a well needed break...

this past weekend was amazing. words cannot desribe all the adventures i had. i (traveling with only myself) hopped on a bus and headed for san juan del sur- nicaragua's surfing capital, home to tourists, surf bums, and nicaraguans alike. i made it (early which was unbelievable after the four hours spent on the pot hole filled road) in time to see the sun setting as a fiery red ball setting into the depths of the sky. i stayed with a friend there and ended up staying in a beautiful villa her friend was letting her borrow for the weekend. walks along the beach, meeting random americans that have found themselves in the town for good, and cruising the back roads of san juan del sur in the bed of a pickup truck, waving fiercely to all the nica kids we passed. the cemetaries were all decked out with flowers in memory of loved ones (dia de los muertos was celebrated last friday). i was blessed with good weather and a relaxing trip, and even did a canopy tour where i was zip lining high above the trees of the jungle, whizzing by waterfalls and breathtaking views of the bay!


on the way back to managua, i had to take two buses. on my second one, i barely caught it and due to the timing of my connection, there were no more seats left. i was going to be content standing, but instead the driver offered me a thin metal bar to sit on that i'm sure was originally intended for holding onto as a person is exiting the bus. so, i sat right up front- the window and the whole world in front of me, or so it seemed. i chatted it up the with the driver and within the first 1/2 hour, this was one of our exchanges...

me: cuantas personas cree que estan en el bus ahorita? (how many people do you think are on the bus right now?)
driver: 65
me: cuantos asientos hay? (how many seats are there?)
driver: 45
me: verdad? (really?)
driver: y de pie- 100 (and with people standing- 100)
me: pero, no hay bastante asientos... (but there aren't enough seats...)
driver: es Nicaragua! (It's Nicaragua!)

it seems that is the common response whenever things are strange or different than i'm used to. It's Nicaragua! the rest of the bus ride was not any less exciting. when people got on the bus to sell their baked goods, the whole front section of the bus was involved in my decision to buy churros de queso y un postre de leche. they also were anxiously awaiting the verdict of the american who speaks spanish. both were very good. needless to say, they were sad to see me get off the bus. but at least, i got the card of the driver and he told me to call him when i needed an adventure- he said he'd take me on one of his routes for free and even let me be the person who opens the door and yells, "managua managua managua" as we drive pass people awaiting a bus... who knows? maybe in a few weeks!

upon arriving back to the house in las palmas, much excitement was awaiting me. a new girl was being dropped off at the house. her name is maylin and she is 6 years old. here she is:


she was severely malnourished and she has gained 10 pounds in the last month. it is hard to imagine her tiny frame ten pounds lighter. it is amazing to me the difference in her even in the two days she's been here at the home. upon arrival, the only words she would utter were, "mama, mama" and she seemed very upset. and now, after two days of love and food, she is walking around proudly with a smile on her face and seems like a completely different girl. i cannot wait to see how much more she will change in the coming years.

in addition to maylin's arrival, there were also three americans at the house who were doing some work in costa rica and came to stay a few days with the kids. i got to go with them yesterday to granada- a lovely town right on the edge of lake nicaragua. what a great trip that was too! we toured the 365 isletas of the lake. we ate a nica food called vigaron in the market. we saw a beautiful cathedral. we jumped on the bus yet once more for a town called catarina, where there is a stunning view of the mombacho volcano and a lagoon called Apoyo.


our last stop was a little town called san juan de oriente, where they are known for their pottery. we went into the shop of one man, who let us come down into where they were actually crafting all the pottery. their work was beautiful and we got a full explanation of how they're made. he even let us give the wheel a try. needless to say, i don't think i have a future in pottery... (note how my tongue sticks out when i'm concentrating!)



and now. our visitors have left and things are settling back into a routine here at the house. after my weekend away, i'm feeling much more refreshed and excited to be here. i think i needed a break from the monotony and that is definitely what i got. the Lord is continuing to bless this ministry- just today, we found out that maylin already has her first sponsor, after being here only two days. and also, two of the kids will be starting college at the University of Central America in February and they will both be receiving full scholarships. Praise the Lord! From the fullness of His grace, we surely do receive one blessing after another!