Back to School!

First of all, THANK YOU. We really had a wonderful summer in the US, reconnecting with so many of you in various ways. I would personally rank it the "best summer back" out of the three we've had so far. We were able to recharge, reconnect, and have a lot of fun with our kids doing "US" stuff that we can't do in Nicaragua. We also gained 10 pounds, but that is just a testimony to your hospitality, right? A few (random) peeks at our adventures--we didn't take many pictures:

We've been back in Nicaragua for less than two weeks, and it was a race for me to get ready for the new school year, which began two days ago. While I disappeared into the depths of my classroom at every waking moment, Ruth held down the fort at home, restocking our empty shelves, unpacking from our summer travels, and entertaining wild children who DESPERATELY needed the structure of school again. While excited to be back home in the jungle, the phrase "I'm bored" was certainly thrown around plenty.

What did my work entail these last 13 days?

I unpacked my "stuff" and set up the room. That took about 10 minutes, except for the fact that I had a locked file cabinet with ALL of my files in it, and no key. A local locksmith named Roberto proved invaluable:) It is SO awesome to have a finished classroom and furniture! I didn't recieve furniture until a few months in to the school year last year. . .so it was wonderful to begin this year with a classroom that looks like a. . .classroom.

I've been busy creating schedules (the Puzzle of All Puzzles) and orientating our new team of SOAAR volunteers, who had a good first two days! They are going to be great supports for our five students that need that extra support in the classroom. These first two days I tried to spend ample time working alongside of these assistants, making sure they are comfortable and feel "trained" before I leave them alone:)

I've met with many teachers, making sure they feel ready and supported as they prepared to support students with needs in their classrooms. I made copies of IEPs and APs and information sheets to share with gen. ed. teachers. Knowledge is power.

I've emailed. A lot. I LOVED my empty summer inbox. No longer the case.

And Monday and Tuesday were actually very good days, welcoming students back to NCA.

Charlotte, Mae, and Henry are all at NCA this year. Charlotte is in PreK2, Mae in 2nd, and Henry in 4th. All have wonderful CRC partner missionary teachers! They loved being back in the classroom.

I've jumped back into life at Tesoros de Dios, welcoming our new shared Speech Language therapist meeting with the director, planning for a new year of Thursday afternoon classes, and working on various board initiatives. The entire staff and a large group of students and moms spent last Tuesday honoring the life of Kevin, a 6th-grade Tesoros de Dios student that died last week. I was able to meet Kevin through my time on Thursday afternoons; Kevin had muscular dystrophy and had been fighting to survive in his slowing body for many years. For a while last year, Kevin was too weak to attend classes at Tesoros so I was able to visit him and his mom at home a few times. It was my first burial here in Nicaragua. It was hard, but I have to think of Kevin's newfound freedom, no longer bound by the chains of a degenerative disease.

I found this picture of Kevin on the internet--the photo is probably four years old. 

Today is a national holiday (after two days of school!), so we're having a lunch gathering with almost 60 of the CRC folks of Nicaragua! There are a number of new faces this year joining this unique community. And then. . .back to work tomorrow:)

Our goodbyes! (A post written two months ago and just now discovered!)

I wrote this one back at the beginning of June but never published it! Oops. Seems like a LONG time ago. Now that the summer is over, it is time for HELLOS again, not goodbyes (we did plenty last week in the US)! But thought I'd share this post anyway:) Lots of fun pictures. . .and makes me excited for our fourth year serving. learning, and living in Nicaragua.

Two days of school left in the 2015-2016 year. 1 week and 2 days until we hop on a plane to Chicago.  Yikes! These last few weeks have been a lovely, exhausting time of "lasts" for this ministry year, at school, church, and on the home front. We've had a lot of parties, baked a lot of cupcakes, sang a lot of songs. Here are a few pictures to give you a glimpse of how things are ending up this year, and some of the "goodbye for nows" that we're saying as we head to the US for 6 weeks.

Goodbye, Mincaito! You have been Charlotte's preschool home for the last two school years. We're so thankful for the love Charlotte has been shown while being immersed in Spanish each day. We're gonna miss your epic programs (see above!) Note: Charlotte will be in PreK2 at NCA when we return to Nicaragua next school year. . .it'll be nice to have Henry, Mae, Charlotte, and Andrew at the same place each day.

Adios for now, Iglesia Bautista Esperanza! Hasta pronto y que Dios les bendiga y su ministerios!

Goodbye, Jim and Candace and Olinda! It's been awesome serving with you as SOAAR volunteers this semester. Blessings as you follow God's call to the "next thing!"

Goodbye, Sofia. I'll see you as a first grader in August! So glad that God brought you into the SOAAR program in January. 

Goodbye, Daniel! My how much you've learned this year! I've had so much fun watching you learn and grow every day.  I'm so glad you'll get to be in Sharkie's class next year at NCA. 

Goodbye, NCA kiddos. It's been awesome getting to know you as learners and friends. You've made SO much progress this year. May you each have an awesome summer and come back in August, refreshed and ready to learn!

Goodbye, piano students! The recital was great. . .promise to practice a FEW times over the summer for Mr. Ippel:)

Goodbye, Volcan Masaya. Settle down a little over the summer!

Goodbye, Ms. Rammell! So glad you'll be serving at Tesoros de Dios next year:)

Goodbye, Dexter. Behave yourself while we're gone. Have fun at Tesoros de Dios and make a lot of kids smile:) We'll welcome you back to your home here when we get back.

Bye, Angel. It has been SUCH a blessing to have you here with our family these three months. I don't know if we'll have the honor of hosting you next year or not. . .but God has a perfect plan for you next year, whether in the US or Nicaragua. We wish you the best, and will miss you.

Goodbye, Boy Scouts! Henry will see you next year, but as a Webelo. 

God is faithful!

About two months ago, I began to doubt that we'd have volunteers to staff the SOAAR program next school year. I'd emailed a few folks that I thought might be interested, posted the position(s) through CRWM and Calvin College, asked people to network, written blog posts and prayer letters about it. No bites. Not a one.

Now, I know it is quite a lot to ask of someone to volunteer at NCA--give up a year of salary, depend on others to provide for all of your needs, move to a foreign country where you likely don't speak the language, enter into unfamiliar community.

Thankfully we serve a God who is our provider (despite, and even in spite of our lack of faith!) I'm so thankful that we are going into next year with 3 fulltime volunteer assistants and 1 speech pathologist. And honestly, NONE of these folks found out about the SOAAR program through any of my own "devices" that I mentioned above. I can't claim it. It was really, truly, God at work.

Here is a little info about the awesome, overly-qualified team I'll get to work with next year that was sent as part of an email to the NCA staff recently:

Kellie Voss (Volunteer Speech Pathologist) comes to us from Grand Rapids, Michigan.  She has a Master's Degree in Speech and Language Pathology and a Bachelor's Degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Spanish.  She has over 5 years of extensive clinical experience in multiple hospitals, schools and hearing centers in Austin, Texas and Grand Rapids, Michigan.  She is fully bilingual in English and Spanish, and recently volunteered at NCA and Tesoros de Dios for about one week.  She will be here for 1 year as a volunteer speech therapist for NCA International, NCA Nejapa and Tesoros de Dios and the greater community.

Danielle Dolifka (SOAAR Volunteer)is a recent graduate of Baylor University (Texas) and learned about the SOAAR Volunteer assistant position as a result of Dan Van Zoest's recent visit to the university as enrichment for our college counseling program.  Danielle has a degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Baylor University.  She already has international experience in Spain, Peru, Nicaragua and Brazil, and is excited about joining the NCA staff next year!

Rylie Enslin (SOAAR Volunteer) is also a recent graduate of Baylor University, friends with Danielle Dolifka, and was the first person to connect with Dan Van Zoest about this opportunity at NCA.  Rylie comes to us from Gig Harbor, Washington.  She has a degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Baylor University.  We're very excited to have Rylie joining our program next year!

PJ (Paul) Miller (SOAAR Volunteer) comes to us from Coral Springs, Florida, and is currently pursuing 4-year degree BA in Christian Education, major in Elementary Education, at Calvary Chapel University.  He has teacher assistant experience at Hinkson Christian Academy (an ACSI school) in Moscow, Russia, among other volunteer experiences.  He comes well recommended for serving with our SOAAR program and has the solid backing of his home church to make this happen; we're very excited to have PJ join the NCA family!

I need to say a final THANKS and goodbye to Jim and Candace Ducharme and Olinda Keegstra for their service in the SOAAR program this past semester. It has been a blessing to work with such dedicated, hard-working people. Our students have forever been changed thanks to the work of these three awesome assistants. Blessings on their future endeavors!

Sometimes all it takes is writing a depressing blog post

Practicing doing postpartum exercises with your baby in today's childbirth class

Exactly 4 weeks ago today, I wrote a blog post about the discouraging attendance at the childbirth class I lead once a week.  That week, we had placed posters in 5 "pulperias" (little corner-stores, pronounced "pooperias," much to our children's delight) and one clinic inviting all pregnant women in a large neighborhood in Managua to attend a special event about Postpartum Depression with a visiting psychologist.  We even advertised that there would be free snacks!  I brought 2 extra large loafs of bread, 4 packages of this orangey sandwich spread that Nica's love, 4 two liters of juice, and 32 bananas, and was worried that I wouldn't have enough.

Two women showed up, both an hour into our 2 hour class.  Each went home with a loaf of bread, juice, sandwich spread, and a huge bunch of bananas.  I left that day feeling very discouraged (not just because only two women showed up, but also because the visiting physiologist commended me on my courage in using Spanish which I "obviously hadn't mastered").  I honestly felt like giving up, and that's essentially what I wrote in my post that day.

I received many kind and encouraging words, and even some helpful suggestions in response to the post that I was so thankful for, but I still wasn't sure what the future held for our group of pregnant women.

And then....

I don't know what changed--I certainly know that I didn't do anything different--but since that post, 6 new women have signed up for the class.  The week after our failed special event, 5 women showed up.  The following week, 6 women were there.  Today, 8 women came!  I have no explanation for our suddenly growing group, but I do know that it is a gift from God--the affirmation that I needed to feel like what I am doing IS indeed worth it and a part of the perfect plan that He has for me.  I am so thankful for this reminder that God is present in our ministries, even when we are discouraged and full of doubt.

Maybe I actually like raising support?!

Throw-back to Mae's 4th birthday party, surrounded by friends--many of these families now support us

I’m not normally a very emotional person (except when it comes to sappy commercials and movies where dogs die), but I found myself tearing up today as I was making a list of everyone who has supported our ministry financially this year. 

Raising support is not my favorite part of being a missionary.  I was a missionary kid for 6 years, and in that time raising support meant travelling around from church to church listening to my dad preach the same sermon Sunday after Sunday and my parents dressing us up in African clothing to stand in front of blank-faced Sunday School classes where we were asked “Do you speak African?” and “Do you ride an elephant to school?” Now, as an adult missionary, it means asking people for money, which is my mind is equivalent to going to the dentist. 

Over the last three years, I have been told over and over by very wise people what a blessing raising support can be, and although I always agree in theory, believing it in my heart is not as easy.  As I was making this list of supporters, though, I was overwhelmed by the feeling of being blessed.  Not by the number of people who have given, or the generous amounts they have given, but by WHO has given. 

For every name on the list, I can picture a conversation I have had with someone, a meal shared in someone’s home, someone asking “How is it going, really?”, a big hug, a babysitter, a college roommate, dear family members, double dates, birthday parties, Bible studies…. Pieces of a beautiful, shared life.  These are not just people who write us a check every month, they are people who care for us deeply, and who we care for too.  They are people who we miss, but the people who make it possible for us to be here in this place, doing what we know God has called us to do. 

This solid, on-paper reminder of how many amazing people we are privileged to have in our lives encouraging us, praying for us, loving us, is one of the (many?) reasons that raising support us such a blessing.

Angel

For the last month, our family has hosted a 7th-grade NCA student in our home during the school week. Angel is Nicaraguan, but spent all of his growing-up years in the US until coming back to Nicaragua to live with his grandmother about two months ago. After struggling through the first month of school at NCA, Ruth and I decided to offer our home as a place to stay during the school week for the rest of the school year. We're able to keep Angel from having to use the public bus system to get to and from school. . .his grandmother lives about 45 minutes from NCA, and it is not easy to navigate the buses here for a new-to-Nicaragua 7th grader! We're also able to help support Angel with schoolwork, something his grandmother could not do as well as she'd like as she is struggling with her health.

We've enjoyed getting to know Angel. He comes home with us on Monday afternoon, and goes back to be with his family on the weekends. School is difficult for Angel, and we spend between 2-3 hours each night by his side, encouraging him on his projects, helping him study, and working on organization skills. This is stretching for Ruth and I (and our kids have learned to be patient as they "share" us with another "sibling"), but it has been rewarding to see him become more successful tackling the tough academic load of NCA!

Angel is awesome with our kids. . .he plays Clash Royale and Geometry Dash with Henry (he even has his own YouTube channel!), swims with Charlotte, and chases Mae around the house. He keeps count of how many times he scares people around the house (I think he is at 23). He is a constant conversationalist. He asks for "more" chapters after each Bible story for our dinner devotions, which has made our own kids more excited about family devotions, too. We're thankful he likes a busy family environment, and that we have space to give him at least a small room (very small--think Harry Potter, but his own!) to which he can escape if needed.

I'm thankful to be married to a hospitable wife who was excited to open up our home to an NCA student (it was really and truly Ruth's idea, which if you no her, is no surprise)! I'm thankful for our three kids who are flexible, kind, and willing to share space and attention! I'm thankful for Angel and how he has become a part of our family this semester.

When Do I Give Up?

As many of you know I (Ruth) have been leading a childbirth class/support group for pregnant women in a community of Managua called Nejapa for the last year and a half.  In that time, I have developed classes on 14 topics related to pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care (all in Spanish). I have loved doing this because it is one place where I am able to use my experience as a labor and delivery nurse and my love of pregnant women to make a real difference in the lives of these women by empowering them with knowledge. 

Recently, though, I have been feeling discouraged.  We run the classes in a 16 week series (because no one stays pregnant forever), and we are currently on our fifth group of women.  The average size of our group has been about 4-5, which I think is an ideal number for building relationships.  Our previous group had 13 women, which was wonderful, but almost too big (imagine trying to do yoga with 13 women on the small patio of a clinic).  This time, though, only 1 or 2 women have been coming each time. 

Honestly, it is really hard to be motivated to put time and effort into planning a class that only one person comes to (especially if she arrives 45 minutes late!).  It also makes it hard to plan interactive activities, which I think are essential to the success of the class (“Choose a partner and share your delivery experience… oh wait, you’re the only one here!").  One of the main goals of this group is that it will be a place where women can feel supported and encouraged by other women who are in similar situations.  That is very difficult to accomplish when so few come.

So, lately I have been asking myself a lot of questions… Why aren’t women coming? What could we be doing differently? Is it even worth doing the classes? At what point do we just give up?

I truly believe that there is a need for more education among pregnant women in Nicaragua.  I have no data to support this, but from the time that I have spent listening to the women who come, it is obvious that they are hungry to learn and understand.  I have also been made aware of how little education they get from their doctor at the clinic or in the hospital.  Basically (and sadly, literally), they are told to just be quiet and obey.  When I first started teaching this class, I did a lesson on informed consent, asking questions, and communicating personal opinions and desires with your health care providers.  I quickly learned that as nice as these concepts sounds, and as important as they seem, they really aren’t practical here.  Sadly, doctors are not open to questions or opinions.  This makes my job as leader of these groups even more important, my goal is to explain everything they need to know and answer questions they may have ahead of time.  So yes, I think it is definitely worth doing the class.

BUT.... I also understand that these women make a lot of sacrifices to come to the class.  It is two hours a week when they would normally be cooking, cleaning, and accomplishing the long list of task they have to do to provide for their families.  Many have other children at home, so bringing them along or finding someone to watch them is not very practical.  To get to the class, they either have to walk a considerable distance (pregnant, in 90+ degree weather), or pay money they don’t have for a moto taxi.  I understand that they have many reasons not to come. These women live their lives in survival mode, and they don’t need this class to survive.

But, does that mean we should stop doing it?

I don’t have an answer to that right now.  Maybe you do…..