The new Jimmy Eat World single is out.
It pretty much rocks. I can’t wait for their new album!
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A crapton of pictures from the Nicaragua trip have been uploaded to my Flickr account…
For those of you not interested in browsing through 451 pictures, I will be putting up a smaller “Best Of” album within the next couple days. Stay tuned.
Our favorite song while in Nicaragua…
¡El sangre de Cristo, TIENE PODER! (The blood of Christ has the power!)
Introduction
First Entry
Second Entry
Third Entry
Fourth Entry
Fifth Entry
Saturday, 8/18 at 8:30AM
Homeward bound! The flight back to Houston is currently en route. I figure since I can’t sleep, I might as well write.
I stayed up last night until about 12:30 just taking in the final minutes of this experience. One of the ongoing highlights of this week has been the friendships I’ve been able to make, and further cultivate existing ones. Of the 13 of us from Genesis Metro, I only know a few really well, and of course, I didn’t know anyone from FBF prior to this week. There are some true gems with the FBF crew.
I spent a large portion of the week working in the pharmacy with Johnny Williams. Johnny was was the second in command for the whole team. Two of the key things that draw me to anyone who I would consider befriending are solid character and strong integrity. Frequently I am able to recognize the presence or lack of these qualities in people pretty quickly just by the way they introduce themselves and make their impressions from the start. Johnny is one of those guys who immediately captures you and these qualities are readily evident. He exhibited an honest and genuine care for everyone he encountered and was the embodyment of servant leadership, with a spirit and charm that commanded nothing less than devotion to his leadership.
A few others from FBF who I enjoyed getting to know this week for many of the same reasons were guys such as Ramses, Erin, Kyle, Ron and some of the ladies like Deborah, Meredith, and a few others who’s names escape me at the moment.
But moreover, the group from Genesis Metro: a divinely chosen and finely assembled team. Of course, the leadership of Tim and Carrie is unmatched. What a true joy it is for me to serve with them. The passion of guys like Drew and Jeremy (and Jeremy’s growth that blows me away and inspires me). Paul Golata who I don’t know too well on a personal level but who’s character and heart for spreading the Good News has me committed to his leadership.
Then there’s the so-sweet Alexis: her presence fills anywhere she is with a joy that makes being around her a no-brainer. Brian Connell: this man surely marches to the beat of a different drummer but his energy and devotion to all he does are inspiring. Charlie and his daughter Kristen are both inspiring as a family and as individuals. Young Kristen is nothing short of pure joy, possessing the qualities of love, care, and character that far surpass most people twice her age. These qualities evidently run in her father’s line because the same things are true of him. I love the way he enjoys life, laughs, and plays a mentor roll to some of the younger guys in the church.
Paul Leonard — if the ways of the world were running the show, there’s no way I’d have been on this trip. His love towards me and leadership commands my devotion and loyalty. Marc Brandenburg is just a kind heart with a passion for Jesus Christ that drives his talents, and is the reason he does what he does. Marc strives to spread the Gospel in ways that most folks can’t. It’s so great to be called a friend of his.
I have gotten to know and love the individuals on this tip in such amazing ways. I consider it an honor to merely be in their presence and see God in them and the way they are Jesus to the folks around them.
Not to single anyone out, but I will anyhow, the individual who I was drawn to more than any other on this trip was Sarah Lozada. Her soft, kind, loving heart blew me away as I watched her interact with the villagers who came through the pharmacy…most especially the children! Her kindness resonated throughout the pharmacy team and hers was a labor of love this week. Of the GM crew that came along, I knew her the least but I feel like I have gained a new dear friend in her. The work of the Holy Spirit and her submission to that is so encouraging and inspiring.
We are now descending into Houston. I can’t wait to be home. Through the joys and exhilarations of the week, I was sustained by the prayers of many, but none more than my one true partner in ministry and sole lover in life, my dear Raquel. I desperately missed her this week and wished she could have been here with me so many times. I can not wait to get home and be drowned by her love and share my experiences with her. That’s a short four hours away now…
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This concludes the transcription of my journal entries while on the Nicaragua trip. I have a few other parting thoughts, but I will save those for another post at another time in the near future. Stay tuned.
Introduction
First Entry
Second Entry
Third Entry
Fourth Entry
Friday, 8/17 at 10:30PM
Today was our play day. After breakfast everyone loaded up onto the buses and we headed into the city for some shopping. What an amazing site! Rows upon rows upon rows of booths packed with silly trinkets, odd art, furniture, purses, local wares and the like. Outside this flew-market-on-speed, there was a row of cobblers making shoes with sewing machines that looked as if they were made a century ago. I picked up a few items for Danielle, a vase for the house, then joined Charlie, Kristen, and Sarah for a carriage ride back to our meeting point.
The whole brigade met for lunch at a chicken restaurant for a tasty meal. From there some of us got on one of the buses to a national park just outside Managua with an active volcano. We toured the visitor’s center, then headed up the hill a few kilometers to the crater and did some exhilaratingly stupid things. It was so cool to see this: the power of Creation speaks His name!
We returned in the late afternoon to the mission home to relax for a bit. We had a dinner that sucked tremendously and after dinner we watched a slide show that Marc put together from the week’s pictures. We all circled up again, this time to share about our experiences from the week and to unveil who are secret prayer pals were. It was an emotionally charged time, naturally, and so pleasant. The true nature of the spirit in collective group of folks from Genesis Metro was evident this time, and I think we made an impact on the non-GM folks in the room.
For now, we sit around capping the week with our final hangout, preparing to leave in the morning with a scheduled call time of 4AM. Good Lord, that’s early!
Introduction
First Entry
Second Entry
Third Entry
Thursday, 8/16 – late night
Yesterday (Wednesday), we had our busiest day of the week. Fitting, as it was our last day in Susuli. The pharmacy team was overrun at many times with prescriptions to be filled. We started running out of various medications and by the work day’s end, there were orders coming in that couldn’t be filled due to lack of supply. It was a physically draining day, but ever so fulfilling. We had several people from the “brigade,” as we were called by the locals, come to our area to help fill orders. We were on our feet nonstop.
As the day moved on, the children were gathering outside the doors and windows to receive gifts that had been brought by the brigade. Shoes, stuffed animals, toys, and clothing. This was so heartbreaking to witness. They were willing to take anything. It seemed as though we had so little to give, but yet so much to give. It’s hard to eloquently describe but it was one of those things that leaves an indelible imprint on you that is only fully realized by participation in the experience.
As we wrapped up at the end of the work day, the darness was coming on quick, some thunder that hand been rumbling in the distance throughout the afternoon finally moved in closer for a full blown lightning show with loud thunder while we were getting in line for dinner. Naturally, this gave way to an impressive downpour that lasted for most of the night. Tim, Carrie, The two Pauls, Jeremy, Drew, Brian, Sarah, Alexis, Marc, Charlie and I sat down in what was the medical office and men’s sleeping quarters to eat our dinner. The hard rain pelted the corrugated tin roof and in true Genesis Metro form, we laughed without abandon, behaved inappropriately, and enjoyed our fellowship.
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As I write about times like these, I am repeatedly overcome by pure joy, as I have already written.
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The evening worship service was starting as we finished dinner so we headed town to the tent. Wow! there had already been three powerful services on the nights prior, but by comparison, last night blew the rest away…at least in part. The tent was packed to the hilt with little room to stand or sit anywhere. Since the tent was erected on a dirt field that was on a slight slope, the rain water flowed into the tnet creating a muddy situation. This was a perfectly normal expierence, though — it had rained like this at some point eacy day so far. Mud was just something there was. It did not dampen the spirit, though. The villagers showed up to sing loudly with passion.
We all joined in singing songs en Español that we had learned throught the week, our favorite bying Machacalo. The crowd yelled out, “Tiene poder!” in response to the lyric, “El sangre de Cristo,” that translates into, The blood of Christ has the power. Various local leaders spoke sincerely thanking the American brigade.
Bob Johnson, our team leader from Frisco had a turn in speaking using the opportunity to extend an invitation to those who had not prayed to receive Christ. There must have been at least 30 people who came forward — and for those who couldn’t, we went to them. Several of our team moved to the front to pray over these pepole. This was just yet another experience too astounding to fully elaborate upon in written form. Bob wrapped up his time, which at that point, had been about an hour and a half. This is where the service should have ended but it didn’t. What followed was an exceedingly frustrating time of a family values presentation by a family with our partnering mission group, that all but completely quenched the earlier movement of the Spirit.
After some dancing around in the rain by some of the guys, we ditched the service, got “cleaned up” and headed to the photo lab, also called the Susuli Hilton, with most of the GM crew to play some Farkle. Good times all around. We played until 11:00 or so and went back to the room to bed.
We packed up this morning (Thursday) and said our goodbyes. Some children waited outside the gates and we gave out Jolly Rancher candies. Some of my young friends from the village, Jaito (age 12), Victor (18), and Gerald (16), were there and we visited until the buses were ready to leave. Victor and Gerald were two of a group of kids had befriended a couple days prior when playing volleyball. As of this morning, they had not yet mad ea decision for Christ, though they were so close. In a visit with them through their broken English, and my broken Spanish, we spoke about Salvation, and with the help of when of our Spanish-speaking pastors who walked by on the way back to the bus, I expressed my friendship and love for them, prayed with them, and communicated our continued prayers for them. Oh, how I desperately wish there was a way to follow up with them…to stay in touch!
The buses rolled out at about 9:30. On the way back to Mangua, we stopped at the Selva Negra Coffee Plantation, toured the facilities, had a fabulous lunch, then continued home after 3 hours or so. It was a pleasant stop, but it was good to be back at the mission home.
I ate my dinner tonight (complete with delicious homemade flan) with a small group of ladies from FBF. When dinner was over, we all gathered in a circle around the room to individually thank the nacionales who had helped us throughout the week. Doctors, nurses, translators, and others. One of the translators, Carlos (with a rolled R), had become a good friend of mind this week and I thanked him for the good times and new friendship.
I visited with Sarah, Carrie, and Alexis at length tonight about various things from worship to drinking. Brian Connell joined us for a bit.
I have grown attached to this place and there’s a part of me not ready to leave yet. I wish I could somehow press pause on all of this to have a longer time to soak it in, but it is what it is.
Introduction
First Entry
Second Entry
This entry was written while riding on a bus that was driving fairly recklessly down windy, bumpy roads. This was amusing for me to attempt writing a legible entry, but I felt like I needed to. It had been nearly two days since I had completed the entry before it and I was beginning to have a hard time retaining my memories through the gravity of the events that had been occurring. It’s short, but sweet. If you could only see the writing and how jagged it is. Pretty funny.
Thursday, 8/16 – 3PM
We are on the bus heading back to the mission home. I am finding it difficult to write with stability. I guess I will write later, but I am having difficulty retaining my memories now. I wish I could eloquently express my affection and love for the folks around me. It’s no secret to those who know me but I can’t not express it. I am so overy joyed to be blessed by their sincere love and friendship.
I can’t keep writing under these conditions. More later.
Wednesday, August 15 at about 8:30AM
Quote of the day for Tuesday: “My day was better than yours!”
Yesterday started out much like the day before it; up early, breakfast, preparation for the day’s work, and work. A small group from GM and FBF took a break at midmorning and walked down to the village. We’ve been here since Sunday but this was my first trip off the work grounds. The scenery around here is stunning–living evidence of a careful design by an amazing Creator. We visited with a lady who was so blessed by our presence in the neighborhood that she couldn’t contain herself emotionally. She is an old, frail woman. She allowed some of us to take pictures with her and kept repeating, “God bless all of you!” as she walked away.
I hung out with Jeremy quite a bit throught the morning getting to know him a bit better than I have. His passion for living the Christian life to the full is inspiring to me. It was cool to walk around the schoolyard with him, listen to his stories and tell him some of mine…mostly about faith and our church.
At one point in the early afternoon (right after lunch), I moseyed down the hill to the photo lab to visit with Marc, Paul, and Charlie. The photo lab is kinda the go-to place on this campus to escape the heat. On my way down, I stopped to join a circle of teens hitting a volleyball around. It was so joyful for me to see them smile and have fun with them. I couldn’t play for too long though, I had an appointment with the vets.
We headed out (myself, two vets Erin and Kyle, Jared the youngster from FBF, Veronica a young lady also with the FBF crew and one of the translators) and drove through the hills for about 10K’s. Once at the ranch, we had a few minutes to walk around and snap a few pics of the scenery, which, again, was stunning. From there we headed to the task at hand which was the castration of a horse.
I will let the pictures speak for themselves. The operation went haywire when Erin noticed that a birth defect in the horse had its intestines falling through the open wound from the castration. It quickly turned into a major rescue operation to save the horse’s life, which was successful but not without a full-blown tropical thunderstorm and the horse bucking in reaction to the pain even though he had enough drugs to have completely knocked out three horses twice his size. It was quite an exhilarating experience to have witnessed. Not one of your everyday life type of things, I guess.
The rain stopped towards the end of the surgery. The horse got up (which had most of us shocked because of the aforementioned drugs), slowly walked away, and we moved on to the next job; vaccinating the heard of cattle. You haven’t had fun until you’ve walked knee-deep in manure fresh after a tropical rain storm, running from pissed off cows and bulls that just had a 6-inch needle driven into their necks. I got to participate in this very cool exercise, but was glad when it was over.
We finished up just before dark, headed back to the school for dinner and evening worship with the villagers. Carlos (the worship leader) had put together a vocal team consisting of Carrie and a few folks from FBF and I joined in again on guitar. I made it back to the campus in time for the tail end of rehearsal and went to dinner. All the GM friends had already grabbed their food and were seated together in the children’s tent. As I walked up, I plainly stated, “My day was better than yours!” They had already heard about what happened with the horse so my remark was met with much laughter. Of course I filled everyone in on the gory details which was perfect dinner convo, and needless to say, this lent itself to an abundance of off-color remarks by all of us which was hilarious.
After dinner, we went to the worship service which included a “special” with Carrie and me singing How Great Is Our God followed by a worship set with a lot of our friends helping to lead. The band played and those from our group who knew the songs joined us up front (Tim, PaulL, Drew, Carrie, and the aforementioned vocal ensemble). And we joined in the signature “Patrick guitar-playing-jump” too! The kids in the audience loved that!
After the service, several of us hung out on the porch by the kitchen where we laughed some more at various off-color remarks, until we were shooed off by the kitchen ladies. I came up with a line at dinnertime–a lose paraphrase (if you will) of a verse from Romans–which was applicable to the kind of fun we were having: The line was drawn so that fun may increase.
Yesterday was a pinacle day for me. Such life changing experiences. And I am spending this week with people I adore. How can it be better?
Tuesday, August 14 at about 8AM
Today is Tuesday. We are starting the third full day of the trip. We arrived at the village of Susuli late in the day on Sunday, unpacked our bags and boxes, set up our work areas for the week, ate dinner, had a worship service for the villagers, then hit the hay. This group knows how to party! Lights were out by 9PM. It was just as well, though–we were up at 5:30. This is completely normal, considering daylight hours are from about 5AM to 5:30PM. Up with the sun.
Yesterday the work started. By day’s end more than 1200 villagers came in to receive care. The crew I’m with saw nearly every one of them. I am working on the pharmacy team. The process goes like this: after seeing a doctor, the patient delivers his prescription card to the translator assigned to our team. He puts the card in a plastic basket, we grab one or two of those and run around the room, filling the various prescriptions, then hand them off to the pharmacist who double checks our work and hands it to the patient through another door. This process goes on all day long at a rapid pace, with a short break for lunch, a tasty dinner, an evening service, and bed time.
Throughout the day, villagers attend an evangelism service (one each hour for each group that comes through). Yesterday Drew preached at one of these services. It was nothing short of completely inspiring. When he was done, nine people had prayed to receive Jesus Christ as the savior. I have never been more proud to know him than I did at that moment.
On Sunday night, I sat in with the praise band and played by ear to a set of Spanish praise songs. I also lead the audience in one of my favorite songs currently, I Am Free. Carrie sang with me (I wouldn’t have had it any other way). Last night I wasn’t planning on playing but was called up to play during the service, along with Carrie who in turn brought up Paul Leonard. This was amusing, especially since neither of them knew the first song (Celebrate Jesus, which was sung in both Spanish and English). It was so fun though. There are few things I get as much joy from as I do from worshiping with my dearest friends.
Today promises to be another very full day. I slept terribly last night, thanks to breathing difficulties and leg cramps, but slept in a bit later so I feel rested. I didn’t wake up until 6:45. I have the opportunity today to break away from the pharmacy and go join the vets on the ranch. That should be cool.
I better wrap this up. I’m the only one not working right now.
Second Entry
Third Entry
Fourth Entry
Fifth Entry
Sixth (Final) Entry
Well, I’ve been back for three and a half days now and I can’t seem to stop processing the gravity of my experiences from last week. It became quickly evident as our travels began a week ago last Saturday, that we were going to be in for something very special and life changing. I have spoken enough about the magnitude of the folks with whom I traveled so the evidence was apparent. But what I conceived possible and what I fully experienced were worlds apart. Sure, I did go expecting to be met with the amazing, but didn’t expect to have it sit with me and stir me the way it continues to now that I am home.
I took a journal with me to Susuli and wrote about my experiences while they were happening. Sometimes it was too much to process, but I tried the best I could to soak it in. I experienced things that most people never even think of in their lives and made true, loving friendships with young adults shrouded by poverty, but not affected by it.
What follows in the next several posts for a couple days are the reflections I wrote in my journal, edited only to correct bad sentence structure and misspellings. We were in Nicaragua from Saturday, August 11 to 18 and I started writing on Tuesday morning. I wish I hadn’t waited but it was busy and hectic.
I hope you enjoy reading.
First Entry
Second Entry
Third Entry
Fourth Entry
Fifth Entry
Sixth (Final) Entry
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