Donde Esta Pastor Mark

The foreman, Filemon, consulting with Pastor Mark.




Pastor Mark having lunch with the team today. Spiced baked chicken, rice and homemade tortillas. Oh, and cookies. Can't forget the cookies! We look forward to those each day. Mmm....mmmm!!




Pastor Mark taking a siesta in the hammock after lunch. He must have worked hard this morning, he's looking kind of blurry.

An old friend

I ran into an old friend in San Jose yesterday. <3 BIG,BIG SMILE :)




My buddy Alvaro.
I met him on my first trip to Nicaragua two years ago. He was so very shy that year. He didn't say much at all, but that sweet smile spoke volumes. He stole my heart that first visit.
Last year he wrote me a love letter and brought me flowers. Amazingly, he even remembered my name a year later. He will never know how deeply he has touched my heart.




March 2012




This year he declared that I am his novia (girlfriend). I do love that little boy.
Today is our last day in San Jose. He is not hanging out at the work site this year. I don't know if I will see him again before we leave. That might be a good thing as I'm dreading saying goodbye to that sweet little face again.
Every year I am amazed at how much I love the people here. Today we will say goodbye to everyone. It is so bittersweet. I am ready to be home again, I am just not ready to leave. It has been as always, a hard week, but in a good way. I will miss the wonderful people in San Jose.

Another installment of "Donde esta Pastor Mark?"

Pastor Mark on site today. It was blazing hot!! We had to borrow a hat for him. Looking good Pastor Mark. :)

Humidity

Suzy says with the humidity here in Nicaragua even with her hairbrush she still has no control.

Day 3

It's okay not to have all the answers. If you are frustrated that you don't know what to say all the time when it comes to talking to others about God, perhaps you are relying on yourself too much. God will give you the words....or the "not words" to get the message across.

 

 

 

 



 

 

It's easier not to look

In Nicaragua, like many undeveloped countries, traffic is insane. People just walk out into the street, horns are honking, stop signs are 'suggestions' and cars weave in and out of traffic. I got really nervous the first day, and Suzy said, " it's just better not to look." I'm not sure it's better, but it sure is easier.

It's easier not to look at the poverty in the world. It's easier not to look at the unfair wages. It's easier not to look at a sweet child that is suffering from malnutrition. It's easier to not look at injustice. It's easier not to see the downtrodden or the oppressed. It's easier to not love people half way around the world that you may never see again. It's easier but it sure isn't better.

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us to go and do, to whom? The least of these. The poor, the hungry, the sick, the imprisoned, and the naked. This isn't easier, in fact it is quite hard. Love is hard, but also fulfilling. Seeing joy and laughter in hard conditions fills your heart will joy, the joy and love of God. Look and see for it may not be easier, but it is most definitely better. "For in the end only three things last: faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love." 1Cor. 13:13.

Tired Doesn't Begin to Describe It

Everybody is worn out. It was super hot and humid today. We started out cloudy, but once the sun came out it was blazing.

We got the forms placed and concrete poured early and then we started on the walls.

 

 

 

 

 

We finished up about 4 o'clock having placed about 70 blocks today.

 

 

 

 

 

A Special Guest Appearance

As we prepared to depart for San Jose this morning there was a special guest aboard the bus. See the blue arrow below


Upon closer inspection it was determined that our own very own ex-senior pastor apparently hitched a ride.



We wondered how he could have made it down here.




Stay tuned for the next episode of "Donde esta Pastor Mark"

Let me be full, let me be empty

I must admit that today was harder for my heart than I expected. The people of San Jose are full of joy, but the poverty was overwhelming. The kids worked so hard on a house they would not even live in later. I must I admit I felt quite physically weak in comparison to the people in the village. At the beginning of the day, I was anxious to get to work and meet the people. I met these two adorable girls and wanted to start a conversation, but discovered both were deaf and therefore could not speak. My heart was filled with anguish. I thought about Psalm 121 for the rest of the day. The girls smiled and followed us around all day they had joy despite their circumstances. John Wesley's covenant prayer comes to mind:

I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.

Today I was laid aside, brought low, and felt empty. I am no longer my own, glory to God.

Day 1

We are back at the team house tired but satisfied with our first day. We spent the whole day just trying to get above ground. We set the footers and the first row of blocks which will be underground.

Tomorrow our goal is to get halfway up.

We saw some of our old friends, and made some new ones.

We even had some entertainment at lunch.

 

Lyle Fraka says:

 

While Rick his crew were putting in the footings, another crew started bending rods for connectors and tieing rebar. Since our crew was so small, consisting of Barbara Barhill, Victor Mireles and sometimes Chrisie Reeves-Pendergrass, we were able to put together 4 rectangular and 1 triangular rebar. While I formed several triangular connectors. Tomorrow will be a better day because of the experience we gained today.

HOOORAY

Suzy's hairbrush has been located and delivered. Our luggage showed up and we are happy. Tomorow we will start working in San Jose on the house.

Dennis put on a magic show exhibition for Rafa's kids and all the adults. It is going to be a big hit with the kids this week.

 

Oh Where Is My Hairbrush?!

We arrived in Nicaragua last night WITHOUT our luggage. :( Nothing like arriving in a foreign country without anything but what you are wearing and what little you could fit in your carry on. My carry on may be a little different next year. Veggie Tales' "Where is My Hairbrush?" has been stuck in my head all morning. Sigh...I miss my hairbrush. As we joke around about all the little "necessities" that we are without this morning, I can't help but think about those that wake up EVERY morning with less than what we have now. Somehow that hairbrush seems less important.

Luggage all gone!

After months of planning and preparation, we have finally made it to Nicaragua. The garden in the back of the team house is breathtaking. I think the smell of the team is a little less than breathtaking, since we arrived with no soap or clean clothes. It is Sunday morning and we are getting ready for church. Without luggage the concept of going to church in our travel clothes is strange. We are humbled before God this morning in a very new way. Maybe it's good that we experience church dirty and smelly in the stench of the day before. Maybe this is how our soul enters worship everyday, dirty, unclean, and covered with the sins of yesterday. Something to think about.

Nicaragua

We arrived in Managua last night about 8:30 from San Salvador. Our luggage apparently took a detour. Perhaps it went to Guatemala instead. Who knows? The point is we be stinky! The plus side, we will probably not be crowded when we go to church this morning.
We slept like rocks, roosters, barking dogs and all.
Dennis kept people occupied during the trip by doing magic tricks for kids (and adults) in the airports.

9 days and counting

My how time flies. We are nine days away from leaving. The first group that went with Big Spring has been posting a few pictures on facebook and they are finishing up today. Tomorrow they will head for Managua and Saturday they will leave Nicaragua bound for home.

I hope their time there was productive and rewarding for them and the people of San Jose.

Our group is small this year. Only 8 people. Some returning members and some new to missions.
Our "old hands": Lyle Fraka, Barbara Barnhill, Victor Mireles, Rick and Suzy Snow. Our first timers: Austin Yearwood, Dennis Margheim, Chrisie Reeves-Pendergrass.

I am sending the link to this blog to the Middletons so they can send it out to the prayer team folks. You can follow along as we go. We appreciate all your prayers and support.

Our flight will be a little more of an adventure this year. The airlines have changed the flight schedules so instead of El Paso-Houston-Managua, we are flying El Paso-Dallas-San Salvador-Managua with a 6 hour layover in Dallas both ways. Pray realllllllly hard for us for that time.

We will be having our sendoff on Thursday, March 14th at 6:30 pm in the sanctuary. Come on out and wish everyone well and pray for the team.