Day 9

Hello all, this morning we got up at 4am to be at the airport for 5:30 am. So we are tired. Was fine to check in and tried to find some breakfasts. 

I'd like to thank you all for the support and I hoped you enjoyed the posts, not sure if I will use this again but thank you. 

So for now I will say adios and I'll be keeping up my Spanish! 

Day 8

Hola everyone! So today was a mixed emotions day. We had fun together as a team but also had to say good bye to some people :(. 

We had a fun day. Today was meant for a relaxation and team day. We went zip lining! Man something I would have wanted to do but never had the guts. So now I did it and will do it again. 

We drove up the volcano (none active one) and stopped halfway up. There we got free coffee ( best coffee ever) and for the 411 on how to properly zip line. There were 3 stages of zip lining we did. It is so scary once you take that 1st step. Now that I think about it, almost like taking the step of faith with The Lord. A little scary and u sure but know that you are save. 

There were times when we would be up in a tree on a platform and we are attached to a rope around the tree. The last bit to get down is really scary. There I screamed. It is pretty much we are attach to a rope that falls down to the ground. You stand on the edge and just sit in the harness and then drop. Like a drop zone, that one was the scariest one, I was shaking after that. 

We then spend some money and bought coffee. Mmmm the smell of coffee beans so good. I also saw a coffee bean tree and taste the bean/fruit. The bean is in a little berry and its sweet and then the nutty taste bean. 

We then got into a very old truck and went up the rest of the volcano. It was scary and very steep but we made it. We ate lunch up there and then went for a walk in the forest. We saw the grater and a monkey. We then got back on the truck and went on another scary ride down the hill. This one was majorly scary. 

We then switched buses and down we go even more. Then we went to a touristy  market where we bought some souvenirs and tried and haggle.  It was fun and I got nice things like little things. 

We then had to say good bye to Ernesto :(.  It was sad to see him leave and say good bye to him. The Lord is doing and has done a lot in his life. I had some Spanish lessons too and I am getting better. He said he will help me while I am in Canada and him in Nicaragua. 

This has been an amazing week. We had dinner with the pastors of harvest Managua tonight at an Italian restaurant. They have us each a little gift for everything we have done. 

There is a lot that we can do for Managua. I will update tomorrow maybe on the Atlanta airport. Otherwise I say, adios Asta manaian. Till tomorrow 

Day 7

Hola out of Managua! We got to Managua safe. We had a kind of relaxed day today. We had devotions today with pastor Jared in Acts 14 about humility. 

We then went to Merida to go and pray amongst the village. We did a little work but today was mostly pack up and organize day. We had to be back at the ferry around 3. After we prayed in the village we went back with pastor Jared and go to pastor Edwin's house and found a feast for us. 

They had a lunch ready for us, it was really sad to say good bye. We cried (almost all of us) cause of the sadness. It's almost like we are leaving family behind. 

We said our good bus at the resort, and off we went to the ferry.  The ferry took about an hour where the sun was nice and warm. When we go to the land we started diving and then off we went for food. Papa johns pizza was the best and also got a Spanish lesson from Ernesto. 

I am exhausted, tomorrow I will be back😵

Day 6

Hello out of Hot Ometepe Island. I didnt have internet last night so I couldnt update the blog.  I am so sore from Monday's work where I was digging the hole for the dirty water.  Pastor Jared did devotions today who is the pastor in Managua.  It was English and again about that we need to make sure we do all the work for God and not ourselves.

We then start heading to Merida where we worked hard.  We 1st drove on the back on the rocky road and it was fun.  When we got settled at the site we prayed and pastor Aaron thanked us for being here to help.  Ernesto (translator) went to work on finishing the big hole.  We still needed to dig another 3 inches.  So Ernesto and I finished it, YAY.  I got to know his story and we talked about how we serve in church and how he got to know the Lord.  Pastor Aaron told us that we should take breaks and if we want to talk to each other on how we got to know the Lord we should and not just work, work, work.

It was amazing how much we got done.  The hole is done now and I helped with some tiling inside the house.  It was a very productive day and I got to know more people.  It will be sad to leave the island Today.  When we got back to the hotel Pastor Edwin and his family invited us to their house to go eat some corn on the cob and fellowship.

I am having fun and its awesome to see what the Lord is doing.

Day 5

Hola from a tired Marieke.  We actually did a lot of work today.  We had devtions 1st with Pastor Edwin with the waves on the lake in the back ground and a thunderstorm rolling in.  Just a sign of God's Amazing creation.  We then started our drive to Merida (after the storm off course).

It is a very rocky and muddy road which was interesting and fun.  I was inside the truck but still.  \It is interesting to see how the villagers live and then once you get closer to Merida it starts looking like a village.  Merida seems to be just a dirt road in between the 2 Volcanoes.

Aaron and Betty's house looks really nice compare to their rental property.  Much bigger than where they are now and also a lot more back yard.  Very Quint and homey even without furniture.  We worked on the kitchen, one room and outside.

I mostly worked outside and it was a lot fun.  I helped to dig a meter and a half deep hole where the water from the washing machine and kitchen will run into.  It was a lot of work and I will most likely be sore tomorrow but i did get a lot exercise. It feels so different when you are helping someone through God and that it was God that brought me here to lend a hand so that they can start a live on the island.  It was nice cause I got to know out of our Translators, Ernesto, as well as pastor Aaron.  I also got some Spanish instruction (I can't seem to remember a lot of the words through which is sad.)

We also pruned some interesting fruit trees and carried them to the back of the property where I had an allergic reaction to the one tree (not sure what) just some hives.  Pastor Aaron made it fun and caught a little piglet that wandered into the yard and he was made the most loudest noise ever.  It was a lot of fun.  We are very tired and on the ride back the road was very rocky compare to when we went this morning.  |It has cooled down and I am hoping that we get some sun tomorrow all day and no rain.  We actually didnt go swimming but got a nice hot shower, mmm.  Anyway time for sleep.  Adios!!

Day 4

Hola out of rainy, windy Ometepe Island.  Today was a blessed day for me.  We participated in the Sunday Morning devotions before with church with the locals.  It was about the plan for Salvation and he gave us 4 points.  It was tricky to understand him but I tried and followed along.

During the church service 3 of us women helped out at harvest kids.  We helped out with the crafts for the toddlers.  It was so much fun watching them sing songs together with each other.  It tried to sing along but it didn't work so well.  It was great to try and connect with the kids.  Even though there was a language barrier, it was a blessing to be able to work along side them and then pastor Edwin's daughter would help me with some words and tell me how to say something.

We made a paper plate with cute little foam shapes on the edge and wrote "Dios Es Abundante, Efesius 3:20-21" which means God is Abundant.  It was so much fun to spend time with the little kids and helping them with my english while they speak/understands spanish.

The congregation held a welcome party for Pastor Aaron and Betty which was kind of a surprise for them.  They asked us if we wanted to come and off course we wanted to come instead of going to the Eye of the Water.  They are like family now and they see us as apart of their church family as well.  It was so much fun to hang out with everyone and they are all so loving.  It is still amazing to me how wonderful the community is with each other.  They are always there to help in some sort of a way.  We can learn from them that we should always show God's love amongst each other and that everyone is family.

We swam in the dark again and this time Betty came with us and we swam in the dark again.  We also had some banana splits for "dinner".  We had too much to eat today and just wanted some dessert.  So we had some good banana splits.

Well here is too another amazing God filled day ending the day with listening to worship music on my computer.  Until tomorrow night, adios!!

Day 3

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  (John 15:12 ESV)"

This is part of the Bible decotion we did this morning with pastor Edwin.  He is the pastor and the harvest in a different town here on the island.  Today it has been a weird day.  The weather is cloudy and its rained a few times today here on the island.  We had a good breakfast with the team and then devotions with pastor Edwin with the sounds of the lake behind us.  We decided as a team that us women will go and help Betty prepare their house for living.

It was amazing to see how the community around them helped to get the house ready.  We all did scrubbing and cleaning and organizing.  They all just started to clean and move the furniture and we washer the floor.  The ladies just started to take a hose and sprayed the walls and floor clean and we used brooms to sweep the water out.  It's a little house that has a tin roof.  No matter the size it is all homey and comfortable now.

Before lunch and over lunch we got to know pastor Edwin's wife Elsie and his kids.  They are so grateful and feel so blessed that we came to support them and help them whatever they need.  We had a great lunch that was cooked by a chef that worked at this hotel and then opened his own little restaurant.  We then walked through the road and houses to Pastor Edwin's house and sat and talked there with Elsie and got to know her and the kids.  We continued to finish to organize Betty's house and now it looks like a real family home.

We met Papi, a man that was like the town drunk and he got saved last year and is a real passionate believer now.  Involved in the church and a very friendly man.  We as a team bonded and went swimming in the lake after dinner.  The lake has waves which is why is sounds like the ocean.  The water is as warm as bath water and its pitch black.

It is just a realization by seeing everything on this island so far that the Lord created it all and that we should not take his creation for granted.  I know for sure when I come back I will definately find someone/people to enjoy God's Creation with me.

Until tomorrow night, adios amigos!!

Day 2

Well Hello out of Managua.  Sorry that I am late with the post the internet at the hotel on the island is a little hard to come by.  It's a hot day and we had devotions at the best place looking out on lush green trees surrounding us with pastor Jared.  We then proceeded to the church office in the back of a truck.  We went to the house of Pastor Aaron and his wife Betty to move their house.  One thing some people found, don't sit on the edge of the truck, the officers don't like that they want you to sit inside the back or stand.  (luckily I was standing).  That was fun and an adventure nonetheless.  We then had a little party/get together with food to say goodbye to Aaron and Betty where we met a lot of passionate for Christ people.  The church staff put it together for all their friends and us.

They are all so fired up for God and love each other like family.  It was sad to see the good byes but also exciting to know that The Lord has big plans for them on Ometepe Island.  We then 1st packed the suitcases on the roof of a van then they wanted to put them on the truck that was bringing us to the island.  It was quite fun to see how they packed everything and how well they know how to pack a lot of suitcases on the truck with a tarp.  We then drove to the port where we were getting the ferry to come to the island for 6 days.  We arrived at the island on a bumpy ferry.  The water so choppy that when you try and walk it feels like you are drunk.  We took a lot of pictures of the volcanoes cause it looked so cool.  God's creation is amazing just the trees, and the volcanoes and the clouds and even the choppy lake is amazing.  We arrived at the hotel around 7:15 pm and had a late dinner which was good, we can choose what ever we want cause its all paid for.  It is still windy and actually a little chilly, the waves on the lake sounds like the ocean it is nice.

We then helped Aaron and Betty to unload the truck into their rental property until their house in Merida is done with the renovating.  The Lord has shown me today that you need to have faith and no matter what everything around you is his doing and also that we should be helping through his love and not for our own fulfillment but for his.  Time for bed now, until tomorrow (well your today and my tomorrow.  we are 2 hours behind you guys).

Day 1 of our trip

Hello! So we are at the hotel in Managua and it looks cool at night. The weather is quite humid. We had some little issues at the border where we had to get out for someone that was not Canadian. It was part of the adventure. And then we got to buffalo airport where everything was perfect. We got to Atlanta and made it to our flight with 10 mins to spare. We got to Managua with a very warm welcome with a harvest sign. The Lord was testing us today but he had his hand on us all day. Here is a pictures of the group. See you tomorrow. Oh and there is a 2 hr time difference so it is 10:35 pm here and 12:30 am here. 

Fly away

Well today is the big day. We are flying out of buffalo around 4 pm today and I think we  are arriving in Nicaragua around 9 pm. I will update when I arrive in Nicaragua. We are 1st all meeting at the church office. I am really excited as to what The Lord will do with me while we are there. Pray for safety and that we will spread the Gospel to people there.