Most Days

Looked fairly similar in Chinandega.  We started our days off with breakfast at the hotels.  In accordance to my training for the Bridge Run, I ran two mornings.  Thankfully I had a buddy pushing me along because I tell you what: I did not want to be doing that!

After breakfast, our team had a time of praise and worship and prayer.  It was the perfect way to start our days ahead.  Monday we headed to tour the medical clinic that Osvaldo's team runs: a free medical clinic, dental clinic, and pharmacy.  Then we headed to a neighborhood, el barrio.  We went to a different one each day.  While each of them were impoverished, it was easy to spot levels of poverty amongst them.  Tuesday's was at a trash dump.  I have never ever seen kids so dirty in all of my life.  Filthy dirty.  Covered from head to toe.  Lucky to be fully dressed.

Once there, our team split up and did the following:

• build a latrine 
• play with kids
• dress up like clowns
• have a "candy party" -- a pinata
• cook lunch.  lunch was a HUGE cauldron of soup: all kinds of vegetables, rice, protein flakes, and chicken heads and feet.  yes, you read that right.  i had the pleasure of cutting off chicken toenails one day and then trying to chop up the heads.  you cut off the beak, pull out the esophagus, and cut the head in two, but i never got the system down right and the nica ladies laughed at me.  :)
• hand out reading glasses - what i did daily

We were in the barrio for several hours and then we left to eat lunch at Rossy and Osvaldo's.  I know I've mentioned this before, but wow, was their food delicious.  The afternoons varied and included: moving hotels, dance practice, and hanging out with prostitutes.  One day we got a bit of free time and it was so fun to have some of Osvaldo's team play with us in the hotel pool.  

We headed back to the barrio in the evening for a revival.  Now, if you told me a few years ago that not only be working a revival, but loving every minute of it, I'd have likely told you you were nuts.  We'd arrive and dance with all the kids.  Jamming to praise and worship music - dancing in the streets.  Such a fun time.  It was also really cool to see the folks you'd seen and worked with earlier that day.  At some point in the evening, a midst the praise and worship, two of our folks shared their testimonies and someone gave a talk.  I shared on Monday evening and it was a really sweet time, for me, with the Lord.  There were also dances and dramas that portrayed the gospel of Jesus Christ.  One night I played the "sexy girl" and another night I played a druggie.  Neither are my forte, but anything for the Lord, right?!  Haha. 

At the end, we asked people if they wanted prayer and to come up if they wanted a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  I loved this time.  People came to know Jesus.  People were healed.  People were reminded that the love of God is furious and real.  

Afterwards, we headed back to Osvaldo's for another incredible meal.  Then it was back to the hotel for showers and bed time.  Days were long and hot and sweaty and dusty...and they were filled with laughter and prayer and praise and time with the Lord and seeing Him work in all kinds of ways.