This past week, our student group visited Nicaragua and experienced several miracles from our mighty God. The miracles began before we even boarded the bus to depart at 6:30 in the morning. We were all lined up to check into travel and we discovered our professor's passport expired in five months, and the bus company would not permit her to travel across the boarder to Nicaragua. There we were, all packed and ready for our adventure and our own professor could not come. After a few phone calls, some serious prayer, and five hours of hoping things would work out, God miraculously provided her with a new passport.
Miracle two came the next day. After a full day of walking in the humid heat, we were all exhausted. I have never experienced such debilitating heat in my life. The humidity makes the whole body sticky and slow. I am typically one to bounce around with mounds of energy; however, the Nicaraguan climate zapped every ounce of energy out of me. We were a sight for sore eyes, sweaty, slothlike, and desperate for a refreshment. Just as we thought we could not walk any more, we glimpsed the hope of rain in the looming, dark grey clouds. Within a few moments God soaked us in a downpour with gusts of wind. At moments, it was almost like hurricane weather as the wind whipped us unsteadily off of our feet. Yet we allowed every drop to soak into our skin. The energy could be felt in each one of us as we shared smiles and laughter.
The last miracle came on our return to Costa Rica. While crossing the boarder, only two students, myself included, carried proof of our return flights to the USA. Return tickets/proof of intention of returning are a necessity when traveling. Our professor tried to explain the dilemma to the immigration officer, "We're an entire group, flying on the same flight. Only two students remembered their flight but we are traveling together..." The man would not have it, and the bus driver was pressing us to leave. Panic erupted on some of my classmate's faces as thoughts raced through our minds, "Oh dear Lord, will we be stuck at the Nicaraguan border? How are we going to get to Costa Rica? Lord please not more waiting." My professor disappeared to resolve the problem, returning a few minutes later with each flight itinerary. Praise the Lord the bus driver was patient and waited for us to board the bus.
These little miracles give reason to praise the Lord, applaud Him for showing His favor, and learn from each miracle. God also revealed Himself in the small discoveries and explorations. On day two we took a boat to view a lake with 365 little islands. The islands are a result of a volcanic eruption which happened around 1500. Some of the islands are just small enough to fit a few trees and some monkeys but others house mansions with swimming pools and restaurants. Several wealthy individuals own their own island as a vacation home, many from the US and a few rich business owners in Nicaragua. Some homes have diving boards on the boarder of their property, inviting one to jump from home to lake in an instant. The water is fairly warm and the weather begs for an invitation to jump right in. I could not help but imagine myself in a house, diving off of a board, swimming to visit a neighbor. Or hopping in a little canoe to row to the shore and shop for the week's supply of goods. What a life.
While walking the city and exploring some historical buildings, I noticed some unique cultural trends in Nicaragua, and most have to do with the heat. First, it is common to see people walking around, drinking from a plastic bag. Not a grocery store plastic bag but more like the ones given when purchasing a goldfish, only with drinkable liquid, not fish water. People in Nicaragua stick a straw in the top of the little bag and sip on their ice cold beverage. One can also find many rocking chairs in Nicaragua. The heat and humidity create a difficult environment for basic day to day functioning. The climate is nearly crippling. It covers you like a sticky blanket you cannot take off. As a result of this weather, during the day individuals will simply sit in a chair and rock, watching the world pass by. More unique findings came in the tourist shops where hammocks and toilet related paintings are common. Hammocks are also a tool used to battle the heat. A netted hammock allows a breathable material with air circulation to the whole body, ideal for sleeping in the heat. The toilet paintings, on the other hand, do not have such a clear purpose. There were several little souvenirs in the city of Masaya with people on the toilet, some paintings, sculptures, and mugs. I haven't the slightest idea the significance of these figures, perhaps it is merely a Masaya thing. Each of these little differences caught my attention and made me wonder, what others say of typical California culture.
When I returned to mi familia tica, I was overjoyed. They hugged me and expressed relief to see me safe and sound. Before leaving, the church had surrounded me in prayer. At the time, I simply thought they were being nice to pray for safe travels. However, upon returning, I realized the prayer came from a place of genuine concern for my time in Nicaragua. In fact, el Pastor explained many Nicaraguans flee to Costa Rica because of the violence and poor living conditions. The majority of Nicaraguans create a negative name for the country in the eyes of Ticos because they do not understand the major differences between life Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The values of each country differ greatly, evident in the juxtaposition of Nicaragua's communist control to Costa Rica's people centered democracy, Nicaragua's trash filled streets to Costa Rica's hundreds of preservation parks, and Nicaragua's dangerous violence to Cosata Rica's pact of peace. As a result, the church family surrounded me in prayer because they know the stories of pain which their Nicaraguan friends experienced or the lives of those in Costa Rica negatively affected by the harmful, culturally naive actions. This is definitely not to say that Costa Rica is perfect and Nicaragua is awful, I merely hope to point to the differences I experienced and offer the perspectives shared from my famiia. Also, learning these realities after the trip opens my eyes again to how much God protected and provided as we entered, explored, and exited Nicaragua safely.
May you know that the God of the universe, the almighty creator, everlasting Father, and great I AM holds you in His hand. He loves you and promises to protect you. "He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth-the Lord God Almighty is his name." (Amos 4:13) This Lord God Almighty desires to have relationship with you, His precious child.
All my love,
Gennavieve
Miracle two came the next day. After a full day of walking in the humid heat, we were all exhausted. I have never experienced such debilitating heat in my life. The humidity makes the whole body sticky and slow. I am typically one to bounce around with mounds of energy; however, the Nicaraguan climate zapped every ounce of energy out of me. We were a sight for sore eyes, sweaty, slothlike, and desperate for a refreshment. Just as we thought we could not walk any more, we glimpsed the hope of rain in the looming, dark grey clouds. Within a few moments God soaked us in a downpour with gusts of wind. At moments, it was almost like hurricane weather as the wind whipped us unsteadily off of our feet. Yet we allowed every drop to soak into our skin. The energy could be felt in each one of us as we shared smiles and laughter.
The last miracle came on our return to Costa Rica. While crossing the boarder, only two students, myself included, carried proof of our return flights to the USA. Return tickets/proof of intention of returning are a necessity when traveling. Our professor tried to explain the dilemma to the immigration officer, "We're an entire group, flying on the same flight. Only two students remembered their flight but we are traveling together..." The man would not have it, and the bus driver was pressing us to leave. Panic erupted on some of my classmate's faces as thoughts raced through our minds, "Oh dear Lord, will we be stuck at the Nicaraguan border? How are we going to get to Costa Rica? Lord please not more waiting." My professor disappeared to resolve the problem, returning a few minutes later with each flight itinerary. Praise the Lord the bus driver was patient and waited for us to board the bus.
These little miracles give reason to praise the Lord, applaud Him for showing His favor, and learn from each miracle. God also revealed Himself in the small discoveries and explorations. On day two we took a boat to view a lake with 365 little islands. The islands are a result of a volcanic eruption which happened around 1500. Some of the islands are just small enough to fit a few trees and some monkeys but others house mansions with swimming pools and restaurants. Several wealthy individuals own their own island as a vacation home, many from the US and a few rich business owners in Nicaragua. Some homes have diving boards on the boarder of their property, inviting one to jump from home to lake in an instant. The water is fairly warm and the weather begs for an invitation to jump right in. I could not help but imagine myself in a house, diving off of a board, swimming to visit a neighbor. Or hopping in a little canoe to row to the shore and shop for the week's supply of goods. What a life.
While walking the city and exploring some historical buildings, I noticed some unique cultural trends in Nicaragua, and most have to do with the heat. First, it is common to see people walking around, drinking from a plastic bag. Not a grocery store plastic bag but more like the ones given when purchasing a goldfish, only with drinkable liquid, not fish water. People in Nicaragua stick a straw in the top of the little bag and sip on their ice cold beverage. One can also find many rocking chairs in Nicaragua. The heat and humidity create a difficult environment for basic day to day functioning. The climate is nearly crippling. It covers you like a sticky blanket you cannot take off. As a result of this weather, during the day individuals will simply sit in a chair and rock, watching the world pass by. More unique findings came in the tourist shops where hammocks and toilet related paintings are common. Hammocks are also a tool used to battle the heat. A netted hammock allows a breathable material with air circulation to the whole body, ideal for sleeping in the heat. The toilet paintings, on the other hand, do not have such a clear purpose. There were several little souvenirs in the city of Masaya with people on the toilet, some paintings, sculptures, and mugs. I haven't the slightest idea the significance of these figures, perhaps it is merely a Masaya thing. Each of these little differences caught my attention and made me wonder, what others say of typical California culture.
May you know that the God of the universe, the almighty creator, everlasting Father, and great I AM holds you in His hand. He loves you and promises to protect you. "He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth-the Lord God Almighty is his name." (Amos 4:13) This Lord God Almighty desires to have relationship with you, His precious child.
All my love,
Gennavieve
It's wonderful to hear how God is providing for while you are away. He is so faithful! You took some wonderful pictures too! Everything looks so beautiful. Your description of the weather in Nicaragua sounds makes me grateful for the dry heat in California so I won't complain so much about it! I couldn't imagine being in that weather. Luv ya!
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