My God Provides!

This past Friday, I lost my job and was very distraught and struggling with how I was going to make the extra money that I had just lost with those hours being taken away. With multiple expenses coming in my near future I began to pray and I tried to fight off the stress and have full faith in God. In James 1, my dad reminded me how it speaks of trials and that in return produces steadfastness. Steadfastness means to have loyalty in hard times and most importantly as believers to be loyal and have faith in God as believers. 

I woke up this morning around the same time I would have gone into work at my old job. I used this extra free time in my morning to read the word, pray, and just worship my God. I was continually reminded of the story of Job and how God gives and takes away but he gave thanks to God in all circumstances. As I walked by the coffee shop here on campus, Blessed Be Your Name was playing over the speakers, yet another reminder. 

Then God opened up his flood gates to me! I went to the rec. center here on campus (my other job) to see if there were any shifts available for me to pick up. I then talked to a coworker working the front desk and he told he how he needed to give up a lot of his shifts over the next couple months for various reasons. I had no idea what his shifts were and told him to give me a list of them and I would see if I could cover any of those shifts for him. A few minutes later I received an email from him, the shifts he needed to give up were on Monday and Friday mornings. The same exact hours I worked at my old job! I would not have a drop off in hours at all. But it does not stop there, there were also Saturday morning shifts that I was free to pick up also! And guess when those shifts begin, the day after I receive my last check from my old job. 

Throughout the last few months I was receiving paychecks weekly and had mastered saving and budgeting my money very well. But it is very rare to have a job or two that will allow me to receive a paycheck weekly. God allowed me to have time with a weekly paycheck to learn how to be a good steward of my money and then he takes away my job but gives me more hours and pay at my current job to allow me to not lose any time or money. My God provides, when He and I am ready! His timing is never wrong!

A Week of Transformations

This week was spent with my home church, BridgePointe Church out of Owensboro, KY. Throughout this week we saw many different types of transformations.

In the community of Ticuantepe, we thought we were going to just put a roof on a church, but we basically built an entire sanctuary for this church. Being in this community we saw many things transformed. Of course, you have the obvious transformation of wood and tin into a place of worship: 

A shot of the before roof and the after tin roof behind it.

Before

After

Also, we were able to visit the community of El Canon and see some more transformations there. First, Jessica was able to use her skills and passion of cutting hair to bless and transform the look of about twelve or so girls in the orphanage.

Before

After

The girl were loving this time with Jessica and they were all getting all of their hair cut off. Also, we were able to build soccer goals for a local field that the younger men of El Canon use to play on each day. Prior to this they only had sticks but now they have metal goals with nets!

Finally, we were able to donate multiple boxes of school supplies to the director of the school here in El Canon. If this picture doesn't say enough she was VERY excited about it all. "I don't have the words to describe how I feel right now!" - Directora Maria

But above all we were able to come down to Nicaragua and plant seeds in many individuals lives and let the Lord grow them and transform their lives. BridgePointe thank you for sending this group here to Nicaragua and know that they have blessed this country and I feel that they have been blessed by Nicaragua as well!

If you build it, they will come...

Field of Dreams is a classic movie and I am glad dad quoted it last night during the service because it is exactly true. Yesterday, we went and visited Pastor Jorge's church in Ticuantepe, just outside of Managua. This church is a very small church and has been in the city for four years.

Our task for yesterday and finishing it up today is to build a roof for this little church. So the BridgePointe team rolls in with wood, tin, concrete, and a few nails to accomplish this task. They hit the ground running. We have posts set in concrete and will be getting the cross beans and tin laid for the roof this morning. 

We have eaten breakfast this morning and we're gearing up for another day out in the community of Ticuantepe. Please be praying for the group today. And  know we are all safe and having a good time working for the Lord here in Nicaragua.

Notice the gloves on the wrong hands!

Tenemos agua!

Yesterday, was a very rewarding day! As the team winded down there week with a boat ride, zip lining, and the usual tip to the market. I loaded up in the truck with Pastor Franklin and a generator and headed back out to Los Cedros.

The goal for the day: Flush the pipes and let the water flow through the community!

We started off the morning smoothly as we hooked the generator and began pumping the water into the tank. Franklin, Daniel, and I were very excited as this 2900 liter tank began to fill up.

But then we hit our first and only bump in the road. The well we were pumping the water out of had ran out of water. The locals said, "una hora" and after one hour we were able to begin pumping water again. As the tank began to fill up more and more the buzz began growing around the community. And soon enough this community would have water.

View from the tank overlooking the community in Los Cedros

Finally, the tank has been filled as Franklin runs to one end of the piping and Daniel and I run to the other end. The people of this community began to come out into the streets in anticipation of the water soon being ran through the newly laid pipes under their ground.

People waiting down the road for the water

After opening up all the valves, we were ready to flush the pipes out so the community would have clean water to use for the first time at their homes. Prior to this moment they would have to walk to the well and draw water out and then carry the buckets full of water back to their homes. But not anymore!
As Daniel and I stand at the end of the pipe waiting for the water to flush out, we can feel the air from the end of the pipe. Daniel was so excited he could not wait to see the water flow. He made sure I had my camera ready for pictures and video of the water.

We have water!

The excitement that filled the community as these pipes were filled with water was incredible. Sounds of clapping, cheering, and praise to God filled the air. One lady washed her hands in the water and immediately began praying to God, repeatedly saying, "Gloria a Dios, Gloria a Dios."

As I walked back through the community it was amazing seeing the buckets fill up with the clean water and that same water running out of each families personal spigot. I was being asked to take pictures by every family in the community I will end this blog with a few of the other pictures and be sure to check out the video on my Facebook page of Pastor Armando drinking the water for the first time.

Pastor Armando with a family enjoying the water.

Group of boys at their house after bathing and washing off in the new water!

Project Photos

Here are a few pictures from our water project we are working on this week...

No more cranking this well for water for this lady after this week

The new water tower!

The ditch is has been completely dug

Trenches and Sickness

Hey just a quick update this morning, we have nearly all of the main trench dug throughout the community. This is ran through about 32 different house in the area. Today, we will be digging the T's to give each house it's individual spigot with running water for the first time ever. It will be a big relief to finish the trenches after today and begin laying the plumbing down for the water.

But also, be in prayer for the team members as some of them are having a difficult time adjusting to the heat here and getting sick. Just yesterday alone, we had three people get very sick and two of them needing shots to get back to normal. They are feeling pretty good today and will be going back out in the community, but Grayson isn't feeling well this morning now. So please be praying for energy and the health of everyone here in Nicaragua.

I will some pictures of the work today and post them later on tonight!

Digging...

Today, was a very busy day today in Los Cedros. We accomplished many different things as a group, including digging more than half of the trench for the new water line. This was a very tough job and took a lot of time and effort. We spent nearly all day with a pick, shovel, or other tools in our hands. But it is really encouraging to see the members of the community chipping in. We had multiple guys hanging out and working with us all day long. We even had a few ladies group a shovel and chip in. I really enjoyed seeing an older man that could not help us out very much, grab a pick and break up the ground in front of his house. He wanted to help out as much as he could and that was great to see him taking the time to invest in the water project in his community.

Also, part of the group conducted a medical clinic at the church. I heard they treated 100 people, gave out medicine, and taught the kids how to properly wash their hands. It is great to see how this community is already taking pride and their spirits are being lifted. The locals want to learn about us and I really think the men and women just like being around us. They will spend the entire day working with the men or sitting at the church talking with the women. I have learned a lot about caring for others  and how special just spending time with people can be.