Mission Trip - Nicaragua 2009 |
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Day 9 - Wednesday, Aug 5
Posted 12:59 am
After a pretty big scare in Houston and a "Home Alone" style sprint through the whole airport...we made our connection by 6 minutes...the reason we needed to sprint for it was because our flight in Managua to Houston was delayed two hours...crazy...but we are all home now...
Could not have asked for a better team...I am so proud of all of them...they were amazing and their attitudes and perspectives were positive all week long...
Later,
Justin
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Day 8 - Tuesday, Aug 4
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Posted: 2:09 pm
So we were suppose to leave Managua at 12:15 but now we are leaving at 1:30...that would get the flight into Houston 6:10...our connection starts boarding at 6:35 and leaves at 7:10...pray that we make that connection, because we all have to go through customs and everything...it is gonna be intense...so hopefully we make our connection...Scott if you and Kevin are getting this I will text you once we get on the plane if we make the connection...Hopefully that will be the case...
Love you all,
Justin and The Team.
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Posted: 11:54am
Hey y'all we are here in Managua...at the airport now awaiting our connection to Houston...the flight was quite bumpy at times...but we are here and for that we are thankful...pray for safe travel the rest of the way...everyone is so excited to see you all...
We love you all,
Justin and The Team.
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Day 7 - Monday, Aug 3
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Posted: 10:07pm
Probably last blog till we land in Houston...sorry...but I need to conserve battery...I will try to add a post in Managua letting you know we got there safely, but we don't have much time between connections, so I am not sure if I will have time...I think we have a pretty long layover in Houston, so I should be able to update it there if there is internet...
We miss you all and look forward to seeing you around this time tomorrow night in Milwaukee...
We love you all,
Justin and The Team.
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Posted: 8:23am
So far today has been pretty chill...this morning we got up at 5:30 and went to the orphans devotionals...it was amazing...then we went to breakfast and said goodbye to the other group...then we had our own devotional time and talked about Romans 12...and how it says to be transformed...then I asked the question...how has this trip transformed you...and what will it transform in your life in the states...everyone is taking the day to ponder both those questions and then they are going to bring their answers to porch time tonight...
After porch time we went to the house we started building and put the siding on two of the walls...hard work...lots of hammering...by lunch I was ready to invest in a nail gun for these guys...houses would go up in 2 days instead of weeks if they had a nail gun...haha...
Then after lunch we went to the market and got a chance to see where the locals shop for food/clothing/electronics and pretty much anything else...
Now everyone is hanging out with orphans until dinner at 6pm...
Before dinner everyone will need to say goodbye to the orphans...so pray for the sadness of many members of our team...saying goodbye is gonna be hard for many of them...
Thanks again for following our activity on this Blog this week...
Tomorrow it is over...but we are all so excited about this coming Sunday when we get to share what God has been teaching us...
We Love you all,
Justin and The Team.
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Day 6 - Sunday, Aug 2
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Posted: 1:18pm
This mornings service...9:00-10:00 Music worship...10:00-11:00 The Word...11:00-11:15 More Music Worship...I wonder sometimes if people in the states would walk out on a church service that was held in 100 degree weather with over an hour of standing and dancing worship...I honestly think we in the states are spoiled...with our air conditioning and 3-4 songs then sit down mentality...Today's worship was AMAZING!!!
We love you all,
Justin and The Team.
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Praying for Franky's Mango Tree that he planted...Franky prays for it everyday...
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Click on the link above to see Alex and Noah Jumping into the River.
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Click on the link above to see Brittany jumping into the river.
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Posted: 8:40am
 Noah is feeling a lot better just wanted to let everyone know...Here is a picture of him and Laurie at breakfast...Thanks for your prayers...
We love you all,
Justin and The Team. |
Posted: 8:07 am
Well today we are going to church at 9:00 and then there might be a baseball game, weather permitting...tonight is the last night for the other groups that are here...they head out on Monday morning...we will be leaving Tuesday morning...Noah and Alex got a lot of sleep last night and were sleeping when I left the room...not sure how they are feeling, but it is a good sign that they were able to get some rest...Keep them in your prayers and I will do my best to keep you updated on their status...
We love you all,
Justin and The Team.
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Day 5 - Saturday, Aug 31
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Posted: 11:17pm
Just so you all know...Noah and Alex are feeling a bit under the weather...Noah had to go to the nurses station to get some medication because of diarrhea, but I am sure he will be fine...Alex is feeling under the weather as well, but he has not felt bad enough to go to the nurses station...mainly just stomach issues...those can come and go real quickly around here...probably swallowed some water at the river and need to flush it out of their system...no worries...I will keep you up to date on what changes occur...
We also gave the kids all there bags today...it was amazing...they were soooooo excited to get all the shoes and clothing...they loved it...
Things are going amazing and the Team is really changing...I am seeing real changes in our group that will hopefully last a long time...
We love you all.
Justin and the Team
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Posted: 8:39am
Haha...well you learn quickly that things change on a dime...even though I put a lot of prep into speaking at the pastors conference, it ended up that there was not enough time for me to go...but that is Nicaragua, and it is ok...today I will be speaking to the youth...and yesterday did end up being a work day for the kids...finishing the concrete work and building a house, plus finishing the work at the Nurses house...
Today the plan (who knows sometimes if it will actually happen that way) is to go from breakfast to porch time (devo) then to the river to go swimming then when we get back I will be speaking and around the same time there will be a baseball game in town...jam packed day of fun...hopefully the weather holds off so we can do everything we want to...
We Love you all,
Justin and The Team
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Post: 8:00am
No updates yet since yesterday's at 7:39am. Please keep praying for the Team.
Listed below are a few links that you may want to check out: ENJOY!
Worship Service - Thurs Night at Verbo Church
Porch Testimony - From one of the Orphans
Orphan Network Website
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Day 4 - Friday, July 31
Posted: 7:39am
Last Night we went to church...the service started at 7:00 and ended around 8:30...it is much like our service, but at the same time very different...there music part of the service goes 40-45 minutes and it sounds very Reggae influenced...The speaker was a pastor from one of the American groups and then Earl (the Pastor) translated...it was a great time...
Today the kids are out of school all day...so that means we might be hanging in the orphanage all day...there is some more concrete work that needs to get done, but we arent sure if that will be our location...
After lunch today the plan is to go to the river...the river has some small cliffs we can jump off of into the water...lots of fun...and don't worry, pretty safe...haha...
It has been raining a ton...and when it rains here they can get a foot in less then 15 minutes...it is nuts...it is literally likes buckets pouring out of the sky...
Today around 11:00AM I will be sharing with the pastors...I am going to share some simple youth ministry principles and then I am going to talk about forgiveness and how it is central to youth ministry...being able to teach a student to forgive at a young age is priceless...so please pray everything goes well...
Please keep the whole team in your prayers as we are reaching the halfway point today...
We Love you and miss you all,
Justin and The Team
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Day 3 - Thurs, July 30
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Posted: 4:53pm
Jessica and I stayed back and sorted through all the clothing that was donated from the church because the extra stuff is going to go up river to some of the villages that are really in need right now. We had to inventory everything for the orphanages records.
Brian and Noah helped build an outhouse and washroom at the Nurses house.
Brittany, Kim, Alex and Laurie worked at the widows house mixing and pooring concrete...the widow I am referring to is a widow from the church whos husband died in a bus accident not to long ago...so we are finishing her house...this team came back for lunch with concrete all over their clothes and have truly been working hard...so please pray that these individuals would recieve an extra blessing of energy as they worked so hard.
Thanks so much for all your prayers,
We love you all,
Justin and The Team
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Posted 7:35 am
Coffee
Hey y'all...
I was up early this morning...5:15AM to go to the boys morning devotionals...it was amazing...
Now I am enjoying a cup of Nicaraguan coffee...best coffee, next to Dunkin Donuts...haha...
Breakfast is at 7:30 and we are looking at a time of 6:38 right now...I know there is an hour time difference...
Pray for Alex and Brian as they will be sharing their testimony with the school this morning at 8:00. They worked hard yesterday on getting them ready and prepared, and I think they will do great.
The plans for today:
1) Start building a house
2) Sort through all of the items we brought and maybe give them to the kids today.
3) VBS at 4:00PM
Those are the things going down today...so be prayerful for the ministry that Living Hope is bringing to Nicaragua...
Love you all,
Justin and The Team
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Day 2 - Wed, July 29
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Posted: 10:29pm
Us guys are in line to take showers then we are going to pray for the orphans...then we are going to bed...
Today we started VBS stuff with the kids...it went really well...
Found out tonight that the kids have Friday off of school...this is extremely exciting for the team, because we have only been able to hangout with the orphans from 4:00 - 5:30 due to school...but Fri, Sat and Sun will be all day...Pretty amazing...
Tomorrow I am leading morning Porch time (devotionals)...so please pray that God gives me the words to say...
Love you all,
Justin and The Team.
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Posted: 1:10pm
Eating Lunch now...Enchiladas...Amazing...
I know I have been able to stay in contact a lot lately, but I just want everyone to know that if I am not on for a couple of days it probably only means the power is out...
Ok,
Later,
Justin and The Team
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Posted: 12:01pm
Our students have been asked to share their testimony at the school this week...the school consists of 500 kids...and 102 from the orphanage...the rest are locals...
Pray that God gives them the words to say...
Currently Brian and Alex are working on writing out their testimonies for when they share...
It is exciting to see our students challenged to share what they believe...
I hope it grows them as much as it will the students who hear their story...
We Love You All,
Justin and The Team
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Posted: 10:59am
Brian, Alex, and Noah are helping build class rooms in the church...lots of sheet rock and concrete work...
The girls are working on VBS things for this week...
And I am getting ready for teaching at the pastors conference which started today...
It is going great...Everyone is healthy and in good spirits...the groups we are here with from VA are awesome...keep prayer for our health and energy...it usually takes a day to feel the effects of a full day of traveling...pray that tonight and tomorrow God would bless us with renewed energy...
Love you all,
Justin and The Team
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Posted: 7:45am
We got in yesterday around 5 o’clock Wisconsin time...4 o’clock Nicaragua time...I think Wisconsin is on daylight savings and Nicaragua is not, because they are in the same time zone...but anyway, the 12 passenger plane over the country was good...unfortunately when we got to Nicaragua and boarded the 12 pass plane we had to give them our carryon luggage and we kept our backpacks...when we landed none of our luggage was there...the next plane came in and had 4 bags of ours on it...but other than that, half of our group is without till 9 am this morning...the airline said the luggage would be on the next flight. We are also expecting the 12 bags we sent in a truck to drive across the country to be here around Noon today...that is the luggage that has all the clothes...As I started talking with Jeff (American that has moved down here) he told me that they REALLY needed the clothes...so it is exciting to see that we (the church) met a real need.
Lastly,
Please feel free to send this blog address through the prayer chain so they can stay up to date on the prayer needs of this trip...Also it would be awesome for the church to just see what we are doing...
I will try to continue to post pictures when I can...even though the internet is working now, there are rolling black outs with electricity, plus the internet service goes out at times too...so anyway, all that to say I will do my best.
We love you all,
Justin and the Team...
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Day One - Tuesday, July 28
The group met at 1am at Kwik Trip in Waupun for their drive to Milwaukee Airport. They arrived plenty on time and had to wait for check in with all the luggage containing the clothes being supplied to the kids.
Posted: 2:04pm
haha...we have wireless internet in the airport terminal the size of the offices at the church...crazy...Anyway...we had two awesome flights...we are safe and have met up with our guide Greg and we are awaiting a 2:30 departure for the Orphanage in Puerto Cabazes...hopefully I will be able to continue to update this at the Orphanage...all the kids are really excited and cannot wait to see the orphanage...
Pray that Kim stays healthy on the plane ride...she got sick a few times on the first flight...Brittany got sick at the beggining of the second flight...so we got some Dramamean and it should get better...
All the kids send their love...
P.S. Love you Brittney and Noli...
Talk to you all soon,
Justin
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Send Off - Sunday, July 26, 2009
During the morning service, Living Hope Church sent off our Mission Team to Nicaragua. With a special prayer time and blessing the group of 8 shown below will be ministering to 102 kids in an orphanage and up to as many as 500 kids in the local school in Puerto Cabazes, Nicaragua. The Team consists of (starting from Left standing):
- Justin Douglas - LHC Youth Pastor
- Alex Geleynse
- Brian Hofman
- Noah VanEe
- Jessica De Young
- Brittany Haan
- Laurie Eisenga
- Kim Cole
Please pray for this team that God will keep them safe, that He will work through them to touch the hearts of those they meet, and that God will use this trip as a way to spiritually grow and challenge this group. |
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