Day 5 - Be still my heart

Today was another one of those days that make you grateful for every single thing in your life.  A day that rips your heart out and you try to hold it together until you get in the bus to return to the Villa.  A day that you won't forget for a long long time.

We spent the morning hours up until after lunch at the children's hospital in Managua.  I need to rephrase that, we spent that time in the hospital housing across from the main hospital building where family members stay and wait for the two 2-hour visiting times that can see their sick and dying children.  It's also a place where some sick kids stay until they get the treatment they need or die waiting.  It was absolutely heart wrenching to fall in love with some of these parents and children and then know what they have to face.  

We had mani/pedi stations set up, bracelet making and a few toys for us to play with the children.  We also were able to pass out some clothes and small toiletry gift bags to everyone.  Through translators we were able to listen to their stories, their hurts, their desires and pray for them accordingly.  It was such an incredible honor & so humbling to be entrusted with this responsibility!

One of our team members shared her personal story about her 5 year old son who almost died in the first year of his life and still lives with the same condition.  She was able to talk about how she survived those months and where she got her strength.  I haven't seen a group yet this week that was so attentive and hung on every single word. She was able to bring hope to them.

When we were done with our time there one of the mothers spoke up and said thank you for listening to us.  Thank you for playing games and dancing with us. Thank you for bringing us joy today.  God Bless You.  

It was so incredibly humbling.

 Gloria, Terry and Maria spent much time with this woman today.  She was unable to be with her child in her hospital room as she lay dying.  She was waiting for the phone call.  She had no family with her.

 This little girl has a bone disease that is causing her bones to deteriorate.  It was fun watching her play and smile all day.  Her father has been told there is nothing more the doctors can do for her, they need to go to another country for medical help.

 Joan is sitting with two men during Samantha's sharing time who both had 

young children under one year old in the hospital in serious condition.

 Samantha fell in love with two boys today, Jose (Left) and Clarence (right).

Jose's grandmother (center) and he have been at the hospital two years.  His kidneys are very tiny and not working very well.  He is waiting for a transplant or he will die.  

These are only a few stories of the many we heard today.  It was a tough day, but I was so proud of my team who never stopped serving and loving these people.  It was hot and very humid, the conditions weren't great, there were so many people that needed attention. I have a team of superstars and they exceeded every expectation today...... again!  So proud of this team! 

After such a heart wrenching morning we were able to have an evening filled with joy and hope.  We returned to Haydee home. (I previously called her Haley.... lost in translation)  When we left her on Monday night we were so broken for her.  On Monday she was in bed in her dark bedroom.  Tonight she was in her wheelchair in the front of the house, wearing a dress we brought her and the cross necklace I gave her.  We came with candles, paper garland and Pizza, her favorite!  She was so happy to see us again and said we are the family she has been praying for.  We are her sisters now!  She had spent the day making each one of us a beaded keychain!

We had dinner and then I was privileged to add her to my list of people I've taught to knit!

This is one bright and talented woman.  She picked up knitting in about 10 minutes!  I'll have to send more yarn with my son Alex's team in a week, because I know she will have used up everything we left her!

 After dinner as most of us sat knitting and talking, Erica played outside with her two children (on the ends) and her two nieces.  Thanks Erica!

This is a different face than we saw on Monday night.  There is joy now!

Tomorrow is our last full day here.  Each day as been long, but the week has flown by.
Both teams will be spending the day with the Villa girls.
More tomorrow..... Goodnight for now!

Day four - Cultural Day

Day four is in the books and our time here is slipping away!  This time of the trip is always hard because the days are numbered and it's so hard to think of leaving this place where I feel so alive!

I thought I'd show everyone what we get to see every morning when we wake up.  This is the spot where I sit with my coffee, my journal and my reading and start the day by shutting my eyes and listening and seeing how many different bird sounds I can count.  I've counted as many as 10!

It's like a bird symphony!

Today was the staff day off so we get to go and experience the culture of Nicaragua!  

We started with a boat ride through the Islands of Granada.  There are 365 islands where the houses range from little shacks to huge vacation homes.  It's really pretty and usually very serene, however today was windy so it was a bit choppy.  Beautiful none the less!

After the boat ride we stopped by a park and ate a sack lunch.  Here's the babes of our group thoroughly enjoying each other.  

After our lunch we stopped in the town center of Granada, the oldest Central American City.

The first stop (and only stop) for a few of us was a coffee shop. These are your fearless facilitators and translator of this weeks teams, Terry, Kay, Tracy and Judith.

We got home with 45 minutes to spare before we went out for an authentic Nicaraguan dinner at 

"El Cafecito"the restaurant that opened 3 months ago and is owned and managed by one of our missionaries here in Managua.

Debriefing is complete, bags are packed and ready for tomorrow's work in the field.

Buenas Noches!

Day Three..... and heading into four.

Before I start I have to tell you my camera was set on a funky filter and I didn't get a lot of 

good photos today.  Nonetheless, it was a full day!

We started the morning with the weekly staff/chicas/teams devotion with a word spoken

by the other team's pastor.  It was fun to sit with all the people ofVilla Esperanza 

knowing that even though we speak two different languages we are of one faith 

and worship the same God!

Our third and final day of spa treatment for women was special.  We were serving

the mothers and aunts of the chicas that live at the Villa!  They were picked up at

their homes and brought to us.  We made chocolate chip cookies, bracelets and came along

side the chicas to teach them how to serve their moms and aunts by giving them mani/pedis.

This all sounds like fun and games, but the purpose is actually to build trust to be better

able to communicate with them.  It's hard when we just get a few hours, but we are able

to tell that the chicas are beginning to bond with us.

After a long day of two shifts, 15 in the morning and about 35 after lunch of chicas and

their mothers and aunts we were ready for dinner and more time with the chicas after.

Tonight we decided to try something new...... a fashion show.  The girls were split up in

5 teams and were asked to "make up" 5 of our team members.  We told them the crazier, the better.

We didn't realize how crazy they would go, but here are the results:

Joan

Megan

Maria

Samantha

Vergene

Models and make up artists

Tomorrow is our cultural day and day off for the staff.  We will be visiting the Granada Islands, the town of Granada (the oldest city in South America) and going to a market.  Adios!

Day Two - Most awesome day ever!

Today exceeded every expectation I could possibly dare to imagine!  On a missions trip, it is the kind of day you think might materialize around........ Thursday.  Today is Monday.  I am blown away!

Don't ever think, "I am just a woman, what can I accomplish?"  My team is 10 women.... 10 women strong!  No we are not building or repairing anything, but we get the privilege to serve by loving and pampering women and we are getting pretty darn good at it!  

We started our day off by serving 10 woman that are related in some capacity to the Villa.
Terry's mom, Vergene brought her legendary chocolate chip cookies and taught the ladies how to make them, and then of course how to eat them!

Then we did what we are getting really good at, Mani's and Pedi's! 

We though that was it for the day, but as Maria said, Jesus multiplied for us.  One of the local ladies went home, told her neighbors and brought back 13 others after lunch!  These women were in awe and we were in awe that they would come and let us serve them!

After the 2nd round of ladies left we were asked to visit a couple "shut ins", take them a large bag of food and pray for them.  Sounds simple, but in hearing their stories we ALWAYS learn more and get way more from them than we give.  The first lady was 73, in a wheelchair with diabetes.  She was surrounded by a supportive family, but she was in pain and would like to walk again.  We were honored to gather around her a pray. 

The next lady is someone we will NEVER forget.  We don't have many pics because it was such an intimate time that it didn't feel right taking pictures, but I want to tell you about her so you can pray for her.  Her husband has been employed by the Villa for only 2 months.  She has been battling cancer for a few years and just 2 weeks ago had her left leg amputated above her knee.  Just getting to that point has been a HUGE struggle for her, but now she has the struggle of figuring out her new life in less than mediocre conditions and very little money to pay for medical visits and care.  Please be praying for Haley's recovery and that her, her husband and two children would be covered financially.

After an hour of hearing her story we were able to gather around her and some of us hopped up on her bed with her and prayed with her.  She is now part of our ladies team and we love her already. Today we went from a team of 10 to 11!

Day one..... done!

Buenas noches amigos!

Gotta make this snappy because everyone went to bed and it's still so muggy I need to jump back in the shower!

Today we went to Iglesia Roca Eterna, a small church in a little community about 10 minutes from the Villa. Their worship is all clapping, no music and so joyful and enthusiastic it's contagious! After the sermon the children sang for us:

After the service was over the 2nd team took the children to see a movie and our team was able to stay and pamper the women with a mani/pedi day! 

We hung out with the ladies for a few hours, cleaning, massaging and painting their fingers and toes!  We also brought along dresses and shoes which they were thrilled to look though and pick one out for themselves. So fun to watch!

Tonight the Chicas at the Villa returned after spending the weekend back home with their families. For many of the teams it was try first time meeting all the girls and we each got to introduce ourselves.... Us in Spanish, they in English. 

We had dinner together and dancing!

Bedtime calls!

Thanks for your prayers and support!

I'm coming for ya!

Five more days til I get to see this gem!

Buenos Dias! 

Our day went so late last night that I didn't have time to post before backing and falling to bed! The last day is always so hard here having to say goodbye to all the chicas and staff that we've all grown so close to. 

We spent our last day at the Villa cleaning.  We sanded playground equipment and spray painted the slide, cross bars and teeter-totter, dug a ditch for a conduit, and watched Nick and Abee hack down a tree with a machete!    

Nick and Abee

Seong

Laura

It was a good thing we stayed at the Villa we are all exhausted from a week of work, heat, humidity and emotions.  In the evening we had our last dinner with the chicas, staff and another team from Washington.  Following that was a dance party and goodbyes.  The touching part of the night which had us all in tears was the chicas gathered around our team and prayed over us.... still brings me to tears!

Thalia, on-site Susie and Tracy (me)

Team Salzwedel, the Chicas and Staff

Breakfast is in 15 minutes, then off to the airport at 9:30.  This is be a long day of travel back home with much time hanging around the Managua and Houston airports for flights.  If you have a family member of this team, give them extra grace this weekend.  We are all still processing our week and are leaving people we have become close to here and on our team.

Won't you consider coming along next time?  Or, now that you know the story, would you consider sponsoring a girl or house mom here at the Villa?  Go to http://www.forwardedge.org/childsponsorship/villaesperanza.shtml   Adios!