John is here … and we are happy! He came ahead of the team, which was his response to the “tone” of my emails to him. Twenty-five plus years of marriage has enabled him to read me – even and especially between the lines. I missed him … the boys wanted him. And he responded and came early.
So far John has had the privilege of sharing some “once in a lifetime” moments with the boys (the first of many such moments, I hope). We’ve also shared the simple things like driving here (with instructions from the back seat, like “let’s go, let’s go”), our soon to be “regular” Friday night movie at the mall, shopping for groceries with three hungry mouths, and more than I can think of right now. The highlight for me is this little story:
I noticed a few dark “curly-cue” hairs on Nahúm’s face … so I asked him if he wanted to shave. He’ll be 18 years old in April, so … the time to begin shaving may be on the horizon. His answer was the typical pointer finger wag (simultaneous with the spoken word “no”), and that appeared to be the end of the subject. The next thing I know, he asked John if he would teach him to shave … and they had a little shave session … and Nahúm appeared with a clean-shaven face. Hmmm. It’s a guy thing methinks.
John is working with his first 2008 Forward Edge team of 21 people from in and around the Portland, Oregon area … and one man from Houston who came last summer. The team arrived here in Managua on Saturday night. They’ve already visited and worked at the school and with the kids in La Chureca (the dump) ... and also at Villa Esperanza, which is a project Forward Edge has undertaken to rescue girls from the dump. It was a great contrast of God’s heart for “what is” and “what will be.” Also, they’ve visited a nutritional center & baby orphanage, as well as the orphanage where our boys lived for the past five years. Tomorrow they will take an hour bus ride to an area outside of Leon and then camp out until Sunday. They plan to build a home for a family (Elifonso, Carmen and their two young sons). This particular area outside of Leon is one of the places the Nicaraguan government relocated people whose homes and total way of life was buried under a mudslide from the rains during Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Forward Edge began work in this area in October 2006 when a team remodeled a church (from branches and tarp … to cinderblock and metal roof). It was through the building of this church that we met Elifonso. While living in black visqueen and branches himself, he took the time to help us remodel the church. And now it is time to help him with his house. Hopefully we’ll have pictures of the team and the construction here soon … or check also at Forward Edge’s website: www.forwardedge.org to find their Nicaragua blog.
More later, but until we get the internet … this is it for now. Thanks for your prayers and concern and communication. Adios … hasta luego~
So far John has had the privilege of sharing some “once in a lifetime” moments with the boys (the first of many such moments, I hope). We’ve also shared the simple things like driving here (with instructions from the back seat, like “let’s go, let’s go”), our soon to be “regular” Friday night movie at the mall, shopping for groceries with three hungry mouths, and more than I can think of right now. The highlight for me is this little story:
I noticed a few dark “curly-cue” hairs on Nahúm’s face … so I asked him if he wanted to shave. He’ll be 18 years old in April, so … the time to begin shaving may be on the horizon. His answer was the typical pointer finger wag (simultaneous with the spoken word “no”), and that appeared to be the end of the subject. The next thing I know, he asked John if he would teach him to shave … and they had a little shave session … and Nahúm appeared with a clean-shaven face. Hmmm. It’s a guy thing methinks.
John is working with his first 2008 Forward Edge team of 21 people from in and around the Portland, Oregon area … and one man from Houston who came last summer. The team arrived here in Managua on Saturday night. They’ve already visited and worked at the school and with the kids in La Chureca (the dump) ... and also at Villa Esperanza, which is a project Forward Edge has undertaken to rescue girls from the dump. It was a great contrast of God’s heart for “what is” and “what will be.” Also, they’ve visited a nutritional center & baby orphanage, as well as the orphanage where our boys lived for the past five years. Tomorrow they will take an hour bus ride to an area outside of Leon and then camp out until Sunday. They plan to build a home for a family (Elifonso, Carmen and their two young sons). This particular area outside of Leon is one of the places the Nicaraguan government relocated people whose homes and total way of life was buried under a mudslide from the rains during Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Forward Edge began work in this area in October 2006 when a team remodeled a church (from branches and tarp … to cinderblock and metal roof). It was through the building of this church that we met Elifonso. While living in black visqueen and branches himself, he took the time to help us remodel the church. And now it is time to help him with his house. Hopefully we’ll have pictures of the team and the construction here soon … or check also at Forward Edge’s website: www.forwardedge.org to find their Nicaragua blog.
More later, but until we get the internet … this is it for now. Thanks for your prayers and concern and communication. Adios … hasta luego~
