Enjoying Visits from New Friends

Renee, Walter, and Ervin

The kids with Juniet, their wonderful Spanish tutor

Joanna and Kellie

Joshua and Jacob

 Malnutrition, dietary related sickness, unemployment and boredom are rampant in Candelaria. The living conditions and dietary customs are poor and disease promoting.  This particular time of the year is especially hard on families as their opportunities to work and near zero until November when the sugar cane will be ready for harvest.  This week, the pastors at the New Song church plants are distributing food to help nourish the most desperate families.

Tonights Visitors

  Our latest guests here in the Gringo Casa, our friends Karla and Nydia.  Thank you Lord for the blessing of a nice home near the central park in Chichigalpa where others can find a place of welcome, rest, a cool drink and maybe a meal.  

  For us, it's the opportunity to tell them about the "living water" which Jesus offers us.

Wish I had pictures of yesterday to share...

Yesterday Gabriel, Jacob, and I (Kellie) joined a church mission team from North Carolina in ministering to the people of the church in Santa Matilda.  The team purchased rice, beans, oil, salt, and soap in LARGE quantities from the market.  We then, repackaged the items into smaller portions and distributed them to several families in the village.  What a blessing it was for us to get to join with fellow believers in ministry!  

Unfortunately it was one of those times that I meant to bring the camera and forgot it. :)

Afternoon At A Village Home

On Thursday afternoon, I went on the bicycle a couple miles out of the city to where my discipleship partner lives with his mother. This place is very different than the way most people live around us here in Chichigalpa as the house is made from sticks and with plastic sheeting for the roof and side coverings.

The pink cup has some kind of weird drink made from corn mash. I tried to ask how it was made and they had trouble explaining it to me. Honestly, I'm just not sure but I know it's got sugar, water, and boiled corn mash. They also make a pudding that's the same and I really don't like it as it has a sweet corny taste to it. I don't know what makes it pink???

This was only the 2nd time I've been a distance outside the town area here and the people live very roughly out that way. It reminds me very much of how the typical Kenyan lives. I'd like to get further out in some places and see some more. I know that NewSong has 2 other church plants that are in some remote areas and I haven't been out to yet. One of them is on the other side of a large river and during rainy season (now) you can't get out there except on bicycle or walking. I've been making plans to go but it continues to rain every night making it impossible to get to them because of the mud. In the next couple of months as dry season arrives I can make the trip for sure.

We Do Have a Mailing Address!

We have finally figured out our physical mailing address!  The other day at the dental clinic, the receptionist asked me for it, and I said, "No se."  (I didn't have it with me, and I haven't memorized it yet.)  She laughed, wrote USA, and ushered me back to have my teeth cleaned.  Some things are a lot simpler here than in the states!

We'd love to hear from you at:

The Medlin Family

SN BLAS 1C 40V AL Norte B/O

Chichigalpa, Nicaragua

An Afternoon with Friends

We are so thankful that God has allowed us to know Charlie's family.  Michael first met him when he was invited to give his testimony in Charlie's English class a few weeks ago.  It turns out, Charlie's father, Carlos, is the Pastor of a small Christian church in Chichigalpa.  This is the church Michael spoke to on Saturday.  Plans for our first mission team collaborating with them in December are materializing!

We enjoyed our time in Charlie's parents' home last weekend.  They invited us to make and eat a delicious meal together, enjoy great music, and meet several other new friends.  Praise the Lord!

Visiting before lunch

Charlie's Mom was very kind to teach me some
new ways to make great rice and chicken!

I am so thankful that we can purchase our chicken meat
from the grocery store, ready to cook!

They made some really great fruit smoothies!

Charlie's Grandmother (far right) was the first of the family
to become a Christian.  She shared the gospel with her whole
family.  Praise the Lord!

Christina enjoying their hammock and Jacob petting a kitten
that reminds him of Rocky.

Church Services

Saturday, church in Chichigalpa began outside.....

and moved inside when the rain started!  Michael spoke
about taking the narrow road through the narrow gate, from
Matthew 7.

We all enjoyed singing a worship song and focusing on Jesus
being the light of the world, accept Kellie, who was mostly focused
on keeping Jacob from setting anything else on fire.

Sunday night Michael delivered the message at New Song.  Thank you Lisa
for translating!  There was an amazing thunderstorm which caused everyone
to be mindful of whether or not we were grounded.  Praise God that the power stayed
on, and the service was able to continue!

Christina, Jacob, and Gabriel did a super job performing
Blessed Be Your Name as the special music during the service.  Thanks
for working so well together guys!  We're proud that you're using the
talents God has given you to honor Him!

Day Off

On Mondays we usually take a day off from doing work at the mission and school.  We use that day to explore our area a little bit and look for fun things to do.  Yesterday, we went with some new Nicaraguan friends to a "resort" in the nearby city of Chinandega.  We thoroughly enjoyed the swimming pools, water slides, playground, and trampoline that are available.  It was a blast! We were so excited to see they had 5 really large water slides and an entrance fee of $2.00 per person!  Here are some photos of our adventure...

Abigail was very brave on the big, rough slides.  

Kelly and Anekis - new friends that went with us to the pool.

Claudia - the middle sister of the three friends that
came with us to the pool.

It's not every day a deer will eat out of
your hand at a water park.

Jacob said, "Hey Mom, that's the same kind of bird that's on
the front of my math book!"  I guess he is paying attention. :)

The biggest kid of all! Thanks for
a great day, Michael.