ok...Chele and his brother Wilmur (Wilby) both went up for salvation the last night of the crusade while the group was here. Granted, Chele has went before (and probably Wilmur too). So Ashton, Madison and I talked to both of them about it, along with the fact that if they were serious about their decision, then they would fix the problem they have with each other (they hate each other). I also told them that I would start going to church with them on Wednesdays and Fridays if they wanted. Well, they were supposed to be at the house at 6pm tonight, but they never showed up. I waited around for an hour, dressed and ready because I had all confidence in them coming. And now here I sit so discouraged because they didn't show up.....the worst part is, I know they want to change. If they didn't, they would live how they wanted and they surely wouldn't go up for salvation, if they weren't seeking. I know that God has great things for both of these guys, I have no doubt about it. And I can see God receiving SO much glory through this, and perhaps changing their whole family. I guess I just want them to hurry up and do a 180 degrees turn, not thinking about the difficulty of changing a lifestyle that they've lived for 15 and 16 years. I just wanna see the breakthrough, to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, so that they can show everyone around them that they truly do want to change, but they need love and shoulders to lean on, not a turned back...please pray hard core for these boys. I have truly been broken for both of them and I want to help them however I can. I want to be the love of Christ for them to take hold of, so they can truly understand what love is...and what Christ did for them...and what He wants for them now.
MUCH LOVE!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
WHERE iS THE BREAKTHROUGH!?
Thursday, July 10, 2008
FAMiLiAR FACES ON THE WAY!!
Can't believe it's already time for another team, but I'm so excited for familiar faces tomorrow night!!!! ...I know starting tomorrow morning, it will be extra busy around here and difficult to post blogs, so I wanted to update before the madness starts!!...this past week we had little Ramon (Raymond) staying with us in the house, along with his mom and aunt. Ramon is 15 months old and weighs 8-9 lbs! I wanted to hold him, but every time I did it felt as if I were holding a skeleton. I was terrified I would break him! We think he may have a very rare disorder of Primordial Dwarfism. You can look it up on YouTube with a video of an adorable little girl named Kenadie. I think the statistics say there are around 100 kids like this, needless to say...VERY rare. even more rare, we think he also has down syndrome. Cheryl and I think we are probably looking at a one in a trillon case with Ramon!! Crazy how the rarest cases show up at our door!! Here are a few pictures of him...
The last ride by myself (Wilber and Jean got sick from another ride and Eugene was too scared!)Saturday, June 28, 2008
3 WEEKS ALREADY!?
I sure can't believe it's already been 3 weeks since I got back to Nicaragua! things have been going fast around here! I meant to write a week ago, but never got the chance. We've been really busy the past couple of weeks trying to get prepared for the group of 28 people that came on the 22nd. They represented about 5 or 6 different churches and have seen around 433 people come to receive Christ!! Experiencing a big group is completely different on this side of the fence. Cheryl, Jean, and I were the ones that had to make sure everything was bought and ready, and everyone prepared in terms of cooks, interpreters and other help. And then I had to keep up with my main "job" here, which is receipts. That can be somewhat challenging when you're going a million miles a minute, but I hope that it's helped take the stress of Cheryl at least a little bit...It is somewhat stressful at moments when something isn't the way it should be, but I am so thankful for the experience to prepare me for the future! :)
In other news...Juan is an adorable little guy!! He has already gained about 5 lbs since he has lived with Cheryl. His mom has came once since I've been back, but she doesn't even talk to him or play with him. She just sits there and holds him...he likes the Johnny jumper! And I've heard we have raised enough money to buy a pool so that we can try some water therapy with him and Magaly, without creating alot of stress on their bodies. We are actually fasting for Juan tomorrow until 4pm. And then we are having a special prayer service for him in the house, for healing of his little body!! Please join in with us if you feel led to do so!
In a bit of other news, I know I've always talked alot about Chele on here, so I'll try to give a short, but detailed update....He was hanging out at the house, helping with little things. But one day he left mad, and then came back two hours later very drunk. He ended up collapsing and we had to take him to the ER where they pumped his stomach. He had taken some kind of pills along with alot of alcohol. It was said that he could have came close to killing himself. Not that I think that is what he wanted to do, but he wanted to hurt himself. So Cheryl had a meeting with some of the board for her ministry and they came up with some conditions in order for him to come back around the house. He has to have counseling meetings with Pastor Cortez, as well as Carlos (who is a psychologist on the board). He has to continue in school on Saturdays and if Pastor Cortez says so, Chele can start coming back around in a month....some days I it's hard not to be mad at him and his "unwillingness" to change......I know God has big things for him, it's just gonna be a LONG and HARD journey!! Please pray for him...his mind and his heart. That God will break through!!!
MUCH LOVE!
Friday, May 30, 2008
PRAYER REQUESTS
Just want to post a couple of things that are in need of prayer right now. Number one is that a tropical storm hit Leon yesterday (Thursday). Tamara Price called me today, thinking I had perhaps talked to Cheryl, although I knew nothing about the storm. Tamara talked to Cheryl yesterday morning and the winds and rain (around 70mph winds) were pretty fierce. Reports say the storm blew roofs off of homes, and knocked out power and telephone services. We've both tried to call Cheryl, but it's still unavailable. Please be in prayer for them and that telephone services can be restored so we can get in contact with them. I'll post details when I can get them....Second prayer request is for Mario (he's the little guy that came to church in Oct that had the tumor in his liver, for all of you Fairview readers out there). I got an email from Cheryl earlier this week that said he had a CT Scan and has another cyst on his liver. Cheryl was going to send all the information to the doctor in Cinncinati that did his first surgery to see what needs to be done. Just pray for Mario (he's only 4 yrs old) and his family and wisdom for the doctors (especially the Nicaraguan ones because we know they need alot!)...Third prayer request is for Diana. As far as I know, she is a little girl that should be leaving June 1 for the U.S. for heart surgery with HeartGift. Please pray that their travels and surgery all go smoothly and they can see God's hand and give Him thanks for what He's provided.
Thanks in advance for all the prayers!
MUCH LOVE!
Brooke
Monday, May 5, 2008
~4 days to go~
can't believe it's only 4 days to go before I'm home again!! sorta seems like I was just home, but I'm definitely excited to see familiar faces of friends and family! :) ...I actually have to pack tonight because some of us are going to Diriamba (sounds like diddy-amba) with Eugenio's ministry, and they will be taking me to the airport from there on Friday! Not sure if I'll have internet there, so if not, I'll see everyone at the airport on Friday at 10:14pm. ok!? haha
I just wanted to post a few fun pics of things that have happened around here recently (and remind you of the airport! haha)...
About to get on the boat for Monkey Island. from left to right:
Chele, Lauren, Denis, me, Wilmur (our new driver), Eugenio
Funnest picture ever!
Lola (can you tell I was a little scared?)
Chele's house (the wind made it fall)
from the inside of his house
Chele, Gabby, and Wilmur's mom, Silvia
Allan, he just got back from Houston, TX for open heart surgery with HeartGift.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
a day in Managua
i am so sorry for not updating more often...it's gotten tougher and tougher.......yesterday we spent a day in Managua....we dropped Tamara off at the airport around 11am and then we waited for Lauren. She was supposed to come with a group last year, but didn't get her passport in all the madness with passports last year and had to use her ticket by this week. After we found her, we did the traditional site-seeing day for her (since we had to wait til 7:30 pm to pick Cheryl up at the airport). So we headed to Granada for Monkey Island which was alot of fun! Until we got off the boat. I tried to buy cokes for everyone, until they tried to charge me 18 cordobas when it should have been 10. unfortunately 3 of the guys had already opened theirs, so i had to pay for them. Then, we get to the van and started to leave. apparently, since we didn't use the boat at the restuarant where we parked, we had to pay to park!? well, we tried to ignore it, got in and tried to drive off. unfortunately we didn't get very far because a guy crossed in front of the van and we couldn't go anywhere....Wilmur tried to rev the engine to get him to move. but that only made the "family" around the restuarant start moving in toward the van. so finally i had to hand a 20 cordoba bill out the window to the guy so we could leave. all because of mine and Lauren's American faces! geez! :) we were all quite flustered after that, but we weren't about to let it spoil our day....after that, we went to Masaya for Lauren to shop for souvenirs, but it seemed they were on to our American faces too. but not too bad....after we finished there, it was back to the airport to pick up Cheryl. She got in about 8pm, we ate dinner and headed back to Leon....about 5 mins from Leon, the bus starts rattling. we got to the side of the road and Wilbur (our new driver!!) checked to find some belt was about to come off. So he had to call his brother Mario, who came to pull us back to the house with his big work truck, going about 3 mph!! :) .....we made a day of it, leaving the house at 9am and returning home at 11:45ish!!!! whew what a day! :)
Monday, April 21, 2008
LiFE iS JUST A LiTTLE SWEETER RiGHT NOW
very sorry to have not updated in a LONG time! but it's definitely been busy around here. Cheryl is in the states for a month, so I have been playing mommy to 5 children. definitely a full time job!!! lucky for me, I have Tamara here with me for the month and it's actually pretty fun. I love the kids and I love that they call me mama for now! :) but needless to say, I've had very little time to concentrate on the computer, especially for updating the blog. I get up at 5:30 to get the kids up and ready for school, so by the time they go to bed at 7-8, I am about to drop too! :) ...the reason I'm taking the time to write this blog is because I want to make public, the thanks that I owe God for my life. I have debated whether to write this on the blog (in part, because I have a very hard time recalling it, without getting nauseous), but it's part of my experience in Nicaragua and it is just another way God has shown me I have a purpose.........this past weekend we took the kids and everyone who helped (minus Chico) to the beach. We got some rooms at a hotel and enjoyed Friday at the beach and then had most of the day Saturday for the beach too. We had been out and about in the water Saturday morning, we'd walked around a little and came back to the water again to play some....Apparently, the water current/tide/something had changed. The waves were rougher and Chele started to head for shore and motioned for me to do the same. But the more I tried, the further I kept getting from shore. Eugenio motioned for me to come in because I was pretty far out and all I could do was throw my hands up to gesture that I was trying but couldn't get anywhere. (this is where it gets stressful for me)...I keep swimming as forcefully as I can, but I only get further and further out. Before I knew it, the ocean had taken me out past all the HUGE waves crashing on the shore. I was between those and the other occassional waves that crashed on top of me. The people on the shore appeared to be about an inch tall and I could go nowhere but where the waves wanted to take me...At this point, I began to panick. no one could come out to get me because they would end up in the same situation as me, and I couldn't go anywhere...I was in a place I had never imagined myself. I was recounting what I thought would be my last minutes of life. I was screaming, crying, begging God to not let this be the end, not to let this be how my life ends...it seemed like an ETERNITY that I just watched the shore, with a crowd of people on shore just watching me...til I was no more. Thankfully, I made myself calm down, knowing if I panicked it really would be the end. So instead, I prayed, yelled, screamed any and every scripture that came to my head. It was the only thing that kept me sane for the estimated 30ish minutes I was out there, completely helpless...I kept looking, hoping that a boat, a jetski, anything would be coming to my rescue because I didn't know how long I could continue to kick before I ran out of energy (little did I know, that Eugenio and Chele had ran 2 km to find someone with a boat that would go out and look for me)......I couldn't see anyone on shore because of the waves crashing in front of me and they couldn't see me because of the same thing, but all of a sudden I see this person coming towards me in the water, and "something" was pulling me closer to that person. because I was getting closer to the waves crashing, and they were now crashing on me and spinning me like I was in a washing machine. I start screaming for help, and it takes what seems like forever, but the guy gets to me with a boogie board, my angel from God! And then all of sudden, in like 2-3 mins I was back to shore. I couldn't believe that I was actually alive and able to carry my body with feeble legs to a table to collapse...A nice man from one of the hotels gave me a tranquilizer and some juice and some instructions on what to do for the rest of the day. If you don't know the Pacific Ocean, this thing happens quite a bit, but many people truly don't survive.....All I can say is God had mercy on me that day, because I know (along with a few workers around the beach telling us) that I should never have survived what I went through. And if I didn't know before that God still has purpose for my life, I know now! If he did not have something for me, He could've taken me easily. but he didn't. I have life...and it's just a little sweeter right now than it has been in a while. I am so thankful to God and his provision for my life!
PS - don't tell my grandparents!!!!!!! :)
