Happy Nica New Year!
“But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” John 21:25
I have always been skeptical about this verse and how there is no way it could be true, but over the past several days I feel that myself and the team have actually lived out this verse in a way akin to what Christ was doing during his ministry.
My first task once I landed in Nicaragua, besides arriving safely to El Puente, our residence for the week, was to get a phone. A friend of one of the full-time missionaries here was up to the task and said, “I know a guy”. I wasn’t prepared for what lay ahead. We started down a back alley and then another, as we avoided the small river of polluted water that runs through the streets, and try to avoid the cars and motorcycles that pass us by like we don’t exist… YES I AM out of my comfort zone now,
Welcome to Nicaragua.
Needless to say the journey ended on a side street where I purchased my phone and calling card out of the back of a van with a gigantic speaker on top blasting the latest music from the Hispanic Hip Hop Scene.
If that wasn’t enough to get me out of Kansas, the next night was New Years Eve and also the night the team would arrive. I awoke early to play basketball with some of the local full time missionaries around 5:30 before the sun breaks out. Even that early I think the fireworks had already started going off. All day long as I walked the streets buying the last minute items for the week, there were firecrakers, smoke bombs, roman candles, and everything in between going off down every street and alley way. The people here really know how to bring in the New Year. The team arrived safely and we unpacked their bags and headed over to the home of one of the long-term missionary’s to enjoy some food and games with our newly met brothers and sisters. Fireworks went off constantly and when 11:45 hit it became what we would call a finale in the states, but it lasted for 15 minutes. The big boy fireworks came out and they lit up the sky, it sounded like a warzone there was so much going on. In Nicaragua they make scarecrows that look like old men and then burn them on each block to symbolize the old year passing. These burning scarecrows in the streets only added to the festive hysteria as we sat and watched on the front stoop of the home, the place where most locals congregate.
10…
9…
8…
7…
6…
5…
4…
3…
2…
1…
Happy Nica New Year!!!
A happy new years it was and what a great joy we have of being in the mission field to usher in the new year by serving and ministering here in Granada.
Remember how I mentioned that we were living like Jesus, doing so much you couldn’t write it down. I have given a broad overview of New Years Eve and I haven’t even mentioned the team’s first VBS, or our feeding and preaching out at the local dump, or just playing soccer with the local kids out in the street before bed. Nicaragua has already provided so many stories and laughs, as well as awesome opportunities for us to minister alongside our brothers and sisters who are here long term. Check back in a week to read more about our stories out in the field.
