Seven months. We have lived here in Nicaragua for five days shy of seven months! It may not seem like much, but as I sat down this morning to reflect and think through what the past seven months have held and meant for us, I came to the realization that it has been full. So this is a reflection, an update and a declaration of the things we are looking ahead to.
What we have done in the last 7 months:
- Lived with a Nicaraguan family in Granada for four weeks
- Took four weeks of language classes
- Bought a truck
- Lived in two different homes that we have sublet from other missionary families
- Met numerous other missionary families who are incredibly wonderful and loving people, whom we are so grateful to know
- Helped design, plan and build ‘real’ bathrooms at Ruby Ranch
- Hosted and worked alongside about 15 teams, with a few more coming to round out the year.
- Prayed at Miss Ruby’s house multiple times
- Watched as the Lord rejuvenated, healed and restored lives through touches from Holy Spirit
- Made new friends from all over the United States
- Were witness to lives being given to Jesus
- Began (and continue in) relationships with kids from Las Parcelas, the neighborhood out by Ruby Ranch. {Nothing is quite the same as getting a giant hug from any of the young students from the El Caimito/Las Parcelas area as they yell your name and are amazed when you remember theirs.}
- Played in the ocean (boogie boarding, surfing and fishing) more than we ever have in our lives
- Enjoyed a beautiful two weeks visit with Chris and Becca Sweet
- Celebrated 4th of July and multiple birthdays with our friends here
- Celebrated our own birthdays
- Hosted numerous fun days at Ruby Ranch, allowing us to know many other awesome ministries and make new friends
- Hosted a team from our home church! (I don’t know how to explain how beautiful that time was…)
- Started the first cabin at Ruby Ranch
- Became friends with another mountain bike loving family
- Had the honor of baptizing our friend, Bailey
- Had our hearts filled to the brim because the dreams we’ve held so close, nervous to share them openly, are coming true. The Lord has kept His promises, and we are living out our wildest dreams.
Things we are currently doing:
- The first cabin at Ruby Ranch is in process, right now! And we are still fundraising to finish it, completely.
- Working on an RR website
- Hosting our friend, Bailey, but only for one more day. It has been a joy to have her, and watch as the Lord has demonstrated His great love to her, over and over again.
- Searching for a new home. We will move out of the one we are currently in right before we come back to the States for Christmas time.
- Enjoying the cooler, rainy weather
- Working with another ministry here, Engineering Missions International, on a master plan for the Ranch. Their surveyors are working at RR right now, and we will host another team of designers/architects/engineers/surveyors at the beginning of February
Things we are looking forward to:
- Finding a home that can be ours. As great as it has been to be able to rent from someone who is established here, we are looking forward to having a home we can make our own. {Fun fact: by the time we move into our new place, it will have been over a year of not living in a home of our own.}
- Potentially starting a scholarship type program in the Las Parcelas school to help families and kiddos out there. Stay tuned for more information on that.
- Thanksgiving here in Nicaragua. The Buzbees do it big, and we are so excited to share in that tradition with them, friends here and friends from the States who are coming to visit.
- Travelling back to the States at Christmas time to visit with friends and family. We miss you all!
- Working on a different visa situation, or on residency. We are exploring both options, and are praying about which to pursue. (Both cost money we do not necessarily have, so we’re trying to decide the best option to pursue.)
Please continue to pray for us down here in Nicaragua. There are quite a few things coming up that have the potential to be ‘stressful’ but we believe the Lord already has it all taken care of. If you would like to join our e-mail prayer team, please send us an e-mail at landjbaron@gmail.com. Also, if you would like more information about how to support us, please e-mail us as well.
La Vida Nica 