News from Nicaragua

Offline and Entering the Pueblos

2012-02-19T22:21:00.001-08:00

This past Wednesday our boss mentioned that she had been thinking about our Spanish progress and was wondering if we would be interested in taking a week off from “school” to head out for a rural family visit. She thought it might be good to change our routine and allow us to practice and apply what we have been learning.

The catch: she asked us if we would be willing to go to separate places.

Oftentimes couples take longer than individuals to learn new languages because they rely on one another for the newly acquired language and talk with one another in their first language. We of course were sad to think about being apart, but know that this will be good for us in the long run.

So we are heading out tomorrow morning. Cassie is headed to Estelí to live and work with a family who owns a second hand clothing store. Kevin is going to La Concepcion to work on a farm and with a church. We won’t have access to e-mail or the internet, but we will save our stories and pictures for a future blog post.

Have a great week!

“You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”

-Walter Hagen

Keeping Healthy

2012-02-16T14:58:00.001-08:00

How do you keep healthy when your host family goes through a gallon of oil each week? How do you keep healthy when most of the foods on the street are fried? How do you keep healthy when it is SO incredibly hot that you never feel like working out? I guess that is what we are currently trying to figure out. After being here for almost four months, we have found a few things that seem to work well for us.

First of all, there are tons of fruits and fresh veggies here in Nicaragua. We are going to be entering mango season pretty soon and we can’t wait to get our hands on them as our minds fill with the possibilities of what one can do with a mango.

Secondly, we enjoy our coffee (as many of you know) but we don’t put three heaping tablespoons of sugar in ours like our friends do here. Speaking of liquids, we are drinking a lot of water. Our Klean Kanteens have been getting much use and we are happy to report that the water in Managua is safe and clean for drinking. This has been a huge blessing as many other parts of Central America (and the world) do not have safe drinking water.

Thirdly, we are looking forward to a time when we have a place of our own and can choose the food that we make and also prepare it in our own special way. Although currently we are enjoying the local dishes and learning how to make them, it will be grand to make a curry dish for dinner.

Lastly, we feel that we have gotten into a pretty good workout routine. We try to run three times a week, the earlier the better due to the heat. If you start running after 6am, Nicaraguans think that you are crazy. We have enjoyed running in our barrio (neighborhood) as well as going to a nearby extinct volcano for a good 5k route. We also live close by to a military pool and have enjoyed swimming there one morning a week with a friend. Although we did get into some trouble a month ago for not having a swim cap or goggles. And I am embarrassed to admit that the teacher asked us not to spit in the pool! First of all, it wasn’t intentional and second of all, doesn’t everyone spit a little when they swim? We also picked up a yoga mat and have found several great workouts on pinterest and also brought along our P90X videos.

This past weekend we were fortunate to visit the ocean and had some good swims. Riding the waves is tough work! And as I write this, Kevin is out in the streets playing some futbol with the neighborhood guys. That is good exercise, right? All of this to say, we have a lot to learn, but we feel like we are making good headway to living a healthy lifestyle here in Nicaragua.

El Dia Del Amor

2012-02-13T12:30:00.001-08:00

I love sending cards and writing letters! I contribute this love to my Grandma Margaret who passed away a few years back. When I was young (around 6 years old), she wrote me my first letter. In this letter she asked if I would like to be her “pen pal.” For approximately fifteen years we wrote letters back and forth. She would tell me about her day, ask me how I was doing and would always let me know that she was praying for me. She was a faithful pray-er! At times, she would even include a couple of dollars, but the one thing that she would ALWAYS include was stamps. We had to keep these letters going!

Keep in mind that we wrote back and forth even though she only lived on the other side of the city. When she passed away, I took the opportunity to read through many of the letters that were saved my my rubber maid container. I took various excerpts from her letters and put together something meaningful that I could read at her funeral.

So, because of this history I couldn’t pass up a Valentines Day without cards. I know that this contributes negatively to commercialism and that a lot of really bad companies make way too much money, but I wanted those around me to know that they are loved!

I ordered a few cards for family back home, thanks to Shutterfly!

I then put together a few cards here in Nicaragua for our friends and loved ones here. Adria, my five year old host sister helped me out with this project. I picked up a few paint swatches at the local hardware store and we went to work.

Here is the end result. I apologize for the poor picture quality. We are looking into purchasing a different camera, but they are oh-so-spendy!

And these are my two Valentines here in Nicaragua (besides Kevin of course):

Thank-you Grandma Margaret for your faithful friendship through the years. Thank-you for your kindness and prayers, I wouldn’t be who I am today with out them. And thank-you for passing on the love of letters. I hope to do the same with my children and grandchildren.

Book Report

2012-02-08T11:48:00.001-08:00

Although it is hard to believe that neither Kevin or I are currently in school (a first in our almost five years of marriage), we still thought it would be helpful for you and for us to write book reports. In the last couple of months, we have been able to read several books that we would love to share with you. We anticipate that this will continue during our time here, we hope that you enjoy it!

One of our latest reads was Stones Into Schools: Promoting Peace with Education in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Greg Morstenson. We rented this from the Hennepin County Library through our Amazon Kindle. In less than ten seconds and at no cost, we pushed “borrow” and the book was loaded to our Kindle. What amazing technology we have!

Although Greg Mortenson has recently acquired some controversy due to the integrity of his first book Three Cups of Tea along with questionable expenditures from his non-profit, we would highly recommend this book to people interested in peace building, education, development work and how to bring change to this world. Mortenson shares several stories about the building of schools for children, mainly girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan. His organization has also expanded into doing more work with women in the areas of health care, education and the use of technology.

Mortenson “believes quite sincerely that the conflict in Afghanistan will ultimately not be won with guns and air strikes, but with books, notebooks, and pencils, the tools of socioeconomic well-being.” (Khaled Hosseini, author of Kite Runner)

One small step for a brave young girl, one giant leap for a community.

Studies from the World Bank indicate that just one year of primary school can result in an income bump of 10 percent to 20 percent for women later in life. According to Yale economist Paul T. Schultz, an extra year of secondary school may raise that same girl’s lifetime wages by an additional 15 to 25 percent. And the effects don’t end there. A number of studies indicate that in communities were a majority of the girls are educated through fifth grade, infant mortality drops significantly after a single generation. Simply put, young women are the single biggest potential agents of change in the developing world – a phenomenon that is sometimes referred to as the “Girl Effect.”

If you teach a boy, you educate an individual; but if you teach a girl, you educate a community.

No other factor even comes close to matching the cascade of positive changes triggered by teaching a single girl how to read and write. In military parlance, girls’ education is a “force multiplier” – and in impoverished Muslim societies, the ripple effects of female literacy can be profound.

One thing that impressed us with Mortenson is his willingness and ability to work as a humanitarian while working in step with the military. Often we find ourselves believing that it has to be one way or the other; however Mortenson has found a way to bridge the two of these. His first book, Three Cups of Tea has actually entered into the curriculum for U.S. military personal.

Throughout the book Mortenson shares bits and pieces of conversations with different military staff, “I am convinced that the long-term solution to terrorism in general and Afghanistan specifically is education. The conflict here will not be won with bombs but with books and ideas that excite the imagination toward peace, tolerance, and prosperity. The thirst for education here is palpable. People are tired of war after 30 years and want a better future. Education will make the difference whether the next generation grows up to be educated patriots or illiterate fighters. The stakes could not be higher.” LTC Chris Kolenda.

Where The Streets Have No Name

2012-02-03T16:08:00.001-08:00

Like other Nicaraguan cities and towns, Managua has very few street signs. Only the major roads are named. Large buildings, rotundas (traffic circles) and other historic sites serve as points of reference. Just to complicate matters a bit more, many of these references no longer exist.

Directions are described in terms of their direction and distance, usually in cuadras (blocks) from these points. In addition, Managua has a special system for north (al lago or to the lake), south (sur), west (abajo or down) and east (arriba or up).

Thus you might hear and we have said, “de donde fue el banco popular, una cuadra al lago, dos cuadras abajo,” which means from where the old popular bank used to be, (it has not been there since the 70’s) one block north and two blocks west.

All of this seemed quite overwhelming at first, but we would say that we are feeling increasingly comfortable with navigating the city as we spend many hours on public buses getting to know our new surroundings. To top things off the bus routes in Managua are not posted, nor is there a schedule. On the bright side an adventure awaits a bus stop away!

P.S. Kevin is not the biggest fan of U2, which in my opinion is quite unfortunate. I was grateful that he gave the “okay” to use their song title as our blog post!

My Thanks

2012-01-31T11:41:00.001-08:00

It is now the end of January and that means that I have written down 93 things that I am grateful for. Remember this post which included my New Year’s Resolution of documenting the things that I am grateful for? Well it has gone well so far, I have learned much and I intend to continue this practice for the next eleven months.

The majority of days this month were filled with much joy. However, there were a couple days that were a bit more difficult and it helped to reflect and look around at what is actually good.

I thought I would share a few things with you that were on my list this month: comfy bus seats, joy filled babies, hammocks, care packages filled with lovely treats, the progress made in language learning, the ability to exercise, great e-mails, learning patience, that my needs and wants are met, sleeping in, seventy years of beauty, safe ferris wheels, forgiveness, beautiful people, plans that actually work out, playing softball with the boys, seeing four countries in one day, forever families for children, mint/coffee ice-cream, antiretrovirals, restoration on earth, ethnic food, aging folks, a cuddly husband, completing a great book, beautiful ultrasound pictures, a God who cares, kids eager to play, access to water, lifelong friends, Skype calls, kids who love to play, a good walk and patient Spanish teachers.

MCC Friends

2012-01-26T12:27:00.001-08:00

In this time of transition we have been blessed by the relationships with our fellow MCCers here in Nicaragua. Their welcoming and hospitable spirits have been such a blessing to us. We have also appreciated their wisdom and advice for living in Nicaragua.

Back in December we headed to Granada (which by the way, in 1,001 Places to Visit Before you Die is listed as #1) with our friends Adam and Marissa. Adam works for the Peace and Justice Commission and Marissa promotes literacy through the development of libraries. We are grateful for their friendship, their amazing Spanish skills and are already encouraging them to extend their time here!

For New Years, we headed to Teustepe where our friends Liz and Nate work in community agricultural development. It was great to see their home, some of the work that they do and bring in the New Year with a really great couple. They enjoy good coffee and quality cooking, so we always have a great time together in the kitchen! (Pictured below is Liz buying groceries from the local comedor)

Also pictured above is David. He is also a member of our team, a native Nicaraguan and has been a wonderful friend to us in our transition here. He has provided us with a lot of insights about living here and has readily welcomed us into his home on several occasions.

Lastly, this is Goldie. She is a fellow MCCer and has much wisdom and insight into serving abroad as she has done this a few times before. She and I are prayer partners and I am looking forward to meeting with her on a regular basis and hopefully gleaning some of this wisdom from her! Also pictured with Goldie are a few other gals that we have the opportunity to work with here in Nicaragua. Finally is a picture of the majority of our team at a farewell party for one of our workers. We are very grateful for our MCC family!

Language Learning

2012-01-22T21:31:00.001-08:00

Yep, we are still working hard on it! Our language learning is continuing to go well. There are days when it can be frustrating, when we can’t communicate with those around us like we would like to, but overall we are happy with the progress that we have made. In the difficult times it is helpful to reflect back to where we were when we arrived and to compare it to where we are now.

Our days of Spanish look somewhat like this: study for an hour in the morning before school (once a week we treat ourselves to an americano and cappuccino), two hours of one on one language school, lunchtime at the office (conversation in Spanish), two hours of tutoring in the afternoon, dinner with our host family (conversation in Spanish) and a couple hours of studying and playing with the kiddos at night (all in Spanish).

I guess I haven’t had a newborn, but I can say that I have never been more tired! It seems like I need at least 10 hours of sleep to be ready for a new day of language learning. We will continue on “this schedule” until March when we will evaluate where we are at in our learning. We are hoping to start off the school year at UPOLI at this time.

On an encouraging note, we went to church today and were both able to understand the majority of the sermon. There were a few words here and there that we needed to look up in our dictionary, but overall we were quite pleased.

Now for the talking part…

As my mom said tonight on Skype, “our receptive language comes faster than our productive language.” We are feeling like we are at a point where we can listen and understand quite a bit, but spitting out the words is a whole other matter.

Back from Guatemala

2012-01-18T12:02:00.001-08:00

Cassie and I are back home, no we are not in Minnesota. However, after another 22 hours on the bus, traveling a similar distance of that between downtown Minneapolis and downtown Chicago (which only takes 7 hours on the Mega Bus) we are back in Managua. We enjoyed the time that we were able to spend with members of our team from Nicaragua and the larger MezzoAmerica MCC team. Together we spent time getting to know one another, hearing about each others work and also attending workshops which dealt with the current rise of violence in our area of the world and the recognized needs of our partners within this context.

Pictured above is a glimpse of the beautiful scenery and nature that we experienced in Guatemala.

We enjoyed visiting some of the local vendors as well as various cooperatives that are working together to sell products at a fair price.

We took a few boat rides on Lake Atitlan. We were fortunate to have a motor on most of them, however a lot of the locals work very hard to paddle across this beautiful lake. Also pictured above is part of the MCC Nicaragua team relaxing in between our sessions.

Lastly, Cassie and I visited Antigua for an extra day at the end of the trip. While there we enjoyed the historical buildings and ethnic food. Here Cassie is eating Indian for the first time in three months! It was delicious, or in Nica lingo “muy rico!”

Guatemala

2012-01-08T19:17:00.001-08:00

We are going to be offline for a little bit due to the fact that we are heading to Guatemala tomorrow for the semi-annual MCC Mezzo-America retreat. We will embark on this journey in the wee hours of the morning, and after finding ourselves on a bus for a little over 18 hours - having passed through El Salvador - we will be in Guatemala City. Once in Guatemala we will travel to Santiago Atitlán, Sololá. There we will be joining fellow MCC workers from Mexico and throughout Central America. We are looking forward to the time away with fellow workers and will share more when we return.

Our Year

2012-01-05T12:03:00.000-08:00

Here's a recap of 2011 in words from this year's blog posts. Pretty fun, huh? We like how Nicaragua is central to the dove. I guess we talked about Christmas a little too much? The words that stick out to us are relationships, preparing, peace, bless and giving. 2011 was a year of transition for us and we are hopeful that this next year will be one of learning, adventure, service and growth.

A New Year’s Challenge

2011-12-30T10:53:00.000-08:00

Over the past couple of months, I have gradually been reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It has been a slower read for me because every page is filled with wisdom and a reason for underlining and highlighting. In her book, Voskamp asks how do we find joy in the midst of our everyday lives? While I don’t align with all of her theological understandings, her invitation to embrace everyday blessings and to embark on the transformative spiritual discipline of chronicling God’s gifts has been very worthwhile for me.

“Thanks is what multiplies the joy and makes any life large.”

This book has been very applicable for me in our transition to life in Nicaragua. A wonderful friend told me before we left that it would be important for me to “turn my yucks into wows.” When there are things about living in Nicaragua that I don’t quite like, it is important for me to reframe them and try to look at them from a different perspective. This has been a key for my transition so far.

“To name a thing is to manifest the value that God gave it.”

A fellow MCCer told me on one of my first days here that she found it helpful to intentionally notice and look for three things each day that I could be thankful for, to find beauty when it isn’t always beautiful. This has also been an extremely helpful practice for me. I am trying to notice the “little” things and give a name to these blessings.

“I want to see beauty. In the ugly, in the sink, in the suffering, in the daily, in all the days before I die, the moments before I sleep.”

And so I thought, like Voskamp I am going to chronicle my everyday blessings in this next year. Three a day! Will you join me in doing this? We may just find that it changes our perspective on life.

“…to not just take the blessing, but to be the blessing.”

I hope that you enjoy the read, and the practice! “The secret of joy is to keep seeking God where we doubt He is.”

Feliz Navidad

2011-12-26T19:09:00.001-08:00

Christmas-eve provided Cassie and I with a well needed break. We spent the day relaxing at a pool, in our new hammock and with our host family.

On Christmas morning we exchanged gifts with one another.

We also celebrated Christmas with the MCC team, getting together to sing some Christmas tunes and share in traditions from home. We were also blessed to Skype with family and friends back home.

We hope that each of you also had a special day!

2011-12-25T09:42:00.001-08:00

Preparing for Christmas

2011-12-22T21:37:00.001-08:00

We have been preparing for Christmas with our fellow Nicaraguans since our arrival. Yes, on November 1st when we arrived in Nicaragua, the lights and decorations were ready to go! Every rotunda (traffic circle) was decked out in lights and all of the shopping centers had their trees and nativity scenes up. On December 6th and 7th we partook in the Feast of the Epiphany and La Griteria.

We have also been doing some baking. Pictured below is a traditional cookie called a rosquilla that we baked with our friend’s mom. It doesn’t look that appetizing, but the batch was eaten pretty quickly. We had to add the picture of his niece, who is the cutest and spunkiest two year old.

We also made a few of our favorite Christmas baked goods from home. We had to make a few revisions, but they all turned out pretty well.

We had to be pretty creative with our gift giving here in Managua. I found some links on pinterest for homemade gifts, but we had few issues along the way. Nicaragua does not have mason jars, so we decided to use vinegar bottles. This required a couple nights of peeling labels and a week long of soaking out the vinegar smell. We also had difficulty finding twine, candy canes and several other important ingredients. There are some days when I would just love to have a Hobby Lobby or Michaels close by! In the end we came up with these…if you are interested in the recipes, click below. I guarantee that you will have a much easier time!

Mocha Cocoa

Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub

We also tried to make our first batch of homemade chocolate. As the fermenting process was underway, the beans became moldy. Oh no! We will have to figure out how to avoid this in the future.

I was very excited about this great find. They are going to serve as our Christmas napkins this year. I love the non-traditional colors and birds always make me happy! And here is a picture of our office Christmas tree!

The culture of Nicaragua is rich with traditions around the Christmas season. We are excited to learn more about these and celebrate alongside our brothers and sisters, even if that does mean lighting off fireworks every night for two months.

May we all remember the reason why we celebrate.

For unto us a child is born…the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

About 4,000

2011-12-18T09:23:00.001-08:00

We have been busy with work. Learning a second language, building relationships with those on the MCC team here in Nicaragua, with our host families and with the people that we have met along the way. We have also lost some of the ability to stay connected with the greater world at large.

Thus, last Wednesday, I took great joy in the fact that I could turn on a computer in order to observe what has been occurring around the world over the last few weeks. I read about the financial crisis in Europe, the still slumping economy of the US, Cain's decision to drop out of the presidential race in the states, the fight over the displaying of nativity scenes in Los Angeles, the troubles sprouting up in Russia and Putin's heated responses to them and the continuation of the Arab Spring. I guess I could say that I was not overly shocked to read what my eyes were seeing.

But, then I read that the U.S. was actually pulling out of Iraq, that the women and men that have been fighting for so long are coming home to their families. Of course war will not cease and there is no telling what the coming events in Iraq and the surrounding area will be following this action.

Of course there are positive and negative opinions. Some argue that the cost of the war, not only monetary, but also in the lives lost and relationships broken was well worth it, others point out that the likelihood of lasting change and peace in the region will show the whole operation to be a failure.

It is my hope that the people of the world can learn from this latest scale of grandiose war. That as Created beings we can reach for and obtain a higher sense of unity and love that was shown to us in the small gift of a young boy born in a manger and sacrificed on a cross. That we can look to this example, to this exemplary life of the incarnate as another option, a much more difficult one, but one of which we are called to bear.

So celebrate the lives saved, the Christmas´s that will be shared with your loved ones recently returning or with those no longer fearing the call of duty that would come, but also take time to remember those lost and ask yourself what you can do to build peace in this world.

Cute Babies

2011-12-15T08:02:00.000-08:00

Nicaragua is full of cute babies. Let me introduce you to Alecia, one of our favorite housemates. She is the most tender natured and happy baby. Isn’t she darling?

She makes us miss these babies at home. Although don’t tell them that we called them babies, they are big kids now! Number three is on the way and we couldn’t be more excited. We love you Lauren and Drew!

Love, Uncle Kevin and Auntie Cassie

Slavery Footprint

2011-12-09T12:55:00.001-08:00

Cassie and I rode through one of the many “zona francas” (free trade zones) here in Nicaragua. It was a Saturday night and thousands of people were flooding into the streets after a long work day in the sweat shops making and assembling products for consumers in North America.

We are only beginning to learn about the slave industry here in Nicaragua. However, here the slave industry is blatant, in your face with the vast majority of the population (over 80%) earning less than $1 U.S. dollar a day. This forces us to ask ourselves, who is working for us and how are our choices affecting the lives of others not only in Nicaragua but around the world?

Who is working for you? Did you know that you are currently employing many slaves, both children and adults around the world? We are confronted with this reality as we drink coffee, eat fresh fruits and vegetables and enjoy a piece of chocolate.

We thought that it would be appropriate to pass on this survey, especially due to the time of the year as consumerism takes a hold of us through the bustling season of Christmas.

Click here for the survey: Slavery Footprint

**If you are brave enough, tell us how many slaves are working for you in the comment section below. Also tell us where you live.

If you are interested in alternative gift giving for the holidays, check out:

CRWRC Gift Catalog

MCC Giving

Beautiful Nicaragua

2011-12-07T11:46:00.001-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, we headed down to San Juan Del Sur the “up and coming” surf spot in Nicaragua. It is well known for its beautiful beach and surrounding bay.

We traveled with the MCC team for our annual spiritual retreat. It was wonderful to spend time getting to know the team, while setting a weekend aside for meditation and reflection.

We know that many of you are currently experiencing a bit chillier temperatures and we thought that these pictures may “warm you up.” If this doesn’t do that for you, grab a cup of hot chocolate and cozy up by the fire.

On another note, we were surprised to read that Minneapolis is #16 out of #25 in the coldest cities in the United States. Sorry to our friends in SD and IA!

http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2010/12/10/america-s-25-coldest-cities.html

Your Generosity

2011-11-30T12:11:00.001-08:00

First, I want to thank each of you for your voices of encouragement over these past four weeks. We have appreciated all of the ways that you have reached out to us and affirmed that we are where we are supposed to be. We can feel the power of your positive thoughts, messages and prayers!

Many of you have asked us what we are missing most. It sounds cliché, but you are what we have been missing. I am missing my daily phone calls with “my girls” and family. I am missing seeing each of you face to face, going out for coffee/boba tea or having you over for dinner. It has only been one month and I anticipate that this will only get more difficult in many ways.

In regards to “material things,” I don’t feel like I am wishing that I would have brought a lot of different things. I guess that is a shout out to the effectiveness of my post-it notes (although many of you get annoyed by them) and planning ahead. I foresee that once we move into our final home, there will be a lot of things we wish that we had (for the kitchen, decoration items, etc.). But I guess that will be a good test of “simple living.”

A few of you have asked for our mailing address for sending packages. I don’t want to suggest that this is necessary, although because of the mailing system here I thought it would be important to let you know how it works. Fortunately it seems like the postal system is pretty reliable for delivering from the U.S. and Canada (we love our Canadian friends) to Nicaragua. However, there seems to be some unreliability within the post office here in Managua. Yes, there is only one post office for a population of over 2 million people.

Other MCCers have had packages sent and they have sat in the back of the post office until they were each requested specifically. Thus, if you plan on sending a package, please let us know in advance. I know it ruins the fun of giving a gift or sending a surprise, but we most likely won’t get it unless we ask for it. And again, don’t feel like you need to send anything! We just thought we would let people know so that your lovely packages aren’t sitting unopened.

And if you insist on sending “material things” that we cannot purchase here, we put together a little list: Sour Patch Kids, Boba Tea Bubbles (Asian grocery store for $1), Dove Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate and Ginger Combination and Reese's Pieces (but they may melt in the mail), Sunflower Seeds (request from Kevin for the local baseball games), Haribo Gummy Berries and good flavored Kettle Chips. The cost to mail items is a little pricey, so beware!

Oh, and one more thing with Christmas on it's way. You all know my love for real Christmas cards through the postal service. I am hoping to receive them here and will for sure put them up on our fridge (as soon as we get one).

Gratefully Holding

2011-11-24T06:40:00.001-08:00

Up and down our windows go as rusty buses, ramshackle pickups, and other old weather-beaten cars approach and pass, mile after mile. We finally come to a little town. We stop, turn off the engine, step out, stretch, and, as the red dust settles and the noise of the road fades, we hear a new sound off to the right, down through some scraggly trees, pass a few bony, wide-horned brown cows standing in the shadows chewing their cud.

Beyond the cows and just outside a few strands of barbed wire, there’s a stream and a little swimming hole sparking in the full sunlight. In its brown waters a dozen children are splashing and wrestling. Their laughter rises like music, a cloud of joy as real as the cloud of red dust stirred by another car passing on the road behind us. I think, “I’ve seldom heard this much pure happiness in my life.” We watch for a few minutes, smiles irrepressibly arising on our faces, and then decide to take a break and explore the town before continuing our journey.

As I turn off to be on my own for a few minutes, I see the homes these children come from. They’re small in size and modest in construction, but often painted the most dazzling colors, this one coral pink, the next aquamarine, the next tangerine orange, the one over there a light purple, peeling off in places, showing a royal blue underneath.

There are some dads sitting in the shadows of a few trees, cigarettes dangling under the bills of well-worn baseball caps, sharing stories, playing cards, nodding and smiling as we walk by. There are some moms squatting on front porches, peeling potatoes, washing dishes in plastic basins, nursing babies, shooing flies. I smell coffee roasting, mixed with the scent of a farm not far away. I hear a muted accordion and a flatulent trumpet from a broken radio speaker. I hear the sound of someone sawing a plank, a rooster crowing in the afternoon heat, a dog bark twice off in the distance, and everywhere the buzz of insects mixed with jingling music of children’s laughter in the background.

Maybe someday there will be televisions in every house, I imagine. Maybe someday there will be video games and DVD players. Maybe the hum of air conditioners and the roar of many cars. But I don’t think there will ever be more happiness in the air than there is today.

What is this extraordinary happiness? Where does it come from?

Walking through that town in Guatemala, I remind myself of something we all know but don’t take seriously enough. It’s not how much you have that brings happiness; it’s how much you appreciate however much or little you have. Again, it’s not the amount of stuff you have that counts; it’s the amount of appreciation you have that matters, and appreciation means “gratefully holding” rather than simply “having without gratitude.”

We are encouraged by our Creator to slow down and appreciate the gift of life, to employ our liberty in service for others, and to gratefully cherish the happiness we already have. Gratitude may be the greatest secret to happiness there is.

Excerpt taken from Naked Spirituality by Brian D. McLaren

**On this day of thanks, we give praise to God who is the giver of all and remember those with less; both materially and immaterially seeking discernment in the ways God is calling us and you to share the gifts we have been given.

**And just an FYI, Kevin and I (and a couple of friends) ran our traditional Thanksgiving Day 5K this morning. We missed running it in the brisk and chilly downtown of Minneapolis with friends and family, but we did it! Now onto the eating…

Carrot Cake

2011-11-21T12:54:00.001-08:00

Over the weekend, Cassie and I moved to a new home in Managua. During these past three weeks, we have thoroughly taken pleasure in spending time and getting to know our “Managuan Mom” and her extended family. We enjoyed our weekend with these individuals – going to our first $3 movie at the theater (Money Ball was great!), eating $1 enchiladas, visiting the historical city of Leon (accidentally taking the wrong bus there and turning a 1 hour drive into 4 hours), seeing the oldest Cathedral in Central America and enjoying a scrumptious Nicaraguan home cooked dinner all the while working on Spanish. The family, knowing that I love hot sauces and salsa, went out of their way to prepare several “rico” sauces. They even bought me a Costco sized bottle of Tabasco as a going away gift. We were overwhelmed with their generosity and hospitality and look forward to many more scrumptious meals together.

As a way of offering our thanks, we baked a carrot cake and made peanut butter cookies for dessert. They were a hit! In case you are looking for a healthy and tasty treat:

Gather three bowls and begin!

*Begin with the smallest bowl (S), combine: 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. salt
*In a medium sized bowl (M), combine: 3 cups shredded carrots, 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (make sure it is drained), 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I find that walnuts are best and are also traditional), 1 cup coconut
*In your largest bowl (L), combine: 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup applesauce, add 4 eggs, 1 at a time while mixing. We usually cut down on the sugar and oil, but thought we would give the “correct” recipe.
*Add dry ingredients (S) gradually to your largest bowl (L). Afterwards, stir in the ingredients from the medium sized bowl (M). Blend thoroughly and pour into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Allow time for cooling.
*Frosting (optional – the cake is great by itself): 8 oz. cream cheese, 1/4 cup of butter, 4 cups powdered sugar

Preocupado

2011-11-17T15:10:00.001-08:00

Cassie and I have discovered that when you learn a new language you are introduced into a whole different way of looking at the world. There are many common phrases that we have heard in English for the majority of our lives; do as your told, do everything in moderation, do not worry, etc.

But when you hear things in a new language and then translate that new way of understanding into your first language you are provided with a new and fresh perspective on an old adage. Last evening we found ourselves concerned, or better I should say worried about what we had gotten ourselves into in our coming to Nicaragua. We were worried about our future, about where it is that we will live, what our jobs will look like exactly and first and foremost the struggles we are encountering with the Spanish language.

The word worried dominates the culture we have come from. People are worried about so many things that seem irrelevant; especially when one considers what is truly important in life. However, what does it mean? What is a person to do when he or she is told “not to worry?”

The Spanish translation for this word is preocupado and communicates the idea that one should not be preoccupied with something that he or she has no control over.

We like that, do not worry, or better yet—do not be preoccupied with things that you have no control over. Instead live each day to its fullest, using your God given gifts and talents!

Our Day

2011-11-14T12:06:00.001-08:00

So what are you doing with your time there? That is a question asked by many of you. After two weeks, we feel like we can give you a rundown of what a typical weekday might look like. Keep in mind that our primary goal right now is to gain Spanish skills. After we have gained the skills that we need (hopeful phrase), our day to day lives will look quite different.

**Disclaimer – we don’t want to discourage any friends or family from visiting us. The shower situation will change once we have our own place and the other “inconveniences” will add to the beauty of your stay.

2:00am- Finally fall asleep after the dogs stop barking and fighting.

2:30am – Wake up to the rooster who is crowing, try to fall back asleep.

4:30am – Wake up to the loud truck that is honking out on the street. The truck is here to pick up people who work at the local market.

6:00am – Wake up because we are sweating so badly.

7:30am – Actual wake up. Generally Kevin is already up reading, doing devotionals or studying Spanish, but Cassie is a good sleeper. We head out on a run around our neighborhood - - this is an interesting experience, maybe more in another post?

8:15am – First bucket shower of the day. Get ready.

8:30am – Breakfast with host mother. This generally involves gallo pinto, although we have also had corn flakes and leche___ (spoiled cow’s milk…not our favorite).

9:00am – Head to Spanish school on Bus 119 (busses in Nicaragua also warrant a future blog posting). Walk a large part of the way due to traffic issues.

10:00am-12:00pm – Spanish School. We are both learning a lot!

12:00pm – Walk and get back on the bus. We are always hopeful to find a seat, however we usually end up standing for the majority of the ride. When we are able to sit, we try to start working on our Spanish homework.

1:00pm – Lunch at the MCC Office. Yolanda cooks some great food! We enjoy conversations in both Spanish and English.

2:00pm – Catch up on e-mails and begin our Spanish homework at the office.

3:00-5:00pm – Spanish tutors. This generally involves reviewing our homework, practicing with flash cards or going out into the community and using our growing Spanish skills.

5:00pm – Head on home, this may involve a stop at the supermarket. We always debate on stopping at the ice-cream shop for a fifty cent cone. We have had one so far! Get back on the bus. Note – at the end of the day there are a lot of sweaty people sharing a small space.

6:00pm – Chat with our house mom and her family. This is great for utilizing our Spanish.

7:00pm – Dinner with our house mom and any family members who are visiting.

8:00-10:00pm – Spanish homework and studying. Hanging out with our house mom and extended family members.

10:00pm – Second bucket shower of the day. As many of you know, we aren’t the biggest “showerers,” but the heat makes it necessary. Reading together, devotionals or watching a pirated movie on the old computer.

11:00pm – Sleeping soundly…or not?!?

Election Results and Experiences

2011-11-11T11:47:00.001-08:00

Esteban Felix/Associated Press

Every day since the presidential elections, traffic in the city of Managua has been an issue. It just happens that the Supreme Court of Nicaragua is located on a calle principal (a primary street in the city) which connects to the primary rotonda (traffic circle) on the south side of the city. It appears as though the current and re-elected government of Daniel Ortega (FSLN) fears that those who oppose him may attempt to bomb or disrupt the supreme court of Nicaragua in order to stop the final step in these democratic elections which will conclude when the Supreme Court officially votes in accordance with the people of Nicaragua.

Cassie and I left Managua election weekend to visit our friend who lives in a nearby town. Because of the rural location we were actually able to go to the election site in La Concha with our friend and his family as they voted. Overall the elections went off without a hitch. However, the following day in La Concha the only road to Managua was blockaded (trees, rocks and people) by supporters of a presidential candidate (Fabio Mantilla) who lost the election. Because of the blockade we spent an extra restful day in La Concha working on our Spanish and spending time with friends.

On our last evening there, rumors of a fight between the two political parties were rampant in the streets. The fight was supposed to occur about twenty feet from where we were staying. We sat outside wondering and discussing what our role (if any) might be in bringing peace to the situation—this whole Mennonite thing is new to us. We tried to use humor with the people passing by in hopes to deescalate the situation. In the end the police came and put a stop to the brawl. The whole situation left us wondering and contemplating how we can assist in being peacemakers through our future interactions with the people of Nicaragua.

For further reading on the election and from a variety of viewpoints:

BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15544315

Star Tribune (hometown paper) - http://www.startribune.com/world/133410548.html

Foreign Policy - http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/11/04/the_rise_of_ortega_ismo?page=full

New York Times - http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/04/world/americas/nicaraguan-leader-ortega-has-wide-support-before-election.html?_r=2&ref=javierchernandez

One Week in Photos

2011-11-08T14:34:00.001-08:00

Today marks our one week anniversary in Nicaragua. Kevin and I were chatting this morning and both thought that it seems like we have been here much longer than that. I am not sure if that is good or bad? Here are a few pictures from our last few days. We hope that you enjoy!

We had our first “street food” this past weekend. Sorry Mom, you told us not to eat street food or drink the water, but it seems unavoidable. The tap water here is pretty good, no sicknesses yet!

There are beautiful flowers all throughout Nicaragua. It is important to find “beauty” in the small things.

We officially began “Spanish School” today. However, our language learning started beforehand. Here I am practicing my Spanish with our friend’s niece, while she practiced her English. It seemed to work well for both of us.

A beautiful coconut tree! We love the fresh fruit…

Taking a siesta on Sunday afternoon. Hammocks work great for this!

Playing sports with the kids seems like a good way to build relationships. I even had a few hits that the boys “wowed” over.

More fresh fruit. This is an orange that you don’t actually eat, but instead drink the juice out of. It’s delicious!

Over the weekend Kevin made pizza with our friend’s mom. She had been saving yeast in the fridge for some time in hopes of learning how to make pizza. At age seventy, she officially made her first! We had a cheese pizza and a beet pizza. The cheese was a bit too salty, but the beet pizza was a hit. You should try it at home!

Coffee plant. We will be helping with the harvest in a month!

A field of both corn and beans. For you farmers out there, they mix the crops together in the same field to make the most of the space. More on Nicaraguan agricultural practices in a later blog. We will also give you an update on the election process in the near future!

Much love from Nicaragua!

Upon Arrival

2011-11-04T09:38:00.001-07:00

Here is a peace point (bullet points are not an appropriate term for peace workers) summary of our first three days in Managua:

We did not go to bed the night before our flight. This led to us sleeping for the majority of our time in the air.
In Atlanta, we met Dr. Zylstra (Dordt College President) who was also heading to Managua. It was nice to know that a familiar face was accompanying us to Nicaragua.
We were greeted at the airport by David (friend from orientation) and Angela (our MCC boss).
Managua is hot! And this is supposed to be the cooler part of the year?
Kevin is having some anxiety about the spiders, bats and lizards. He actually had nightmares last night because of them!
We moved in with our host mother Damarius. She is a wonderful host and an excellent cook. She does not speak a lot of English, which is great for improving our skills (see photo of Damarius and her nephew below; also pictured is her beautiful home).

We went to one of the largest Managuan Cemetaries on El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) and learned a lot about Nicaraguan culture.
We have eaten gallo pinto (painted rooster) five times. It is a famous Nicaraguan food that is eaten at almost every breakfast and dinner. So far, so good!
We celebrated Cassie’s birthday along with another MCCer Lloyd at our combined Welcome and Birthday party on Thursday (see photo).
Our new MCC colleagues and friends have been very welcoming and helpful! Each of them is doing amazing work here in Nicaragua.
We enjoyed a dinner out with Dordt Alumni on Thursday evening (see photo).
We are disappointed with our Spanish skills and are trying to spend every spare minute learning more.
Presidential Elections will be held on Sunday. Please pray for a peaceful election process.

Our Fabulous Family

2011-10-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

I feel like it has been many years since my family last took a portrait together. Since that time my sister got married and had a couple of kids, I lost about 200 pounds and met the love of my life. Generally we all look a little older and may not be all the wiser, but there is life and love and laughter and for that we are all thankful. We revel in the gift of new life as experienced in Lauren and Drew. Sidebar: Cassie and I almost did not participate due to the ban put on Kao during the photo session.

Cassie’s family (maybe she should write this) gained a new member this year and because Kate and Justin tied the knot, the family took the opportunity to take a few pictures together. Justin and Kate were beautiful that day, even though Justin did not cut off the dreads. Other members of the family shined as well, notice Tim’s head – the hair is getting a little thin. Lastly, you may notice that there is a young gentleman who appears near Shawna in a few pictures. His name is Pieter and their relationship might bring about our next photo opp.

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As we prepare to head to Nicaragua we are grieving the loss that will occur in our familial relationships. We have no doubt that this sense of loss will continue while we are there. We wouldn’t want for this to be any different. What should we expect when we have phenomenal families, people who have been willing to journey with us throughout life’s ups and downs. It is one of the greatest gifts of this life!

We also know that we will all continue to change in beautiful and wonderful ways. We look forward to continually “walking life with you,” albeit differently over the next three years. Thank-you for the love and support you have provided throughout our lives and into what God has for us next.

Orientation #2

2011-10-27T08:32:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, we are in our second week of orientation. We will finish up on Friday and head back to Minnesota for a couple of days before we leave for Nicaragua. Our first week of orientation focused on both domestic and international programs. There were approximately forty staff here the first week. In the second week, we are focusing on the international programs and there are about fifteen of us.

In the past couple of days we have taken a look at the kind of work that MCC does internationally, specifically how we partner with various organizations to bring relief, development and peace in the world. MCC has seven program themes which include Education, Food Security and Sustainable Livelihoods, Health, Humanitarian Relief and Disaster Recovery, Migration and Resettlement, Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation and Restorative Justice. From what we understand, our work will focus on Education, Peacebuilding and Restorative Justice.

It has been a real joy to meet with many MCC staff that we have only otherwise conversed with over the phone—thank you to all of you for your hard work in making our dream a reality! Furthermore, we have enjoyed getting to know the ins and outs that are MCC. As we conclude our time in Akron we leave more excited to start our assignment in Nicaragua.

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Take some time to reflect on this quote today and see how it is true in your life:

"The place God calls you to is where your deep gladness and the world's deep sadness meet." –Frederick Buechner

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aMiGoS

2011-10-24T15:46:00.001-07:00

I know that I have said it before, but we have REALLY GREAT friends. Friends from all walks off life – childhood, high school, boarding school, college, grad school, employment, church and everything in between.

It has always been important for me to journey with people and be in relationship with people from all walks of life. While I am really looking forward to making wonderful friends in Nicaragua, I am grieving the loss (or the change that is inevitable) with my friends here.

I know that my friendships can be maintained and I HOPE that they will grow, but I also acknowledge that they will alter. Everyone has told me that “not much will change in three years” and while I hold onto that, I know some things will.

I have come to understand that friendships go through different seasons, but I still have difficulty accepting this.

Amigos out there, you know who you are. Know that you are loved and play an important role in my life. I look forward to seeing where God brings you, thank-you for allowing me to be a part of your journey. I am who I am because of you! And remember, there will be a quaint little home in Managua looking forward to a knock on the door!

**These pictures are from the last couple of weeks. I should have been more diligent about photographing all of our coffee dates, happy hours, walks, dinners etc., but here are a few.

Nueva York, en fotos (New York in photos)

2011-10-23T12:03:00.001-07:00

We saw a lot, ate a lot (according to David our Nicaraguan friend) and walked a lot. Our chaco sandled feet were worn out at the end of the day, but it was worth the sights and smells. Above is Grand Central Station, The New York Public Library and deliciously purple flowers!

And then we saw some neat architecture, the first ever Latin Bible printed by Gutenberg and the Empire State building.

The High Line Park is a new green space in Greenwich Village, then we enjoyed a Red Velvet Cupcake which we split in three from The Magnolia Bakery and lastly China Town where we enjoyed dinner and boba tea! Cassie is nervous about her transition to Nicaragua without boba tea, although she is bringing some bubbles along.

We checked out the Wall Street protests, ate 99 cent pizza (who can pass it up at that price?) and observed the rebuilding of the One World Trader Center.

Lastly, we hit up Central Park (Parque Central), took a picture of this gorgeous red building and finished in Times Square.

New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothin' you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York

To Be…

2011-10-21T14:07:00.001-07:00

“To be a Christian in the generous, orthodox way is not to claim to have
the truth captured, stuffed, and mounted on a wall. It is, rather, to live
and grow in a loving community of people who are seeking the truth on
the road of mission, and who have launched on the quest by Jesus, who,
with us, guides us still.”

-Generous Orthodoxy, Brian McLaren

Orientation

2011-10-18T13:48:00.001-07:00

Cassie and I are calling room 405 in the Asia House at the MCC headquarters in Akron, Pennsylvania our home for the next two weeks. Our room is decorated with much Asian flair including a mirror made from banana leaves and furniture crafted from bamboo.

We are here making sure that all of our preparations are in order for international work. We are also gaining a less esoteric and more succinct vision of MCC. We thought this would be helpful:

MCC is a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches, sharing God's love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. MCC envisions communities worldwide in right relationship with God, one another and creation.

So far it has been a joy meeting and making new friends from Canada, the United States and abroad. Of special note has been the opportunity to meet David Mercado. David is from Nicaragua and we will be working with him while we are there. It has been fun to meet him, talk with him about Nicaragua and bounce some Spanish phrases his way.

Pizza Farm

2011-10-15T16:17:00.001-07:00

This summer we created a bucket list of various activities that we wanted to do before we moved to Nicaragua. One of the activities on the list was going to The A to Z Pizza Farm just outside of Stockholm, Wisconsin (a trip that we ended up making three times this year). A couple of weeks ago we went down with “the newlyweds” (Cassie's brother Justin and sis-in-law Kate) for our last time for awhile. The drive was gorgeous as we headed down the St. Croix River Valley, taking in the fall colors and the picturesque bluffs. Our first stop was Stockholm itself. This quaint river town is filled with Swedish nostalgia, including blue bikes which are scattered throughout the town for anyone to ride. We rode down to the river, walked on the pier, and biked around the town before heading to a nearby cidery/winery . We had been there before and were hoping that it would have improved in quality, but again we were thoroughly disappointed.

Our final destination was the farm itself. A to Z has become quite famous in this neck of the woods, offering pizza made from ingredients produced by the farm and even using agrarian byproduct's in their latrine. The pizza was great, but not as good as the company and conversation enjoyed with Justin and Kate. We played a few hands of hearts (sorry Kate) and broke open a special “Kate and Cassie” bottle of wine which was given to us by Chelsea, our great friend out west.

Peace Building and Relationships

2011-10-11T22:04:00.001-07:00

“The importance is an ability to bring together an improbable set of people, cause it is going to be that that shifts it. What we attempt to do is to create more people that think like we do and I think the difficult work of peace building is to create a quality of relationships among people who don’t think alike.”

-John Paul Lederach

Real progress emerges not through mass movements, but through unlikely relationships.

Lederach served with MCC in Belgium, taught at EMU for a decade and is now a part of the Kroc Institute at Notre Dame. We really appreciated this dialogue between Krista Tippett and him. Take an hour to listen to the link below (click on Listen Now at the top of the page):

http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2010/art-of-peace/kristasjournal.shtml

Getting Our Feet Wet

2011-10-08T22:08:00.001-07:00

Cassie and I spent the last week at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) in Harrisonburg Virginia (aka H-Burg). Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) thought that it would be beneficial for the two of us to spend some time at EMU prior to our departure to Nicaragua. Cassie took a one week course entitled Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR) taught by Elaine Zook Barge and Vernon Jantzi. Cassie found the training to be a very valuable time, filled with new ideas and theories, experiential learning and practical tools for service within a diverse learning group. The premise of STAR is to understand the impact of trauma and to learn helpful tools for response. Meanwhile I have had the opportunity to connect with the MCC east coast coordinator Luke Schrock-Hurst and also with Ray Gingerich the director of the Anabaptist Center for Religion and Society (ACRS). These individuals not only provided a “crash course” in Anabaptist history and theology, but they also connected me with various people at EMU and in the community of H-Burg. We are hopeful to transfer many of these learning’s to our work in Nicaragua. You may notice that Cassie and I are having to get used to a whole new system of acronyms and abbreviations!

We have had the opportunity to meet with several people who are connected in some way to the MCC program in Nicaragua. Our time with them has been delightful as we spent our evenings enjoying scrumptious meals and not only wonderful, but also informing conversations. It is comforting to know that many of the people we have met will be traveling to Nica in the near future. We are looking forward to seeing familiar faces!

We are thankful for our time at EMU and desire for it to be transferred to the individuals and communities that we will be relating with very soon. Less than a month!

For additional information on the STAR program, see: www.emu.edu/star

And one more prop to EMU who’s graduate Leymah Gbowee was one of three women recently awarded the Nobel Peace Price. Gbowee organized a peace movement to end the second Civil War in Liberia. She has become famous in her country and also across the world for mobilizing women. To read more, go to:

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/07/3-share-nobel-peace-prize

Lastly, we spent some time exploring H-Burg and the surrounding area. On our last night we checked out the lovely town of Richmond. Enjoy the pictures!

Our Reads

2011-10-03T17:13:00.000-07:00

Kevin
-The Moral Imagination by John Paul Lederach
-The Double by Fyodor Dostoevsky
-The Politics of Jesus by John Howard Yoder

Cassie
-Development as Freedom by Amartya Sen
-Naked Spirituality: A Life with God in Twelve Simple Words by Brian McLaren
-Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Together
-The Help by Kathryn Stockett
-One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
-Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero

The hardest physical part of our transition to Nicaragua has been the boxing and moving of our books. We filled twenty-six apple boxes for storage, donated some and sold others. Thankfully Kevin's parents and sister purchased him a Kindle for his graduation gift (I may use it more frequently than he does). This should reduce our "book load" in the future.

One last note. Have you seen "The Help" yet? If not, please take some time to do so. I saw it on Saturday and found it to be an incredible, yet difficult viewing. Two things that I loved, which you will understand when you see it are:

"What is it like to be you?"
"You is kind, you is smart, you is important."

We will share more about our other reads later...

Cacao

2011-10-01T16:45:00.001-07:00

Many of you may know that I am of Dutch descent, thus it would come to no surprise that Cassie was bringing me home a Dutch treat to celebrate my 26^thbirthday. I sat in anticipation, thinking about the possibility of Dutch chocolate, Dutch coffee or my favorite, dropjes (a salty black licorice treat). However, to my chagrin Cassie brought home a Dutch rabbit. I immediately fell in love (some of you may know about my love for rabbits beginning with BugZ). Through these past years Cacao AKA Kao (due to the inability of many to say Cacao) has lived with Cassie and I. He has been a comfort, joy and frustration at times; after all he is a rabbit. We will miss Kao - his visits at night, our morning routine of breakfast together, the uncorking of a new bottle of wine (he loves cab sav), and the warm cuddles and companionship that he has showed to Cassie and I over the years. On the 14^th of September Cassie and I said goodbye to our dear friend and companion. However, we know that he is being well taken care of and loved by my dear parents who may enjoy Kao even more than we do (thanks mom and dad)!

Another Farewell

2011-09-28T13:56:00.001-07:00

I apologize if it seems like this blog has been all about the farewells. I don’t want you to think of this as a disheartening blog, but I guess this is the part of the process that we are in right now. In these past couple of weeks, I have been saying goodbye to my employment. I have worked in the Child Welfare field for five years and have loved every minute of it. Despite it being both demanding and challenging, I have enjoyed the relationships that I have been able to build with youth and families. It has been incredible to walk alongside children and adolescents who have experienced layers of significant trauma and see glimpses of growth. I find it amazing each day that I can be used as a helper in their journeys! In these five years, I have been blessed to work alongside some of the best professionals that are doing this tender, compassionate and important work. I fully credit my professional development and growth to these mentors, supervisors and co-workers.

In this time of learning, I have become increasingly passionate in being a part of finding “forever families” for youth in need. It is my belief that all kids deserve a safe, loving and permanent family. Moving to Nicaragua and leaving the Child Welfare field in the United States has been saddening to me. However I find hope in a couple of things; that I will be able to use my passions and gifting’s with youth and families in Nicaragua and that someday I can return to the field of Child Welfare both professionally and personally. Kevin and I hope to build our family through foster care and adoption, because every child deserves a family.

Please click on the link below and take time to view this short video – it captures all of what I want to say in a few short minutes!

Blessed

2011-09-25T16:10:00.001-07:00

Cassie and I feel extremely blessed at this moment. This morning we were “commissioned” and sent out by Cassie’s home church, a church whose members have walked beside and supported her since her youth, a church that married us and now walks beside her and I in the next step of our journey together. We are grateful for Cross of Glory and its members who have committed themselves to praying for us! Cassie and I also ask for your thoughts and prayers in this time of transition and for the work ahead in Nicaragua.

Lately

2011-09-21T20:00:00.001-07:00

1. Kevin enjoyed the “annual” fishing trip with my dad and his high school buddies.

2. Enjoying Happy Hour with the Bethel gals. We miss our community living.

3. Said goodbye to Mandy who is serving in India with the American India Foundation. We have amazing friends doing great work (pictured with the adorable Target model Noah).

4. We had our last weekend at the cabin and enjoyed a ride on the rope swing. Go Mom!

5. I have been sewing up a storm and even made my first quilt! I have also given a few “lessons,” even though my students know more about sewing than I do.

6 & 7. Lake time with friends. Pray for our friend Nikki’s mom who is in her last days.

8. Sonic Run!

9. Salsa making day. We canned approximately 233 pints (I cut the onions and then sewed).

10. Visit to Des Moines to see the new and fabulous Jude Dude along with his cool parents and a few other lovely friends.

11 & 12. We babysat (and spoiled) our niece and nephew. We love you Lo and Drew!

13. We headed out to Cali for my cousin’s wedding. Kevin and my parents are pictured in front of the old water system.

14. Palm trees and friends.

15, 16 & 17. Jessica and Bobby Liu! Kevin officiated his first wedding and did fabulous. I was more nervous than him.

18. Another “goodbye” visit with my sissy and her boy. We visited them and did a progressive dinner at the Denver Airport during our two hour layover.

Peace is at the Heart

2011-09-19T19:31:00.000-07:00

HEALING is a part of peace. When people are affected by war, crimes or family violence, the hurts and scars can shape their lives for years to come. Taking action to reconcile broken relationships helps reconnect families and communities. Even small steps towards healing and healthy relationships can become important building blocks for a peaceful future.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to his example of WORKING AND LIVING for peace. Jesus did not shy away from his enemies, but faced them in love, truth and forgiveness despite the costs. Around the world, people are courageously and lovingly resisting ways of violence.

Peace is not only resisting violence. God also calls us to work for JUSTICE AND WELL-BEING FOR ALL. We are invited to listen to and advocate for people whose voices are rarely heard. We are called to search for our role in restoring God’s kingdom on earth and to learn how our human-made structures of society, government and even sometimes religion may create barriers to peace.

Living in Christ’s way of peace means seeking to be compassionate not only in personal relationships but also in our ECONOMIC PRACTICES. Mennonites have a long history of living simply so that others may simply live. Yet it takes courage and commitment to narrow our own options and choices in a society where we are bombarded with messages to consume more, not less.

Created in the image of God, we are called to act as stewards of all God entrusted us, an especially vital role in an era of environmental degradation, climate change and a growing scarcity of natural resources. For many of our global neighbors, caring for the ENVIRONMENT is a matter of necessity. Restoring precious soil can make a difference in whether families have enough to eat. May we honor their work and strive to restore the earth God has made.

Excerpt from MCC’s PeaceParts Storybook. For Further Information, see: MCC Peaceparts Resources

Listening

2011-09-15T06:42:00.001-07:00

Mother Theresa was asked by a reporter what she said to God when she prayed. She replied, “Mostly I just listen.” The reporter then asked what God said to her. “Mostly he just listens,” she replied.

Hasta Luego

2011-09-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

I prefer "See You Later" rather than "Goodbye." It may be the avoidance of what is to come, but it seems much more comforting. We are trying our best not to avoid the goodbyes, but to embrace them and make them clear. In our goodbyes we are hoping to express appreciation for our relationships.

We are currently in Sheldon, IA (Kevin's hometown) at the local library with our niece Lauren. Kevin is reading her a Clifford book :) We started our ten day tour on Monday, heading to Des Moines to say some "See You Later's." We will hang out here for a couple of days and then head out to California for my cousin's wedding that we are both a part of. We are looking forward to some quality time with friends and family!

2011-09-11T11:50:00.000-07:00

The Bonnie and Rav

2011-09-08T16:10:00.000-07:00

Cassie and I have reached some mile markers this summer. After several years of good service on only ONE set of tires in TEN years (the metal was showing through and I have been pumping up one tire since January before each use), we said goodbye to the Bonnie on the 14th of August. The Bonnie had become a special car with windows that did not go down, a fan that did not work, an emergency brake that thought it was constantly on and let me know it continually with a perpetual ding just to name a few of its special features. Meanwhile Cassie’s car, The Rav continues to roam the open road. We think we are going to keep her because of her faithfulness through the disaster she has weathered, hitting the 250,000 mile mark this summer. The Rav has experienced a hit and run and three accidents in the past 6 months (you should ask Cassie about that)! In all seriousness, Cassie and I love to travel, or better I should say we love to visit friends and family. I drive, she sleeps and we repeat, racking up over 40,000 miles of travel already this year. So we say goodbye, and yes the Rav will probably not be pulling up at your door anytime soon, but if someone wants to drive down to Nica and visit we may have a car that you could use!

Bikes and Berries

2011-09-01T23:12:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we biked down to the Minneapolis Farmers Market with Kevin’s sister and her husband. We arrived around noon as the market was closing and WOW did we get some deals! Vendors gave us some great discounts and even threw in items for free. We got all of this produce for $9.00. It would have cost around $25.00 at the local grocery store. We are looking forward to all the fresh fruits and veggies in Nicaragua. The prices may be even better?!?

So what are you doing??

2011-08-29T17:43:00.001-07:00

Cassie and I thought that some of you might be wondering what it is that we are exactly going to be doing in Managua!? In many ways Cassie and I may have some of the same questions that you do; however we thought we could fill you in on what we do know. Cassie and I have been hired as Culture of Peace Educators through the Mennonite Central Committee. Cassie will be spending the majority of her time at the Polytechnical University of Nicaragua working in The Institute of Investigation and Humanistic Development. This branch of the university is part of an academic, nonprofit service orientated department focused on "serving the community." Its work focuses on training community leaders in the vision, sensitivity and social commitment toward those who suffer from social and governmental injustices, with an emphasis on the church being a bulwark in this task. I will be spending the majority of my time at the Baptist Theological Seminary. The seminary was founded in 1941 as a pastoral training institution with the claim to fame that it is the first evangelical seminary in Nicaragua. The majority of my time with be spent in the classroom working with pastors and leaders of local churches. My duties will include teaching classes related to the topics of conflict transformation, trauma, reconciliation, conflict mediation and pastoral ministries with an emphasis on social involvement. That's about it. We were able to have one translated phone conversation in which many Nicaraguans working with MCC and for these institutions seemed excited for our arrival. We look forward to meeting our future friends, co-workers and teachers and for the adventure that lies ahead.

Our duties:
*Teach classes on the culture of peace and conflict transformation
*Teach classes for students in the bachelor's degree theology program
*Facilitate workshops on trauma and recovery
*Work with students to help them complete their graduate theses
*Participate in committees at the university
*Design a postgraduate program on peace and conflict transformation
*Develop training focused on strengthening skills of pastoral and community-focused ministry

College Reunion

2011-08-27T22:01:00.001-07:00

We have great friends. A few of my (Cassie's) college roommates met up a couple of weeks ago in Sioux Falls (great destination location!). Our last reunion was two years ago in Tampa and the next will (hopefully) be in Managua. It was a fabulous time of reminiscing about the past, talking about the present and hoping for the future. A highlight of the trip was watching (spying) on one of our friends put out a house fire. She is one of the three women firefighters in Sioux Falls. I am proud of her and each of my friends who are using their unique gifts and talents to make this world more just and peaceful.

Things we will miss...

2011-08-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I am a big family girl. I love family get togethers for any occasion! We have been blessed with wonderful immediate and extended families. This is one of the hardest things about leaving, to think of the things that we will miss. It isn’t just the big holidays, birthday celebrations, births or weddings, but it is also the card playing, walking to the local Dairy Queen (or Dairy Dandy if we are in Sheldon, Iowa), baking in the kitchen, boating at the cabin and hanging out with our niece and nephew.

We were blessed to be a part of my brother’s wedding this weekend. Congratulations to the new couple! We love you both!

Nicaragua Bound

2011-08-13T08:16:00.000-07:00

It is with mixed feelings that we start this blog and write our first post. Kevin and I are heading to Nicaragua! We are excited for the adventure that lies before us, but are also experiencing feelings of grief and sadness as we anticipate the many new changes that come with transition. Since October 11, 2005 (the day that Kevin and I met in the Dordt College parking lot), we talked about our hopes for living and working internationally. There was a lot of excitement around this possibility, but after six years we have more of a realistic picture of what this means for us. We are incredibly enthused about the amazing opportunity that we have through the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) to serve in Nicaragua for three years. The shared values and ways of approaching development that we have in common with MCC is such a blessing. The position descriptions (our actual work) seem to fit our giftings, talents and passions. This motivates us even further. The opportunity to live internationally and grow and learn from people that live life differently from us also brings a sense of enthusiasm. On one hand we look forward to our new "normal" with the opportunity to grow and develop new relationships, and on the other we are saddened by the fact that we will be separated from friends, family, co-workers and clients who are dear to us! We will miss many things - seeing you grow, the joys of new births, new unions and just doing life together. But we go with God as our guide asking that he gives us the strength and courage to go wholeheartedly, to invest fully without regret!
P.S. Start booking your tickets for Managua!