I’ve decided that I am going to post something every day. For the next week, maybe month perhaps, I don’t know. But I figured if I write it down, make it public, then maybe one of you out there can hold me accountable to it.

Thoughts I’d like to share today? I came across this great new blog (I think it could be what inspired me to start blog again!) and I wanted to share something with you. Side note: I’m not ready to share the actual blog… I don’t want to divulge my sources just yet.

This blogger was interviewing a woman, Nicole, who works for an organization that helps christians get plugged in to helping public education reform. And there was a lot being said of how too often we as Christians get caught up in the “issues” and this one specifically about how we’ll point the finger about how a public school isn’t doing x,  is teaching evolution, or we don’t like them because we can’t pray there anymore, etc. (I know this is a huge topic, schools, but that isn’t really my point.) Stick with me…

Nicole’s  job and goal is to help churches partner with local schools for better school achievement and equality and when asked what was a good example of this being done, she said this, “One of my favorite stories is a church in Southern California whose pastor became burdened with educational inequity. He and his staff did a little internet research to identify the lowest-performing public school closest to their church. The pastor reached out to the principal and requested a meeting. In that initial meeting the church leadership simply said, “We are from a church about fifteen minutes from here, and we see that some of your students are struggling. How can we help?” The principal was taken aback, but mentioned that the school needed new computers so they could provide more robust instruction for students who were lagging behind. The pastor went back to his large congregation and raised an offering of about $50,000 for the school. Not surprisingly, the principal was blown away—and incredibly grateful. That, as they say, was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. The church held appreciation dinners for the teachers, and they began tutoring students and truly getting involved in the life of the school. Through their actions, this church demonstrated God’s love for the students, their families, and the teachers. And, in the midst of that, the students received additional support to improve their academic achievement.”

Being from Southern California and all, deep down in my heart, I was hoping maybe that is our home church she is talking about. I don’t know, and don’t really have a good way of knowing. But the biggest thing that caught my attention, was how this church went about partnering. They stepped in and asked, “We live close by, can see you struggling, and how can we help”.

So simple.

Why do we make it so complicated? And why, so often, do we “help” with things that perhaps don’t really need helping?  I wondered to myself, when is the last time I have seen someone struggling and ever so sweetly and politely asked the same question. I’m afraid it’s been a little while. I’m not going to be able to help a whole school, but what about my neighbor? Or another mom I know who is trying to accomplish some task and could use a hand? I bet we help out others, but how often is it after we have asked them what exactly would they like help with?

My point? I found myself inspired. Just when I feel like I need a little encouragement and inspiration. To go out and help someone-but not how I think they help but rather asking what they would like a helping hand with. What a concept.

It’s been a while, again. Sigh. But here’s the thing. This blog can’t be what it used to be, it just can’t. The long and short is I am no longer Mrs. Missionary… volunteering for the last two years with Living Water, living the wild life of serving abroad, playing hostess and running a guesthouse for a multitude of people on trips, doing reports for LWI, cooking breakfast for a dozen people in the mornings, packing lunches, shopping at the oh so crazy it used to be exciting but then was just hot and stinky market. I could play the maryter card pretty well. After all, we lived in the poorest country in the western hemisphere-it wasn’t a stretch to paint a picture of a hard life. It was hard, it so many ways.

And here we are, in the second poorest country in the western hemisphere. Let me tell you, there is a big difference between first and second place. Huge.

So what does that have to do with this blog? Well, things are different here. And not only are our surrounding much different, but so is our lifestyle. We live in this strange suburbia neighborhood. We have a house with air conditioning units. Can you believe it? And the best part? I still complain about how hot it is.

But that doesn’t mean there are not thoughts roaming around in this head of mine. Thoughts that I am dying to write down.Those of you who really know me, well, okay you can pry figure out in a few minutes, I am pretty opinionated. And if I error one way or the other it’s towards freely and pry too openly sharing those opinions. So why have I not been sharing them? I don’t know. Part of it is censorship. After all, if you only knew what thoughts were floating around up in my head, you might not think me such a great missionary gal anymore. Maybe I could add on to a blog I like to read called, “the very worst missionary” and dub it Part Two.  I guess after living and serving abroad for a few years now, I have become more jaded and opinionated than I care to admit. It’s something I have to constantly bring before the Lord.

And the other side of things is that now, by the amazing grace of God, I am a mom. And that means the majority of my day is, well, just not that exciting. That’s not true, I think it’s pretty incredible and I love every minute. But is it enough to capture and keep the attention of y’all? I don’t know. But, I’m sorry to say, I don’t really care.

So, if you have been checking this blog for great glimpses into life here in Nicaragua, and the ministry we are doing here, you are going to just have to find another blog for that. Trust me, there are tons out there. Brandon is the one working full time in ministry, and you all know how well that has worked trying to get him to post! So, be forewarned, change is in the air!!

Towards the end of the week we took them out to see the hill country. There is this place called Matagalpa, about a 2.5 hour drive from us. It’s way up in the mountains, and is super mild weather and lush. We went on a coffee plantation tour, which was actually really interesting. The kids did great cause there were lots of new things to look at, and animals all along the way. This is the same place with those howler monkeys (yes, the place we took Brandon’s parents and mom got totally freaked out by the sound!) and so we of course went on a hunt for them. We didn’t get to see any, but we sure heard them. The kids were really into it, which was good, cause I thought they might get freaked out by the noise-it scares me!

 

The whole gang-on top of the mountain.

 

 

 

 

On the road, oh the things we see !! It’s nice to have visitors because I forget how not normal it is to see this …

 

We of course took them through downtown Leon, such a unique and old town. The highlight for Ryan, a History professor, was the really old church built back in the 1800’s. We all were looking forward to taking a tour of the roof-we’ve heard the views of the city are incredible. Well, they wouldn’t let the kids go up. Everyone was super bummed, especially since we had told them how fun it would be. Well, as to not waste a trip, my sister and Brandon headed to the roof while Ryan and I stayed with the kids. Turns out, they said it was such a good thing the kids weren’t allowed up there! There were super narrow breeze ways that you could just fall to your death, steep stairs, and all sorts of debris around. They did take some great photos though…

 

 

The last day was low key, a sweet friend who lives here offered to take them to the school that they work with. The kids loved seeing another school, and afterwards they visited some of Summer’s friends. They enjoyed hanging out and playing baseball with kids their same age. I had to stay home cause I got sick. Blah. At least it was their last day, and I was feeling better the next day. It was of course sad to see them go. Just when I think goodbye’s are hard, I look over and see one of their kids crying. If that doesn’t break your heart, I don’t know what would! Oh how we sure do love them! What a delight to have them stay in our home here in Nicaragua, for them to see what it is we are doing here, to see and experience the third world, to get to know Nicaragua and the staff we have working here, and the best part for me was all of them spoiling and loving on Eliana, me, and Brandon!