Family Alive

Ok, just as I sent a mass email to check in here, Brian falls asleep instead of resizing and posting pictures like he’s planned.  In his defense, it was a long, hot day, and I did have a nap with the kids while he worked in the office.  I’ll just post a quick update, and warn you that my “e” key is NOT working, so imagine it if it’s missing!

Today we traveled with our friends Mike & Maria Saeli who work with Food for the Hungry International to a village called El Limonal where they were having a bi-weekly gathering of a children’s health program. El Limonal is said to be in the “death triangle”, between the dump, the water treatment plant and the cemetery. It’s very poor, and the kids are a great risk for malnutrition. If a family is in the program, the children are weighed and the weight is tracked, and they are required to keep a small garden. If they meet the attendance and garden requirements, the mothers are given a packet of food. Mike taught about integrity and honesty in our relationships with others and God before the weigh-in. It was a great glimpse of daily life in the community, as well as seeing a good example of the best way to intervene and grow a community… through teaching, requirements for assistance rather than handouts, and reaching both the physical and spiritual side of families and the community.  Our kiddos were amazing today, and they had lots of fun playing with their new Nicaraguan friends.  Everyone loves my blonde-haird blue-eyed boy!  He definitely stands out in a crowd 🙂

This afternoon, I also had a wonderful time of reconnecting with a dear friend of mine, Xiomara Perez, a beautiful young woman here who is directing a preschool, among many other things. She’s grown so much in grace and confidence since I was last here, and it was just what my heart need to sit and chat and pray together.

Tomorrow, we’re all going with Andrew of Nuevas Esperanzas to La Palmerita, a village of coffee refugees that I spent a lot of time at. I taught a community health class there in 2002, and I’m very excited to see all the developments since I was last there. It’s kind of a long trip, and it will be a hot, dusty day for the whole family. We’d love your prayers for grace and that God would direct our day. I look forward to updating you tomorrow… and I won’t let Brian fall asleep before posting photos 🙂