Feliz Aniversario!

Our first anniversary in Nicaragua was on March 5! In some ways it feels like only months since we first got here, especially when it is perpetually summer. In other ways, it feels as though we have been here for years and years already. God has challenged us and grown our faith more in the past year than in any other time of our life. I wanted to use this month's update to talk about what each member of the family is doing now on this one year marker. We are all finding our place and our purpose in this country. It's exciting to watch God inviting even the kids to be a part of his story here too.

Amelie-age 7

Amelie catches a moto taxi home from school sometimes.

Amelie started school in February at a small Christian school in our town. She is the only American in

the school and so she gets a lot of attention. My favorite thing is that she comes home with her hair braided and styled each day by the teacher, who loves to play with it. She knew very little Spanish going in to the school so it has been a challenge, but we can already see progress after the first few weeks. It helps that she attends school with her little friend, Ashley. The girls help each other to be brave as they face first grade together each day at 6:30am. The day begins very early, but they are home by lunch and before the temperatures climb higher. They can always look forward to the 10cent ice cream cones for sale outside the school when the bell rings each day. 

Please pray for Amelie that she will have the courage each day to face not only a classroom for the first time as a student, but a classroom where she is in the minority and doesn't understand the language yet. Pray that she will learn the language quickly and make wonderful friends with the kids there. Pray that she will use her position as the center of attention, to be a good example to the other students.

Sydney-age 9

This has been a great year of learning for Sydney. She loves animals and everything about nature. Our move to the mountainous countryside has provided her the opportunity to run around barefoot exploring and observing things, especially things no one else notices. She has done her own experiments with giant ant colonies, nursed lizards back to health, and planted many different kinds of seeds in her gardens. At one time, she had a hermit crab collection of over 100 crabs (it smelled more like 1000 though!).  She is learning Spanish at her own pace and taking it all in. 

Please pray that God will keep her in good health and protect her from all the bug bites she acquires daily, along with the many scrapes, bruises, skin infections, germs, and everything else that comes with being a true nature lover. 

Baby chicks on Christmas Eve, what can be better?

Noella-age 11

 Ella has made some really good friends since we arrived. She has also been busy working with children. She loves to teach and play with the kids everywhere she goes. She is now teaching art at preschool every morning before she begins her own homeschooling assignments. She also takes care of the family goats.  She shows great maturity by helping with all the household chores, including hanging laundry out to dry each day. She also loves to play with plants in the the garden. Spanish is coming little by little as she becomes more involved with the people around her. 

Please pray for Ella's homesickness-she misses her friends back in the states very much. Pray that we will have the ability to enroll her in online classes next year when she begins the 7th grade.  And PLEASE pray that the Nicaraguan boys won't notice how pretty she is just yet! 

Gavin-age 14

Gavin with his friends at a local swimming hole during a youth retreat in December.

Gavin has become good friends with the other youth at our local church. He enjoys biking around, hanging out, and playing soccer with them in the street. His Spanish has progressed faster than any of the other children and he likes to think he is better than his parents when it comes to language. He has bravely undertaken online courses for his first year of high school. He is receiving drum instruction at the church and he often plays for the youth services. He loves to work in the vocational school's wood shop with his dad whenever he has the chance. He really enjoys Nicaragua's affinity for homemade fireworks and machetes. He has even taken on a "big brother" role to Emilio, a younger boy who really looks up to him and follows him around.

Please pray that Gavin (and his parents) will survive his teenage years. Pray for safety when him and his friends do foolish things, like provoke sleeping pumas and vampire bats in their caves. Pray that he won't let the attention of all the Nicaraguan girls in this country go straight to his head. 

Stacy

 Stacy is teaching English at a local preschool each morning. The children are ages 3-5. It is a great opportunity to get to know the families in the community better. She works with the local church to reach out to these families. She also tutors a few older students in English throughout the week. She is learning about farming and agriculture in Nicaragua and exploring new ways to use their land. We want to produce as much as possible so we can share with those around us.

Please pray for her to have energy to do all that she needs to do each day. Please pray that her language abilities will continue to progress so she can form deeper relationships with the women in the community. 

Cory

 Cory is studying daily at a small language school on the side of the mountain about 15 minutes away.  It's a challenging and aggressive course, and he is learning a lot.  Lately, we have put an emphasis on making stronger connections in the community in which we live.  We are praying about how God wishes to use us in this community. We are trying to gain an in-depth understanding of the culture, in order to more fully impact this area for His kingdom. Cory will take on larger role teaching woodworking again in June at the vocational school.  He is working diligently to get his Spanish ready for June and full-time teaching and discipleship. 

Please pray for Cory that he will learn the language in order to sufficiently teach in Spanish. Pray for his safety on the crazy Nicaraguan roads as he commutes each day.