#7: New Life

This post was an email update that was sent out during my time spent in Nicaragua from 2009 to 2011. I started posting them here when some of my friends who had not received them, wanted to see and hear about the work there. You can access an entire list here.

Blessings to all of you from Nicaragua. The other day as I was watering the plants, I looked at our hibiscus plant and watched it day by day as this bloom opened little by little. We have had many gorgeous blooms, but we also have had some that are not so gorgeous due to the chickens & turkeys. As I thought about a bloom as it progresses, I was reminded of our lives as Christians. Each of our lives are as blooms that is maturing little by little. Sad to say, our blooms of life have flaws also. As long as we allow God to develop and open our bloom, the petals will be beautiful, but when we try to help them open, we will harm them and they will have flaws, much like the ones the chickens were eating. My desire is that I allow God to mature and open my bloom of life and I pray that – that is your desire as well. 

Time here in Nicaragua is passing along with many things – laughs, cries, smiles, tears, but God is wonderful and has been working here. Johanna, the lady featured in my last newsletter has now decided to wear the veil. We are all rejoicing with her, but we know that it will not be without opposition. Join us in praying for her as she strives to be a witness to those around her and live a life of honor & glory to God. Her sorghum fields were harvested the beginning of the week, so the men went to help her sift the harvested sorghum on Tuesday afternoon. Virginia and I biked to her house after girls' class and also helped some with it. 

Laura's sister, Andra came to visit for a week and the Monday after Christmas, we took her to Masaya. We went to the  Masaya  Volcano before lunch. I was never there before so this was a new site to me. We drove near the top and were able to look down into the crater (photo top right) and smell the sulfur in the air. We then climbed the steps up to the cross and were able to see very far. (photo bottom right) It was one spectacular sight. 

After lunch, we headed to the Masaya tourist market for some time. It was great to go there and to see at, as I had been there once before. We also went into one material shop there. Our next stop was the plant people in Caterina. This was the stop I was waiting for all day. I like plants and we needed some more for around our house, so I got 4 plants and also a tea plant, as I love fresh tea. We then continued to the volcanic lake in Caterina. It is a volcanic crater that is filled up with water. We had some gorgeous sites to see and as we were eating supper there, we could see the lights of Grenada, Nicaragua in the distant.

 It was just a marvelous site to behold. Upon leaving Caterina, we stopped at a place that had bamboo swings for sale and I bought one for our front porch. I like it a lot and it makes this place feel a lot more like home.

This week, I would like to introduce you  to Ampoda. She is a young lady and single mother from La Palmerita and  comes to church every now and then. When I first came here to Nicaragua, she was helping with cleaning here at the houses.  She has a little girl Ashley. Other than that, I don't know too much, but I just  ask you pray that God would speak to her.

Blessings to you!

Andrea