We have been back in Nicaragua right around one week. In some ways if feels longer and others much shorter. When I think about the facts that we are back to paying $1.75 for a mealy apple and I know that in Oregon they are just about at perfection, I feel a long way away from the country of last week.
When I think about the fact that we may have taken one of our last required taxi rides because we bought a car this morning, it makes me feel closer to the US and what it represents. It represents people who openly cared for us over the past seven weeks. It represents answers to prayer, and conversations over coffee that helped me process the next steps. It represents gallons of Starbucks coffee and frozen yogurt choices with toppings. It represents people who listened and gave to us sacrificially. It represents God working in the hearts of people for others, and a certain fourth grade student who is willing to forego Christmas gifts so that families in Nicaragua can have clean water.
So the question we get on our return is “How was your time in the US?”. Of course words are not quite enough to explain it all, but it was wonderful in so many ways.
And people in the US ask us about how it is to be back, and of course words are not quite enough to explain it all. We were greeted with heat and a messy house, but we were also greeted with Americans and Nicaraguans who were glad to have us home. We were greeted with, “I’ve prayed for you every day you were gone, and I know this is going to be a better year for you”. We were greeted with five fellow Oregonians now in our Sunday fellowship. We were greeted with being honored guests at a piñata for some boys (think birthday party with a stick and children), and opportunities to pray and be united with fellow missionaries. And of course we were greeted with knowing that our little pool is available 24/7!
In just a few minutes, Stephen and I are going to hop into our new car (1999 Honda CRV), go buy bread, and then visit some friends! Life is Good!
My Experiences In Nicaragua