It's very mind-boggling to realize that very soon we will be living in Nicaragua, and life as we've known it will be fading to the background in our minds. We will be raising two handsome young men, providing a home, helping them through school and they'll be enjoying the life they've only dreamed of. Though we are meeting challenges "getting there" - we believe when we look back, we will see that those challenges have made us stronger. I'm typing this from the comfort of a downtown Portland loft that overlooks the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon. The temperature outside is 39F, the lights are twinkling and the view is superb. It's Christmas Eve (day), and John's working overtime. Nahum and Gener (on the other hand) are with family members in the mountains above Matagalpa, Nicaragua ... a two hour hike on a trail leading to their small community of Waslala. The temperature there is 74F, yet I bet they're cold! After five years living in an orphanage in Managua, they've acclimated to hotter weather. It's actually 90F in Managua today.
Nahum and Gener will both begin the 9th grade at Nicaragua Christian Academy in the Nejapa area of Managua on the first week of February. They are excited, as NCA-Nejapa is somewhat "prestigious" to them after attending a crowded public school while they lived at the orphanage. By comparison, the classrooms at NCA will have only 20 students, and the teachers will know them by name (odd concept for them). Prior to arriving at the orphanage, they did not attend school, couldn't read or write - simply because these services are not available in the tiny mountain village where they lived. In the five years they spent at the orphanage, they have advanced nine grades. They are both intelligent and motivated to learn.
I arrive in Nicaragua on January 8th - "the boys" arrive January 10th - John arrives March 10th. There are only two days to find a place to live before I receive the boys. Though I have some ideas, I really don't know where we'll live. We hope to rent an apartment, and then look for a house near their school. That means that we'll have to buy a vehicle so we are able to drive the dusty roads to find a suitable place to call home. So, there are several "moves" before we will settle into our new life.
John will be receiving and facilitating teams for Forward Edge, and he is excited for the opportunity. After working in law enforcement for 23 years, the change is appealing. He will go from working with the underbelly of society - to working with people who actually care about others, and have gone to Nicaragua to help! He will bring one such team February 9-18, so we will be able to see him before he actually moves there. He's also bringing our cat (Louie), as we cannot imagine leaving the little guy behind. John will be staying at the Pastor's home with the team during this visit - but I hope to bring the boys to see him and visit with the team for a little bit. The boys will have school during this time, but an evening visit will be good for all of us. That's probably enough information for you now ... except I would like you to "keep posted" here ... check in often ... and know that once I get to Nicaragua, I will continue to update this blogspot on our new adventure. Inbetween times, we would appreciate prayer to:
- Sell our '04 VW Passat GLX (My brother bought it ... thank you, Leonard!)
- Purchase a vehicle in Nicaragua
- Find a temporary place to live, and then a more permanent home
- Arrive safely (Nahum, Gener, John, Helen and Louie)
- Language skills (John/Helen - Spanish)(Nahum/Gener - English)
Thank you for your interest in our lives. Thank you for your support of every kind. We will share this adventure with you as it happens.
May God richly bless you, our family and friends ... please keep in touch!
