La Vida Nica

We have tried to put words to what is going on here for the past couple of weeks. In our life, our ministry, and the country. Trying to find the correct words to explain this situation, one I don’t know we ever could have imagined. And today, as we spoke with some friends about it all, an analogy was made that finally did it. 

What was said is that this time in Nicaragua, with the political unrest of the past 40+ days, is like being in the waiting room of the ER, waiting to hear how your friend is doing. There seems to be a lot going on, but no one is quite sure what the whole story is, and it could be over relatively soon, or it could drag on into the night. And all of the emotions you can imagine happening in that waiting room is what we are going through. All of the hopes, fears, what-ifs, and prayers. We are walking through and living with all of that right now. Our life feels somewhat normal, and yet there are telltale signs that it is not. We get together with friends to share a meal, and then the conversation floats to which roads are blocked off and what we would do if x-situation happened. We go to the grocery store to buy what we need for the week, and can’t help but look at the other shoppers around us, quickly assessing if what they have in their carts seems like the normal amount, or if they are stock piling certain goods that we haven’t already thought of. We went to the beach with friends yesterday, but made sure we left by four o’clock so that we wouldn’t be driving back on the road after dark. We also drove out together, in case there happened to be a road block or other barrier to getting where we needed to go. Our life feels normal, and yet, it is very much not.

This year, we as a team at Ruby Ranch were focusing a lot on fundraising and getting the pieces in place to begin building out the master plan we received almost exactly a year ago. We had been gearing up to host our summer teams, excited for all the time with people we know and love from around the US, as well as many trips to Miss Ruby’s Prayer House. And then like when a jet boat is going full tilt up the river and they hit the brakes, the unrest here feels like it made us lose our momentum. Which for a while was fairly frustrating. And not that we were frustrated at the changes happening here. We feel like they are warranted and are going to help Nicaragua, long-term. But frustrated because we had ideas. And plans. And hopes, to be honest. To be real, it is sometimes hard to release things like dreams and hopes. Especially when they feel so noble, and so true. But that is where we are. 

So while we are continuing to live and serve here, we also feel our focus shifting for a time. We had a great conversation as a team this afternoon about what that can look like, moving forward, and we will be working through some of those details this coming week. We will be sure to post updates, and ways to be involved from where you are. What we all do know for sure right now is this: things like political unrest and a wavering economy hurt the most vulnerable the most. And we have hearts to alleviate that hurt, if at all possible.

If you would like to partner with us financially, you can do so by visiting this link. We are in the process of saving for an ’emergency fund,’ due to the unknowns, and would be so grateful if you feel led to give to that. Or if you have a specific way that you would like a donation used (i.e. food relief, medical supplies, etc), please feel free to specify that with us. 

Also, here is a link to our friend’s blog, for more of the whole story of what has been happening here. He also has links to news stories from the US and abroad, covering the topic.

Finally, I wanted to leave you with these few family updates:

• Our little girl will be seven months old tomorrow! How that is possible, we have no idea. But she is growing and developing perfectly, and has recently cut her second tooth. She is enjoying trying real food, her favorites being potatoes, cooked bell pepper and roasted squash.

• Nicaraguan Mother’s Day was this past week so we decided to go out to lunch to celebrate. As did a lot of our friends, at the same restaurant! Not only did we get to eat delicious sushi, but we also had our friend Bella offer to read to Scout while we all waited on lunch. Win, win!

• We unfortunately learned the hard way that I am also allergic to mango sap. They call it leche de mango here, and last year Landon had a reaction to it. I didn’t think I needed to worry, and friends invited me over to harvest as many mangoes as I wanted. I love the fruit, so I took them up on it. Later that day, the first blisters formed, and things went downhill from there. Long story short, a few days later I ended up going to the ER, when the reaction spread to my lips and nose. After IV antihistamine and steroid meds, I finally got ahead of it. All in all, I was on some sort of antihistamine medicine for about twelve days, and I will not be eating mangoes anytime soon. (I probably could have been over it sooner, but because I am still breastfeeding Scout, I couldn’t be on an oral steroid medicine.)

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As always, thank you for your continued prayers. We need those prayers now, more than ever, as we often feel unable to know what to pray. So please, please, continue for us.