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!!