#24 Rain, Making Rugs, and Parties....

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalms 19:14 

 

    Greetings to each of you once again from Nicaragua. Time keeps stepping right along and each day is passed and gone before you have time to think twice. As I spend time reflecting in each day that has passed, the above verse is my desire - that all I might have done that day brought honor and glory to my Father in heaven. Each morning we arise, we don't have the promise of the entire day and going to bed that night. God gives us each moment and it is only through Him that we have the breath to live out each moment. I just would like to leave this as a challenge to each of you. Serve Him with your whole heart. Speak slowly, so that when each moment and day is passed, you will not have any regrets. I came across a small phrase the other day - Lord, please keep your arms around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth. May all that we think and do today bring honor & glory to our Father.

    On Friday night, September 24th, it started raining and rained heavy. It rained for almost a whole week and not just a little. It came in downpours some of the time. By Sunday morning, we had doubts of being able to get to church. However we decided we would try, but the truck refused to start and it was rain heavy at the time. So Randy tried calling Jason; however he did not answer his phone. The only option was to push the truck, but with pouring rain, we could not get motivated to push. Even if we would push-start it, we might not even be able to get to church. The river bed that we usually drive to get to church was full of water and the only other option would be to go the whole way around. We decided to just stay home, so Randy went and talked to the neighbors and told them we would not be going to church. We spent the morning here in our house listening to a sermon on Virginia's computer till the computer battery died. Laura, Virginia, and I played Rummikub for a while in the afternoon. In the evening Ramon, Lucia, and Rosibel came up for soft pretzels and we played several rounds of Memory.

    Due to all the rain we received in the last 2 weeks the yard once again started looking like a field instead of a yard. We had to wade through knee-high weeds. We hired some young guys from La Palmerita to come chop grass. They spent several mornings and afternoons here cutting grass. One day it started pouring while they were cutting but that did not stop them. They kept right on chopping as you can see in the above picture. Thanx to each of the boys, we now have a nice green yard, that looks like it has been freshly mowed. They also chopped some of the grass/weeds in the pasture, which now makes it easier to get to and from the back pasture. I now can get back to the pasture to bring my horse in for water without having to wade through high weeds. I enjoy walking back to the back pasture at least 2 times a day and each time I bring my horse front for some water before taking her back and tying her in the grass.

    And then off course with all the rain, it would not be normal if we didn't find Nick playing in the puddles during the day. The puddles just seem to call him there as soon as he steps outside. Whether he is riding through them with his bike, running through them, or sitting in them - there is soon a muddy boy to clean up.

    We ladies finally started the project that was so long in coming. For the longest time we were cutting up our old dresses in strips and rolling them into balls and sticking them in a suitcase. With all the rain that we had, we got the suitcase and Virginia taught Laura & I how to crochet rugs. I knew how to crochet so it was just a matter of Virginia telling me what to do. I have completed one rug so far, which we put in the laundry, and have been sewing quite a number of strips together to make another one. It is amazing how little time it takes to actually crochet the rug. The thing that takes the most time is cutting apart the dress and them sewing all the strips from the one dress together so that you have one big strip. Virginia finished the rug that she had started for my room, so I have it laying along my bed. I am hoping to make another one to put in front of my armoire, so I need to start sewing strips together. Laura has made one and is almost finished with her 2nd one. If it is a rainy afternoon or evening, you will be sure to find us getting apart dresses or crocheting.

    While Jason's parents were here visiting, his mother had invited Ramon & Rosibel to supper one evening. She had made a big pot of chicken pot-pie. Rosibel really liked it and kept asking me when we could make it again. I got the recipe from Phyllis and finally we set a date to make it. We decided on a Monday evening and I attempted to make it. It turned out pretty well and they all liked it. It hit the spot that evening, because it was rainy and cold. I made Cappuccino Mouse trifle. Sir Nicholas was so tired, he couldn't even finish his dessert. After we cleaned the supper, once again out came the all-famous Memory game. The young people around just love to play that game.

    On Friday October 1st was Angel's birthday. Angel is the father of Ramon, Lucia, and Rosibel. Mariana, their mother, had asked us to help with the meal preparation. Randy gave a turkey and a chicken to prepare for the birthday feast. Friday morning started quite early. The first task was to catch and kill the turkey. However, we ran into a few problems - 1st one was that we did not have keys for the tool shed or Randy's house. Well, we decided to chase the turkey and catch it. Then we would worry about how to get into the house. However till we got the turkey & chicken killed, Jason arrived with keys for the house & tool shed. Ramon killed the birds and Virginia, Rosibel, & I cut them up in pieces. We then cut up potatoes, chayote, carrots, and bread to make filling to put with the meat. We baked 2 oatmeal cakes. Around 1:00, I went down to Angel & Mariana's to help with food preparation there. About 2 weeks ago, Mariana had cut her finger tip and it still isn't totally healed, so they asked me if I could come down and help make cow tongue. Angel had bought a tongue that morning and it had been cooking all morning. I cleaned the skin off and cut it in small chunks. I then fried it in a little oil and added potatoes, chayote, and carrots. We left that simmer for a little before we added ketchup, mustard, salt, and vinegar. After that had cooked and all the vegetables were soft, we took it off the stove and made a big pot of rice. I left around 5:00 to go up to the house. We had youth night that night as well, so after the Palmerita young people left, we all headed down to Angel's for the party. Virginia and I had the privilege of dishing up the food for the crowd of about 30 people. I got enough of food and I think everyone else did as well.

    On Tuesday October 5th was another day of food preparation. This time found us preparing food in the Johanna's house. On Tuesday, the men started putting sides on the church building, so we asked Johanna to make lunch for the men on Tuesday & Wednesday. Tuesday morning I saddled up Beulah around 8:30 and rode out to church, where I got my backpack out of the truck and headed Johanna's house. We started by frying rice for lunch. This can be quite a task, but I am starting to learn how to do it like they do and I am enjoying it. After that, she had me grind the corn for the tortillas and then mix in some water before grinding it a 2nd time. Once that was ground twice, we set it aside and starting cooking the pasta for the salad. Once that was soft, we set it on back of the stove and put the chicken over to cook. Once the chicken was cooking good, we added potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and onions. At the end we added some ketchup. Just before the men arrived, we fried some tomatoes, peppers, and onions and tossed the pasta with that and added some cream. To top off the meal, we had fresh tortillas and soda. Around 10:00 am I rode out to the church and took some pictures and also around 2:00 I took some more pictures. After class, I helped Johanna clean up her house before riding out to church for a few more pictures. I then rode home, tired from a long, but enjoyable day.

    I was in charge of Johanna's class on Tuesday and it went better than I thought, but I was spited that Laura & Virginia could not be sitting in the class. We have started taking turns leading out in Johanna's class. It has stretched me once again as I study and teach in Spanish. It is getting a little easier to study, but it still takes time. I just asked that you would continue to remember the young girls' class that I teach. At times it can be discouraging when only a few girls come. Right now the attendance has been really poor, but I am determined to put my whole heart into it, no matter if it is 2 girls, or if it 6. Just pray that God would reveal to them their need for a life committed to Him.

        

    Featured Young Girls: The young girls in this picture are 4 sisters. ranging from 21 to 15. From left to right; Adelys, Yamilet, Noelia, & Esther. Adelys & Esther, the 2 oldest girls each have a little boy. They come from a very sad home situation. Virginia is having class with Adelys on Tuesdays. Noelia, the youngest, comes very faithfully to church. Yamilet had lived up north for a while and has come back just recently. Please pray for these girls, that they might see that there is truly a better life out there - a life that surrendered to God. Pastora is the grandmother to all these girls and is a dear sweet lady. She comes to church quite often as well. As long as anyone has known her, she has had a terrible cough, but she still comes to church. If it is a little rainy, she still comes with her plastic to put around her.

    And here are some little faces from La Palmerita. The boys on the the left are Juancito and Wilbur, Johanna's boys. On the right, the little boy in orange is Alexander, Adelys' son and the one in the red is a brother to the featured girls.

 

    This is all for today and I hope I have not been too boring.

 

    Thank you for all your prayers! I would love to hear from some of you and what has been going on in your life.

 

    Serving Our Lord in Nicaragua, Andrea