Introducing the 8 new girls of the Villa Esperanza

Geyzel (pronounced Hazel)

Luisa

Crisbell

Kenia

Guisell

Diana

Guisel

Maria del Carmen

On October 23 we welcomed 4 of the girls and then on October 31 we welcomed the other 4. We are praising God for his leading and choosing of these 8 girls. He provided an amazing Woman of God to mother them as well. These girls come with deep wounds and scars. They have experienced things that children shouldn't expereince. We are excited to watch them regain their childhood and be little girls again. Most of all we are praying and seeking to give them the love of Christ and and show them His hope. Many of these girls were the caretakers in their homes and school was not a priority. One girl shared with me when I asked her why she likes being here in the Villa she said " becasue I have a mom that cooks for me. I was the one who cooked in my house." ( she is 14 yrs. old). Now, these girls can go to school everyday and know what real love is and a healthy home. I watched them get excited over smelling the shampoo and body spray given to them, and receiving clothes as well. For most this is the first time they have their own bed. I have watched them excitedly help their house mom with chores, taking pride in the washing the dishes, washing their new clothes ( by hand) and dusting the windows in the house. It's these simple things that they have never had before and they are so thankful to be here and to have these things. Please pray for these beautiful girls and their House Mom. We also need sponsors for these girls you can read more about their stories at our website at www.forwardedge.org. God is good and has saved 8 more girls from the darkness and bondage of the world!

Birthday Nica Style

I was blessed with an amazing birthday on October 21st. It was filled with a day FULL of fun and friends!! I had a delicous donut and coffee with my friends Katie and Dwight, A skype datein which I met the baby Julia for the first time, Lunch (PIZZA) with my crazy but amazing friends Mario and Alex. And then a surprise party with everyone in the Villa. It was a birthday like never before, I actually don't think I ever celebrated my birthday that much in one day. I was so blessed!!

Birthdays here in Nicaragua, if you have a party, include dancing. Many people took turns twirling me around including some of the girls, workers in the Villa and friends. Also a big tradition here is they tell you that you have to kiss the cake and then they put your face in the cake. Of course I knew this was coming but instead I was chased and eventually ended up with tons of icing in my face!

Some of the older girls of the Villa and I

Blowing out the candles

Cake in the face!!

Feeding Children

This is the home of a friend of mine, Mario, his mom opens her home to the children in the neighborhood 2 times a week to feed them. I had the priviledge to visit and help. She has a huge heart for children and sharing God's love with them.

Motastepe

Competition of who knows more bible verses

Me and Cesia

Lil Samuel reading God's word

My friend Mario hanging with the kids and his teddy bear :P

For some reason they love to have me hitting the pinata??? They find it halarious!!

My dear Wendi and other amazing peeps

The people of Motastepe

Lil guy loving his bubbles

I recently visited a church and commmunity that is very special to me, Motastepe. It is a place I love to go because I see people who give God everything they have and serve with all their hearts. This is a very poor community but they find people who are even poorer and serve them, give, and love them with Christ's love. I have gotten to know the people and just adore spending time with them, listening to them, and talking with them. The kids in this church have been so special to me as well, this sunday they were excited for me to come and share with them. This was a surprise to me. These people have taught me and challenged me so much, to give God and others my best, to step out in faith, to trust God in everything, and be thankful for what He has given. Here are some pictures of my time in Motastepe.

Blessings

God has so graciously blessed me with a home here in Nicaragua. On October 9th I moved into my very 1st apartment. This was super mega exciting for me to finally have my very own home. I prayed for over a month for God to show me exactly when to move. I thought he was telling me to move at this time but I didn't have enough money to move, so I continued to pray and asked God to provide if it was his will for me to move. At the beginning of October I looked at my account and found that I had a large amount of one time gifts that came in that month. And as I went to look at an apartment I found that God provided enough for me to move into the apartment. It was very clear that this was his will, God once again provided. I have a cute lil apartment in a very safe condiminium and have some pretty amazing nieghbors as well. It has always been my desire to have a home where I can bless others, where people can come and know the love of Jesus, where people can come and be fed with food and find God's peace and rest. I as well have been able to find peace and rest in this home. I pray that these walls are filled with God's presence. That whoever walks through those doors with will find peace, rest and freedom in Christ. That they will know Him more. I hope that I never forget that he is the provider, that this home is his, this car is his and its all for HIs glory!

Road Trip for Quesillos= FUN!!

I have been blessed with some amazing friends in Nicaragua! Sometimes I ask myself is it ok to have this much fun as a Missionary??? :) We took a Road trip to find some tasty Quesillos
and found alot of fun along the way. Gotta love the McGrews and Mario Loco!!

Chillin on the way

William enjoying his quesillo

Take that Quesillos~ YUM!!!

Quesillos here we come!

Quesillos bring smiles to our faces!!! :)

Calvary Youth Serving in Nicaragua

We were blessed with a team from my home church this summer. The Calvary Bible Youth brought 23 people, one of our biggest groups this summer to serve and be the hands and feet of Jesus here in Nicaragua. This was a dream come true for me to have my Calvary Family and my Villa Family serving together, serving one another, Worshiping together and loving one another. Here are some pics to get a little taste of what we did.

Sean got an awesome makeover by Martha

We were able to bless the children of Motestepe with a pinata :)

My youth peeps helping out the amazing Kitchen staff here in the Villa

Some child sponsors were blessed by meeting the girls that they sponsor

Sean was able to tell Erminia about his family and give her letters that his girls wrote for her.

Working together to clean the streets of Motestepe

We gave the girls' homes a fresh coat of paint

We used Machetes!!!

We fed children in La Chureca ( the Dump)

And we enjoyed Rospados with the girls on a rainy afternoon

My girls and my calvary peeps hand in hand <3

Thank you Calvary for coming and spreading the Love of Christ!!!!!!!

Vocational Program under way

Today we finally made some jewlery, the girls were eager to start today. They are doing so well, I am very proud. It was a great day, lots of laughs, lots of relationship buliding. I couldn't help but bask in God's greatness watching them work so hard at creating a beautiful piece of jewlery while singing in worship to our God. How beautiful are the hands that make this jewlery and how beautiful are the hands that make us. Thank you God for this day! Showing the necklas that I made

The beautiful Perla
Monica

Scarleth, Martha, Karina, and Monica

Maria ( She's not frustrated, she is singing :)

Fully Content

Today a friend asked "why are you so happy, you have such a positive attitude. I said, " because I have never been this content in my entire life." She continued to ask, " and why do you think that is?" I said, " becasue I am living God's plan for my life." I feel complete, of course we are never perfect and of course there will always be things that I want in my life. But right now I know that this is the great plan and life that God has for me. I love God's plan for my life, it brings me great joy, peace, and love. Of course there are times when I miss people back home, but this is where I belong. This is not my home, my home is in heaven with my father but this feels like my earthly home, in alot of ways. I guess I just feel the incredible peace that only God can give. People keep asking how long I think I will live here, I know it will be a long time, years maybe the rest of my life. I can live here, I can serve here, I can adopt beautiful children here, I can raise a family here. I am here until God says, " Go". I can tell you with complete confidence in my God that you will not be disappointed with the plan God has for your life, if you follow Him!! God is the source, the reason for my joy, my smile, my glow, my laugh, my peace, my love, my service, and my contentment. He holds it all and is waiting to give it to us, if we just say, " Yes, I will follow you!" It was 2 years ago that I said Yes, I will follow you!!!