Woops…..been a while, aye?

Wow, sorry we’ve checked out for the last month. At least you know that means we’re hard at work! I’ll try to update you on the first half of December in Nicaragua and then our amazing time in the States (shout out to you state-siders=).

The beginning of December wasn’t too eventful, although that may just be because it was over a month ago. We went on a missions trip in-country with the Vida Joven (Young Life) Chapter at El Puente. We were 2 of the 18 people who went on the trip to visit the small community of Chacalapa, about an hour and a half to the southwest of Granada.
The trip had 2 main “teams” to it: one for music ministry, which included almost all of the members from our church’s worship team, and one for  general ministry in the community. The Vida Joven youth planned the entire trip, doing a children’s festival at the church on the first afternoon, and then music ministry during outreach services in the evenings; a youth outreach time, which mirrored a regular Young Life club meeting; and a conference for the adults. We also went out into the community to share the gospel door to door and to pray with those we visited. Don and I mostly went to see what a missions trip looks like for Nicaraguans in order to better understand their take on ministry, what they’ve learned from American missions teams visiting Granada, and what ideas they’ve had. We were very impressed with the planning of the trip, which was led by our friend Ezequiel, who is 18 and just graduated high school. We were quite impressed and excited to see the leader he’s growing to be.

Don and I also enjoyed the opportunity to be on the outside looking in, seeing as we had always been the “missionaries.”  It really made me consider what it is that we do when we have come to Nicaragua and done mission work for short-term trips in the past. I have to admit we were at a bit of a loss being the only ones not speaking Spanish. For once we were on a fully functional missions team, unhindered by a language barrier. I was amazed at the evangelism that could take place and took great joy in the growth that it encouraged in the youth on the trip. They were pushed hard to go out into their own country and be bold with the Gospel, and they each took a turn at it as we went throughout the community. I was so excited to see God’s work in challenging them, to see their apprehension and nerves, and then, their obedience. I was delighted to be a part of it, even if just to offer support and to pray with those we visited. (Praise God that He understands prayer in every language!) I have to say, though, that it challenged me deeply in reconsidering what we’re doing in missions, if we’re being bold in sharing the Word, if we’re being bold with sharing (with words) Christ’s death on the cross. God has really been working in me in that area, and I’m thankful for it, for the challenge and the prodding that is growing me far beyond where I’ve been. We were also deeply blessed by the family that we stayed with and greatly enjoyed getting to know them and the girls from the team who stayed at their home as well. We plan to return with them next year, and hopefully sooner on our own.

The other highlight from December that ran into January concerns our neighbors, specifically their 11-year-old daughter Ingrid, who you could say is my right hip…or at least seemingly attached indefinitely. She’s always at our door, calling for me to come and play, which I happily and sometimes tiredly reply and have been faithfully answering for the last 3 months. The joy that has come lately is her interest in coming to Bible Study and Church with us occasionally. I’m not sure what makes her want to come, considering she doesn’t seem interested in learning about God or to come for any other reason, but I’m so grateful for God’s encouragement of the relationship and how it encourages me to pray for her. I’m not sure where it’s going to lead, but I’m definitely excited to see it unfold.

Now on to our adventure in the States. What a blessing to be among familiarity! I never realized how much I love the U.S. I just love it. I love our families and our communities and our culture. It was relaxing just to speak English 24/7, although I did start to miss Spanish after the first week. We had a great time visiting Don’s Dad and Stepmom in Texas and then his Mom and Stepdad in Alamosa, and my family as we trekked to California for my brother’s wedding (Congrats, Brother!). What a blessing to be with family during the holidays. Don and I then split up for a while and spent time individually, me with my sister and Don with friends from Alamosa and Colorado Springs. We were just so blessed to continue to spend quality time with family and friends, to sharpen one another spiritually and to be encouraged by conversation and God’s answers to prayers. He is so gracious to us.

Then began His true act of grace in our adventure.

We left at 2:30 PM on Thursday (1/6) to fly home to Nicaragua, having a layover in Kansas City and then Fort Lauderdale to change airlines for our last leg home with Spirit Airlines. And there our adventure began as we landed in Miami, a ten-minutes-late arrival that turned into a 3-day-layover. Needless to say, we missed our flight due to inefficiency and long lines, postponed flights to Sunday (1/9) and were left at the airport with nowhere to go and the news that we needed some sort of proof that we were going to leave Nicaragua within 3 months, per Nicaraguan governmental policy. I would like to describe the next hour of the trip as a literal “running around like chickens with their heads cut off” as we tried to find some kind of hotel that cost less than $80 and had a shuttle to the airport, or to consider our other option, which was to rent a car and drive 3 hours to Orlando where Don’s aunt lives. Let’s just say parents were called, bosses were called, Grandma was probably called: Welcome to my and Don’s first travel challenge together. After about an hour and a half of searching answers and checking resources, we sat down and regrouped…probably around 1:00 AM. My mom, being a wise woman, left me on the phone with this: “Jacque, just stop and pray and ask God to deliver you from this dilemma.” I, being the adult that I now am, knew that she was absolutely right, so being the YOUNG adult that I actually am, I sat down with Don and talked it out, came to somewhat of a conclusion to just stay at the $80 hotel for the night and figure it out in the morning, and then we got up and headed back to our terminal to make some hotel phone calls. (Hence, the young adultness of agreeing with my mom and then promptly forgetting to do what she suggested.) But in God’s grace, He reminded me, and Don and I stopped right there and prayed for God’s direction, but more importantly, for His grace to do it all with a great attitude and love and respect for one another. And from the moment on, He answered it! Which is a great thing considering the $80 hotel was full, all other hotels ($150/night) were full, except one, which no longer did shuttle services after 12 AM. So with smiles and laughter, we headed back to the rental car area, rented a car, and drove 3 hours to St. Cloud, FL, just south of Orlando, where we showed up at Don’s aunt’s house at 6:30 in the morning, tired and ready to crash. She greeted us with open arms and blessed us with a beautiful 3 days in Florida.

We took great joy in being with our aunt and uncle for 3 days, helping them around the house as much as we could and just enjoying their company. God answered our prayers for a great attitude as we sorted out our 3-month return situation, that of which I hope He used to bring glory to His Name as we worked through it with our aunt and uncle’s gracious listening and offerings of advice. Not only did He sort out the situation, but we also ended up saving money in the process and got an extra day in St. Cloud, which God used—much to our surprise—to share our lives and testimonies and knowledge of Christ with our Aunt. God is so amazing!—to challenge us in December with sharing the Gospel when we are able to speak English, and then providing the opportunity on a great adventure home! I have to say I am still reeling from the glory of it all, and beyond that, God has drawn Don and I closer and higher for more adventures to come. I am overwhelmed and convinced that whatever we ask in Jesus’ Name, we will receive from our Father who loves to give us great things. Thanks for all of your prayers along the way. We’ll try not to stay away for so long!

Loving God and enjoying sharing His work with you, Don and Jacque