Day 14 - February 5th

Wednesday, February 5th

Buenas Dias, everyone.  Here it is our last full day.  Where has the time gone?  It seems such a short time ago that we met in Toronto airport and I only knew Kurt and Sharon.  Now, we have become friends, and developed a camaraderie.  Truly, it has been an emotional journey for many of us.

This morning we had scrambled eggs with bacon in it and cantaloupe!  It was lovely!  The fruit is all the fresher here with a natural sweetness that surpasses all expectations.  I led devotions this morning spoke of healing, reiterating last Sunday’s sermon by Pastor Ernan about not waiting for tomorrow to do what can be done today.

Today, I am going with the Apoyo team to the last co-op visit.  Most others are going on the boat ride at Granada and out for lunch.  A few have meetings and little projects to finish up before we head home.  The Granada group headed out at 9am sharp!

The first photo I want to show you is the new stove that this team has pitched in to purchase for Jardin Shalom.  The stove is $200 u.s.d. And the tank to go with it is another $80 u.s.d.  By purchasing this one, the older one has been promised to go back to Pan de Vida for their kitchen.  They still need to do some finishing touches on that kitchen before it is ready for the stove installation.  Also, if you remember the day we fed the children out there, we ran out of bowls and cups and spoons.  So there was a donation to purchase more.  So, the second photo is the old stove with the new bowls, cups and spoons  all cleaned up and ready to go.

 I had a tearful goodbye with Jessikha and gave her the last of the crochet bags for the rest of the ladies that didn’t make it on Monday, Daysie, Jebelka and Ramona.  Then I joined Whinne and Yvonne as they discussed future seminar options with Dolores and Samuel (translator).

Yvonne and Wynne went to tidy up the last items from the Bethlehem Auditorium from the seminars and started to pack things back in the bodega (warehouse).  Dolores, Samuel, Alvin and I helped sort and pack the boxes and bolts of fabric and other notions for this last co-op visit.  We headed out about 11am to go to Primera Iglesia de Cristo.  There are only 2 sewers in this co-op currently, Jenny and Salvadora.  They have help when they need it, so we need to encourage them to work together and help develop each person’s skills.  They are currently making bed tops, sheets, cushions, bags, oven mitts and child’s skirt made from a man’s shirt.  These are good projects.  They are able to sell outside the church one day at mid month and another day at end month.  I guess this is the timing of paycheques which makes perfect sense.  They have good ideas.  We left them with their work projects and headed back.  We made a last stop at Maxi Pali (owned by Walmart) for treats for tonight.  

This afternoon, I popped over to the build at Pan de Vida, gave the men some treats, took some pictures and said my goodbyes.  Afterwards, I went with Wynne to clean up the bodega, re-sort some boxes and separate out the two deliveries that will be made after we return to Canada.  We were drenched in sweat and ready for a shower when we finished but the bodega looks good and all our boxes are labelled and there is room for the shipment that will come in April/May.

The others had returned from their trip to Granada and the boat tour and they were happy to have seen the monkeys on one of the islands.  It is a beautiful tour option if you are down here, I highly recommend it.

Our last supper together was enchiladas (rice & beef inside), carrot/cabbage cole slaw and cookies for dessert.  The rest of the evening was spent in great fun and laughter and laundry.  Marta came and prayed for us and asked for protection from the storms forecast for tomorrow in Canada.  

As I finish this blog tonight, I should warn you it will likely be a couple of days before you receive my wrap up notes.  I may be shovelling the first day I get there!  

Love to all and may the peace that I know in my heart be yours also.

Susan (aka Suzie)

Final word:  Volveré which means I’ll be back!

Day 13 - February 4th

Another beautiful morning with a light breeze blowing by.  I will miss this beautiful place, it is so serene.  

After a breakfast of porridge and toast and cantaloupe, Wynne, Yvonne, Judy, Samuel and Allan and I went back to the bodega to prepare and load bolts of materials, sewing notions, patterns, etc into the van for the morning’s visits to the co-ops.  

Andrew and Dawn went back to Pan de Vida to work with the guys on the build.  Kurt, Ron, Wes and Larry continued with their Mr Fix-It projects.  They have been very busy touching up with paint, sanding and varnishing, fixing screens and installing hooks and door sweeps.  Barb went to visit a friend and Annette and Sharon went to meetings.  

So off we went (Allan, Samuel, Wynne, Yvonne, Judy, Tara, Delores and I) to Tipi Tapa.  The first two store locations (La Nica and Great Harvest) are doing great and, as usual, they were happy to see Yvonne and Wynne with all their praise and support.  They have just opened a 3rd store for a co-op that they have recently started.  The new store (called New Song) has been open for 24 days but the rent is expensive so without the tourist trade, only time will tell if they can make it work.  

The second location is a church called Cristo Rey.  Despite the poverty of the area and the dump down the road, these people are happy and children play the same games that ours do.  There is a real sense of hope here.  The church provides 1 meal a day for these children 5 days a week.  They have support with this from a mission called the Hope Project.  

The ladies running the co-op and sewing have a real pride in their work.  They are meticulous and the detailed work is impressive.  They have a market push cart for taking their items to other locations for sale.  A very ingenious idea.  See the photo below of Allan demonstrating how it drives.

Then, we were headed home to Jardin Shalom.  It was about 3pm when we returned and decided we were too tired to head out again.  More tomorrow.  

On the way back we passed Mercedes, Best Western and Pharaoh’s Casino on the Carrendara Norde (North Highway).  The difference was a shock.  Such a dichotomy.

We want to help them break the cycle of poverty here by helping them to educate themselves, stay in school, learn to read and write and speak English.  We are teaching skills and supporting them as they better themselves so that they can see how much they can accomplish.  WE love these people, we need to be a part of their lives. We are building relationships as we build houses and churches; strengthening their sense of looking after each other as we give them skills and help them grow.  We support growth and we pray for each person here.  We love them and want to give them tools to build a better life for themselves. In God’s name, we praise the Lord that has brought us all together.  

It is heartrending to witness the depth of poverty here... and yet there is hope.  

Until tomorrow, a manana.

Susan (aka Suzie)

Day 12 - Feb 3rd

Monday, February 3rd

Hi everyone

Today, we had a lovely breakfast of bacon and eggs.  Then to devotions.  Barb read the email and devotional that Joyce sent after returning home to Canada.  It was lovely.  Thank you, Joyce.

So, I worked with Jessikha this morning on more advanced crochet techniques and we set up the bags for the other ladies that would come this afternoon.  We made up 6 bags with yarn, hooks, needles, etc so they could work on their own as well as with Jessikha.  Her little girl, Samara, was with us until almost 1pm.  Then she was getting tired so she called her husband to meet her and pick up the little girl.  She is adorable (age 2) - dos anos.  We worked out on the patio in the morning but moved into the dining table area in the afternoon as it got quite windy.

Larry and Jonathan went for the children and the crochet ladies.  We had turned it around to afternoon as the younger children have school in the morning.  We did have 5 ladies but 2 were brand new.  So Jessikha taught the new ones and I helped the other 3.   They are doing very well, they just need practice.  About 2pm, I was getting a headache, we think from the varnish they were putting on the posts.  So we moved out to where the children were at the end of the field.  We were there for about an hour and a half before it was time for them all to go home.  I would have loved for them to stay longer but we have to coordinate trips in the van and there were others heading out then.  This is their last day.  It just seemed too difficult to work around school and other responsibilities.  

For school, the younger ones go in the morning, the older ones in the afternoon and the teenagers in the evening.  They all use the same classrooms.  We will need to remember this for future considerations as it made timing classes much more difficult.  With promises of connections with Jessikha for further teaching and help, we all said good bye.  With hugs and kisses, and crochet bags, we loaded them up in the van.  After a bit of a rest on the porch in front of our rooms, I went in for a shower to refresh myself.  Feels so much better. 

I have started to pack to go home, wash up clothes and give them away and generally organize myself.  Tomorrow, I am going with the Apoyo team on their co-op visits, if there is room for me.  Wednesday is our trip to Granada and the boat tour and then it is the final hours before heading out to the airport at 3:30am on Thursday.

See you all soon.

Susan (aka Suzie)

Day 10 & 11 - February 1st & 2nd

Saturday, February 1st

I can barely begin to tell you what a wonderful day we had.  Our destination was San Juan del Sur is a lovely town about 2 hours from our Jardin Shalom.  It was a pretty drive out and we picked up a tour guide (Pablos) who told us the history of the area and also of Nicaragua.  The fullness of my heart goes out to these people who have such giving hearts themselves.  

We stopped in La VIRGEN (name of town) in Las Jicaritos on Lake Nicaragua.  First we went up to a plateau to get a better look at the huge statue of Jesus and see the small museum there.  It was a pretty steep walk up, so some of us stayed on the lower plateau with the vehicles.  We found a vantage point from there.  Afterward, we went to a restaurant on a beach where we were allowed to eat our packed lunches and just bought a drink.  It was lovely.  There was an area to the right of the beach that had many turbine wind mills lining the landscape.  In the photo below, the volcano on the left is Concepciones and the one on the right is Maderas (meaning woods).

The original plan was to go see the turtles migrate.  But they had already gone so we headed for a beautiful beach and spent the afternoon there.  A great camaraderie was enjoyed jumping into the waves off the ocean.  We stayed to watch the sunset before heading off to El Tinon, a restaurant in San Juan right on the Main Street.  The evening was alive with street vendors selling hats, sunglasses, vases, souvenirs and a fabulous street artist.  His work was alive with colour and detail and marvellous depictions of his experiences.  The detail in the faces and the turtles was amazing.   There was live music at the restaurant but our tables were further back nearer the entrance so it was very enjoyable.  Dinner was fabulous, the fish (Mahi Mahi)  melted in my mouth.  As we finished dinner we were surprised by the entrance of 10-12 lovely women with banners on them.  They are contestants in Miss Nicaragua.  Miss Nicaragua will be named on February 15th and will represent the country at Miss World.  

A lovely breeze was blowing through the restaurant, excellent service, and really good music.  I highly recommend this restaurant if you are able to come to San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua.  As we left the restaurant, some of us slipped over to make our purchases from the artist we met and pick up a few last souvenirs.  The ride home, although 2 hours, was rife with laughter followed by some drifting off to nap and others tucked into quiet conversation..  This is the latest I have ever been out in Nicaragua.  We arrived home a little after 11pm and once the van was emptied, we went off to rinse the salt water off of us and go to bed.

- - - - - -

Sunday, February 2nd

I was a little bleary eyed this morning as I had trouble getting to sleep last night.  Anyway, breakfast was pancakes and porridge.  I had devotions this morning.  For scripture, I chose Proverbs 3:5 and talked about how we need to give our cares to God and let Him take care of things.  Too often, we carry the full burden.  Then we were off to pack the vans for the day’s events.  

It is an hour drive to Roca del Salvacion church for the service.  This is Pastor Ernan’s (PAN Mission Administrator) church.  It was a lovely service and Yessie (Pastor Ernan’s wife) sang several songs and a couple in English too.  The sermon topic was on not waiting for tomorrow but accomplishing things today.  We do not know what the Lord has in store for tomorrow.  After the service was over, we greeted people and socialized and then tables were set up so that we could have our packed lunch here.

Afterwards, we visited Pastora Dora’s church, Llama de Fuego in Ticuantepe and blessed them with the gift of a dress form from the Apoyo Team and several boxes of milk bags for weaving the plastic mats.  Joannella and the other ladies were very pleased.  They gave us a tour of the newer areas like the building in the back used for women’s retreats and Sunday School.  They have done a lot of work there.

The next visit was to Light Unto My Path church, also in Ticuantepe, which was my very first co-op in 2016 where I taught crocheting.  Their new pastor and the ladies were thrilled with the blessing of a dress form from the Apoyo Team and a new serger to replace the one that was stolen.  As well, some bolts of material and milk bags were left here as well.

Our final visit for the day was the Barrio Walk to Buenos Aires in Ticuantepe.  Historically, a barrio walk would include a walk throughout the village delivering bags to different households.  But today, everyone was gathered at their church and the bags were brought to the front.  The pastor called out the family names for the bags of food blessings.  Also, we had toothbrushes, dolls and Izzie Dolls to hand out to the children.  These Izzie Dolls were made and donated by the Knox Presbyterian Church in Listowel.  I am including a link so that you can learn of the initiative behind The Izzie dolls from Master Corporal Mark Isfield and his mother Carol, through 1 Combat Engineer Unit, and now led by Shirley O’Connell, who lives in my hometown of Perth, Ontario.  In The Mood For Peace

After this visit, we headed home to Jardin Shalom to clean up, and rest before supper.

Thank you for listening and letting me share my stories with you.

Blessings to all,

Susan (aka Suzie)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; lean not on your own understanding.”  Proverbs 3:5

Day 9 - Working with Apoyo

Friday, January 31st

The breathtaking beauty of Nicaragua greeted us as we came to the kitchen for coffee and a breakfast of scrambled eggs, pineapple, fried weiners and the ever-present toast and peanut butter and jam.  Juice options were callalla or hibiscus....both which I like.  Devotions were led by Wynne with a reading from Colossians 1 and 3 and how creation continues to relate to us.  

I was excited to go with the Apoyo team today to visit co-ops so I headed out with Yvonne, Wynne, Dolores (lead sewer), Samuel (translator) and Alvin (our driver).  This morning we went to Pastor Norori’s church, Santidad a Yhvhweh.  This is where we did the sewing co-op in October 2018 the last time I was down.  Some of the ladies recognized me and we chatted a bit about the conflicting schedules of the young ladies still in University that made it difficult to get them together as a group to crochet.  Yvonne and Wynne discussed with the ladies their successes and difficulties in the year and a half since their sewing training.  They gave some advice of how best to deal with problems that arise and how to rely on God for His guidance.  We promised to visit again when Pastor Norori and his wife, Sofia, are available to sit with us.  We also picked up the P. O. M. (Peace of Mind) Project completed bags which are hygiene bags for ladies sponsored by a private donors from London-Guelph area.

Back to Jardin Shalom for lunch and some joking with the guys painting the tables.  Like the chairs, there was a lot of sanding and clean up first.  Also, the posts were cleaned up and re-cemented.  Then we were off to Iglesias del Cristo.  

Meanwhile, quite a few others went to visit Blue Bird in Jinotepe for mentally-challenged adults.  They have an agronomist there as well and they were looking forward to discussing more gardening plans with him.  This trip was 1-1/2 hour each way.  On the way home, they stopped at a Canadian mission retreat from Waterloo specializing in bringing in medical teams to do clinics for the poor.  When they returned some went down to Huembe’s marketplace to do their shopping.  This is always a fun place to go to as it is full of tradespeople selling their wares and is huge!

Our visit to Iglesias del Cristo was very good.  There was quite a bit of construction going on and we headed up to the back and up the stairs to where the sewing area is.  Part of the expansion will see a full second floor put in and more room given to the sewing co-op.  They are doing very well there and are working up products for their church bazaar coming soon.  I bought a lovely tote bag from them.  They also had the last of their Palm Project bags to turn in.  It was a lovely visit and they served us lemonade and pineapple waffles and turnovers that were very good!

Upon returning to Jardin Shalom, we dug some items out of the bodega (warehouse) for next week’s visit to other co-ops.  Then off for a shower  and down time until supper.  Supper was very good..rice and beef and salad.  

This evening we shared our days’ adventures with each other, packed our coffee that we had ordered and generally had a few laughs.  We are getting along very well and the joking back and forth and laughter is contagious.  I really feel that God has led me to this group at this time for a real retreat and refreshing of my soul.  We take on so much at home that it is important to really feel refreshed from time to time.

May our Lord bless you and keep you,

Susan (aka Suzie)

“ He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” Psalm 23:3