Here is our mission team from First Baptist Church Rogers. It was a great group of individuals and we enjoyed getting to know our new friends....
This is the luxury hotel that we got to enjoy in Rio Blanco, Nicaragua. We stayed here the first two nights of our trip and the day we returned from Round Rock...
The hotel felt much nicer when we returned from Round Rock. It's amazing how your perspective can change so drastically in 3 days. What felt like a gross hotel coming into Nicaragua - felt more like a mansion after returning from Round Rock. We quickly realized how much we need and don't need in this life. We quickly saw how very spoiled we are... We felt so happy to have a cold shower and tile floors whenever we got back to this beautiful place...
We walked 1 mile "uphill" to get to church the first Sunday we were there. It was hot and muggy. As we walked I began thinking about the many times I have complained about not finding a parking space at church or pondered how many times people have left church because they couldn't get a close parking spot...
The way of life in Nicaragua is much slower, much more relaxed and more effort goes into everything. Just getting to church could take hours and it's not for the faint of heart... By the end of the walk I was out of breath, sweat was covering my body and was ready to take a shower..
Some people from our team were able to pray for a woman in the streets of Rio Blanco. We had gone to the market to buy mud boots and a toilet seat for the out house! hahaha
We were able to do an afternoon hike on Sunday afternoon. They wanted to get us acclimated to the climate and terrain before we started our 6 hour hike the next morning!
Monday morning our transportation showed up. 30 adults piled into the back and top of this truck. The truck drove us 2 hours uphill through some of the most rugged terrain I have ever experienced. We crossed rickety bridges and water filled streams...
Every time we passed a community of people they would just stare at us. No expression. No smile. Just starring, pondering, wondering - well @ least we were wondering what this little guy was thinking....
We were piled on top of each other in the back of this truck and we had rice and beans with us to take to Round Rock. We were packed to the max and people were hanging on for dear life... The truck was bouncing every which way and we were all trying to stay on board...
This little guy followed us for miles and miles. I kept thinking - where is he going? There is nothing out here! Is he lost? What is he doing? Well, after 30 minutes or so he finally took a sharp left and entered his homestead. He gave us a hearty wave and that was the most expression I had seen him show the entire time he was riding along with us.
This was our "drop zone" the place they dropped us off so we could start our 6 hour hike up the mountain...
about 1/2 way through our hike we stopped under a large shade tree to get some relief from the sun. We were able to watch the mules pass us as they carried our gear up the mountain for us. We each carried a pack on our back but what we couldn't carry, the mules carried for us!
At this point on the mountain I was getting so very, very tired. We had walked about 5 hours at this point and I was wondering what I had gotten myself into! I was so thankful that God gave me the stamina I needed and that Jeremiah had vowed never to leave me. I was exhausted and ready to be there...
This picture is of the home we stayed in for 3 nights at Round Rock. The ladies in the background are the women that live in the home and they prepared food for us - 3 meals a day (beans and rice) in that kitchen. You can't see it, but the nesting boxes (for the chickens) are to the left of where this photo was taken...
Because the nesting boxes were in the house, it wasn't unusual to have chickens in the home and on our bed. Jeremiah was trying to get this pesky thing off of our bed...
Again - the people are expression-less (I'm not sure that's a word) but they just stare. They don't smile. They exist.
Here is the home that the construction team was working on while we were there. Jeremiah got to help with this team the entire time we were on the mountain. Do you notice the mules have lumber on their backs?!?!?!
Here's a photo of Jeremiah in front of the home and church that they were working on...
This is just a little example of the muddy terrain on the mountain. Believe it or not, this is the dry season for that area. We were really blessed because it was not nearly as muddy for us as it had been in years past!
And it wouldn't be any fun if we didn't get a picture of Jeremiah with some local police officers. It looks a little different there - than in America. We're glad that our law enforcement doesn't go around carrying assault rifles on a day to day basis.
And here is the beautiful view from the plane on the way back to Arkansas. I loved this picture because it reminded me (even more) about the vastness of God and how small we really are. God is so big! Big enough to know each one of those people (by name). Big enough to take care of them on a day by day basis. We got to minister to them for 1 week - God ministers to them for a lifetime.
God reminded me that He doesn't need me... He wants to use me... But He doesn't need me... He can accomplish His purpose and plan without me. He is vast. He is awesome. He is majestic.
Praise God for the 69 people that trusted Him as their ONLY way to freedom from sin and everlasting life.
Praise God for letting Jeremiah and I serve Him. Praise God for the financial and prayer support that you gave. We love you all and appreciate you.
