A weekend getaway

Our last night in San Juan del Sur...eating some Eskimo!
A little bump on the head from surfing....I think that means I'm a pro now! haha
And I'm up...I will continue to practice surfing so that I can be on the big waves! Might have to make a trip to Tofino, wet suit in hand!
Going our for my lesson with Frank
A parade in lieu of the National Holiday
The water came up a little faster than expected :)
Out for breakfast with Norma (Melissa's host sister), Abby and Melissa (other SALTers)
Just playing on the beach our first night in town
A beautiful sunset behind
San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

*** look at these pictures in reverse order please
Well I was told there are a few people visiting this site who want to be more informed! So I will do my best to keep you all better informed...and if you do have facebook, feel free to add me as I can't upload all the pictures here.

Ah! this last weekend was a little getaway for myself, two other team members, and the host sister of one of the girls. We went down to San Juan del Sur which is on the Pacific Coast and really close to the Nicaragua- Costa Rica border. It is a bit more of a tourist town, but it is absolutely beautiful! We had a chance to go for supper and swim the first night. And here in Nicaragua, the 14th and 15th are both National Holidays....like our Canada Day, and so we were able to stay from Sunday-Tuesday afternoon.

It was really neat because you can get a thousand different answers depending on who you talk to. But thanks to the girls' spanish, the owner of the hotel actually took us down to a more private beach where it was a bit safer but absolutely beautiful to surf and swim. And so all day Monday was spent at the beach! And while I was feeling a bit disappointed that I couldn't converse as well with the Nicaraguan people in San Juan and find out great local spots....God blessed me with my own little deal as I had the chance to have a surf lesson by one of the local instructors who actually happened to be on his day off and did it for next to nothing. I don't know if that made sense but to me God was like," hey Amanda, while you are studying Spanish there are still going to be little blessings and great interactions with the Nicaraguans along the way...I'm not going to wait until you are fluent." So besides getting hit on the head with the surfboard (only a large goose-egg on my forehead), I had a great time! Normally back home I go for a run when I am feeling stressed, anxious, or just have a lot on my mind. And since it is harder to do that here in Managua, surfing was a great chance to just escape for a little bit and release some of that tension. On top of it all, the ocean is one of those places where I get a taste of God's sovereignty...He's Gi-Normous!! Really the whole weekend was a great chance to get away, journal, enjoy the sun (as I may have mentioned, the Nicaraguans think I'm crazy for sitting in the sun), and build relationships with the girls. For anyone who wants to visit....we will definitely head back there! We ended up coming back Tuesday afternoon by bus and thankfully it was a safe bus trip home.

I am back to Spanish classes this week with a renewed sense of urgency as I only have a few weeks left and really want to improve my skills not only to be a great tour guide!!...but to build relationships with the people and families here.

I will be moving out to Esquipula which is just outside of Managua. (Kind of how Abbotsford and Surrey all run into Vancouver). Anyways, I will be moving out to live with my new host family and will be residing there for the rest of the year as it is closer to Hogar Belen. So tomorrow I will be attempting to cook a Canadian meal of chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies, and salad for my current host family and giving a few gifts of appreciation for their hospitality. Please pray: As I transition, that God would bless my interactions with my current host family and that I would be able to maintain those relationships

2. That God would go before me as I go to live with my new host family, as we will be starting from square one again, which can be tough with the language barrier.

3. That God would expediate my learning...or at least give me the diligence and patience to continue studying and learning Spanish

4. That my eyes would be open to where He is working and to how He wants to work in me.

5. Oh, and also that I would have wisdom to know when to take a rest to rejuvenate and get some time away (even for an afternoon), and when to stay in those sometimes uncomfortable places. For example, I don't always want to be running to spend time with American friends, or grabbing a coffee, or going to a cyber cafe to chat with friends and family. Although it is easier, I do want to get to know my family, the day to days of life...and be open for God to grow and change me as I go through those ups and downs throughout the days and weeks.

Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts