructed then this home. When we asked her what her biggest problem was, she replied, “How can you be happy when you can't keep your home clean? Really? Such a lovely lady. She is so happy with nothing. What is wrong with our culture? What is wrong with me? How could I have so much and yet want more. She was content in the love of the Lord and so happy to have Jesus in her life, that her surroundings don't matter. May I learn to be content.

Loving the laughter of the “kids” as they play cards with Pastor Cal and Jess. A quiet night that our team is just connecting and resting up for our day of work in the morning and a visit to the dump tomorrow. God certainly has blessed us.

Linda

Today we continued our work projects, John on computers, Laura was at the school with the English teacher, Alysha and Michaela painted, Linda and Victor did another home visit making three visits total. Sean and Stig cut up a large steel support that was on the roof and carried it down to the yard, then they worked on fans.

Joe and Julio did electrical work. Everyone is working very hard and I am extremely proud of each team member. That was our morning. This afternoon we did our first outreach. We took a member of the church out shopping and bought cloths and shoes for her six grandchildren that live with her. We also bought six bags of groceries for the family. We then prayed for her and the tears started there were many hugs. She was blessed from our abundance and we were blessed 10 fold for living the bible. It was an awesome day and all the glory goes to our Lord and Savior.

Joe Pirrello

The team gathered in the Calvary Chapel parking lot at 4:00am on Tuesday morning, July 26th. There are 10 of us on the team this year: 4 women and 6 men. After loading everyone's bags into the Peatfield's van we left for the airport. 3 hour's later we were all on an American Airlines flight, headed for Miami. From Miami we flew to Managua, Nicaragua. We arrived here at the church (Calvary Chapel, Managua) safely at 4:00pm on (2:00pm Managua time). Michaela was so happy to be here that she gave me a big hug when we arrived. Everything made it except for one of my checked bags. It got left in Miami. The airlines located the bag and delivered it here to the church yesterday.

After eating a late lunch and then sitting through a 1 hour orientation I had to go to bed because I couldn't keep my eyes open. I was really tired. I slept about 10 hours, until about 6:00 am on (4:00am Managua time) on Wednesday. I think this is because I was up until 1:00am the night before and only got about 3 hours of sleep.

While I slept, the rest of the team attended the Tuesday night prayer meeting and socialized with the members of the congregation. The amazing thing about prayer is: you can do it in any language. Some of us pray in english, and some pray in spanish... we don't always understand each other, but God understands it all. He's the person we're praying to so nothing else matters.

The following day (Wednesday) was a work day. Everyone broke up into teams and did different work projects around the church. This included painting and cleaning. Lynn and Victor did some home visits to see some of the elderly and disabled in the church. Lynn is a physical therapist and Victor speaks fluent spanish, so the two of them make a good team.

VICTOR

I was hoping to spend some time doing other things while I am here this year but Cal already has a list of computer problems he want me to solve. I spent Wednesday installing a new wireless access point, fixing a broken ethernet drop, and configuring and installing Ubuntu on some laptops.

Oh well... that's what I'm here for, to serve others. That's all for now. Other members of the team will update this blog as the week goes by.

Thanks for reading.

John Meneghini