Hello family and friends!  I am posting early tonight because we are exhausted and I'd better get this done while I'm awake!

We had a wonderful and productive day where we got not only a lot of work done, but continued to build relationships with the people of Nicaragua.... and 7 of the girls from the Villa came along with us and worked along side us!

We spent from 9:30am until 3:30pm working at the local school where there are over 1000 children with class sizes from 40-60 children and one teacher.  Today was the Day of the Student which started with the teachers performing for the children.  Our own Johnny Brazel got up on stage and played a song in spanish for the kids and english for our team, he did a great job!

Six of our team painted 2 classrooms and the rest cleaned up their entire school yard.  Four of the Villa men came along to help paint and weed wack the grass.  We kept hoping the they would run out of gas and stop because we were SO tired working in the sun for hours!  They didn't run out, and we got the job finished.  We did stop to have lunch with the teachers where we played a game with them, sang a song, read an encouraging scripture and prayed for them.  

Even though the day was productive and we got a lot of work done the best part of the day and the priority of our mission is connecting with, playing with and loving the children.  It was fun to see Patrick, Lynsey and Anna join in a game of football (soccer) with the children, to see John teaching a local boy how to play a song on the guitar, and the rest giving plenty of Hola's, high fives and fist pumps.

John playing for the school

Megan and Claire painting a classroom

Serving lunch to our team and teachers in the typical size classroom 

The painting team that painted 2 classrooms

Our team and 7 of the girls from the villa resting on all our bags yard debris

We returned to the villa with enough time to cool off, shower and chill a bit before dinner and playing with the girls again tonight!  We are all having a wonderful time, no one is sick (or home sick;) ) and we are all so grateful to all of you for allowing us to leave our families and lives back home in the US and experience a piece of paradise.  God Bless!

We are just completing our first full day here in Nicaragua.  Sundays here are a day of rest, so we had a fun day with the girls building on our relationships.

Church was at El Faro (the lighthouse) at 9:30am.  This is a church that ministers to the people of 

La Chureca (the dump).  Many of the girls that live at Villa Esperanza (village of hope) have families  whom still live in La Chureca so they get to see them at church.  It was fun to see the girls join in the lively worship music with clapping and dancing, although, being in spanish I didn't know many words except for Jesus, Christ, father, heart, love:)

Riding to church, bus 1

El Faro Church

Lunch time at the Villa

After church we had lunch back at the villa and then a special date with the girls...... we went to see Spiderman... in spanish!  It's an odd feeling being in a country that is so poor and then going to a mall and seeing that there are people here that have money to spend on movies, clothes and such.  The contrast is unsettling.

We are now having some down time getting prepared for our week.  Our team is starting to bond which will be great for the work that we have ahead of us.

Please continue to pray for our team's health, safety and unity.  Pray that we can step outside our comfort zones and engage with those who could use a friendly word, hug or just smile.  Thanks!

 We arrived safe and sound!  A miracle in itself being the 18 of us came from 7 different locations!

Today was spent getting orientated with the Villa, the quirky things like military showers, not flushing your toilet paper, what water to drink, etc.

Tonight we had dinner with the girls and then had a big dance party.  Those girls have some moves!


It's been a great day and exhausting day!

Today's the day I get to go back to my little place of paradise!
Nicaragua, here I come!

This is one of my all time favorite pictures of a few of the girls from Villa Esperanza.  They look so beautiful, healthy and happy.  A far cry to how their lives used to be.

I'm going back to play with them in less than 2 months.  This blog will be the means of communication to the folks back home who are sending their loved ones with me.  Let the countdown begin!!!
July 21 here we come!

Give a life hope

This video was filmed on my first trip to Nicaragua, May 2010
Like the narrator's voice?  It's my son Alex!

School Days

Even though there is a school inside La Chureca the level of education is low.  

The children are quite cute and wear uniform, most of which have been donated.

School yard at Colegio Cristanio La Esperanza

With the move to Villa Esperanza there is a new life with safety, food and a new school. Most of the girls go to Cama de Piedras where the level of education is much higher.

The girls in their school uniforms

My team was able to go to their school and clean up the yard, sweep the classrooms and wash their desks.  Of course we also had time to play with the kids!

Kirstina playing tag

John directing the kids in a round of "Baby Baby Baby" by Justin Beiber

Katie playing "Duck Duck Goose"