Saturday, September 14, 2013

Our Community......

It dawned on me the other day that we have slowly formed a community of people here...God has provided us with those who are encourages, helpers and friends that are slowly forming a foundation of community for us.  We are transitioning from the craziness of the transition to settling...transitioning from everything is new to living....transitioning from where do we fit to this is our home.  There are so many "characters" in our world that I thought I'd introduce you to those who help shape our world here.....

Our neighbors- Between all of us, there are 12, yes TWELVE kids that range in age from 2-18.  We live in a small community called "La Veranera" that consists of four houses in a circle and lots of space for the kids to play.  It is a safe haven, if you will.  A place that we can let Slaton be Slaton.  The kids rise early in the morning sometimes getting in playtime before school starts at 7:25!  The rule is the door has to be open before you can play!  I know our neighbor has opened her door to Slaton's face starting at it many a Saturday.  All of the school-age kids go to school at Slaton's school which makes wonderful for carpooling and daily planning!  Each of the families are involved in different ministries in Nicaragua yet share common ground of being here to serve God.

The Kratovils-Jason, Nadia, Katie, Hudson, Hunter and Harrison-  I had been praying that God  would send us some mentors.  Someone that has been here with a family, passionate serving and is real...and God sent us the Kratovils.  They have been in country for 8 years with children now ranging in age from 7th grade to kindergarten. They freely give us advice, suggestions and encouragement...never once seeming to mind.  I am daily  amazed by their gift of just sharing knowledge with others....this isn't the norm sometimes. In addition to being mentors and friends, their boys provide almost constant playmates with Slaton.  Harrison and Slaton are in the same class at school and pretty much inseparable while at home!  I can truly say that their door (or windows!) are always open!!!  They are church planters that have a church in Managua that has been turned over to the Nicaraguans and have started another in Mateare. 

 The Normans- They have three children that are absolutely precious!  Their girls bring me flowers to buy that smell absolutely beautiful (for 5-10 cords a piece and sweet smiles, who can resist!) and their son is the cutest thing ever!  Karel works at Slate's school as the sports director and Myra ministers at House of Hope teaching the ladies how to bake.

The Ipples- Newest to our neighborhood, Andrew teaches next door to Slaton's classroom at the             school and Ruth ministers as a nurse.  Their three children have nicely rounded out the "playing company" as Slaton calls it!  They have a daughter May that is a year younger than Slaton.  He loves to play with her!   Their house (being the newest at the moment) is the "hot" house on the block with a new stock of legos and toys.....

 On any given day, the kids might be running around playing with home-made arrows and bows, or building a massive city out of all the legos in the community, swimming or just hanging out.  A blessing of a place.

Fatima- Slaton's babysitter- Fatima came into our life by way of David Patterson who wanted to introduce me to a nice, hard-working lady.  Oh my goodness, she has been a God-send.  She doesn't speak English and, of course, Slaton is learning but knows LITTLE spanish and, yet, they communicate unbelievable.  She has been one of his babysitters since we moved here and now exclusively watches him usually about four days a week when teams aren't here and more when they are.  She literally loves on him, dotes on him, worries about him and treats him like a king!  When she watches him, she is always within two feet of where he is...our neighbors have humored us and she literally follows Slaton wherever he goes.  I can honestly say I couldn't do the ministry work that God has allowed me to do without His provision of Fatima.  She has such a sweet disposition that brightens a room....ALWAYS.

Susie-our Housekeeper- I didn't ever think I would want, need, have a housekeeper...I'm pretty independent...but Susie quite literally came with the house that we are renting.  She knows the house better than I do...she's cleaned it for years.  She does our laundry, mops the floors (which constantly get dusty and muddy), cleans as needed, makes incredible chicken tacitos and loves on our family.  She comes three days a week at $7.00 a day....another God-send in my world.  She doesn't read or write so this has made me appreciate being able to read and also the need to recognize literacy or lack thereof while ministering.  Again, would not be able to minister in full abandonment without Ms. Susie. 

Slaton's school- Mr. Avery, Ms. Katie, Mrs Randall, Mrs. Mejia, Liam, Ms Andrea, his Spanish teacher, his PE teacher...the list goes on and on...the gardners, the guards....  They have created a place where children's hearts are encouraged with such lovingkindness that it is almost unbelievable.  During Slaton's transition last year, we had a difficult time...and not one time did they say, this is too much. Not one time, did they hesitate...instead, they prayed.  They simply prayed.  This year, Slaton is doing incredible. He is ahead in his Spanish work, has gotten happy faces stamps EVERY DAY and in his progress report got great marks on all of the places he had issues last year...and he is HAPPY at school!  He loves learning there, loves Spanish (which he hated last year) LOVES PE which he wouldn't even participate in last year!!!!  He LOVES it!  He also has discovered the wonderful world of books which completely excites me!!!  Thanking God that instead of obstacles, they saw potential.

The lady at the intersection-Every morning when we go to H.O.P.E. Central at Siete Sur, there is an old beggar woman that stands between the two lanes and will literally stare a driver down until they either drive away or give her money.  We still don't know her name...but someday we might.  When you give her money or food (my preference) she says "God Bless You in Spanish in the deepest voice imaginable... But she encourages us every day...her presence reminds us to why we are here...every day.

The staff at H.O.P.E. Central-During the past 8 months, we have transitioned into our positions...me in women's ministry and Travis as team liason and community development.  I minister alongside a most wonderful young lady, Claudia.  Whose heart and spirit is so contagious, that you want to bottle it up and serve it to the world!  When I met her family, I realized why she was how she was...they are all like that.  She always tells me that people are different in the country.... She is right beside me serving with abandonment.   Deanna, a young lady from Alaska who fell in love with Nicaragua, goes to college here and translates for us...again, love her serving sweet heart... (Taellor has found friendship in both of them...they all have in common their serving hearts without thought to what others might think or do.  They encourage each other to follow where God is leading them!) Jorge, our maintenance guy, who never flinches at going to the brothels with me to minister or going to the dump with us and instead of just watching and protecting actively ministers alongside.  Travis works primarily with Michel..whose heart is so incredibly big! I love how he knows who is who in the community and loves on all of them.  And then I love the others that we serve with...each one comes with their own sweet spirit and gifts...Dr. Melba, who I love doing medical missions with...who lights up most when serving those who need her most...who I love doing ultrasound with to help with diagnosis.... The guards (Geral, Eddy, Donnie (who always tells Slaton that "Jesus loves you!") and Darion who always greet us so sweetly and never tire of my constant movement in and out of the base:-)  Ana, Scarlet, Mercedes, Janet...sweet, sweet ladies that brighten my day, always.  Angelica, Jerson and Marvin...which are three that have been with Project H.O.P.E. for a long time and come with a wealth of knowledge from the history of the organization. Javier, whose smile and gentle spirit I love to be around.  Eddy (Fast Eddy)...who encourages us daily.  Eduardo, who never hesitates to help us (whether translating or last minute movie nights) Jose, our newest addition to the staff, but who sings beautifully and has such a servant's spirit.  Alejandro, who will always hold a special place in my heart since we walked Yancy (a young sick girl) home in the dark of the night through a banana field so many years ago...he never hesitated to go with me.  And of course, all of our translators that make communication and ministry doable for all of us who are learning the language...servant hearts, they have.  If I missed anyone, it wasn't on purpose...as a group, we minister to serve Christ.

Josimar-our Spanish teacher-poor guy!  He has been so encouraging to us even on the days when I'm sure he thinks we are pretty crazy...He doesn't get Travis' jokes at all but I think is also learning alot of additional words along with them... Example: Clear as crystal.  That one threw him for quite the loop!  We will learn Spanish if poor Josimar has anything to do with it!

Geraldo-our Sign Language teacher- This has got to be the funniest guy EVER! He would win hands-down at the game of Gestures!!!  He is deaf and teaches us Nicaraguan sign language in such an amazing way. The missionaries at the deaf school Matt and Eva Barlow have also been and encouragement to us...guiding us and encouraging us.

Bombaros-the homeless man at Cuidad Sandino-
Loreina in the dump at Cuidad Sandino

Silva and Pastor Horacio in Cuidad Sandino dump-They have welcomed us from the beginning as family into their home and their community. I love the gentle spirits that they have alongwith their desire to serve as partners-man and wife.  A true inspiration...day in and day out.

Martha at the Women's Shelter-She encourages me to serve in wild abandonment...to literally just serve...to not be afraid to just laugh...and to love above all else love.

Other missionaries- April Havlin at House of Hope, Angela-House of Hope, Laura, House of Hope, and the list goes on...but there have been many that have freely shared and given us encouragement that can only come from obedience to God.  We have met so many that have a kind word, or suggestion or just a seemingly vague comment that reminds/directs us.

We have been blessed by so many in our world...there are many more here that ebb and flow in our lives...these are the ones that are consistently in mine...that make up our community in Nicaragua.