Who: All 33 students
What: Lived with Nicaraguan families in low socio-economical status (we'd consider it poverty, while they would say they have everything they need--food, house, clothes, water, most importantly their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.)
When: For 6 days
Where: In little communities about 45 minutes outside of Masaya
Why: To build relationships with Nicaraguans
How: (This is probably what you're wanting to know...what was it like?) I lived with my mom--think of Moses' wife....that was her! 75 years old. Maybe 4' 7". Super cute, wonderful, loving little old lady. Our house was made of wood and cardboard, had a good solid roof and dirt floor. The kitchen was outside and was an open-wood fire. The toilet was the hole in the ground inside the little four sided tarp area. The water came from a well, which supplied my mom and five of her children who live on the property with her. The shower was bucket showers, which means you fill a bucket of water, step into a different four sided tarp area and use a bowl to pour water on yourself. Rather refreshing actually. When else do you get to shower under the open sky? Oh, and tons of animals roaming around everywhere.
This experience was absolutely amazing! To live with people who were strangers in the beginning and family in the end was so powerful. While they do not have a lot of things, they do have Jesus and to see them go to church everyday for fellowship with one another was great to see. What they have they share completely, with me and each other.
Thank you for your prayers during this time. While our focus was to simply live with them, the days were draining. I didn't mind going to bed at 7:45pm a few times and being told to sleep in a little more, til maybe 7am. I did have a bed that had springs (rather old of course), some cardboard for support, a thin foam mattress, and pillow, even if it was lumpy. I was grateful to not be sleepy on the floor like some of them.
The first morning there, I was served some milk at breakfast and decided to go ahead and drink it and take my LactAid. Unfortunately, it didn't sit well. I ended up laying down shortly after. My stomach is just not used to eating straight dairy products any more (except for some ice cream here an there). When I told my mom I needed to lay down a little bit, she knew the milk hadn't sat well and immediately hollered for Kevin, my 9 year old nephew-who seemed more like a little brother-to go get some oranges. A minute later I could hear him up on the roof knocking down the oranges from the tree and maybe 5 minutes later I had freshly squeezed orange juice. The best I've ever had!!!! Definitely helped and by the afternoon I felt much better. Thankfully everything from there out was totally good. And due to my food allergies and my mom not wanting me sick, I didn't have to eat any super strange foods like pig skin as many others did. Glad I could pass on that one.
Most days I ended up playing all morning and afternoon with the kids. My mom had 8 children and 6 live really close, so that means LOTS of grandkids and great-grandkids were around. Perfect for me! The youngest daughter actually lived in the same house with my Mom so I had a niece, Elisabeth (13)and 2 nephews, Kevin (9) and Victor (5) who really became my family. They loved playing cards, UNO, Skip-Bo, Blink, hand games, kickball with the soccer ball I brought (which they LOVED!), coloring, playing with the clay, and see pictures of themselves on my camera. I was certainly treated like royalty, which seems so weird, but was glad the kids know I love playing games just like them. It was a blessing to be loved so strongly by them. I definitely pray for them and hope someday to go back and visit.
My house from the road (more or less the backside).
The view from the road.
Me with my Nica family!
Me and my nieces/nephews (more or less).
My bed.
Elisabeth and Me...she was so great to have around!
Holding the baby chick...8 days old.
Victor could never stop smiling :) Would have loved to bring him home in my backpack!
One of my "sisters" (a mother herself) makes these to sell at the market in Masaya.
Taking care of business...
The four of us students (Me, Jared, Kirsten, and Maddie) lived in La Ceibita. With the pastor (Javier) and his wife.
The three kids that lived with me (Elisabeth, Kevin, and Victor) having just given them the soccer ball I brought as a gift...they were thrilled! (P.S. Thank you to my brother Erik for buying this Mission Ball as well as sending another to a different family in a Spanish-speaking country.)
My mom (Lorenza) and Me
Me in the four-sided tarp shower... definitely got a quad workout in the process.
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