Amanda's Nicaraguan Adventure

forgot to mention!

2010-06-28T21:08:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day Lunch

Isla de Ometepe

Cow crossing....apparently

See! we do work!

Oops! forgot to mention, spiritual retreat out at La Isla de Ometepe went really well. The entire MCC team headed out there. The topic was spiritual gifts and although I have heard the "talk" before, it was a really great reminder that we are all 'gifted' in some way. A lot of us don't have roles front and center but they were given to us by the grace of God and to be used with grace to serve others. We also had a few hours for some solo time which was so great because I feel like I haven't had or taken the time for a few solid hours of devotional or prayer and journaling time. And it can never hurt to have it on an island with a huge lake surrounding you right? :)

Anyways, here are a few pics from there and also from Mother's day (May 30th).

This is UNREAL!

2010-06-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

Teaching Cris how to swim

I love hanging out with kids, they give you all sorts of good reasons to eat ice cream and watch cartoons!

Batter up!

Birthday cake! That's a 1lb solid cake right there.

My bday buddy, playing Ratz!

Shopping spree :) To support the Nicaraguan economy of course

MMMM.....breakfast buffet

Little Elvira had surgery again to remove the screws from her hips. Looks like they did something else too but not sure what. Unfortunately that likely means a slip-back in the progress she has made this year.

Lunch time!

I am at 3 weeks until I leave Nicaragua and a month until I am home in Canada! UNREAL! is about all I can say. I seriously remember back in September when I felt like I still had such a long time ahead of me, and now I can hardly believe how quickly time has gone. And the unfortunate thing is that it is only going to go even quicker.

Tomorrow morning I will be heading out to Honduras for our Central America meeting. All the MCC teams within Central America meet every 18 months.....and hallelujah, it falls within the time I am here. So we are heading out tomorrow, I haven't totally looked at the itinerary yet but I will fill you in when I get back but it looks like some of the subjects are regarding stereotypes, paradigms we have re: men and women, made in the image of God, and what MCC is doing worldwide and within Haiti at the moment. So I am really looking forward to meeting up with others, and it feels like one of the last Spanish tests I will have to go through (we shall see how I do...you will be able to tell by the summary of the meetings in the next blog update). And then...I am going to check out the east coast of Honduras....also known as the caribbean. A few other MCCers convinced me (with much difficulty) that since I am so close, I should check out Roatan Island....and so I am going to do just that :) Definitely looking forward to it, it will be a quick trip for sure (only a couple of days), but great. Hoping to do some scuba diving as well while I am there.

The last month has gone really well with work and family. I was able to take some of the older kids out to Toy Story 3 which was hilarious, and it's always fun watching kids in the theater. One of the little guys Wilfredo got super scared during one part (Large flying stuffed pig) and hid his face in my shoulder (is it bad that I found it funny?) After the movie, we went for ice cream which they of course LOVED. I was also able to give a capacitacion, which is pretty much just an education session for the ladies who look after the kids. I covered some of the things I have been doing with the kids as well as things I hope they continue to do with them when I leave. Things like positioning the kids, stimulation, using the wheelchairs properly etc. Overall it went well but unfortunately we didn't have too great of a turnout due to some lack of communication but nonetheless. Now I am working on putting together a little info pack on therapy, working with the kids etc. so that when next year's volunteer comes she won't have to start from scratch and hopefully we can get some continuity. It is in Spanish, so copy and paste have definately come in handy in putting it together :)

OH! and I had my birthday as well. It was a little different....a little lonely actually. Kind of a mis-communication with my family/ slash they had to go to church in the evening to another community and didn't get home until 1030pm...so I was a little bit disappointed, although there was a HUGE cake, and I spent the evening playing a card game with my little bro Cristofer, so really I have no reason to complain. Plus I was able to talk with some family and friends back home and open a couple gift packages which is always a delight! The next day I went to the Holiday Inn for a breakfast buffet with my mom and then we went out to Huembus market to do a little shopping.....needless to say I think I got my money's worth.

The next week was followed by ANOTHER buffet for father's day. I bought a membership at the Holiday Inn to use their pool, anyways, it comes with a few perks, so off we went for lunch. Father's Day is the 23rd here, but we went this past Friday which was great. It was also great to spend time with my dad because usually we don't get to do as much together, and I think he really appreciated it as well.

So, time is winding down, I have no idea when I will be back and no idea what is waiting for me back home in Canada. But I am definitely conscious of each moment here and so appreciative of the people God has put in my life here. When I get back from Honduras I will only have about a week to work, spend time with my family and do a couple last minute things. Oh and I have a date....with my cousin. If you invite somebody here, you have to pay. So I think I explained earlier on in my blogs that I sometimes am paying to have friends because if you want to go to a movie....you pay for everyone. Anyways, I went with my brothers and cousins to a movie awhile ago...and now he wants to take me out, so he told me he now has two weeks to save so that he can take me out when I get back from Honduras. Now that my friends, is a good date ;)

Photo Op

2010-05-28T18:53:00.000-07:00

Dad came to visit and spent the day at Hogar Belen with me

Catarina Mirador, overlooking Laguna de Apoyo

Volcan Mombacho

Petroglyphs on La Isla de Ometepe

Sunset on the island and view of Volcan Concepcion

Just another day at work

The kids from church

Serving up some dinner after the church/birthday service for Grandma

Grandma's 79th birthday

Nail painting session :)

Yeah, I rarely pay attention during meetings. This is Violeta, she really helped me while I was first learning Spanish.

Last year's, this years and next years one year volunteers (SALT, IVEP, and YAMEN). One of them is probably coming to Winnipeg

Out for a nature walk.

I love these frogs by the way

Some of the MCC team came to my family's house for dinner and to meet the fam.

Hogar Belen: Maria Clarita...so cute!

Some pinyata action for Mother's day.

Another new little guy- Wilfredo!

Seasons of Change

2010-05-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hey.........how are you? I will do my best to update you on the past events, some of my thoughts and challenges (unfortunately I´m still falling slightly short of perfect.)
Hmm, what to say. The beginning of May started out with time with my dad. He was here from the 7-16th and we had a great time spending time with my host family, playing with the kids at work, and exploring volcanoes, zip-lining, heading out to La Isla de Ometepe to see some petroglyphs and swim in a volcanic spring and dipping our feet in the ocean in San Juan del Sur. I would just like to note that if any of you ever have to go on a road-trip with me, let it be known that I apparently have a terrible sense of direction....or take directions poorly....HOWEVER, there is usually a sweet surprise at the end of the wrong turn and some great friends to be made. Perfect example was at Laguna de Apoyo which is the volcanic crater lake. I had gotten directions from our guide that day for where a good spot to swim would be as most of the shoreline of the lake is privately owned or you need to pay a fee to use the hostel. We only had about 15 minutes and didnt think it was worth paying, so we wanted to know the local spots ;) Well apparently, turn left meant turn right. Nonetheless, we ended up at a dead end with only signs saying ´Propriedad privada´informing us that we had turned the wrong way and now had no public shoreline. Anyways, I asked directions from a gentleman on the road and asked if he knew of a place close to where we were.......he ended up opening up the gate for us to swim and enjoy a gorgeous property that is actually owned by Canadians (vancouver). He maintains the property, the place can be rented, but there was no one at the time and he said we could go for swim if we wanted. One of those blessings that can´t be planned, only seen and enjoyed.

Last weekend we had a reunion with previous YAMENers/ IVEPers (went to the states or other country with MCC), us current volunteers, and next years group who will be going to Winnipeg, USA, and Bolivia. Definitely a great time to relax a bit, do some reflection, start thinking about coming home and some of the mental prep. for that, and encourage others for their year coming up.

Other than that I have been working and today actually I have an unexpected day off. I had a foot infection and went to the doctor last night. So now I am on some antibiotics etc and decided to take the day to rest up a bit and enjoy the sound of rain on the roof. It is officially rainy season. It has been raining for the past 3 days off and on, which is actually a nice break from the heat/ ridiculous humidity.

So now that you have the past events, I´ll try to share some thoughts and challenges. Well, as of today I have made some flash cards for prayer and prayer requests. I have soooo many people praying for me, and although I care about and think of you all daily....the sad truth is that I have not been too diligent in prayer. This book on prayer had recommended making flash or cue cards (I wont be using them like those math flash cards for multiplication so I guess cue cards is more accurate). Anyways, I will be starting to try and get in the habit of that. You can call me on it if you want :)
Challenges: hmmmm, I would be lying if I said I wasnt thinking about the future. God has definitely been working in me and I want to be open to where He is leading and continue seeking Him. I have made some work contacts for Occupational Therapy positions when I get home but I am not totally sure where to look, where to live, and a bunch of other things surrounding those questions. Whatever and wherever it is, I want to continue growing...and i want another adventure.
I´ll try and post some pictures this weekend.

Bendiciones
amanda

Double Digits- Under 100 days Until I am Home!!

2010-04-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

I should probably write about the day to day since the last two blogs have been about my visitors....and my next one will likely be about my visit with my dad (he comes in a week).

Well yes, as of today I think it is 87 days until I come home....crazy indeed because I still remember back in September and saying "Yeah I have only been here for 3 weeks and I have 11 more months to go." And yet, here it is and it has come up soooo fast. And the next 3 months are only going to pass by even quicker because they are filled with MCC meetings.

Mid-April we had a team meeting in Matagalpa. I always enjoy them, not only is it a little bit of a break but our team is wonderful. It's great to hear what everyone is doing, some great things happening and also struggles. I was able to talk through some issues I have been struggling with with some of the people who have been here a bit longer. One of them is trying to live simply even though in reality compared to the majority of people here, I am rich or at least have access to more luxuries. I have been struggling with the feeling of sometimes feeling like I live two separate lives, I can grab a coffee or go to a movie or go on all these great weekend trips but then I come home and try to live within the same means as my family. I struggle with the balance of knowing how much to actually show because I think there can be generosity but then their can be flaunting....i'm not explaining it very well but maybe some of you reading this have gone through the same sort of experience. Anyways, I came to a semi-resolution and I went to the swimming pool with my cousins and a friend of mine and later on we all headed to the theaters. It was my little brother and cousins very first movie (How to train your dragon), so that was pretty exciting....at least for me :) And although it was all in Spanish, I think I laughed at all the appropriate spots ;)

I honestly cannot be grateful enough for the family God has so richly blessed me with. My family in Canada as well of course. But my Nicaraguan family has been amazing. I think if I was living alone, I would feel a lot more homesick. However, I am constantly surrounded by family (cousins, brothers, nieces) and I am involved in the church a bit too, so there really isn't time. Or when I have felt homesick, God has usually blessed me with a really great conversation with my parents or host mom especially. I feel like we have been able to really build a relationship, I have been able to learn and grow from watching her interact in our family and with others. The generosity of my family is unbelievable. Honestly, if anyone reading this even mentioned that they knew me, you would have a place to stay instantly for as long as you wanted. They have already built onto their house and made a room bigger for me and my 'husband' haha I told them they could wait awhile on that one, but either way...it's ready!

The last couple of weekends I have spent more time at home. Actually a couple weeks ago I went to Granada with my brothers and the church. They had some baptisms in the lake there, and then we literally swam all day. I was somehow the only one to completely burn my face. It was a great time to get to know more people and young people in the church and also kind of go out on my own as usually I am always with Leyla and Ebert while at church. My grandma was also in the hospital and so Leyla was often there to watch her and keep her company....which left me to fill the 'good daughter role.' Which meant getting up at 5am and putting on the rice and beans and making sure lunch was ready to go and a cup of hot coffee in Ebert's hand when he woke up! haha thankfully it's not a permanent role and I chose not to wash any of their clothes, because let's be honest, I wait until the last possible minute to wash mine (and then I take about 5hrs to do it). Nonetheless I now have good practice with making rice (next time I won't forget to add the salt) and whipping up a few things to eat.

Work has been going okay. We have a few new girls. I am not sure if I mentioned that we have one girl about 10 years old, her name is Eloisa. Another girl Jenifer who is about 6yrs and the most adorably precious baby girl named Maria Clarita. All girls have different diagnoses but it's been neat to kind of take them from step one. For example, Eloisa has now just started going to our school at Hogar Belen, Jenifer is blind and was apparently pretty much left to sit in the hammock all day when living with her family. When she first came she was really scared of any movement, hated standing and most definitely did not like walking with us. We are gradually having her walk (with assistance) a little farther each time and she is responding more to outside stimulation rather than just sort of curling up into a ball (where it is safe and she has her feet and hands tucked in.) Well and then there is Maria, she is adorable and has Down Syndrome. She just came this past week and is apparently 14 months although looks much younger than that. We are working on getting some of her muscles working and some core stability as she is pretty much a rag-doll (which could come in handy when I put her into my carry-on to bring her home!) There have been some frustrations for sure at work. I think part of it is just cultural differences and the other part is that I have different expectations and priorities than some of the workers and management do. So I have been trying to work within the environment while also gently pushing for some change...we'll see how it goes.

Hmmmm, funny story for you though. I was given some money from some people in the U.S. to spend for the kids. As it has been really hot here, some people suggested we should get a small kiddie pool. So I went out and bought one and we've actually used it the last couple of Fridays. The kids LOVE IT! And I usually end up being in there for about 3 hrs while the kids are all rotated in groups of 4-5. Anyways, the last time we were in there, a little guy Moises apparently swallowed a bit too much water in all the excitement and ended up throwing up a little bit........so I hauled all the kids out of the pool so that we could change the water before the older kids got in. Well let's just say that God truly works in small ways because about 2 minutes after I got all the kids out, one of them spilled his beans....literally, spilled his beans all over the floor! haha sorry, I think my sense of humor has changed a bit, but really, I would have had to clean it up if it was in the pool, but this way I didn't have to! Plus, I can only imagine how many of the kids peed in the pool while I was in there, blowing bubbles and such...so really, I think I did my part :)

Tomorrow my family and I are heading to the big stadium here in Managua to watch Javier try out for a baseball team which should be pretty exciting. He says he'll take me out on a hot date once he starts making the big bucks in the major leagues.....so I'm all for it.

Not sure what else I can say. My dad is coming at this end of this week for a quick visit and then back to work :)

Hope everything is well with you.

Bendiciones

amanda

2010-03-29T15:24:00.001-07:00

Karla in her little uniform for the opening ceremonies....we've had some issues with poo the last two times I've worked with her. Haha, character building I guess (for me)

The kids at Diriamba singing a song of thanks to the sponsors

Tatiana cutting the ribbon

My usual face when working with the kids!

Some of the staff at Hogar Belen. It was Dia de las mujeres! Day of the Women....something I am definitely bringing home to Canada!!

Alexis playing in the sensory room

Physio students working with Grethel

Sunset in Granada

Mom, Rob and I in Granada in front of one of the many Cathedrals

This road was SHOCKING!! on the way to our hotel on La Isla de Ometepe

Beautiful view, that is Volcan Concepcion in front.....not sleeping quite as much as we all thought

Another beautiful sunset

Um, some would say this was a crocodile. We saw 8....apparently timid though (so they say)

Kayaking

Costa Rica: Beautiful falls

Zip-lining in Monteverde

The traditional method of getting the coffee bean out of it's shell.

Haha, and this is the highway at the border!! Please notice three lanes of traffic (one passing through the center of the other two) and heaps of people all trying to get it flowing!

Lunch break after a very long day of driving!!

Wow I think I am actually getting worse at updating this blog. The last time I wrote I had just had a crazy week with my sister....and now I have just had an amazing week with my mom and her husband. The month of march has honestly just flown by. I have been working (I promise). At the end of February we had a big opening ceremony for a new home in Diriamba. It is an orphanage sponsored by Mustard Seed Communities as well. It is actually where all the older kids are (the ones that came in December for a month) right now. It was really neat to see how many people are behind the homes and supporting the work being done. There were visitors from Jamaica (as Mustard Seed also has homes there), and the U.S. that had all come down for the ceremony. So all the kids got into their little uniforms and we took off for Diriamba which is about half an hour away from Hogar Belen. The place will be great once it is done, and they are trying to work with the psychologist, nurse, physio, and teacher in order to implement some activities there.

Work has been going really well. Definitely still some frustrations but I think that goes for work and life anywhere. As a whole it has been going well. We have had a lot of groups coming in for a morning or an afternoon and actually we currently have about 10 physiotherapy students coming in Mon-Tues morning to work as part of their practicum. So that will be a good opportunity for them, for the kids, and for us as staff. Now I just have to practice more Spanish so that I can explain what and why I do what I do. (tough to tell if they are nodding their head and smiling, or if they really understand but are just shy, maybe a mix).

The weekend before my mom came, a friend of mine from Canada happened to be in Nicaragua. He is traveling through Central America and stopped by in San Juan del Sur. I had a chance to go down for the weekend and spend some time with him which was really great. Not only to spend time with a friend but also speak English with a guy who is really respectful and has no alternative motives (that maybe sounds bad, but unfortunately it's often the case here) We've been friends for awhile and you don't realize how much you miss those old friends....until they are here and gone.

Speaking of here and gone....mom and Rob were here and now they are gone. I was good until she said "see you in a few months," then I just started to cry. But it was such a great time to see them. It was a really busy week though. They flew in on Saturday the 20th and we spent that evening and the next day with my family. Monday we did a quick visit at Hogar Belen....and then the adventures started. Thankfully we rented a car so we made a lot of ground in a really short time. We had a chance to go to Granada and visit Volcan Masaya (it is still active and emits sulphurous gases). Later on we walked through a tunnel which was melted out by lava. Fortunately it is only frequented by bats now. Might I add that in the first three days, I was stopped by the police 3 times without reason! It was started to get humorous so the 4th time I asked them for directions. At least I know the routine now, and I apparently have triangles and a fire extinguisher in the back which was good to know. Thank you Nicaraguan police for being worried about my safety.

Wednesday-Friday we headed to La Isla de Ometepe. It is a huge island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua, made out of two volcanoes, Volcan Concepcion and Volcan Maderas. Concepcion actually started spitting out some fumes about 5 days before we got there. Thankfully that's the extent of the activity (although on the roads there are signs that say "ruta de evacuacion"....all heading to the water, whichever shore is closer I guess.) The roads were nothing less than shocking! haha, Rob felt like he was in a mixmaster in the back seat. HUGE rocks and potholes....non dodge-able. It was fun after I got the hang of it though (I was the chauffeur for the week). We stayed at a beautiful place called Totoco Eco-Lodge, with a view of both coasts and Volcan Concepcion. And somehow I was treated to my own cabin with an outdoor shower, hot water, and an amazing view of the stars (i showered more than necessary, only to take full advantage of previously stated perks). The hotel was just opened a few years ago and it is amazing to see how the owners are both running a hotel but also starting community programs, and working to re-use water, utilize the land while also planting and building up the eco-system that was there...before it was all cut down.

Thursday we took a hike to San Ramon falls. It was a long hot hike with a small waterfall at the end but I really enjoyed it. Any chance to get some exercise, with a refreshing swimming hole at the end....and I'm in. Later on we went kayaking on Lake Nicaragua and then entered into a little river estuary type thing. It was absolutely beautiful. There were wild birds, approximately 8 little crocodiles (that we saw) and beautiful flowers and trees everywhere! It was unreal.

Friday we headed to Monteverde, Costa Rica. We had a little stop on the side of the road to walk to some amazing waterfalls, then headed up into the hills of Monteverde. It is actually really similar to Banff I think, and cold!! I'm a Canadian girl through and through so I can handle the cold, but it's been a few months since I have been in weather below 20C, so I took full advantage of layering up my clothes. It was a really quick trip to Costa Rica but again we took full advantage. We did a suspension bridge tour through the cloud forest and then mom and I went zip-lining through the forest. It was unreal and beautiful. Later on we followed it up with a most interesting coffee tour.

Unfortunately after a long day of driving yesterday, I had to drop them off at the airport this morning. God blessed our path the entire way and put amazing people along our path. From the random (and multiple) people on the side of the street that I had to ask for directions from, to the guys that helped us across the border, and others that gave me VIP parking :) Everything worked out so well and the week was a huge blessing.

This week is the beginning of Semana Santa or Holy Week. The kids are off school for the week and we all have a half day Wed and then the rest of the week off. It is a great time for everyone to go to the beach...but I've been spending a lot of time at the beach and feel like I need to stick around and spend a little more time with my family and community here in Esquipulas. They are all doing really well and my relationship with them continues to grow as they encourage me in different areas of life, set examples for me from marriage to walking with God, and talk out some difficult situations/relationships with me.

I've been struggling a bit with some ongoing issues which is a bit frustrating as I of course wanted to have dealt with them by now, but they apparently weren't left at the border so I will definitely be trying to use this next few days to journal, pray, and refocus. I still want to use this year to be intentional about seeking God, immersing myself into the lives and culture here and pouring into the lives of the kids at work (sometimes the poo and crying makes me forget to be gracious and patient). Although I have become comfortable with the day to day, I don't want to get back into the day to day habits that I've had before. I also really want to be accountable to your prayer and support as I know there are so many people that are praying and have been encouraging me throughout this entire process...thank you so much. I think God is working in me, sometimes it's hard to see and a lot of times I get in the way, but let's all just pray that He keeps at it :)

There are only about 4 more months left and the time is going to fly by. April 12-14th we have some team meetings in Matagalpa, more in May and June (June involves a trip to Honduras to meet with all the MCC teams from Central America. There may be a few more visitors scattered across the way as well.

I hope you are all doing well. I hear the weather is warming up at least a little bit.

Have a great Easter!

amanda

Great Week with my Sister

2010-02-22T09:29:00.000-08:00

Some fish from La Laguna de Apoyo, actually it wasn't from there...not sure where it was from. It tasted good but the aftermath was not as good! haha

Ow!!

Some fresh pineapple ready to be picked!

My beautiful sister

Volcano Boarding down Cerro Negro!

Hey, just thought I would do a quick update. It has been a crazy busy week but it has been great....adventurous....and great.

My sister ended up coming during her reading week which was so great! First family I have seen in 6 months....a few tears were shed at the airport picking her up. So this week was my chance to practice translating (or storytelling, depending on the conversation :). I actually really enjoy translating and it gave me a chance to see how far I have come with my Spanish as my sister and I had about the same level when I first came. She of course had no trouble adapting to life here and my family more than willingly adopted her into our home.

But the adventurous pretty much started as soon as I picked her up. I had borrowed a car (actually my dad had borrowed a car) to pick her up at the airport as her flight got in quite late. So there were no troubles on the way there, but somehow on the way back between all the talking, traffic circles, and dodging of other crazy drivers...my headlights got turned off....and I got pulled over by the friendly local Nicaraguan police. Thankfully my host dad was with us and he did most of the talking, and thank the Lord we got away with a warning otherwise my license would have been taken away and a few other fines added on (as we didn't know where the registration papers for the car were...or if there were any.) Then just as we were pulling into the driveway of the owner, the car stalled out and I couldn't restart it. I didn't know if it was the lack of gas (as the gas tank read EMPTY) or if the battery was bad or what was going on. We tried push starting it but there was nothing. Of course I start worrying a little bit as who knows what was wrong with the car before I got it but I would of course be responsible for all damages afterwards. But as per usual, God took care of the details. Turns out the guy hadn't maintained the car in about a year and it was lacking in the fluids department.

Sunday we had a great day as we went out to a friend of mine's fruit farm and had a little picnic, then went home to learn how to drive the motorcycle. I had been wanting to learn for awhile, not to drive in Managua as the streets are crazy and I'm scared enough being a passenger, but to learn just in case. Anyways, I now know how to drive a motorcycle but while I was switching from passenger to driver's seat, i hit my leg on the muffler. Me being not so bright, only had shorts on....and so now I am nursing a pretty solid burn on my lower leg which is surprisingly difficult as I want to give it fresh air, but as soon as i leave my bedroom, all the dirt in the air sticks to the polysporin/wound. I'm trying not to worry too much about it and I just went to a clinic today and they said it wasn't infected so..we'll see.

Bethany had a chance to come to Hogar Belen with me for the day on Monday and then we headed out to Leon, Nicaragua for some volcano boarding. Pretty much volcano boarding is sledding down a volcano(the ash from previous eruptions) on a toboggan. Surprisingly difficult to be honest (and a few more scrapes) but it was a lot of fun and it was a great view from the top of the volcano, Cerro Negro. We then went to La Laguna de Apoyo, which I think I have mentioned in previous postings is a volcano crater that has sunken and is now a beautiful lake. Went to the Masaya market for some souvenirs and ended off the week in San Juan del Sur. It was a great week not just for traveling but for spending time with sister, someone who knows A LOT about me, and someone I could verbally process some of my joys, frustrations and things I've been learning. (plus I had a date for Valentines day)

Thank you for all those who are praying. If you could pray that my leg heals well (and a plug for vanities sake that the scarring would be minimal?!) and that God would guide my thoughts as I go back into the daily swing of things, continually trying to invest in the moment and seek His heart and thoughts.

thanks

amanda

2010-02-07T15:17:00.000-08:00

Hey!! Wow, sorry it has been awhile but I feel like maybe their is more anticipation now to read this post?! No? Well either way here it is. January has been great! I have had a chance to travel some more and see more of Nicaragua, spend time with friends and continue to grow.
The beginning of January I had a chance to go to Leon with two of the other SALTers. Leon is famous for some of it´s old churches, and since we went on a Sunday when most of the shops are closed...that´s what we saw...a lot of churches! My Nicaraguan history is failing me right now but I think it was one of the capitals back in the day (the capital city changed depending on which party was in leadership). Pretty much we would see a steeple (i don´t know how to spell that) and walk towards it. And so progressed our day. It was a great chance to get out of the city though and spend some time with the girls.
A friend of mine that volunteered last Oct/Nov came back to volunteer for the month of January (and actually just left today) so work has been great in that aspect. She has a lot of great ideas and energy to carry them through so it was good to change the pace of things. We have started setting up a sensory room for the kids. It´s called a Snoezelen Room and is meant to either stimulate the kids who need it or just be a good chill out time for those who also need that. I also had a chance to talk with an OT who worked at an orphanage in Jamaica and so she has got me thinking about how to best utilize time and space with the kids. The hard thing is following it through and figuring out where to or how to start. I feel at a loss with some of the kiddos because I don´t know where they are at or what their diagnoses is. Which can be really great because I can work with what I see.....but at the same time, I don´t know what´s inhibiting them from progressing. So if you could PRAY for wisdom for me as to how to change/adapt my approach while working with different kids that would be awesome.
At the beginning of January the older kids (who came at the beginning of December) went out to the new Mustard seed Communities home in Diriamba. The house is just getting started and there is a lot of planning and programming that still needs to be done. But I think the place has a lot of potential for providing a home for the kids where they can more actively contribute to day to day life and learn some life skills. So since the older kids are gone, Hogar Belen is a little quieter. BUT we have seen some awesome progress. One of the little guys is now walking independently...and another one is walking independently (with a lot of encouragement, but just the same..walking). My little buddy Elvira who I feed at lunch time is doing well. She is consistently eating an entire bowl of pureed food..and she´s doing it smiling :)
Around mid January I felt like I was getting into a rut. In some ways this rut could be seen as a blessing but let me explain. I want to be intentional about this year. Intentional about meeting people, intentional about learning Spanish, intentional when working with the kids, and intentional about seeking God and growing in my relationship. But I have been here now for six months and I am getting comfortable. I am able to have basic conversations with people (with minimum fake laughing!), I know a few people in church and I have gotten into a good groove at work. Even with God, now that I feel more comfortable and at home here...I am not praying and seeking His presence as much throughout the day. So apart from the God thing, it is a blessing that I have gotten to the comfortable part and feel more at home....but I want to keep going and pushing/challenging myself to continue growing. To continue meeting people and learning spanish and changing my approach with the kids. I don´t want to get home and say ´dang if only i had....´So last week I went to VIVA spanish school in Managua. Just for five days but it was a good chance to refresh some of the things I knew and work on another level of Spanish. Now I just have to practice. So that´s one step I suppose, but definitely want to continue progressing and living each moment to it´s fullest. So if you could PRAY for that one as well...that I would continue to challenge myself rather than just getting through the day.
As for the traveling front. Last weekend a friend of my sister´s who I haven´t seen in about 10 yrs had to do her Visa run from Costa Rica. So she came up for the weekend and we toured around Granada and then went to the Laguna de Apoyo. It is a volcano crater that has now become a lake. The water is 28 degrees and absolutely beautiful! We stayed at a hostel (Crater´s Edge) but it was more of a retreat than anything. We went for a hike up the volcano wall to get a better view and then went for a morning kayak. Probably the most exercise I have had in awhile...but I loved every minute of it! At the top of the volcano wall is a town called Catarina and it has a bit of a market there. While looking in one of the little tiendas I accidently knocked a ceramic butterfly off the wall and it broke. They asked if I could pay 30 cordobas for it which is more than fair and so as I was paying for it I asked if I could at least have the pieces to glue together. They said yes, and as they were putting the pieces in a bag for me..they put another ceramic butterfly in a bag for me as a gift! I don´t understand the logic behind it...but I guess there isn´t any. It was just a gift. It was great to spend time with this friend though..first person from ´back home´which was awesome. And this past weekend my friend Gabbi headed back to Texas but not before we went back out to the Laguna for a break from the sun and a swim in the lake. So it has definitely been a busy month! My host brother has started calling me a vagabond in joking! And with travelling has come a bit of a change in mindset. The more people I meet from around the world....the more I want to travel and continue exploring! Up until around Christmas my mindset was sort of : okay, get through this year, live in every moment....and then go home and settle down (whatever that means). But there is a whole world out there!! An entire world full of amazing people and cultures and traditions and languages! Don´t worry, I definitely plan on coming home and seeing friends and family because now more than ever I appreciate those relationships. But, I definitely want to continue traveling and growing and changing. I dont like ruts.

OH! and the countdown is on because my sister is coming to visit! Huge Surprise! She will be here on the 13th..which means I have a date for Valentines!! I am sooooo excited for her visit. She will be here for a week so hopefully we get to do a little bit of everything!!

Thank you so much for your prayers and support. It means a lot to know that I am not doing this alone and have people supporting and keeping me accountable.

All my love! I hope you are all doing well!
amanda

Poor turkey still had an egg in it!

2009-12-26T15:54:00.001-08:00

my Christmas corner, complete with stocking and countdown

A nativity scene at the Microfer in Managua

Ready to go

Hanging out with the kids at Hogar Belen

Moises has captured the Christmas spirit! haha

Yes that is stuffing at the top of the picture, and a beautiful plate of turkey and rice to accompany it.

Eating my meat Nicaraguan style, straight off the bone, both hands in.

AH! I made it through Christmas in one piece and only cried because my sister got me going on the phone. Just kidding, it has been an amazing few days. I will start on the 23rd when my cute little parasite woke up. I actually still don't know if that is what I have, and I am too stubborn and what I like to think as "tough" that I have yet to go to the doctor. But anyhow, I slept until noon and then headed into Managua to pick up a package from some of my greatest friends :) It was the perfect combination of chocolate, sandals, and movies. I decided to stay the night at the office as it can be somewhat dangerous on the bus for multiple reasons, some personal and others not, haha but I had a chance to talk with my sisters, listen to Christmas music and make some peanut brittle (my opa's favourite Christmas treat and one I thought would help put me in the Christmas spirit).

24th: Christmas Eve: Christmas Eve is actually Christmas here. It is the day of festivities and celebrations. So I headed back into Esquipulas to wrap up some presents and help prep the turkey. And yes, there was still a little egg in the turkey. Poor guy only needed a little more time to get out. But I now know the internal anatomy of a turkey....a true life skill. For those of you who know me well, I don't like to touch raw meat and I don't know how to cook meat. I always said that would be a job for my husband. But I am learning slowly (they cook all their meat with orange juice, onions and garlic), and I had both hands in the pot mixing it around. Later on I headed to Hogar Belen to hang out with the kids for a bit and hand out some stickers my mom had sent for the kids. There was also some Arroz con leche (rice pudding x3 in yum factor). I usually don't feel like Hogar Belen is a sad place to be, but that day it was. Earlier on in December the kids had received presents for Christmas and had a big dinner, but on the 24th most of the workers including myself had gone home to spend time with their families. I guess a lot of these kids don't realize or understand the difference between the days, but still, they don't receive that one on one attention or get to participate in those family activities. For example, one of the little guys Amilkar who is about 4yrs old will just sort of stare into space or up at the clouds, but once you come close he just clings to you. You have to bring him out of his own world by swinging with him or tickling him, but when he does come out, it is awesome. Unfortunately he doesn't always have someone to bring him out of the clouds.

Christmas Eve service is always one of my favourite times to be in church. It is always a candlelight service, christmas carols...you get the painted picture. And despite waking up late from an afternoon nap, I knew I wanted to be at church for this service as well. Although it was a little different. The evangelical church here doesn't really celebrate Christmas. It isn't that they don't believe Jesus came to earth. But from my understanding it is either because the Catholics celebrate it and so they want to set themselves apart from catholicism, they feel it is a North American tradition, or others don't believe Jesus was born in December. Either way, I didn't feel totally comfortable wishing "feliz navidad" to all the elders in the church. But after church we had a great feast at our house. Turkey dinner (they added in some ingredients after I had done my part...it was more delicious that way), with rice, salad, and my own personal touch of stove top dressing/stuffing. Mom had sent some gifts for them and I had gotten a few things for them as well. Needless to say I think they were a bit overwhelmed when I gave them their gifts. But it felt so nice to be able to actually give them something tangible as they have done nothing but served me for the past few months.

Christmas DAY: It was a bit of a different Christmas, but amazingly good. I had my own private gift opening in my room with Michael Buble and Josh Groban singing in the Christmas carols, as my family had sent some gifts wrapped for Christmas day. Although the rest of the days events were pretty low key, honestly last night I felt sooo at peace. It was a joy and a peace that I haven't had for a long time. I feel so blessed by my family and friends back home who have gone out of there way to let me know that they are thinking of and praying for me. And I miss them incredibly, but am also really happy to be where I am right now, with the friends and family I have surrounding me now. This is a bit of a side note, but I was reading the story of the birth of Jesus, and Mary was one laid back lady. If I was pregnant and I knew I was carrying Jesus, I would be yelling at Joseph that he hadn't made a reservation or that we should have left earlier to get a room at a hotel. I should not have to have Jesus in a manger! But no, (from what I make of it anyways), she just went with the flow. The situation was what it was and she went with it. I think she understood God's purpose or at least was willing to trust that He was in the moment wherever that moment was held. And she pondered...I am more of an out loud thinker...but she just pondered, and I think she just waited to see where and how God was going to show Himself. I hope that I am not speaking for God or just adding words to the Bible. Maybe I am just adding in what I am learning and assuming Mary and I are working on the same lessons. Needless to say by the time the evening rolled around, I was filled with a peace and joy of truly being happy to be where I am, in this very moment. Cause I know God is working around me and has planned out so many little details. I am so blessed to be with my host family, I am able to joke around with my host parents and they are very laid back and easy-going, I have a 15yr old host brother who will accompany me to the field at 5am so that I can go for a run, and a little brother who truly makes me happy that I was the youngest child. haha I'm just joking. Even with Christmas, there are so many families that don't celebrate Christmas and yet my family was more than willing and gracious enough to put up Christmas lights with me because they saw it was something special for me.

Tonight has also been really special as I was able to come into Managua to spend some time with the other SALTers and YAMENer. We did some Christmas baking, face masks, painting toes and watching Christmas movies. Definitely a nice time to relax and enjoy some time together....and of course now update my blog.

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas/ Feliz Navidad! And a Happy New Year!

love

amanda

My sticker Christmas countdown says its 6 days until Christmas...but its really 5

2009-12-19T16:32:00.000-08:00

Manuel-ito, I am not being mean to him, he just doesn't like that I actually make him stand up.

This is Elvirita, I am feeding her everyday from around 1100 to 1200. We are working on transitioning her from a bottle to a spoon but it is a very slow process....and messy!

A group came into Hogar Belen to help celebrate Christmas with the kids

Some face painting to start things out

Antoni and I during one of our play dates

Which tree isn't like the others??haha

Putting up Christmas lights

Feliz Navidad Todo!! Espero que todo esta bien con ustedes! It is only 5 days because Christmas is celebrated on the 24th here. I am currently listening to the Edmonton Christian Radio station to get a little flavour of Christmas music as it is hard to come by here. It's funny the things that are sentimental to us, or the things that cue our mood. For example there is no snow obviously, not a lot of Christmas music being played, and an abscence of other familiar traditions around me. And so for me it feels really weird that Christmas is so close. But nonetheless, the reason for the season is the exact same! And thanks be to God that it is. God is a God who is bigger than traditions, He is bigger than borders, languages and any other box we may put around Him or around ourselves. Jesus may of come as a small package but He is a powerful and amazingly personal gift.

I am looking at only three days of work this next week and then the festivities begin. This month has flown by and again there have been good and bad days....but as a whole the good days far outweigh the moments of struggle. The last few weekends I have had a chance to spend more time with my host family, we headed into Managua to see the Christmas activities and fair that they have in December. I also went to the market with my host mom to buy some Christmas lights (I am by no means above Christmas traditions :) .

Work has been going well. We are now up to 30 kids with a huge variety in abilities and ages. As of January 4th, the older ones will be moving to another house about a 1/2 hour away from Hogar Belen. I had a chance to visit the site on Thursday and I think there is a lot of potential in creating a home-like environment for them, and the place is beautiful. The psychologist, physio-therapist and I have been working on setting up a plan for the kids and workers. We don't just want them to be busy but to also be learning vocational skills, how to plan, follow directions, build self-esteem, and get involved not only in the house but possibly also in the community. Initially I was not included in this planning which was disappointing for me as I felt like I had a lot of ideas to share...but then there was that language barrier again. But I was really excited this wednesday as I was asked to write out my ideas and share them with the rest of the team. It's hard to know how much will get followed. I would love to be leading some of the group activities because I feel like it is really O.T. but we shall see.

Although Christmas is so close and I definitely am missing friends and family, I feel like I am getting to experience so many great things that I can't spend my time wishing I was somewhere else. Coming here was a risk, and being away from family has been hard. Each day is filled with moments of uncertainty and at times anxiety, but the more awkward I have anticipated it to be, the more God has given me His peace. It's hard to explain, but I have been going through a devotional book and it has been talking a lot about rejoicing in your weakness and thanking God for the difficult times because that is when we seek God. And it is so true. I feel like I am learning to trust God more in situations (big and seemingly small) because what else am I going to do. I don't have a lot of control with what happens and so I can really only pray that God would guide my actions and reactions. Although days are still up and down, I feel like more often than not God has given me His joy and peace.

I will fill you in on the events of Christmas! As for now the plan is to have Christmas supper on the 24th and the 25th will just be spent relaxing with my family. Then the 26th and 27th I am going to go into Managua to watch Christmas movies, maybe do some Christmas baking and listen to Christmas carols with what few MCCers are here (likely just a couple others SALTers)

Many Blessings over Christmas!! Feliz Navidad! Enjoy every minute spent with family and friends. (And don't take for granted the eggnog! haha)

Lots of love

amanda

Feeling Better

2009-12-02T17:29:00.000-08:00

The MCC Nicaragua team

Just me getting distracted as per usual during the meetings

Ah! my countryside get away, we actually went swimming in that river in an area where a little waterfall came down

Frijoles....natural

The beautiful countryside of Matagalpa, Nicaragua

Hey, thank you everyone for your prayers. I am back in Managua but had a really great weekend/week out in Matagalpa with the rest of the team. Sunday morning was an early start to catch the bus and head out to Matagalpa and then out to the compo or countryside. I stayed the night with one of the other Salters who is doing her year long term out there. It is definitely a different way of living but the countryside is beautiful, the people are so generous, and we had a great time! In fact I was cold for what I think is the first time in about 4 months! We all went swimming in this area of the river where a water fall ran into and we could jump off these tiny cliffs! It was great.

Monday was a 'fun day' for the team, so we all went out to a swimming pool and had a chance to relax and eat some lunch together. And of course the work started yesterday and today. I actually really enjoy meetings though as I find it a good chance to get to know the other team members, what they are doing and how they are doing in their area of work and what the plans are for the next year with MCC.

And of course evenings are free and so we were able to just relax or get to know Matagalpa a little better.

Thank you for your prayers, I will be at Hogar Belen today and tomorrow and then there will be a long weekend as Monday and Tuesday is the Purisima which is a big Catholic holiday celebrating the conception of Mary. So although it would be a FANTASTIC weekend to go away.... I think I will hang out with my family and see what happens from there.

Prayer

2009-11-29T05:39:00.000-08:00

Despite the constant blessings around me, this week has been a long and difficult week. It may be a mixture of being tired and missing home. But if you could pray for me that would be great. I have the next few days in Matagalpa for meetings with MCC and then next Monday and Tuesday is off for a National holiday, which could mean a great time of relaxation or more time to think about home. I am definitely missing home, missing having those conversations with friends and family where I can really express myself, or not say anything and be totally comfortable just spending time with them. I am also struggling with some insecurities and doubts. So really any prayer would be great if you think of it.

Thanks so much

amanda

2009-11-21T12:01:00.000-08:00

Having a little music session

This was when we were in Masaya, some traditional dancing

One of the little girls during Horse therapy

Doing a sensory activity with one of the little guys: a nasty combination of cooked spaghetti, marshmallows, jello, and chocolate pudding

A day out to Masaya with my family

Friday afternoon activity: the water balloon toss which of course turned into a huge water fight with the older kids and some of the staff :)

Out rappelling at Flor de Pachote: 70m down

I apologize to all my devoted readers that it has now been like 3 weeks since I last posted! HAha Im just kidding.
Well as I said in the last post, Christmas is gearing up here. We are starting to make and hang up Christmas decorations at work. And I actually had a conversation with my host mom Layla about if she would like a Christmas tree for the house and she said that everyday is special and so many families dont get a Christmas tree but after I rationalized that it is like a birthday cake on your birthday....something extra to celebrate, she agreed and said if I wanted to buy a tree or some lights, we can definitely decorate the house a little bit. So I am not sure when we will do that, but I think we will get some lights and decorate the place a little bit. And Christmas music is going to start playing, as soon as I find some!
The last few weeks have been really great at work. There have been some struggles and differences in opinion as far as how to discipline the kids, how to position the kids and feed kids who require a lot of extra time (bottle vs spoon), but this last tuesday was the grand presentation! Gabbi and I gave a presentation on Feeding, Positioning the kids in bed, Providing extra sensation for those kids who dont respond to natural stimuli (i.e. music, lights, people around them etc...hyper and hyposensitivity), we also talked about disciplining the kids and how to re-enforce consequences when there are so many people that work with the kids and everyone has a difference of opinion. Especially for example in my case. It is tough to communicate with the kids as is, and the older ones really dont listen when I try to tell them what to do (i.e. not run in the street, pick up there garbage, dont hit other kids etc) and so it actually becomes a game for them. And everyone has a different opinion about how to have them listen, so just working through that and working with what I believe is appropriate as well. There was a lot of great conversation about all of the topics and we will see how things change....poco a poco I am assuming but still hopeful.

Last weekend I went rapelling with some friends which was sooooo much fun. I have never been and so it was a little exhilarating with a 70m drop. And yet another activity added to the list of tourist activities!! Javier my host brother came with us, but due to a slight miscommunication, he ended up coming even though he doesnt actually enjoy rapelling. I guess I forgot to actually tell him the activity when we were talking on the phone (which is really hard by the way when i can't act anything out haha)..oops again, but we went out to a movie the next day so I think it was a pretty good weekend in general. He is actually going to Guatemala for the week to play baseball so that will be pretty awesome for him, if all the paperwork goes through.

And actually tomorrow I am going to a Thanksgiving Dinner with all the American people from MCC which means I need to figure out a dish to make. Not totally sure yet as my family is sending stuffing in a care package and I plan on learning the lesson of sharing after I eat it!

So this next week will again be a transition as Gabbi has left back for the states and I am flying solo at Hogar Belen. I am a bit apprehensive about working solo with the kids, but at the same time I am thankful for the time she was here and excited for the next phase. However, I think it will be a good opportunity to get to know the ladies at Hogar Belen a little better and practice more Spanish.

FYI it is NOVEMBER

2009-11-04T16:17:00.000-08:00

Yes another post is definitely needed. Just to clear up one thing from the last post. Gabby or Gabriella is a girl that is volunteering here for two months. It was really random and last minute how she ended up working at Hogar Belen, but she is a blessing to work with as she not only speaks and understands Spanish (she is American) but her and I get along really well and its always more fun working with kids when someone else is around to relieve you when you are a little bit stressed on patience. And we have been able to hang out after work as she lives quite close to me.
The last couple of weeks have flown by and I cannot believe it is November already! In fact the Christmas tree is up in one of the malls here....thats a little early for me, even if there was snow on the ground.

Okay so what has happened? hmm, all the ladies from MCC went up to Matagalpa for a ladies night two weekends ago which was a great time to relax, eat, make jewelery and get to know some of them a bit better. A few of us went to Selva Negra which is sort of a natural reserve area/ self sustaining community all the way from coffee plantations to a restaurant. There are also really beautiful trails to hike/walk and see some howler monkeys. Which we didnt actually see but did hear. And of course before we left we just had to try some home grown coffee ! And that Sunday was one of the families, sons 3rd birthday. So of course we celebrated and had a pinyata.

Unfortunately I was a little sick coming out of that weekend and this weekend as well. Not sure if it is the food or if I am not hydrating enough on the weekends, but its kept me from work for a couple half days. So while I sleep off whatever I have, I keep one eye open as my host dad thinks an injection shot is the cure for everything!! I have resisted him sooo far, but I am running out of excuses. haha

And this past weekend was really great. It started out with an awesome afternoon with the kids on Friday. We were told to think of a fun activity for them as Fridays we like to do something different both for the kids and the staff to enjoy. So I had some balloons which had been sent with me and so we decided to do a balloon toss with the older kids and have the younger kids just play with the water balloons.....which of course turned into a huge water fight between a few of us! Then some ladies from the community donated a Spiderman pinyata, Spiderman and Spongebob shirts for all the kids and followed it up with cake and jello! That is a good day no matter where you are working!

Saturday there was another fundraiser at the church in order to finish the floor, roof etc. This of course was a huge surprise to me as I thought there was just a drama being performed...but no, it was likely announced in church and I just happened to miss it!...again! Actually it was really great as there were a lot of specials performed (dramas and music pieces) and thankfully none of them by me...although I was told the last one went well, as I did it in both English and Spanish. Afterwards we went for pizza with my family...another surprise, but a delicious one as I could eat pizza for breakfast lunch and supper.

Sunday my host family and I went to the Masaya market for a little shopping and I wanted to buy a present for my host mom Layla as it is her Birthday on the 9th....so we got some new dancing shoes for her. Not actually for dancing, but new shoes nonetheless. The weekend was just a great time to spend with family here as I had been invited to go down to the beach with a friend but really felt like I should stick it at home for a bit. And I am definitely glad I did. I am so used to planning my own schedule and I like to be busy and doing things, but when I have slowed down is when I have had the chance to do some unexpected things...a little lesson I guess.

And yet again it is Wednesday. Time with the kids has been great...today I started writing out what I will be saying for the presentation we are giving in a couple weeks. And it looks like Friday we will be taking a few kids to the pool for some therapy. I really wish I had a bit more experience working with kids so that I could really focus on some development goals and have more of a clinical rationale behind what I am doing....but things are going well as I am learning what works best for each child, how to pace myself, and how to communicate with them.

PRAYER REQUESTS:
-If you could pray for health that would be great. As I said I have been sick a few times with nausea, cramping stomach and have just been really tired. I am not too sure what it is from either.
-That God would continue to work in me. I have a lot of things to learn....generosity for one. Also prayer. I am reading A Praying Life by Paul Miller (i believe), and so far it has talked about just coming to God messy. Not worrying that your prayers arent polished or focused, just come to Him with whatever you have. And learning to live your life in constant communication with Him....which also helps in keeping your perspective on whatever moments come your way.
-That God would guide my thoughts and show me how He sees me.
BUT Thanks be to God because I have seen Him working around me in so many ways, whether providing me with supportive friends, a great conversation (in Spanish) with my host cousin or a random event to lighten my mood (like a traffic jam caused by cows crossing the road).

Hope you enjoy the read and pictures will hopefully soon come however I dont like to have my camera out with me very often and so it is difficult to download pictures at a cyber cafe.

Lots of love
amanda

Eating Papaya

2009-10-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

No the title of this blog has nothing to do with the contents hereafter however I am currently eating papaya...first one i have ever actually bought...and it is delicious!

So the big news is that I have missed Thanksgiving :( which I wasn't too upset about until my dearly beloved family called and made me a little bit homesick and I then realized the turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie that I was missing (along with family time of course) However, after my dearly beloved niece pointed out that she ate two pieces of pie she insisted that she would tell oma to save me a piece.....so in due time I too will have my pie.

Well I have officially been gone for 10 weeks, 1/5th of the way done with 9 more months to go. This past week has been great....and exhausting! The 'regular' schedule for the week involves Monday morning and Wednesday afternoon out at a ranch where a few of the kids go horseback-riding and Friday morning out at a swimming pool for some physiotherapy, however this hasn't happened yet as they are still looking for a new therapist. Chapel is every morning at 10am with a few of the older kids and the entire staff, and other than that, the time is used up by any creative ideas we have for spending time with the kids while working on some development. For example:

Tuesday morning: some of the kids have either sensory hyper or hyposensitivity. A couple of them will just be vibrating when left alone, make noises, hand movements etc. however when we get them into our "sensory room" with lights, music and some deep pressure (really just bit bear hugs) they totally relax and chill. And another boy just hates being touched, so to work with both sides of the scale we made a bit of a sensory goolash which included cooked spaghetti, pudding, jello, and marshmallows and had some of the kids put there hands and feet in it and play with it a bit. Needless to say I was also covered with chocolate pudding by the end of the day :)

Wednesday afternoon: Gabby and I realized what it would be like to have 19 children! The other staff were having a meeting about positioning of the kids and some tips for feeding them and so Gabby and I were put in charge of the kids for two hours. They were supposed to be sleeping for half of that time.....but no such luck! Oh wow, kids climbing everywhere, running, crying, laughing....we were exhausted which the staff found hilarious as we only had to do it for a couple hours.

Apparently Fridays I am now playing guitar and doing some singing/songs with the kids. For those of you who haven't heard my skill, it involves about 5 chords with the same strumming pattern for ALL songs, none of which have a Nicaraguan beat! haha

Gabby and I were asked to do a presentation on the 15th of November for all staff which will include educating and providing suggestions for improving the childcare. So we are going to try to focus on Feeding/Positioning, general stimulation/activities for the kids and positioning for kids while they are in bed or in a chair as some of them have contractures/tight muscles in their legs. There may be a few other things we will add in as well. So that should be exciting as there are great things being done at Hogar Belen, but it's nice when they are open to suggestions!

Yesterday I had the chance to go to the Oriental Market which is the biggest in Central America. I was told it is ~100 city blocks(?). It is ginormous, but really fun as I went with Gabby and her host family. In the evening I had a chance to meet with some friends and fellow MCCers at a restaurant in Managua to listen to five famous Nicaraguan singers. Unbelievable music! And now I am heading home to prepare to sing a special in church. Each service a few people will sing or lead a song, and my host mom asked if I was going to do one sooooo, I guess I am. A little bit nervous but there isn't too much pressure...I don't think anyways. Open the Eyes of my Heart Lord is one that some people know in both Spanish and English so we'll see how that goes! haha

I hope everything is going well in Canada and that everyone had a great time with family and friends over Thanksgiving. Crazy that it's October and there isn't even snow on the ground! haha :)

Have a blessed week. Thank you for your prayers and support. It has been a great week, Spanish and relationships are coming and will continue to develop, Gracious a Dios.

much love

amanda

**having troubles loading pictures, sorry.

Just started working

2009-10-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

So I have officially made it through hump day...thats the middle of the week, which in my books is always the toughest day to reach during a work week back home. I am really excited about working at Hogar Belen. It is going to be interesting and challenging but I will learn a lot and gain a lot of new experiences. The kids are all at really different levels. A couple have Downs Syndrome, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, some behavioural things...and others I am not totally sure. Back home I am used to having a diagnosis, a list of assessments highlighting a childs abilities and difficulties and the written out plan of action or specific goals. Here it is a little bit different. But good news is that I am getting used to taking things as they come and finding out as I go. Many of the diagnosis are not specific, and the general goal for each child is to provide them with sensory stimulation- tactile, visual, and auditory. Work on vocalizations...many understand but dont speak...which actually means they are slightly more skilled than I am! haha. But from what I can see, if I can provide them with attention, a chance to play and be a kid, and love them, then all the other things will come in time. poco a poco.

There is a girl who just started volunteering today and she is from the States. She will be here for two months and speaks Spanish! so that will help with the translation, although I definitely want to continue studying and practicing.

Hmm I am running out of time at this cyber cafe and I only have 20 cordobas with me....but please pray that God would fill me with love and compassion for these kids. I have heard it can be challenging as progress is very slow. Continued pray for learning Spanish, and that God would guide me interactions and friendships with people here as I do not feel like I am able to truly connect with people or show myself to them as I would back home. Which is frustrating, seeing how I am usually somewhat loud and chatty cathy at home.haha But it has been so encouraging to see God in day to day events. I can be having a frustrating day and then all of a sudden I have a great conversation with someone and I get excited. Oh speaking of which, fun note....I had a night of futbol and hide and seek with some of the neighbourhood teens. Super fun, and probably more exciting when you dont know what you are playing or who you are looking for for the first ten minutes! haha. Anyways, we ended up getting rained out and running home on the road which had quickly become a grand river!

Adios
amanda

more changes!

2009-09-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

Okay so this is going to be really quick but i thought I would show some pictures of my new place and family in Esquipula. It is a town just outside of Managua and I am really excited about the change. My family is very relaxed and as our place in a bit out in the country, it is a lot quieter and safer. In fact I had the chance to go for my first run yesterday morning.....which is so great not only for exercise, but it has always been an outlet for me when i am stressed, anxious, frustrated or just need someplace to get some space.

My family Ebert and Layla, and their two sons Javier (15) and Cristopher (9) are really great and I am already starting to feel at home. Javier plays baseball and so we will be heading out to watch his game tomorrow morning, and Cristopher and I play golf as displayed in the pictures! It's unreal how four holes can be so different and challenging, but the course changes everyday depending on whether it has rained the day before.

Please pray as I have only one more week of Spanish. The communication is coming, but I have a long way to go. My family has been really encouraging in this aspect as my host dad has just told me to be relaxed about it and it will come. Javier also wants to learn more conversational English (I think for his big baseball career as he wants to play for Toronto and eventually Boston and apparently is quite good!) Anyways, I think we will get a whiteboard or something to have half english and half spanish as I am someone who definitely has to see the word in order to remember it!

Also please continue to pray that God would help me to be in the moment of each experience, conversation and relationship. I have great experiences each day, but this last week was a bit challenging. I don't know if it was a combination of being tired from not sleeping well mixed with being affected by the heat...but I found myself frustrated/overwhelmed/exhausted and continually wanting to escape and get a break. Go for coffee, meet with a friend or just read. I know none of these things are bad but I also don't want to always be "escaping." Just another thing I'm working out.

People have been asking me how God is working in me and how my devotional life is. And to be honest it's different than I thought. Although I am surrounded by a Christian community and attending church a few times a week, I haven't been able to understand the worship or message and thus haven't really felt filled. But I think God is working in me in those day to day moments. As I pray for safety, or see Him in the small things around me and asking what His purpose is for me and why He wants me here. I find I am looking for Him more in the small things and He is confirming different things to me (such as trusting Him or resting in His grace) at the same time that I am thinking or struggling with these different ideas.

Kinda make sense?! I'm not great at articulating what is happening, but at the same time I am still at the beginning stages of this learning curve...so hopefully I'll be able to be more insightful around Christmas or something.

I will try to update before then, but if not, I will be starting work at Hogar Belen on the 5th of October. Another change, more learning, and I'm sure more experiences of humility and patience. If you happen to think of me on that day it would be great if you could pray for me.

A weekend getaway

2009-09-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

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

Prayer Requests

2009-09-04T15:37:00.000-07:00

A few things in case my name comes up in your prayers :)

~ Please pray that I would have grace and patience with myself as I learn Spanish. There have been good days and frustrating days, but that I would continue to study and practice....remembering the reason for why I am doing it.

~ As I build relationships with my host family and co-workers, that God would guide those relationships despite any language barriers that may be present. That there would be understanding on both sides.

~ That God would give me His eyes, hands and feet for the year. A year feels overwhelming to me and I know there are going to be ups and downs. But a friend reminded me (and God has been confirming it to me through messages I've listened to online and my devotionals) that God knows exactly what mountains and valleys we need to go through in order to grow. When I am going through the valleys, He desires that I lean on Him and trust in His power and sovereignty in each situation. It's not about my comfort but about growth and serving those around me. I haven't hit too many valleys yet but I want to keep the mindset of giving each day to Him.

~ That I would be 100% present in each moment.

thanks guys

It's been a month!

2009-09-04T14:49:00.000-07:00

Hola and Buenas tardes! Well as of tomorrow I will officially of been gone for one month! It's a little crazy because it has gone by really fast! I'll keep this post short because in the next few weeks will be more changes and thus more to write. I have been taking Spanish for two weeks now at Viva Spanish school. I'm there for two hours a day and then I meet with a young lady who did the 1yr. internship program last year. Which is really nice, as we have gone to a couple markets, and visited other sites around town which has given me the chance to practice spanish doing day to day activities! Sounds like i'm a pro but i'm really not. So my days have definitely been filled with Spanish, and just when I sit down to read and English book, my host dad gives me the gears (in Spanish) for reverting to English. He says I should eat, sleep, and shower in Spanish....and so last night was the enjoyable task of reading an adventure book in espanol. By reading I mean dictionary in one hand and taking about an hour and a half to semi-comprehend two pages :) BUT, it will be soooo worth it to be able to have even a simple conversation! On tap for the next week is more Spanish, and some of us are going to try to go out to San Jaun del Sur next weekend as the 14th and 15th are national holidays. It's on the pacific coast, and apparently has great surfing and plus and ocean so I'm pretty sure we can't go wrong!! Oh and did I mention I started taking Sign Language on Saturdays as well (instruction given in Spanish). The first class went really well but I'm not too sure if I'll continue as I find so much is covered within the week of Spanish classes that I may really need the Saturday, Sunday to catch up...and rest. Love you all and for those at work who were wondering. I haven't seen an actual chocolate bar, but I have eaten my share of churros and fried cheese...oh and cocoa con leche (kind of a chocolate powdered drink in milk that is really good) so as far as fat/sugar content, I've got it. But I may update you if a package of chocolate is required.

2009-08-20T10:25:00.001-07:00

I guess I should have posted about NIcaragua before actually posting a picture of me making tortillas on the last post....oh well. Okay so I am officially here in Nicaragua. I am living with a family from the church. (I have posted some pictures on facebook, and i apologize if you don't have access to facebook but it's tough to post everywhere). My host family has a son in grade nine, Byron, and Keyla is in University studying to be an architect. They have been so welcoming and my host dad has really taken time during the evening to teach me Spanish (he speaks no English) and I feel like I'm being treated like royalty, but hopefully as I start to get settled I'll be able to contribute more to their daily tasks and chores. The last few days have been really busy. We have toured Managua, gone to a traditional dance at the theater, and just yesterday we got back from Matagalpa. It's about 1 1/2 hrs outside of Managua and absolutely beautiful. I had the chance to ride in the box of the truck which ensures the best view ;) Anyways, we went to take one of team members out there as she will be working in the compo (country) with another family working with MCC. They are providing education and sustainable agricultural work, installing latrines, nutrition workshops etc. with the families out there. Honestly the views in the country are breathtaking as you drive through the 'mountains' and the weather was a little cooler which was also refreshing.

Hmm, what else. Ah, I will finally have my first Spanish lesson today. Which will be really nice, because although I can usually figure out what people are asking me, in group discussions, conversation is predominantly Spanish, which can lead to missing out on things. And plus it's a bit frustrating not being able to actually get to know some of the other team members. But I'm praying it will come, and I know it will with a little work.

The next few weeks will primarily be focusing on learning Spanish and by mid-September I will move out of my current home to a new place more in the country as it will be closer to Hogar Belen. The orphanage that I will be working at probably by October. So lots of transitioning going on but overall I am really enjoying my time....and missing you all!!

Talk to you soon

amanda

Orientation....then Nicaragua

2009-08-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

I was kindly reminded that I should update this seeing how my world has turned around within the past week. I am currently in Akron, Pennsylvania at the MCC headquarters. We flew in on Saturday August 8th and have been attending sessions, eating great food and meeting amazing people for the past week.

It has been such a blessing to meet so many people from around the world who all have the desire to serve no matter how scary it might be. There are a group of us called S.A.L.T volunteers who are from the U.S and Canada going internationally. Then there is a group called I.V.E.P which has people from around the world volunteer for a year in North America, and finally there are people who live abroad and are going someplace else around the world. So pretty much we have had our own little United Nations in a small town in the Beautiful state of Pennsylvania. Honestly there are people from Cambodia, Laos, Germany, Lesotho, Zambia, Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil, Nicaragua, Vietnam etc.

This week has definitely been a mixture of emotions. The sessions have all been really good. Different sessions have included communicating across cultures, living with a host family, cultural traditions, taking care of yourself while living abroad, the international work of MCC (which is unreal by the way, really neat organization), living under oppression, and culture shock. They are definitely preparing us to hit the full spectrum of emotions. According to the chart....I should hit a bit of a depression around week 12 which places us around the beginning of November (so maybe keep that one in mind ;) Pretty much everyone here has either recently graduated from University or they are in the middle of there program. But it really is encouraging and inspirational to have met so many people who want to serve, it has definitely challenged me to change my perspective from "this is a year to learn spanish, help some children and gain experience"...to "this is a year to ask God to use me where He's working." It's not about my tools and skills, it's about seeking God and asking Him to use me. And I've also been reminded to lower my expectations. I have all these expectations....mostly my own, but I need to be gracious with myself. In learning about the culture, learning SPanish, and really just focusing on the moment. On the here and now.

So that is such a summary but a little idea of the past week. I am leaving Akron and flying out of Philly tomorrow morning at 1100am, then down to Miami and final destination Managua!! It is crazy and it still hasn't set in that I will be going down there. So hopefully that ends soon, and I start to settle in. I am both excited and anxious about the unexpected however my sister kindly reminded me that the past year of 2008 was full of changes, lessons, and many periods of being anxious....and wouldn't you know it, it's 2009 and I survived!!

I will be going down with two other girls. One of whom will be in Managua with me, and both speak Spanish so that will be helpful at first!! And other than that I have no idea about my in-country orientation or my host family.

Well I am off to a fiesta in our house "The Manor" so I will try to update soon and post some pictures.

love you all

amanda

1 1/2 weeks to go!!

2009-07-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

Yikes!! I had my last day of work today and am now busy packing. It's been a bittersweet past week as I have had to say goodbye to some amazing colleagues and co-workers. I have been so blessed throughout the last year to be surrounded by a supportive team, who have not only provided me with much needed clinical help, but also support, encouragement, and many laughs! Honestly, the support has been unreal, especially in this last week! I probably have to take another suitcase with the amount of gifts given to help with my preparation (soap, lotion, bandaids, hat, immodium ;), dictionary, sandals, sunscreen and bugspray...the list goes on!!!) and to take for the kids (playdough, beads, paper, stickers, pencils, fine motor OT games, balls....and yet again....the list goes on!!!) I wouldn't have thought of 3/4 of the things, but I know they will all come in handy and the kids will love them!

Thank you to everyone!!! I am excited for this next year, but am sooooo grateful for this past year, the relationships made and the experiences had.

Preparations

2009-05-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

I didn't want my only post thus far to be regarding finances....I just have a whole checklist of items to do and I needed to get that one started.

So I am looking at a little over two months before leaving, and I have quite a few things to get done....physician's appointment, immunizations, buying all those small essentials like sunscreen and a mosquito net. And then there is this overwhelming task of learning Spanish, or at least getting started on the basics. Seeing how I am supposed to be translating for groups down there, and helping some of the kids with speech skills, I am trying to get a bit of a head-start so that they don't end up having Canadian accents!

And of course I am trying to pack as much time in with friends and family before I go, because this is the one thing I know I am going to miss!

So there is a little bit of an update. It still feels a bit like a dream...like I'm not actually going, but I have a feeling that's going to end pretty quick.

Please pray for peace in the next little while, and continued trust and submission with all the preparation, both physically and mentally.

Getting Set Up Financially

2009-05-26T20:33:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are interested in financially assisting me while I am in Nicaragua, there are a few ways you can do this. There are two different accounts, one is to cover my overhead expense of $4600.00, donating to this account is tax deductible. The second place is to a personal account. With MCC I receive $60.00 a month for costs that may come up during my stay, in which case you can add to this monthly allowance. I have included the information regarding both accounts. Thank you in advance if you do decide to financially support me, however do not feel obligated at all. Your prayer and support is more than enough!!

My name is Amanda Steen and my MCC ID# is 628311

Canadian Financial Memo

MCC asks SALTers to contribute a minimum of $4600 CDN towards the program. Given the high costs of offering a program like SALT, MCC welcomes contributions beyond the expected minimum. All contributions are tax deductible and non-refundable. Most program participants raise the money through contributions from church friends and family.

Donations made to MCC:

Online Donations

MCC prefers to receive donations online towards your contribution amount. Contributions may be made in either US or Canada $$ and will be credited to your support as long as the donor uses the designation "Other" and adds the following wording together with your name and MCC#: "SALT support for [First Last name] (MCC ID#)" in the box immediately below the designation.

Go to http://www.mcc.org/donate/donate.html to read information about receipts and security, then click on Donate Online and follow the directions.

Donations by Cheque

MCC is also able to receive donations by cheque:

Contributors should make cheques out to MCC, with > SALT -- (SALTer=s name)=

clearly stated on the memo line and send them to MCC in Akron, Pa. with an accompanying donation form.

Donors should mail their gifts directly to MCC, 134 Plaza Drive, Winnipeg, MB R3T by July 13, 2008.

All Canadian cheques should be sent to Winnipeg to ensure up-to-date records and timely receipting. Tax receipts will be issued as appropriate.

Personal Money during your MCC service:

MCC Financial Services maintains a personal drawing account (PDA) for most SALTers (the exception is in those locations where MCC does not have a country office). If your monthly allowance comes from MCC, it will be credited directly to this account. You can then obtain personal funds through the MCC field office in the local currency. Those who receive their funds from other than MCC offices will simply be given the cash each month.

Your friends and family can give cash gifts to you personally. These gifts are not tax deductible.

PDA Gifts Online

Gifts may be made in either US or Canada $$ and will be credited to your support as long as the donor uses the designation "Other" and adds the following wording together with your name: "Gift to the PDA of [First Last name]" in the box immediately below the designation.

Go to http://www.mcc.org/donate/donate.html to read information about receipts and security, then click on Donate Online and follow the directions.

PDA Gifts by Cheque

Friends and family can also give gifts by sending a cheque to MCC and asking that it be deposited to your PDA.

Please write:

>Name of SALTer Β PDA= on the memo line of the cheque to ensure it is deposited into the SALTer’s personal account. (If they are not marked ΑPDA≅ they cannot be identified as a personal support and will be regarded as a general SALT donation to MCC.)

Separate Cheques for PDA Gifts & SALT Support Donations: For administrative purposes, gifts marked for a SALTer’s PDA, must be issued with a separate cheque. Cheques received by MCC which include both a donation in support of a SALTer and a PDA gift will be returned to the donor with a request for two separate cheques.

Donor Form Attachment Canada--ebc – 2/7/06 Updated 2/7/08