Anteojos

Handing out reading glasses, or “anteojos” to those in need seemed simple enough.  The task was simple, yet the memories of it are far greater.  A few hundred reading glasses were graciously donated to us and piled into a big suitcase.  Monday morning, Drew and I set off with a suitcase full of glasses and Hazel, our translator and soon-to-be-friend.  We set up a table in someone’s home front and got to organizing.  That in of itself was simple -- set up a makeshift eye glass stand in someone else’s home.  I don’t know about you, but that hasn’t happened on my front porch yet.  Those first few minutes I was reminded how gracious the neighbors were to one another.

Hazel taught Drew and I a few key words in eyeglass distribution.  We’d pick out a pair of glasses and ask them to try them out, or “pueba  lo.”  Then we’d determine if they needed higher or lower strength, “mas or menos fuerte.”  It was fun to watch person after person come and receive sight that they didn’t have before.  I was amazed at how quickly the word got out about the glasses and how quickly they seemed to go.  The days Hazel didn’t guide us, my buddy Carlos helped me by finding a home to use and making sure I at least half way knew what I was doing.

It was fun to give others the gift of reading glasses.  But I received far more gifts than I helped distribute.  Gift of prayer: I loved standing in lines guiding people, yet also letting the Lord guide me in prayer.  Lifting up a lady missing a leg, a man missing an arm, asking the Lord to raise up children as lights in a dark world.  Through the laying on of hands with their attention or from afar, it was a time of seeking the Lord to be in our midst.  

Gifts of friendship: I learned more about Drew and we got to be silly and serious; it was fun to see him want to learn the language and be able to communicate as best as he could.  I also got to know Hazel and Carlos on a much deeper level.  Hazel shared some things going on in her life which eventually led to a sweet time of prayer with some other girls.  It was also a pleasure to see kids in the neighborhoods that she’d discipled and had relationships with.  Carlos shared his testimony with me one afternoon and it is one I hope never to forget.  In a nutshell: he was fed, met his future wife, and came to know Jesus through a feeding program -- a program just like where we were handing out glasses.  It gave me such hope for the people we met and excited to see what God will do in their lives.

Gifts of faith and hope: Hebrews 11:1 says, “now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  It may sound ironic that as we helped people see better the Lord taught me about up the things I cannot see.  I was blessed to glimpse and partake a glimpse into the lives of those living in the neighborhoods we served.  However, I may not ever know what happens to the lady without a leg or the boy that walked around praying with me.  And, so, as I reflect on my time with the glasses, I must also remember that the Lord works in mysterious ways and must have hope that receiving a pair of glasses was just the beginning.  The Lord increased my hope for the people there and increased my faith to believe that He will work in big ways -- whether I witness it or not.  

Love in a hopeless place

My trip to Nica was filled with worship -- in church, every morning, on the side of the road, in the van, you get the point.  Yet along with worship van times there were intense dance parties.  Dance parties in the van - one time we had a crowd surfer.  Seriously, awesome.  There were also dance parties in the gas station parking lots and just about anywhere else we could bust a move.  This song was our theme:

Back to life; back to reality.

Nicaragua was incredible.  I'd venture to say, it's been the best week of my life to date.  I am home and back at work today.  I'm a bit overwhelmed that all I need to do at work - and my personal life.  Here's hoping for time to process and relax.  For your enjoyment, I look like a Cullen I'm so pale:

 

South of the Border

I'm getting up at the crack of dawn tomorrow -- or actually before -- to head to the airport.  Our plane takes off at 7:15 (I think) and heads to Atlanta, then on to Managua, Nicaragua.  Once landed, we'll drive over to Chinandega, Nicaragua for the week.  I'm excited to bring lots of stories home with me!

We get back late the night of the 10th and I take off for a work conference March 12-14.  Then home for a day and off to Columbia to throw a baby shower.  All of that to say, the blog will be sparse for a while, but I'm excited to get my thoughts and reflections of the trip out there on the interweb!

Reminder

As I've rejoiced with one friend today, been sad for another, am reading through Job, and deal with some of my own junk, I'm reminded of Job 1:21, "And he (Job) said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Thirsty for more?

Pain that is?  I still have to do the last day of Feb's ab madness today, but am going to attempt March's as well.  Though not so much while I'm in Nicaragua...get a pass on those days!

True Story

While contemplating bringing a blanket in for days such as this -- dark, dreary, rainy -- to nap under my desk over my lunch break, I made a sad realization: George must not have been a stomach sleeper!  There's plenty of room under my desk for a nap, but not so much if you sleep on your stomach.  Blerg!