First of all, I apologize for the insufficient post last night. Brad and I both pulled an "all-nighter" before boarding our plane at 6:40 am (packing, cleaning, going over schedules, and just being restless, in general). After a day of travel we were both ready to crash. So, as a quick re-cap, the day went something like this:
Charleston, WV
New York, NY
Miami, FL
Managua, Nicaragua
food.
blog.
devotional.
sleep.
^^ Demo outside the Cathedral in Leon ^^
Morning came quickly, but it was welcomed. Demo Downs is a great friend and our translator for the time we are in Nicaragua. He was the first to see our shining faces this morning as we waited to pick up our rental truck. He is an absolutely wonderful, spiritual man. He is a teacher in Managua and he is about to finish Seminary school. After school he plans on starting a church in his neighborhood as a mission calling. Then one day he will go back to school to become a lawyer (as another avenue to serve his people in adoptions of Nicaraguan orphans and the like). He's amazing. His church efforts are stalled until he can purchase a laptop. If it's on your heart to give, it might just save countless more. Just a thought.
Today was devoted to New Song Ministries and our new friends there. The man behind the ministry is known in Nicaragua as "Gringo Diego" or White Diego. It's been awesome to sit down with Diego and get to know him, his story, and the ministry that goes on at New Song. He attended Appalachian Sate just a few years ago. He came here on a mission trip and three weeks later he moved down as a full-time missionary. He's been here for two years now and going strong. Just to name a few of the things they had going on today:
three mission groups (in addition to us)
birthday party in the city
distributing food and staple goods among the faithful widows of the New Song Church
separate devotion & fellowship trips for the men and women of the mission teams
medical clinic from 12-5
Youth Night from 6-9(ish)
A program similar to Alcoholics Anonymous in the US
... this all happened within 12 hours during a typical day at New Song. High energy. Multitasking. He and his partners at New Song are most definitely a blessing to the Chichigalpa community and we are more than grateful to say we now know them.
While Diego was busy with his business, clinical, and mission obligations, Demo, Brad, and myself took a trip about 30 minutes away to the community of Leon. There is a cathedral there... Basilica Catedral Asuncion. It was gorgeous and worth the visit on our trip to see some old friends.
While in Leon we met up with Noel, Angel, and Sophia from Remar Orphanage. They had to relocate to the Leon area not long ago. It was wonderful to see familiar faces, and even better to find that they are all doing well.
More to come tomorrow... but for now, sweet dreams! Love you all so much!
PS... Brad is a terrible driver. One way streets don't exist in Brad's world. lol See http://www.bradwrightsblog.blogspot.com/ for details.
Mere
1 Corinthians 13:13
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