Nicaragua end of year review!

So I am home for the Holidays!

It's is wonderful to be here. I am also excited to go to Murray soon. I have a lot of work to do though. I have tax receipts to print off for my organization, I have a newsletter to make, and I have fund to raise for next year!

But for now I am enjoying golfing, tennis, and family time here in Savannah. But I find I am thinking about Nicaragua a lot.

It's the end of the year. So like all of the 2011 year end show's that summarize the best and worst of 2011, I decided I will follow suite!

So here is my top 10 best memories of Nica 2011 and My Least Favorite memories of 2011:

Top ten favorite Nica memories of 2011:

10. Worship service in Leon
9. Birthday Parties at Casa Havliah
8. Buying car
7. Buying shoes for Casa Robles and Havilah
6. Having my first mission group in nicaragua
5. Eidder's Quinceñera
4. Providing scholarships for the boys school
3. Buying Land in Los Brasiles
2. Passing out Rice and Beans in Los Brasiles
1. Going on nursing rounds with Elizabeth and Ruth Daughaday in the dump!


And you know every list also needs a "worst" list... So here are my top 10 worst things about Nicaragua so far!

Top 10 worst things:
10. Nicaraguan Cheese
9. Sunburns
8. Traffic in Nica
7. having my Camera/ipod stolen
6. Pre-paid phones
5. Cold showers
4. Police that pull you over for no reason!
3. Washing Clothes by hand.
2. Sweating!
1. rain washing away wall in Los Brasiles

Well... that's my list!

It's been a great 2011 so far..... I hope 2012 has a lot to offer too! Time to go play Tennis with Dad. So I'll catch you all soon. Merry Christmas all!!!

So I have had a packed last couple of days......
Yesterday I started off by going out to Los Brasiles. Mr. B called me and asked if I could host a group at the school. They wanted to hang out with children. So I said of course! It was also nice that it was the last day for the Pre-schoolers! I was going to by a pinata for the kids, but this group really came through. They brought 2 pinatas, tons of candy, a ton of coloring books, and 2 cakes.

So they gave the kids coloring books and crayons and they colored and had recess for a while! Then we destroyed the pinata. Well, actually the pre-schoolers were not strong enough. They hit it though. Some were more scared at the pinata. It was sooo cute. But finally we asked Anthony.... the nephew of Lisseth to hit it, he is in the afternoon classes but was there. He destroyed the sucker!

The kids dove on the ground to grab candy. A couple like Dyana are too shy and didn't get any. So I dove on the ground and got a handful and gave to them!

Then we had cake......

After the cake I gave my first tour of Los Brasiles. I think I did pretty good. I showed them the new barrio (community) and they handed out candy to all the children, some coloring books, and one of the ladies even bought like 40 ice cream bars and handed out to some kids. It was a blast. When we were walking back, one of the ladies mentioned "we were going to give out rice and beans to another community, but this one looks like they could use the help even more!"

They asked if they could hand out bags of food, I said of course! They left to go get food and I went back to the school.

What happened next was pretty cool for me. I paid the final deposit and signed papers with a lawyer to buy the land next to the school. Imagine ministries and Xalted Ministries are partnering up. More on this later, but I think Xalted Ministries is being assimilated by Imagine Ministries! I still need to raise all of my own money, it's just going to be easier to have an organization with my own accountant to take care of all of my money! So anyway.... We are now partners and I have new land in Los Brasiles thanks to a special Sponsor that will be named later and some faithful donors!


So the group came back to Los Brasiles..... They brought 75 gallon bags full of Rice and Beans!!!!!

It was amazing watching them hand out food to the community. The people were soooo grateful! I loved seeing their faces light up!

I am so in love with this community and the people there! I have been to a handful of communities around Managua.I have NEVER seen people as nice as the ones in Los Brasiles. They are truly amazing. I see myself there for a long time!

So after all of that.... I had to pick up the girls and take them to the Buzbees for the Christmas party. We had a party with the two houses. It was a blast. It started off with swimming. Brinson and I jumped in the pool with jeans and all of our clothes on. It was fun. They opened presents, we had an amazing Lasagna dinner, and the I took them home. I am REALLY going to miss those kids while I am home for Christmas break.

Then today....

Today was the 15th birthday party for Lisseth's daughter. She is an amazing young girl. Super nice and very caring. Lisseth worked really hard to make the day perfect. And it was. First, I had no idea how big a 15th birthday is down here for girls. I guess it's the day a girl becomes a women in nicaragua. It looked like a pink wedding! There were a lot of matching little flower girls, matching brides maids, and the families were dressed to impressed. They had a 5 layer cake!

It was amazing. I loved it. I helped a lot since luis and Coburn couldn't make it. So I even felt like a proud papa.



It was a great day. I had a blast. I love working here! Thank you Lord for using me. Now I get to go back home and convince people to let you use them too!

Praise Jesus!

Time for a little change...

I just moved....

Nothing big. But I moved a couple blocks down the road into a house with another Missionary friend of mine. His name is Michael, and he's pretty cool. He does some amazing things with his Ministry "Project Isaiah". We have fun debating about stuff and he is definitely passionate. (Don't talk to him about Tebow) But I respect the guy a lot.

I moved in for many reasons. First and foremost, Michael's roommate and my good friend left and Michael was stuck paying rent. So he needed another roommate. It's the same cost of what I pay at the boys home, so of course I would help him out. Also, I am looking forward to having him around to be an accountability partner. We will keep each other in check and challenge each other spiritually. I can have deep conversations again in English, when all i said at the boys home was in Spanish. And last but not least, it will be nice to have privacy when I want it. To have friends come over. I am 30 yrs old and it is nice to have a place to myself again.

I will miss being in the boys home. I already do. There is an energy there that I won't have anymore here. It's fun to walk out of your room and hug a ton of precious kids. But my relationship with them won't change. I still plan on going over there almost every day and seeing them. I will stop by for Angelica's cooking :) It will almost be the same, but I will be sleeping somewhere else. That's all.

I also think this next year is going to be very big for me. I am working more and more with Imagine Ministries and the school in Los Brasiles. It's wonderful. I will soon have groups here from Coburn's church in February. I can't wait. We will also be hosting people here over the next year. Since this house is so big, we have 10 extra beds right now to hole people. It's a little bit like a missionary complex.

Other news.... Today is the promotion day for Luisa and Angel. They go from Kindergarten to 1st grade I believe. They have their little caps and gowns. It will be cute. I am looking forward to it. I have had a lot of parties and graduations this last week. and I have more next week. It's crazy in December.

I am also busy trying to get things ready to leave. I leave on the 19th for Savannah to see my parents. I'm looking forward to hanging with them and playing really bad Golf. I've played like 3 times in the last 2+ years.

Then I go to Murray at the end of December and hang out for 3 weeks. I get to cheer on Big Country and the Arnett girls in Basketball and get fattened up by Diana and her cooking. I can't wait.

A big part of all of this is also fund raising. I am about to send out letters and tax receipts. But now is the time to collect all of the money for next year. So I need to ask people to pledge again. I hope God can bless me with as much as I had this year, if not more! Now that I have a year under my belt, I have so many projects to finish. I have playgrounds to build, Ranchos to build, children to sponsor, and so much more. I am soooo excited about what's going on down here. I couldn't do it without any of you though! If you are interested in donating to my area's of ministry.....The Boys Home, The Girls Home, or to the school I run in Los Brasiles.... You can email me at tom@fccmurray.com to get more info or you can donate with a credit card through paypal on my website at www.xalted.org.

I can't wait to see what God is up to. I hope you can enjoy this trip with me!

God Bless, and see you soon!

Christmas is coming....

And the geese and Tom are going to be getting fat. I have lost about 35 lbs since coming to Nica. But I have a feeling being at home for Christmas and then living with the Arnetts and eating Diana's and Jean Carol Ridley's food is going to put it all right back on!

Well it's been a crazy last couple of weeks. I have been putting a lot of stuff on Facebook including pictures. The kids are graduation and moving to the next grade. I have gone to 2 different dance programs in the last week. Took the girls swimming, the boys to the volcano, and have been keeping busy in Los Brasiles. I am excited about the end of this year and how much I've done. But it really feels like it's just starting. It really is. We have to start building on the land I bought. That's going to be crazy. I need to raise funds for next year when I'm home in January.

I will be leading maybe 9 groups this year. I am going to be in charge of Coburns groups from his church, and I hope to have 1 maybe 2 of my own.

That is going to be very busy! But I am excited. I also can't wait for Luis to get back from the US. He has had a blast there. But I miss my little buddy. I can't wait to see how his English has improved!

So FYI..... I am not buying Christmas presents for anyone this year. All the money is going to Children in Nicaragua. For Instance I am going to buy a Christmas tree for the girls house this week. If anyone wants to join me on this endeavor, let me know and I can tell you EXACTLY what your Christmas Money is going for!

Anyway, time for dinner with the boys. Love you all. God Bless!

I am a bad person!!!

Cause it's been forever since I blogged!

I've been busy, but at the same time I've been doing a lot of the "same stuff different day" stuff.

So there hasnt been much to talk about. I've been sick. I have my typical cough that I normally get for a couple of months every year. Gotta love it. It has to be some kind of allergy. Oh well!

I had a big first for me. I raised the money thanks to some of you wonderful people and I bought the land next to the preschool. I am officially a Nicaraguan land owner! It ended up costing $5,500. Unfortunately that included a little house on it that we are going to tear down. It woulda been a lot cheaper if it was just land! Now Coburn's job is to raise the money to build the walls around it and start building the land up. It is going to be pretty amazing! I think it is going to be a great place to host community things in the future!

The boys and girls are great. 7 of the 8 kids in Robles made the Honor Roll. That's the most they ever had at the same time! Praise God for that!

The girls are doing well. I worry about the older girls personally. Please prey for them. I see them becoming more and more focused on the worldy things and less on God. That causes a couple of problems. 1) its bad for them and their spiritual growth. but 2) I can see some of the younger girls looking up to them and trying to follow in their footsteps. Other than the house mom Kenia, they don't have many options as female role models that are around all the time.

As for the boys.... I have built some pretty amazing relationships. I have been focusing on Marcos (the oldest) a lot. He is the one struggling the most in school. He says he is going to be a professional soccer player. I wish he could follow that dream, but with his life, he doesnt really have the opportunities to chase that dream.

We have been hanging out a little bit here and there. I try to take him out alone when I can. He is 4 years older than the next boy. So he is kind of growing out of that "kid" age and becoming a teen. I think I am the only person in the house that can relate to him right now. He really is a great boy!

I will be moving out of the boys home soon though. Ever since Coburn left, his old roommate and my good friend Michael Folsom is now living by himself in a house with like 6 bedrooms and 4 baths. Not only is he lonely, but it is not very safe to live by yourself down here. It's always good to have someone to hang with. So I will be moving in with him in Dec.

I will still be just as active with the boys. Going over in the afternoon a lot and hanging out with them. Going on activities with them. All of that wonderful stuff. The only difference is I will be sleeping and waking up in a different place. My new house is really close to the boys home too. So it won't be that much of a difference.

I have realized God's will for me down her. I can now say I know it's a relational ministry. I am going to focus on the two houses and the relationships i have there and the big brother/father figure they see me as. I hope I am a good example of what a man should be like. Not like a lot of their fathers who aren't around anymore.

And second, I am focusing on Los Brasiles and the preschool. I have been spending most of my time with the morning preschool children. I love hanging out with them. These are 3-5 yr olds that are just so precious.

I see Los Brasiles as my focus in Nicaragua for a while. Now with Coburn gone, I am going to be taking charge of his mission trips that come down, and a lot of other stuff. I am going to be pretty busy here soon. His first group comes in February!

I am finishing up my "Holiday" newsletter. I figured I'd do one at the end of Nov for Thanksgiving AND Christmas.

For those of you that know me really well, you would know I hate this time of year and the holiday season. It really all revolves around Christmas. And mostly around the music. I can't stand Christmas music for the most part. And here's why:

They will play the same songs EVERY hour! Actually sometimes more. You will hear "White Christmas" 3 times in one hour. But oh wait... it's ok because one was Bing Crosby, one was Amy Grant, and one was Harry Connick Jr! I'm sorry for your Christmas lovers, but I don't care who sings the song, it's still the same freakin song!!!!!

So the music annoys me. It always has back when I was little and the music would start in the beginning of Dec. But wait..... I have seen it start before Thanksgiving through my teen years, and now it starts in Oct!!!!!

Seriously!!!! enough already. But like I said. I love Nicaragua Holiday season so far. Maybe it's because it always feels like Nica is 20 yrs behind the state, but I haven't heard any Christmas music yet!

I won't go on and on, but music is just one reason. I hate how everyone wakes up and thinks "PRESENTS!!!" instead of thinking "Praise God for the gift of Jesus on this day". Christmas isn't about trees, presents, music, lights, and Santa. It's about Jesus Christ. So i struggle on a holiday where we take the focus off of God and bring it to our worldy possessions.

Don't get me wrong. I love the beauty of the trees and lights and such. But we need to remember CHRISTmas is about CHRIST!

Ok.... more about me.

I'm struggling with my faith. I am tempted everywhere I look. Just like all Christians are. But recently I have been giving more attention to possible temptations. Does that make sense? I'll see something at the store and I will want it and crave it, and it is hard for me to have the self control to not buy it. Or when a kid is driving me crazy, it is getting harder to have more patience. Or when I dont want to get up in the morning and do my quiet time, It's harder and harder to get up. Don't get me wrong..... I am keeping the faith and fighting the good fight. It's just harder sometimes than others. I think that once I live with Michael, that will help. Because we will both be able to keep each other accountable. We always have a great time together discussing great Godly things. We've had some great talks. I'm looking forward to it.

Well.... these last couple of days I've been driving kids from the school in the dump to a free health clinic. It's a wonderful opportunity for these children. I had 30 people in my 15 passenger Microbus today!!!! Crazy stuff! That's Nicaragua for you.

Well, right now I am reading "Don't waste your life" by John Piper. Good book! I am off to go read some more. Time to draw closer to God, spend some time in prayer, and praise God!

Love you all and talk to you soon..... no, really!!! :)

Long time no bloggy

I know it's been a while.... I have a lot to share. I'll make a huge blog this weekend to cover the last few weeks. Love you all. God bless!

Rain Rain GO AWAY!!!

So today I am not very busy. The kids are not in school because it's raining. Lol. I wish we got out of school when I was younger because of rain!

I got a call this morning from one of my workers at the school in Los Brasiles. The rain has torn down a wall of the building and is starting to tear down the actual school itself. We could use some prayers. Please pray for the teachers, the children, and myself. It's going to be a long process of repairing. Here are some pictures! :/ This is not good. Will keep you informed. But Please pray....

Josh is here!

So Josh and I have been busy. That explains the lack of blogs. We have seen a movie, gone to church, played with pre-schoolers, visited the dump, checked on an old friend, at cow tongue, had communion, climbed a volcano, surfed down a volcano!!!, and went swimming. It's been busy so far. Tomorrow we are going down south to surf and hit the beach. We are having a blast and I can't wait for him to go home and tell everyone about it. Well I need to let him use the computer. Talk to you all and SEE you all soon!

Love,

Tom

Same age, but very different....

No, I'm not talking about me. :)

I'm talking about the children here. I just took my 8 kids to Pizza Hut for a treat since Judy and Angelica were celebrating their Anniversary.

It is amazing how you can see the difference in their upbringing when you go places. They aren't used to nice things like going to restaurants. So I have 8 year olds trying to stand on tables.

My role here in the house is definitely the affection giver. The two house parents are not the affectionate type. I am always hugging, holding, tickling, and telling these kids how much I love them. But that is a problem sometimes. Because when I get them alone without the house parents, they feel like they can do whatever they want because the "Disciplinarians" are not there. Don't get me wrong. I feel that the parents love the kids. It's just that a) they aren't their real children, and b) the culture down here is a little different.

So..... I am the good guy that they come to for love. So it's very hard to admonish them. So when one turned off the tv tonight in Pizza Hut by standing on the booth, When one of the boys opened the door to the girls bathroom while someone was in there, and when one was shooting spitballs across the table, they didnt understand why the loving teddy bear Tom was angry. I know some of you are probably laughing at that and thinking..... that sounds like the perfect kids for me! They are perfect in their own ways. As I am typing this we are watching Star Wars III. And Kenner just ran past me out the front door. I yelled at him and said "where do you think you are going". He said he was going outside to pee. LOL!!!! This is what I am dealing with. I said... um, no.... go use the bathroom! That's what they are used to in their homes though. So I can't blame them completely. It's a different culture.

As I am writing this I have a lot of things on my mind. I am really excited about Saturday. Josh Garland is coming down here to visit. I have such a week planned for him! Since it's only the two of us, that means we are doing to do some amazing things. I was thinking Volcano Surf, Relax in some hot springs, Camp out, and much more. We will do all of our Ministry work in the morning like visit the Dump, but we need to get in some fun too. The best buddies are back together, and we are gonna have a blast!

I am also thinking about coming home to Murray in a couple of weeks. I am PUMPED. I will be "Tom Arnett" for the week. Being adopted by the Arnetts for the week is such a blessing. It will be great to be home, especially out in the country and enjoy some nature.

I am sure my week will fill up FAST!!! I have a handful of important lunch meetings with some people already. Not to sound arrogant, but if you want to hang out, please let me know asap so I can make sure I don't forget someone!

I will be at church for 2 weeks. It will be different being there for the first time as a "member". I'll enjoy sitting in both services and worshipping instead of "worryshipping". Cause as a church staff member, Sundays have a lot of responsibilities and stress along with the wonderful worship. It will be nice to not have to worry about different things. I am looking forward to seeing a lot of people. And I am looking forward to seeing what's different. I am sure the Holy Spirit is working. I know they found 3 people to cover my previous responsibilities. I am sure they will do a fine job as long as they are focused on the Lord and His will for the church. That is the hardest part of ministry. It has been for over 10 years I've been serving. I still struggle even here in Nica to decipher what is His will versus mine. And I know from experience.... no one wants mine! (Well, maybe except me sometimes! :)

So it will be a fun 10 days in Murray. I am sure I will hunt, play Basketball. Hold my Goddaughter, go to a Skillet concert, watch some football, eat fattening food, and laugh a TON!

Well..... I think this about wraps it up for me. I have one thought for you. How is your faith??? Is your faith in Jesus unquestionable? When you lay down on your bed do you wonder if it will hold you. Or when you sit in that pew on Sunday morning, do you question if it will break? Of course you don't. You have faith in those things that they will hold you and never let you down. In the same way, your faith in Jesus should be the same. Jesus should be that secure spot in your life that you never question. Just like that chair.....

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You!

In Him,

Tom Seipel

Groundhog's Day

I love the movie Groundhog's Day. Every morning Bill Murray wakes up to the same song, does the same stuff. He lives the same day over and over!

Well, sometimes my life looks like that! :) It's not a bad thing. But that's why I haven't been updating my blog as often as I said I would. It's because I don't have anything exciting to say.

Well this is exciting news.... I bought a little motorcycle. Driving a 15 passenger bus around is expensive with gas and it is also a lot of wear and tear on the bus with these horrible roads. So I bought a motorcycle that is an on/off road bike. It will be cheaper in the long run. I am excited about riding it.

I have hit a spiritual bump recently. Nothing to worry about, but as you all know.... I like being transparent with all of my friends. But when I got down here I was on fire for the Lord. I was preparing my heart for Nica. The first couple of months were the best spiritual months of my life. This last month has been rough though. Some stuff is starting to get on my nerves. I almost got out of my car to kill a guy who was walking through the cars at a red light and punched my car. I opened the door and he started running and i thought... "what am I doing? That's not what Jesus would do!"

I have been busy and have put God on the back burner sometimes. I missed a couple quiet times and I knew I need to get my butt in gear. God wants all of me, not most of me.

So I am looking forward to being home in Murray in a couple of weeks and recharging my batteries. It will be nice to sit out at the Arnett's house and meditate and pray in the country. It will be great to just be home.

But in the meantime.... Please keep me in your prayers. Satan wants nothing more than to see me get complacent and to stop worshiping our God. But that will never happen. The battle belongs to the Lord. I am just a soldier in Him mighty army!

Keep trusting, keep living..... for Jesus

Fresa y Arándano

That means Strawberry and Blueberry....

Yesterday I bought some strawberries and blueberries at the closest thing to a Sam's club we have here in Nica.

It is amazing. Can you believe that most of the kids in BOTH houses have NEVER had a strawberry of Blueberry?!?!?!

So I went to the girls house and let them try some and they were in love. Yes, they have had strawberry flavored stuff. But these fruits are VERY expensive. I paid about $15 for a thing of strawberries here. But it was worth it to see the kids faces after they had them. It was fun introducing them to a little food I eat back home.

The boys weren't as impressed. They loved the flavor. But they didn't understand why having them was such a big deal. The girls realized that's a treat that they won't get very often. Sad how eating a strawberry is a blessing that they might not have for another 15 years.

That's how simple but at the same time different life is here. Just thought I would share that with you.

God Bless all...

Every Day.... In Nica....

Every day I wake up in a sweaty bed.

Every day I take a cold shower (not by choice)

Every day I eat Gallo Pinto (Rice and beans)

Every day I see a salamander in my bedroom.

Every day I give change to the boy at the street corner who wants to wash my windows at the red light.

Every day I pray that God will use me.

Every day I see that happen.

Every day the children make me laugh.

Every day I don't understand a lot of what people say to me.

Every day I can tell what people mean through their love and actions.

Every day I see a volcano.

Every day I see flowers.

Every day I see coconuts.

Every day I turn on the fan to keep me cool.

Every day I constantly watch my back because I am a foreigner.

Every day I speak Spanish.

Every day I sin.

Every day I ask for forgiveness.

Every day I am forgiven.

Every day when it rains I watch water leak in our house.

Every day I kill a cockroach.

Every day I am soaking wet with sweat.

Every day I see hungry people begging for food.

Every day I see children begging to be loved.

Every day I see kids playing soccer in the streets.

Every day I see people drive through red lights.

Every day I am happy.

Every day I wonder what I am going to do the next day.

Every day I wonder if I am going to be alone forever.

Every day I thank God for the people I do have in my life.

Every day I drink filtered bottle water.

Every day it is hot.

Every day I see dogs walking in the street.

Every day I see people selling grills made out of tire rims.

Every day I get mad at how taxi's will just slam on their brakes and stop for people in front of you.

Every day I realize how lucky I am for even having a car.

Every day I see a cow, horse, chicken, dog, bull, or donkey walking down the middle of the road.

Every day I miss my friends and family.

Every day I wear clean clothes while a lot of people are covered in dirt.

Every day I wear flip-flops

Every day I talk on the phone.

Every day I get on my computer.

Every day I read.

Every day I sing.

Every day I pray.

Every day I eat.

Every day I sleep.

But Every day I look at the poor, lost, and needy people of Nicaragua, and wish that I could give them what I get..... Every day.

I am blessed to be able to serve, to love, and to live.

I will worship Jesus with all my heart.

Every day....

It´s the little things

Ok.... first off, Im on a spanish keyboard right now and I cant find the apostrophe button. So deal with my bad English!

But I was walking the girls to school today and there is a tree (I believe it´s a red Azalea bush) that over hangs the sidewalk. I is almost low enough to hit my head on, but the girls cant reach it. Every day we walk under it and they always want a red flower to put in their hair on the way to school. It is the perfect climate here for this bush, because it flowers year long. So there are always enough flowers to take a couple. But it is so cute. They beg me to grab a flower off they bush and of course I give in to the precious smiles. After they put it in their hair, they are beaming from ear to ear.

Its the little things down here that are so special. I am sitting in the preschool at Los Brasiles and I am waiting on the kids to show up. I know that one little girl will drop everything when she sees me and give me a huge hug. Her name is Haydi. I think she has some mental problems. She is always staring off into the sky. It is sad, but Im pretty sure she isnt all there. But one thing she loves is being loved. So when she walks in, most kids would take off their backpack, say hi to the teachers, and sit down. But she will drop her bag the second she sees me, runs over to me and hugs my leg, and has to be peeled off of me. That makes my day. This little girl that lives in a 12x12 shack around the corner from the school, walks around barefoot on the muddy floor of her house, and is always dirty has the most amazing little smile in the world. She can break the hearts of the most hardened.

I have been told a lot that ¨you can hug little children in America, you dont need to be in Nica¨. I love my little kids in Murray. But the difference is that in Murray I might be one of many special people in my kids lives. But here in Nicaragua there is a good chance I am the only person, ESPECIALLY only male that loves them and gives them hugs.

One of the kids has a 14 year old sister. She was so excited her 14 year old sister was having a baby last week. I couldnt believe it. Thats whats sad here. It is normal for most girls to have children between the ages of 16-18 here. Its because when a guys shows them attention and love, its normally the first time they had attention from a guy so they fall for them. I hope to change that with these little kids. I hope to set the bar high for what a good guy is. I hope they look at me and compare guys to me and realize that these guys that show them attention arent worth it.

I am not the perfect guy by all means. I wouldnt be single if that was the case. But I would like to think I can set a good example to children boy boys and girls of the man they want to become and the man they would like to marry. There are a lot of scum men in Nicaragua. I met a guy a couple days ago that has 8 children all with different women. Thats not uncommon here.

I started off by talking about the simple things.... and I am preaching now about something totally different. I guess the Holy Spirit had a word for me to share.

But I love life here. I am working on many things. I want to be here forever. I know thats a big statement, but I do. I am always blown away at the happiness i get to experience with kids here. There is no whinning about stuff. They dont need an xbox. They need you to hold their hand. That is what makes their day special. And that is what makes my day special. Its the little things.

Lord,
Please let these children see Jesus through my actions. Let me be a mirror that reflects the Holy Spirit. I pray that you lift them up and let them know that they matter and are a perfect masterpiece. Let that mirror be a reflecting glass in a lighthouse that shows them there is a better way and a safe way to live. That safe way is with you. That your kingdom is here right now. Let me help show them that kingdom here on earth. Eternal life starts now. Not when we die. Lord.... thank you for the gift of love and laughter. Two gifts I could not live without. I love you Lord. Thank you.
Amen!

It's been a while.....

So I know it has been a while since I blogged. The main reason is I haven't had much to talk about. I got back to Managua after finishing my spanish school and I have taken the last week to chill and relax a bit. We had a couple birthday parties for kids and those pictures will be on Facebook soon. I just finished my newsletter and that will be going out next week.

Today I went surfing with Chachi, Brinson, and Michael. It was fun. My whole body hurts. I am not used to paddling on a surfboard that's for sure! We had a fun time. I enjoy hanging with the guys every once in a while.

I have been working in Los Brasiles a few times each week. The pre-schoolers and totally warming up to me. The are so cute!

I see a lot of stuff happening out there. God is good.

I am really excited about October. I bought a plane ticket and will be home in Murray Oct. 14th for about 10 days! I have a lot of people to see, equipment to buy, clothes to bring back. I am excited about coming home. Plus, I get to go to a Skillet concert!!!! SOOOO pumped for that!

Well I am about to take a nap. Been a sore day. I know, it's a tough life sometimes. One day you are playing with poverty stricken children, the next you are surfing. God is good! All the time!

Lots of stuff happening here!

So new season is coming. I am finishing up spanish school in a couple of weeks then I will have a lot on my plate.

My good friend Coburn just got engaged to one of the Buzbee's daughters. They will be leaving to live in the states for a while. He has a school that he runs and a feeding program in Los Brasilles. He asked me to oversee it after he leaves. So Xalted Ministries is now partnering with Imagine Ministries to help the community of Los Brasilles. I will be out there in the community a few days a week helping out at the school and also becoming a new face in the community. I will be paying the teachers and workers, overseeing the needs, and reporting back to Coburn about everything. This is a wonderful opportunity. I saw a huge need in Los Brasilles since the first day I was there. I am really excited about this and I know God has a lot of things in store for me and for the community.

I have spent the last couple of days hanging out with Coburn and my friend Michael. Coburn is leaving, so that will be tough. He has really helped me a lot in getting my feet on the ground here in Nicaragua. I have been blessed by his friendship and I wish him and Melissa the best of luck in the future together!

So I head back to Leon tomorrow morning for 2 more weeks. I am not really looking forward to going back. I have learned a ton in 2 weeks. But i feel i need to practice using it now. But we will move on to even more stuff these next two weeks. I feel like I will forget half the stuff I learned if i don't practice it. I am only going to take a month. I realized a month is long enough. I might take another couple of weeks next year to get to the next level. After all.... my brain can only learn so much so fast!

Well.... time to have my last dinner with Coburn for a while. Please keep me in your prayers. I am going to be very busy once I get back from school. Afterall, God wouldn't be using me to sit around and be bored! :)

Love ya all. God Bless!

Happy Birthday Weekend!!!

Well I went home last week from school a day early so I wouldnt miss Angel's birthday party. It was a good time. The girls can over to the boy's house and whacked a "Fred Flinstone" pinata. It was a good time.

Friday night my friend Coburn proposed to his girlfriend Melissa and she said yes. So I was happy for them. Well saturday about 15 of us went down to San Juan del Sur and rented a beach house for the weekend for Coburns Birthday that was on Sunday. We had a blast. You get a group of missionaries together and they go crazy! :)

But I had fun trying to surf and hanging. Was a good break from a busy summer.

Now I'm back in Leon studying Spanish. I am counting down the days till I am back in Murray! 43!!!! But I am even more excited to see my Best Buddy Josh here in Nicaragua before then.

I Hope you are all doing well. Keep the prayers coming. These people need your support!

"football"

So I had some time to kill today and I was walking around and I heard sooooooo much cheering going on. The closer I got to the "bar" district, the sooner I realized what was happening. It was a Barcelona vs. Madrid Soccer game. Or as they say here "Football". I decided I wanted to experience life like a Nicaraguan and went in to one of these bars to see the game. First the cover was $2.50. And that included FOUR beers. I was blown away. That gives you a perspective on how cheap some things are here. You couldn't buy ONE beer for that price back home. But I wasn't about to complain :)

So I went and asked a table of guys if anyone was sitting in their empty seat. They said I could use it. They were all Barcelona fans and ALL had on "Messi" jerseys. So I decided I was going to be a Barcelona fan. First off, I pretty much hate soccer. The only real football to me is American Football. But it was pretty awesome. It's not the sport that was awesome, it was the passion of the people in this bar. The ball would get stolen and everyone for that team would cheer. When a goal was scored everyone would start swinging their beers around. It was literally a "Beer Sprinkler". I got drenched. I wasn't too happy at first, but then thought..... "Only in Nica!" The crowd was as loud as a 110,000 person packed Ohio State vs. Michigan game. Yet there was only 100 people in this bar. It was pretty cool to experience.

I can say I like "Football" a little more. I need to get me a "Messi" jersey. They don't make them quite as big as I need :P

The people were nice. And let me tell you...... I have lived or stayed in MANY different countries. Of course all the American females I know are beautiful. But I have never seen a country with as many pretty girls as Nica! Seriously! Korea comes close. But It's amazing to watch the culture, the way they dress, the way men treat women and women treat men. It's very different. And some things make me sick. But at the same time.... some things are better here!

Well.... I am going to a "Young Life" meeting tonight with the daughter and her boyfriend. I can't wait to see it! It should be awesome. Love you all. God bless!

Leon.....

So I am in Leon. I love it here so far. I am staying with an awesome host family. Carmen and Dennis. They have a beautiful daughter Eunice who is 22 and about to finish Med school. She is very smart and can also speak English pretty well. Her boyfriend is Byron. He is a really cool guy. He's 23. What's awesome is Eunice and Byron are leaders of the Leon Young Life group. They are strong Christians. And actually tonight Dennis gave me a "Bilingual" Bible. It has spanish and english on the same page. It's awesome. So I am really enjoying talking to Byron and Eunice. He is a really nice guy and has helped me a lot with my spanish.

School has been ok. I really haven't learned a lot in the two days. Me and my teacher have ended up talking most of the 4 hours about everything. She is a Christian and today I told her my testimony. It took about an hour. But I am happy to know I can give my testimony in Spanish. Well.... she helped me with a lot of words. But I guess talking for 4 hours in spanish is good too. I just can't wait to get some actual vocab down. I realized tonight I need to make some flash cards!

Well now that I'm back in Leon, I am going to go to the church that I went to a couple of weeks ago. It's in a town close by called Malpaisillo. The pastor is becoming a good friend. His wife is really sweet. They have the MOST adorable granddaughters....Nelly and Deborah. I bought them a snow white and a Cinderella Barbie in the market today. I was a big hit!

Anyway. He has a little hardware store in the central park area. I picked them all up at 2pm and drove them to Malpaisillo. We hung out, I helped them set up church, we went to a girls house whose "Baby's Daddy" was abusing her, and prayed for her..... and we went back to church. Right before church he showed me that they have a keyboard. I got excited. I miss playing the piano. I fooled around a little bit and sang some worship songs for the girls. He overheard me and now wants me to lead the congregation in an English song sometime in the next couple of weeks. I bet many people can't say they have led worship in a US AND Nicaraguan church! I am pretty pumped. I need to figure out which slower songs I should do that I can play. Any suggestions would be great!

We had church and it was a great time. I live it here. Did I say that :) After I leave Leon to go back to Managua, I know I will be visiting here often to say Hi! It's only an hour away. That's like going to Paducah!

Well I just finished my spanish homework. Never thought I'd have homework again! But keep an eye out for more blogs. Love ya all!

Casa Havilah

Well today was a fun day. I spent the day with the girls from Casa Havilah. I took them to see the movie "Smurfs". It was cute and the girls loved it. It was so precious to watch them laugh during the movie. It was like they don't have a care in the world. They are not kids in a rescue home, they are just normal kids.

Naydeling sat on my lap most of the movie and was sleeping on and off. She is so cute. It's interesting to see which ones grow attached sooner. There are definately some needy girls, and there are some independent girls too. They are all amazing in their own ways. You have super smart ones. (Sophia) You have funny ones (Jocylen, Katherine, Vannessa). You have shy ones (Marie Ellena). You have animal lovers (Andrea). You have dancers (Mikeyling). I could name something special about every single one of the kids in the two homes down there. I was thinking about Naydeling as she slept on my lap. I wonder what she will be when she grows up. She could do anything she wants. I wonder about that a lot with kids. I wonder if Sophia will be a doctor. I wonder if Andrea will be a vet. I have some that are sooo compassionate I know they will be great mothers. It's crazy to think about how all these boys and girls will be doing something with their lives in 10-20 years that make a difference!

It was hard to say goodbye to them after the movie. I leave for Leon for Spanish school tomorrow bright and early. I could use all the prayers I can get. I am also sure it will be kinda lonely not having my friends in town. But that means more time with God!

I don't know how often I will have internet, but I should once a day atleast. I love you all. God Bless.

Oh.... And check out the picture of the girls by going to this link.....

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100884604232945.3117196.12412863

House of Varicella

So..... It's interesting in the boys home right now. And by that I mean we had one boy with Varicella last week. That is "Chicken Pox" in English! :) And now this week we have 3 more. And I know we will have a couple more before this is over. It's pretty funny. I got a picture of Angel to show you. I'd rather them have it young than when they are older.

So a few of the kids are staying home from school today. I was more shocked they went to church yesterday.

I am getting ready for school. (That sounds soooo weird!) I am preparing my heart and mind for the next 2 months. I am excited and nervous. I hope it's worth it. I really need to come back able to talk to everyone. I can barely communicate now. And I can't understand at all!

Well.... sorry for a short blog. It's been a slow last couple of days. Just hanging around.

Love ya all. Take care!

And now a chance to relax!

So summer is pretty much over for Mission trips. That means we will be doing less "cool" activities and be more on a Nicaraguan lifestyle schedule. In a week I leave for Spanish school. I think this is the first time in a LONG time I am excited about school! I think I am going to be going to DARIANA SPANISH SCHOOL www.dss-spanishschool.com in Leon. The reason I am going to Leon now and not the original Granada like I said is because of my experience there this last week. I now know a pastor there and I am going to join their church while I am there. I am excited for that too!

I am going to do a fast while I am in Leon. Not sure what kind of fast maybe food or maybe from something else. But I am going to use those 2 months to focus on God like never before!

Leon is an interesting city. It's like a touristy town. But really it's a backpacker's and travelers town. Lots of white people and lots of Hostels. It was the original capital of Nicaragua. And it has the Biggest Cathedral in Central America. My grandmother would love it!

So I am finally sending letters from the kids out to their sponsors at FCC Murray. It's been a lot busier summer for the kids. So I can finally sit them down and do it. So expect to see those soon. I am also putting videos of them on Youtube. So you can see and hear them!

Well..... Not much else to say right now. It's really hot right now. Very Humid. Nothing better than it feeling like 100 degrees INSIDE your house. I miss air conditioning sometimes!

But you all have a good day. God Bless!

An answer to my prayers!

Wow.... I have an amazing story to share. Yesterday I went to Leon with some guys. Leon is really pretty. I met some cool people. At night we went to a church service. One of our friends Francisco was preaching. At the end he called for a time of healing prayer. So anyone with any ailments could come up and our group of guys would pray for them.

First.... I have been personally praying for a couple weeks now for God to give me a physical manifestation of the Holy Spirit. I wanted to see Him take control. Well He did last night....

I was praying for one boy.... after I was done I noticed Jonathan had a woman with a baby girl in front of him. He just finished praying for the girl. She was about 1 yr old maybe. I asked the mom what was wrong and she said her nose. So I started to pray for the girl. Put my hands on her and prayed hard. Harder than I ever have maybe. After I was done I took my hands off and the mother took 2 steps away. And I kid you not.... the baby shot projectile vomit all over the floor. It wasn't like anything I've seen before. The baby was smiling, not crying, and the vomit shot out about 4 feet away and probably a Gallon's worth. First, we are in Nicaragua.... They don't have enough food in 3 days that would be a gallons worth. Let alone one days worth in that little baby belly. Second the baby stopped vomiting and just smiled. I KNOW that was the work of the Holy Spirit rebuking the sickness from the body of this baby. It was amazing. I was proud to have been a part of that. If you would have seen this event, you would have been amazed too.

So praise God for that. It was a crazy and awesome night. I love serving down here. I love the people. But mostly I love God!

Chapter 9....

I read this today in the book "A hole in the Gospel"....

"Whenever a major jetliner crashes anywhere in the world, it inevitably sets off a worldwide media frenzy covering every aspect of the tragedy . . . Imagine for a moment that you woke up this morning to the following headline: 'One Hundred Jetliners Crash, Killing 26,500.' Think of the pandemonium this would create across the world as heads of state, parliaments, and congresses convened to grapple with the nature and causes of this tragedy. Think about the avalanche of media coverage that it would ignite around the globe as reporters shared the shocking news and tried to communicate its implications to the world . . . Now imagine that the very next day, one hundred more planes crashed - and one hundred more the next, and the next, and the next. It is unimaginable that something this terrible could ever happen. But it did -- and it does. It happened today, and it happened yesterday. It will happen again tomorrow. But there was no media coverage. No heads of state, parliaments, or congresses stopped what they were doing to address the crisis, and no investigations were launched. Yet more than 26,500 children died yesterday of preventable causes related to their poverty, and it will happen again today and tomorrow and the day after that. Almost 10 million children will be dead in the course of a year . . . And even though we now have the awareness, the access, and the ability to stop it, why have we chosen not to? Perhaps one reason is that these kids who are dying are not our kids; they're someone else's." - Richard Stearns

Isn't that the truth??? It's sad. That's the biggest difference I see in myself now that I am down here. My outlook on compassion has changed dramatically. I see a girl who is a 13 yr old prostitute, or a kid with bruises on their face as a result of abuse and it's personal to me. My prayer is for everyone to experience this. Please take a chance and come down here. I Promise you won't regret it!

Pray for the children of the world right now. Take a minute. Let God break your heart so that it will be personal to you too.

"Let my heart be broken by things that break the heart of God!"

Busy last few days!

So the last few days have been busy but awesome!

I have been running around with Coburn's group of 9 college guys he has down here. I have been having a blast. Tues and Weds we spend the night at Ruby Ranch. It is a rustic ranch. I mean bathrooms are out back in a hole, no running water. I spent the night outside under the stars sleeping on a table with lots of bug spray on. It was beautiful We had some great conversations. I met some really cool guys. They Thursday we moved to the beach and slept on the beach. It was awesome. We played a game of Ultimate Frisbee which I am super sore from! I had a great evening. What a blessing to be out under the stars where no one is miles around. Such Joy.

I am now back in Managua. And I HAVE INTERNET!!!! So you will be hearing from me much more. I am getting my sponsor letters from the kids mailed Monday. Everything is starting to move!

It's now time for me to start thinking about Spanish School. I am looking at a couple different places. I am excited about this chance to learn more spanish. I need to be fluent ASAP.

I heard VBS at Murray went well this week. I also heard a couple of my girls got a part time job at church doing worship and wonder and children's sermons. YAY. Go Elizabeth and Ash!

I am about to book my flight home in October. You will get to see me soon if you live in Murray. I will be in Murray for about 8-9 days. Love you all. Time for bed now! God Bless you all!

Guess who has internet now!!!! WOOHOOO

I do :)

Will write more tonight! Bye Bye!

Xalted Ministries helping people already!!!

I found where Xalted Ministries is going to make an impact.

So I went to Rosa yesterday with some of the guys in Coburns group. We had the intent on building a house. We made a little floor plan and talked to her about it. She loved it but told us she didn’t want to do it. Luis translated why. I guess she it living on a little patch of land that a farmer is letting her borrow. I mean the land is the size of a two car garage. So imagine her house is much smaller. What is left of it. Well they worked through the night to fix it.

Since she is temporarily living where she is, she says if we build a nicer house for her the guy is going to kick her off the land and take it. She then told us that she has had to borrow land and normally move her family every 3 months. Can you believe relocating, and BUILDING a small house every 3 months!!!!

Also her children were supposed to go to school yesterday for the first day. She has one going in the morning and 2 girls in the afternoon. I noticed the boy wasnt there in the morning and wondered why. She says they only have 1 shirt EACH and they are dirty and they are too embarrassed to go to school. So I went and bought her clothes. Little kids shirt and pants sets are expensive even down here! I already gave out all of our clothes my group bought down. I could use more!

A couple of the kids also didn’t have shoes. So I bought a few pair of sandals for them.

So.... This is where Xalted Ministries is going to change a life. Or 7 lives.

I told her I am going to buy some land and I’m going to build a small house and her family can live in it. We are talking about $1,000 for the land, and maybe $2,000 for the house. So for 3,000 I am going to set up a family for life. I could use any donations since this is a big undertaking. But God will provide!!!

Anyway, i gotta run. Love you all.

I could use your help and prayers!!!!

So I went out to Las Brasiles after going to the grocery store. I bought about $30 worth of food and hygiene stuff. That will last a long time. When I got out to Las Brasiles I went to Rosa’s house. I was shocked. Her house was in shambles. A group came in and tore her well built very little house (10‘x10’) and made it bigger with plastic tarp. Well they didn’t take into consideration the wind. The wind took the tarp and most of the house with it. All that remained were 2 sheet metal walls that were still connected by a post made from a big tree branch. I also found out she has 6 kids and not 5. There is one father left. The father to her most recent baby. But he is a farm hand and is gone all week and only comes to the house on the weekend to see his baby. He doesn’t live with them. So she is raising 6 kids by herself.

I gave her the stuff I bought and she was grateful. She enjoyed the Bible I gave her. They thanked me over and over. I told them I would be back soon.

On the way home I started crying thinking about them. I can’t believe I left them the way they were. I can’t sleep at night knowing they have half a house and 6 kids that will get soaked when it rains in the night (it’s the rainy season after all). Can you imagine laying in your bed and trying to sleep while it is raining on YOU? That’s not too uncommon here.

So I am going to finish this house. I have already decided God has put this family on my heart for a reason. So I am going back today to measure the walls and buy sheet metal to complete the house. I have a feeling this is going to be a costly gesture. But this is what Xalted Ministries was for. I have a feeling it will cost atleast $1,000. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend $1,000. If anyone is reading this and would like to contribute to this effort, you can make checks out to Xalted Ministries and send them to John Fuqua at 111 N 5th st. Murray KY 42071.

I know a lot of people have supported me. I thank you for that. The idea that Xalted Ministries is going to build a house just thrills me. I pray the Xalted Ministries can keep growing financially to do projects like these for more families.

I am Xcited. See what I did there :) I am listening fully to God right now. I was praying today for a special friend. I wanted to give Jean Carol Ridley a shout out! Love ya girl and hope your knee is feeling better. Miss ya. Keep on trucking though. God is Good!

Well it’s Monday. I am joining the Buzbees in fasting on Mondays. It’s the beginning of the week and it’s a great time to start clean and focus on prayer for the rest of the week. So only water for me today.

Anyway.... Love you all and I’m praying for you. I could use some prayers and more importantly, Rosa could use some prayers. Take care and God Bless!

Hmmm......

So I have been thinking about a lot of things. I am really excited about where I am at right now. I am really looking forward to the future and what God has planned for me and for the people down here in Nicaragua. I have such a heart for the needy. I am thrilled that God has laid them on my heart. I was not like this a couple years ago. After being here, I look at so many things differently. I can't wait to get back to Murray and tell my friends about all of the amazing people I have ran into.

I read some amazing things in Luke the yesterday that really humbled me. The whole parable of the great banquet and also some other things. I have never felt like I have put others before myself. I have always been a selfish person. I enjoyed when people noticed me, I loved attention, and I really didn't favor the underdog. But God has blessed me with new vision. I see the world in a new light. I would rather spend an hour with someone covered in dirt and just wanting someone to love on them then I would with someone who is blessed beyond imagination.

I met a really cool lady in Las Brasiles. That is where Coburn has his ministry. I believe I am going to become more involved out there. I see a huge need. This Lady has 5 children. from the ages of 10-new born. There is no father around so she is raising all 5 by herself. She just moved out there and Coburn had a group build a house for her. She has never heard about Jesus. Coburn has been telling them stories about Jesus and they are loving it! When I saw them they ran up to Coburn and the first thing they said is they wanted to hear more stories about Jesus. They were so sweet. Kids that are wanting to know more and more about Jesus. Back in the states we sometimes have to pull teeth to get a child to sit still and listen to a story about Jesus.

I really want to bless this family. I think I am going to go out and give the mom a bible. I also am going to keep my eye open to something I can do for her. She asked me if we had people in America that were poor like she was. It was the first time I heard a Nicaraguan describe themselves as poor. It was very sad. She acknowledged she couldn't take care of her own kids and that it was very hard. I really felt bad for this family. It is different than the US. People in the US might be classified as being in poverty, but they have government support and whatnot. Not to mention that they have houses and electricity, tv's, foodstamps to get food, and much more help.

And even the "homeless" are mostly homeless because they made bad decisions. The people here are born into this lifestyle. They really don't have a way to get out of it either. So these people are like you and me but just are lucky and as blessed as we are. But they are blessed. They have been given a lot. They have been given people like Coburn to help them, and now I am going to do my best to help them.

I am actually going to leave now and instead of talking about helping, I'm going to go see her and help them with my love and support.

Love you all..... Put your faith into action! Serve the Lord. Jesus reached out to the poor and needy. Not to the rich and well off. Be a follower of Jesus and do the same!

Good News!!!

So I should be getting Internet in the next few days!!!!!

Chachi has done all his paperwork, so now it's waiting for them to come and install it. I am pumped.

Today we are going with a group to the beach. It's always fun. The more I go, the more i realize I HATE sand!!!!!

I have had an amazing week spiritually. That's all that can be said. By the way..... EVERYONE needs to read "The Hole in our Gospel" by Richard Stearns. GREAT BOOK!!!!

Well, just dropped the girls off at school. Time to do some laundry before I pick them up for the beach. God is Good!

Love you all and talk to you soon.

Ps..... I'm going to do a video blog this weekend so you can see my pretty face. I'll link the youtube link in this blog!

Backflips and Revolutions!

So yesterday was the Revolution Holiday here in Nica. It was to celebrate 32 years of the FSLN rule. I was amazed. Ortega shuts down ALL the tv channels to show his celebration. I guess their theme song is also "Stand By Me" but with different lyrics. I was told yesterday was a good day to stay inside the house since some people get a little crazy and drunk and then who knows what happens. I said it can't be worse than the night after an Ohio St. vs. Michigan game on campus! :)

Last night was fun. I watched Star Wars I with Angel and Judy. Angel laughed the whole movie. It was cool to show them a classic.

Today we went to Xiloa pronounced Hee-Lo-Ahh. There is a beautiful Lagoon there. We climbed to a spot and jumped off rocked into the water. It was about 25-30 in the air. I was even the only one with enough guts to do a backflip. There were quite impressed. The big boy still has it.

Speaking of.....

All of my shorts and pants are getting too big. I hope I can make it to October to buy new clothes. Because you can't find my size down here. And no, I don't look skinny. I don't know where the weight is leaving my body. I feel like I look the same and I still have my Infamous belly! :P

Well time to run. Have a great day all!

Rain Rain Go Away.....

So it's pouring down rain like always. I guess that's why they call this the rainy season. It's poured the last 4 days strait. You get about an hour of sun sometime during the day, then it rains the rest of it. And I don't mean sprinkle... it pours!

We had a fun last couple of days. A group was here that put on a VBS for the kids one of the days this week. Yesterday we spent the day out at Ruby Ranch. It was a blast. I love hanging out with the little kids. I know they feel the love of Christ through me. Nothing is more awesome than riding home from a long day while a little one is snoring on your lap on the bus.

I have been having a hard time reading my books. I am sooo A.D.D like always. I read one chapter of one book, then read one chapter of another and then another. I am reading like 4 books right now. 1) A hole in the Gospel, 2) DC talks book 3) started Sacred Romance again, 4) and I am a couple chapters in to Love Wins. It's very interesting. I wish I could sit down and actually finish one. My mind keeps wandering and I find myself wanting to just sit in silence and think instead of read. I have been thinking a lot. Especially about the past. Whether it's memories or thought of how God's plan has worked out through all the dumb things I've done. It's amazing how he can work His will even when you try to take control.

I am going to run now. I know VBS is coming up at FCC. Good luck all and i'll be praying for you! Love you all.

-Tom

Good ol Pizza Hut

I would be lost without you. Mainly because you bring me email, skype, and facebook through you internet. The people here are really nice too. There's a waitress named "Martha" that keeps standing next to my table. I have never had her wait on me, but I think she knows a little English and she is wanting to talk to me, but too shy to say something. There are a lot of people here in Nica that know a little or a lot of English. They see me as a "practice" oppurtunity. I enjoy talking to them in English. I wish I could talk to them more in Spanish. That will come soon enough. I can't wait to go to my Spanish school. Might be the first time EVER I am looking forward to studying! I know it's because I will grow as a person and I will grow Xalted Ministries once I am fluent. Again, a blog talking about fluency. hehe

Church today was long.... All of the "Verbo" churches got together for a joint worship. It would be like all of the "First Christian" or "Lutheran" churches getting together. There are 10 others in Nicaragua. Some as far as 4 day trip up the Rio Coco river. It's crazy where they planted churches, but it's awesome! Our church here in Managua is the main one...

Well anyway, they commissioned some people and talked a lot. When you don't know spanish, a 2 hr and 45 min service gets a little tiring. It made me think of how my church was doing in Murray that morning. I miss being active in the church. Although the worship leader did mention to me about singing an English song some Sunday. He thinks the Nicaraguan people would enjoy it.

I went and saw Transformers 3 in 3D today by myself. I had some free time on my hands, and it was nice to hear English for a change. It is in English with Spanish subtitles. I am looking forward to this week. There is a group here that is having activities with the boys and girls home. It will be fun watching the kids have a blast.

It is getting a little warmer here. I know it's warm back home, but here we have like 100% humidity. And even then, you all at least have air conditioning. Last night was an uncomfortable night. I think I need to buy a fan to put right next to my bed. I have an over head fan, but It didn't keep me from sweating all night. I woke up this morning and I thought I wet the bed! :) Had to wash my sheets. It was the first night like that though. I've been sleeping like a baby most of the time.

Well I think I have overstayed my welcome at Pizza Hut. I think I should leave. You all have a great night. Love from Nica!

Fluency is a MUST!

So I am praying for a few things right now. One is for God to open a door for my own ministry down here. I love working with the Buzbee's, but I have come to realize that there is so much need down here. I keep praying for God to show me where I can get involved and make it supported by Xalted Ministries. The first big problem is I am not fluent yet. Fluency is a key. I can communicate a little bit, but I still can't sit down and listen to people share stories about themselves and who they are and what they need. This is a big concern of mine. I feel like I am really just a body and a pair of hands right now. Not so much someone that can help on his own.

I have been looking at a couple of Spanish schools in Granada. I was planning on going in September for a month and a half of Spanish school. The more I pray and think about things, the more I want to do that sooner. I know it's a busy time of year for the Buzbee's, but I think I will be a lot more help to them when I can speak!

My first batch of newsletters are going out. I am proud of my newsletter. If you have been a donor, you should be getting one. If you don't, let me know!!! The boys and girls homes are on vacation right now. They are gone all weekend and have no school next week. That should give them some time to finish their letters to the sponsors. So if you have sponsored a child, you will be getting a letter soon. I still don't have internet, so it's taking a little longer than I'd like. Sorry to all about that.

I am kinda down right now. Not really sure why. It might be having some more down time on my hands. I am also missing some friends. I'd love to go hang out with one of them right now. I haven't made any friends yet outside of the Buzbee gang. And they are all so busy, they dont count. I know God will provide. He always has and always does.

Anyway... love you all. Miss you and will talk to you soon. God bless!

Love,

Tom

Happy 4th from Nica!!!

Happy 4th to all of my American friends!!! I’ve been absent from my blog for a bit. Still no internet. Chachi says he is working on it. I know he is busy, but I have a lot of stuff I need internet for. I need to get my newsletter out and also letters to the sponsors of Casa Robles.

So It’s been a fun last couple of days. Thursday I hung out with Veronica and the scholarship kids. They are pretty awesome. I just wish I knew spanish a little better, because they are a handful for Veronica. I’d like to help more.

Friday I drove all over Managua and up to Masaya buying Fireworks for a party in Los Cedros. A group was having a party for the 4th and wanted to shoot off fireworks. Saturday I took the boys up to Los Cedros to see them. They had a blast. We ate, played soccer, danced, destroyed a pinata, and shot off fireworks. It was a great night. It made me miss back home a little though. Nothing better than going to Freedom Fest and hanging out with John and Uncle Mike and scarfing down some great food. Or back in UA at the William’s house eating some amazing ribs. I have had a pretty awesome life. As I watch these kids go crazy over a couple hundred dollars of fireworks, I remember being dissapointed in Murray for being a smaller firework show than I was used to in Columbus. What a perspective. These kids were thrilled to see ANYTHING that shot up in the air. I have had a spoiled life. I don’t really miss it either. I miss the people of course, but I am so humbled down here, I don’t want to go back to the lifestyle I used to live. Yes, sometimes it’s beneficial. Like I am trying to find a special type of sandal that they dont have down here. You can get anything in the US. I guess that’s what my trips back are for. Reloading for more work down here.

Today was a good day. Church was rocking. The pastor preached on tithing. So don’t worry guys, they even preach on you needing to give money in a third world country. It’s not just Murray or UALC!

With out going into details, some of the kids are having some hard times in life right now. That is to be expected from their situations. But it has really be laid on my heart the last 24 hours. Whether it’s problems at school or in their personal life, they don’t deserve it at these young ages. It’s just doors they need to knock down. I was reading in Luke 1 a couple days ago about Zechariah and Elizabeth. Zechariah was a priest who was looked upon favorably by God. Elizabeth was unable to have children. An angel came down from heaven and told him his wife would have a baby, John the Baptist. Zechariah said “I am an old man and my wife is barren. How can this happen?”. Because he doubted, the angel silenced Zechariah and he was unable to talk for 9 months until the baby was born.

Why am I telling you this story???? Well, it made me think a lot. The Lord even made one of His “favorable” men Zechariah, go through inconveniences. Not talking for 9 months is not fun I’m sure. I know I will be going through hard times and I know these kids will be too. But it’s nothing too painful that we all can’t get through with faith in Jesus.

So I ask that you pray for all the children down here in Nicaragua. But especially in the two houses. I spend a lot more time with them than others. In the boys home you have Marcos (age 13), Fredder (11), Heyler (10), Kenner (8), Dennis (6), Angel (5), Luisa (5), and Andrew (they think 5). The Girls you have Mileyding (17), Suheydei (15), Vannessa (15), Katherine (14), Mikeiling (13), Jaquiline (11), Marie Ellena (11), Andrea (10), Pamela (9), Sophia (9), Naydeling (8), Ashley (7), and Jocelyn (7).

Those are all the kids in the two houses. A couple of those ages are guesses. And I need to learn spelling on some of the names. But God knows who they are. So I ask that you pray for them and ask God to mold them into the masterpieces He wants them to be. They are all so precious. I am blessed to be a part of their lives and I am going to try and love them like Jesus would!

Well.... That’s it for now. It’s another week. Thanks to everyone for you support. Love you all and I’m praying for you all. Know that.......You are in my prayers. God Bless

no internet stinks!

so no internet still. typing on my phone. Sorry for the lack of blog! :/

Ministry happens when you least expect it...

So I have internet again, but it's cause I drove to Pizza Hut to get it.

I am ready to have it full time though! I have so much "Work" to do with my Ministry that not having it is a pain!

The last couple days have been busy. Yesterday I met an amazing girl named Veronica. She is a volunteer with the Scholarship program. The school in the dump gives out scholarships to kids that finish school and meets certain requirements. These scholarships pay for private schooling. Right now there are 28 kids.

Veronica is amazing like I said. First, I was amazed at how much English she knows. I didn't have to talk in Spanish at all with her. I loved it. But What was amazing about her is her heart. She is a strong Christian. She is 28 years old and has 8 siblings. She doesn't know who her father is and none of her family are Christians. One of her sisters had a child named Leonard. He is 7 years old. Her sister left him when he was born and Veronica has taken the role of a mother to him. She is wonderful with him and I admire that responsibility she has.

We picked up about 18 of the 28 kids and took them to see a movie. It felt like I had a spanish youth group. They reminded me of my youth group and made me miss them even more!

But we had fun at the movies and then at Pizza Hut after. Veronica invited me to go with her Monday too. So I think I will be busy mondays and Thursdays since that's when we hang out with the kids.

Then after I dropped off Veronica I went to the girls home to celebrate Marie Ellena's birthday! They had a pinata and we did some salsa dancing. It was a great time!

Today was a blast....

So I picked up the girls and took them to the Buzbees where we joined the boys home and a big group of High Schoolers from a church. We got on the Buses and went to Ruby Ranch. There the group had an Olympics set up with different games. I was on Red team with some of the little girls. my team ended up third, but that's because we had a lot of little ones on it. We won the tug-o-war event though since we had a couple bigger guys. Myself and one other really pulled our "Weight" on that event!

It was pouring down rain the whole day and it was a mudfest. It was amazing seeing the muddy faces smiling the whole time. Who woulda thought playing in mud was such an outreach opportunity!

Afterwards I drove them back home. We had a blast!

I am really enjoying my time with both houses. I can see special relationships being built with the kids in the boys home and the girls. I pray that God leads me to be a perfect role model for them!

Well, that's all for now. Time to head back to the boys home. Love you all!

All by myself now....

Well the team is gone. I am the lone FCC in Nicaragua again. It's kinda sad. I didn't like saying goodbye again! I know that will become something I will get used to every time I come home. But it's never fun. Lots of tears were shed at the airport. I know I will be thinking about that group for a while. They came down and did some amazing things. I hope they know how many lives they touched.

Now I am about to go to Casa Robles. It will be nice to be with the boys again. But I will be sad to not have internet again. We are still trying to get it at the boys house. I hope the group goes back to FCC and lights a fire about Nicaragua that can't be put out. I am blessed to have some great people supporting me. God Bless you all.

Last FCC blog with the group.

So today has been awesome so far. This morning we went to Ruby's house to pray. I was interested to see what the Holy Spirit would do. Mr. B, Chachi, and Coburn were there to pray for us. It was an amazing time. Mr. B made some prophetic comments that just blew the group away. He described stuff that was going on in their lives to a "T". The group afterwards kept wondering if I told him stuff about them. I swear I never spoke a word to him about my group. The Holy Spirit talked through him and I think blew my group away!

After lunch we went to say goodbye to the boys and girls. It was bitter-sweet. I know my group touched them. The shoes we bought were especially loved. I have had a great week leading my first group down here. I can't wait to lead more. If you are reading this and are interested in coming, please let me know. It doesn't matter if you go to my church or anyone else's. You can join a trip with my church, or you can get a group together to experience this amazing ministry. Please contact me at tom@fccmurray.com

I love you all. Off to a nice "goodbye" dinner with my group. Check back in a couple days to see my normal blog about what I'm doing here. God Bless you all!

2 days in one!

So sorry for the non-blog day. We had a busy day and I was tired. Yesterday started off with going to the market. It is a fun market. It is just like a flea market, but it has everything from toys, to meat, to furniture. The girls bought a couple things. But nothing big....

The big event was in the afternoon. We took the boys and girls to see Kung-Fu Panda 2! It was awesome. After the movie we took them to Payless Shoe store and let them pick out shoes. They were in heaven. They never get to pick out "fun" shoes. Normally they have to get church shoes or black dress shoes for school. It was awesome watching them buy "Cars" shoes that light up! It was also Chaos in the store. But it was worth it. Thank you to all the FCC Murray people who donated money.

Then today.... Church was fun. I loved it like always. I think the group did too. After church we went to the beach with just us. We had a great time relaxing! I'm excited for tomorrow though. We get to have prayer time in the morning. I am sure it will be a different experience!

Well I am off to bed. Time to start another book. Love you all.

A memorable day

What a great day!

We went to Las Brasiles to see Coburn's ministry. It was awesome. We went to the pre-school and played with some of the children. Then we walked around and checked out some of the houses. He really has an amazing ministry there. One thing they were short of were tables. Kinda sad..... I am thinking that I am going to raise some money for tables.

After Dan stabbed himself with aircraft cable (thank goodness he has his tetanus shot, although locked jaw would have been a quieter lunch :) , we had a great authentic Nicaraguan lunch. Ps..... Dan was good, we had a nurse! Go Teresa. When you see him, ask him about the banana.

Next, we went to Volcano Messiah! We stopped at the museum and while we were on a tour, some kids ran in and threw 2 high school girls on the ground. At first, it looked like we were in those zombie movies. I thought they were dead. But never fear, Teresa was here. What happened was they had heatstroke as a result of hiking while drinking coke. Not the best choice of carbonated beverage. So Teresa nursed one back to consciousness but the other was having some issues. They threw her in the back of a truck, and went to the hospital. I pray that she is doing ok.

Then we went to the top. The sulfur smell was horrible. Think of lots of burning matches. Then we had to climb the 177 stairs to the top...... Not my favorite part. It was beautiful. The best part, was going down though. We had to park the car backwards in case it erupted. It is active after all. More than I can say for myself.

On the way down the mountain. I swore we were at six flags. Coburn had my Microbus hugging those curves. I guess he hugged a little to tight. Cause I looked back and nurse Teresa needed a nurse. She was getting carsick. After a short stop, everything was dandy.

That was until we thought we were going to run out of gas. Ashley was constantly nagging about getting Ice cream. So we got some at the gas station. After 2 minutes of eating ice cream, I realized my group all needed bibs. Because Dan, Mitzi, Mom, and Ashley were wearing more than they ate. Luckily, Dan dropped most of his on the floor of my new car so he didnt get his nice white shirt too dirty.

After a nice dip in the pool, we went to dinner. We had to wait for Elizabeth, she was having a little problem with something about flypaper not coming out of hair very easily. So we shaved her head...... Just kidding. But she definitely needs another shower. But seriously..... fly paper.... Nurse Teresa is prepared. She said she was a girl scout. Man, I knew I shouldn't have quit Tiger cubs.

Excuse me for a moment. I need to interrupt this blog to give you breaking news. Ashley Dawson just fell on her face. I'm sure everyone has seen that before. She does it a lot! Love you girl!

Dinner was Rico!

Had a great talk with the group. And you will see a lot of pictures on my facebook tonight.

On a side note..... this blog tonight was a group effort. That's why it sounds a little different. We just spent the last hour laughing our heads off trying to recall this day for the blog. That is what's awesome when you get a group together serving the Lord. Everyone have a great night. Tom Seipel...... Signing off.

Ps.... no one was harmed in the making of this blog. Actually, some sense might have been knocked into Ashley. So it was a productive evening.