more changes!

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

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

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!

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.