Two Years, Four Days
I meant to post a pondering-type of blog on Sunday, the actual anniversary date of our arrival to Nicaragua. However, like many nights...feel asleep at 7:00pm while putting one of the kids to bed. So, today will have to do...4 days late...but better late than never.
For some reason, I've been thinking about the ride from the airport to the house on the 'day of arrival' two years ago. Due to all the luggage, Jeff and I had to split up and take rides from two different people that had graciously offered to pick up a family 5, their 10 footlockers, 10 carryons, and 1 cat from the airport. Keep in mind, we had never met these two individuals. Jeff and the bulk of the luggage went in one vehicle. The kids and I went in the other vehicle. At the moment, I don't remember who took the cat. What I do remember is that the driver of the vehicle that I was in was a wealth of knowledge regarding Nicaragua. This person actually taught us, especially Jeff, so much and we have benefitted greatly from his experience. However, that said....I am not sure he realized the havoc he caused me on that drive from the airport. Here is the one piece of advice that I remember from that drive....
'you shouldn't go around without shoes on...there are worms that can enter through your feet, travel up to your brain and kill you.'
Okay, now keep in mind...I had about 4 hours of sleep the night before, I just got off a plane in another country where I don't speak the language, I helped haul ten 50 pound footlockers off the luggage belt while trying to make sure the cat and kids stayed within arms reach, and emotionally I was a puddle of goo. I have NO where to put this piece of information about a brain-killing worm. (Honestly, not even sure I heard him right...but either way...it's what stuck.)
In two years, we have come a long way....granted we are on a journey...so the adventure continues and we will continue to grow and learn. Here is a list of 10 very random things that touch on different aspects of our journey thus far.
For some reason, I've been thinking about the ride from the airport to the house on the 'day of arrival' two years ago. Due to all the luggage, Jeff and I had to split up and take rides from two different people that had graciously offered to pick up a family 5, their 10 footlockers, 10 carryons, and 1 cat from the airport. Keep in mind, we had never met these two individuals. Jeff and the bulk of the luggage went in one vehicle. The kids and I went in the other vehicle. At the moment, I don't remember who took the cat. What I do remember is that the driver of the vehicle that I was in was a wealth of knowledge regarding Nicaragua. This person actually taught us, especially Jeff, so much and we have benefitted greatly from his experience. However, that said....I am not sure he realized the havoc he caused me on that drive from the airport. Here is the one piece of advice that I remember from that drive....
'you shouldn't go around without shoes on...there are worms that can enter through your feet, travel up to your brain and kill you.'
Okay, now keep in mind...I had about 4 hours of sleep the night before, I just got off a plane in another country where I don't speak the language, I helped haul ten 50 pound footlockers off the luggage belt while trying to make sure the cat and kids stayed within arms reach, and emotionally I was a puddle of goo. I have NO where to put this piece of information about a brain-killing worm. (Honestly, not even sure I heard him right...but either way...it's what stuck.)
In two years, we have come a long way....granted we are on a journey...so the adventure continues and we will continue to grow and learn. Here is a list of 10 very random things that touch on different aspects of our journey thus far.
- Spanish. A work in progress...but we came with a handful of poorly pronounced phrases and now we have a backpack full of poorly pronounced phrases....so we are making progress.
- God has gifted to us some wonderful Nicaraguan friends.
- Jeff is half way through teaching a class this semester, in Spanish.
- We've hosted a team from our home-church!
- I (Bethany) can drive a stick-shift. Nothing short of a modern day miracle.
- We have a parrot. An answered prayer of Noah's.
- Our kids are a month away from completing their second school year at a Spanish-speaking school.
- We found a great community in which to live...and thoroughly enjoy the felllowship within the community.
- We have enjoyed sunsets over the rocky Pacific coast.
- We've experienced the joy, strength, grace and mercy that God gives to His children.
