Success

A successful trip, I am happy to say. Steve, Alma and I worked it hard and are satisfied with how far we got on the training development and vision trip work. We didn't completely finish so I still have my work cut out for me in the next 8 weeks before my next trip out. Lucky for me I have some solid direction now for what we want everything to look like.

And for anyone who wants to check out Kevin's guitar you can talk to him for a looksee and maybe a strum or two...the guitar was completed and I brought it home!!! A beautiful thing it is.

Now it is back to the cold world of mittens and sweaters. It's not so bad though, I get out to walk my dog, so I am forced to face the chill. I am already listening to my fave Christmas music and started decorating last night! I can't wait to chop down that tree this weekend! Kevin and my first tree! I don't know what's crazier to think of - all what Christ did for us during his life on earth and his death or what He is doing in this world today. When I sit and allow myself the peace to think on Jesus and all He has done, I am blown away by all His works, power, beauty and raw heart. I am really looking forward to this Christmas.

El Hombre de la Guitarra

The drive up to the Matagalpa region is just so beautiful. Especially just after the raining season with all the vegetation lush and green and the rain is still washing off all the dust. I was in awe the whole way there and back.

Plans had changed but Alma I still managed to find our way up there and do some different things. One man that we met with was Don Gregorio (aka Guitar Man). He doesn't just play guitars, he makes them. A year ago when Kevin and I were here I wanted to bring Kevin to this man as a surprise so that he could design his own guitar, but things didn't work out. This time I knew we were heading up that way anyway so I wanted to for sure meet up with this guy again and see what kind of beautiful guitar he could create. The whole guitar is created from specific materials, to which I chose certain colours, and as a finishing touch he paints a design on the face of the guitar.

Well, I want to make sure you have the right picture in your head of this man. He was a quiet and gentle man and came across as quite content. But doesn't he just look like a guitar man?!

When we showed up all these boys were running around and chattering away with excitement to see the gringita. I don't like being so obvious, but there is nothing I can do about my size or my colour so I try to make the most of it and have fun with the kids. When Alma and I walked into the Guitar Man's house/workshop the kids piled in after us and watched and giggled. Whenever I spoke the kids giggled and called out things. Alma asked the Guitar Man if he could play us some music so the kids were laughing more and started bugging each other. And then I hauled out the camera because I couldn't miss an opportunity like this. Kevin had to at least "meet" the Guitar Man who is creating the masterpiece. All these kids are Don Gregorio's grandsons...what beautiful faces!

I'm not sure if the guitar will be completed in time for my return this time around, but for sure the next time I will return home armed with a guitar for Kevin.

Round Two

Well, I suppose it's not really round two, but I am back in Nicaragua for 2 weeks to work alongside Steve and Alma with the Church Partnership program and with community trainings. I so enjoy this work!

Kevin dropped me off at the airport yesterday morning and I arrived in Managua by 8pm. I waited for about an hour and a half for my ride to show up not knowing that she was already there looking for me, but we just kept on missing each other in that small airport!! I was about to go grab a taxi when Alma walked by! Oh how happy I was to see her beautiful face!

After a restful sleep at Alma's place we headed into the Nehemiah Center for a full day of work...and of course talking and catching up and meeting new people since Kevin and I left. Right away Steve invited me into a meeting that would be discussing plans for the upcoming vision trips. Henry (healthy churches) and Hultner (youth at risk) and Steve shared with each other their different program initiatives and how they could come together for the specific purpose of the church parnterships. It was definitely a Spanish refresher for me, but very cool to hear of their programs and all the incredible work they do with communities.

Now Alma and I are working on a community training and are planning on facilitating it with a group a Nicaraguan woman at an organization called "Tesoros de Dios". This will be beneficial for both sides, as the women at Tesoros de Dios interact with a lot of North Americans and we need contstructive feedback on the training as well as a solid practice run. That training will be coming up on Friday morning.

We are now heading back to Alma's place for dinner and I am looking forward to a skype date with Kevin tonight!!

Settling In

It has almost been two months since our return from Nicaragua. We have been settling into our daily routines and reconnecting with our friends and family. Kevin is back at his job and really enjoying it. He loves the consistency and the people he works with, so that helps a tonne! We were both worried about a possible bumpy transition from one cultural extreme into another, but Kevin has handled it without any issues!Doesn't Kevin look so happy?! His boss took this picture even though he thought that I wanted it to sell Kevin on e-bay! Ja ja ja! Kevin is even wearing his Centro Nehemias shirt!

While Kevin is anchored down with a permanent, full-time job, I am working from home, yet still working in Nicaragua at the Nehemiah Center. I am officially working for Christian Reformed World Missions at the Nehemiah Center and do that about 10 – 16 hours per week. My title is Program & Training Developer. In a nutshell, I am working to further develop the Church Partnership Program to help bring it to a point where it is healthy and doesn’t need to be coddled but Steve and Alma can just run with it. Meanwhile, the second piece of my job description is to develop various trainings with Alma, Steve and Mark to use with Nicaraguan communities. The goal is for me to travel to Nicaragua three times in the coming year to put into practice the various pieces I have developed - to evaluate and then revise them. Hopefully, by my last time there most of it has been `perfected` and Alma can fully enjoy running with the program and trainings and not have to worry about all the development and implementation!

Along with working with the Nehemiah Center I need to continue to raise funds and encouragement to support me in my work. That means from this past July until July 2010 I will need to raise all the funds to cover my flights and expenses while I`m in Nicaragua and for my time while in Canada. When I am in Canada I will be working from home...so feel free to pop me an email, give me a call or stop by to give me that extra boost of encouragement and energy.

We are ever so thankful to God for all the people who have made a point to chat with us, call us or email us in the past couple months of transition. The transition is still not over, though, so we ask you for your prayers as we settle and find new moves to groove to.

People mentioned in this blog, in case you forget who they are:

Alma – Alma Hernandez works at the Nehemiah Center with CRWRC, CRWM, PWW. She is an incredibly gifted woman who is amazing at the work that she does, and a very good friend of mine.

Steve – Steve Holtrop is the missionary guy with CRWM and also the sub-director of the Nehemiah Center. A great guy, who is a blast to work with and is very good at what he does in connecting with the various community leaders.

Mark – Mark VanderWees is the missionary guy with CRWRC and is the guy that keeps everyone super busy! He is uber-connected with the communities and walks alongside them as they grow.

If you would like to support my work financially you can follow this link and donate online. Whether you are American or Canadian there is a online form for you to use. If you would like me to send you the information so you can mail it in please email me.

Coffee Table Photobook

I have created a photobook of our time in Nicaragua. Kevin and I have a copy of it if you would like to to peruse through our adventures and here some cool stories. Or you can go ahead and order your own copy of the book online. Don't worry, there isn't any personal content in the book so it really can be on anyones coffee table for enjoyment. It's 120 pages long and the link below brings you to the website I am selling it from and allows you to have a sneek peek at the fun fotos in it! Enjoy!

Nicaragua

Life Captured

By April Voorberg

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