A chapter is closed :( off they go... into the horizon.

Our friends from Mexico and El Salvador leaving us this morning.... heading off into the "sunset" (or... sunrise actually since it's 7 in the morning). 

Last meeting for the Mexicans before leaving us.

Not a nice day for the Mexicans. 

1. Last days meeting with us. 

2. Our meeting time was SAME time as Mexican played their football-match in the worldcup, thus priorities meant they missed the match ;)

3. The Mexicans lost the game LOL

OK, now on a serious note.... There was a lot of hugging + crying + taking photos. Lots of people were emotional since we might not see them again for a VERY long time to come. 

Photos, photos, photos...

3 x young Mexican girls (same family)

A Mexican brother gave the talk as well  this day before leaving us. 

First meeting with the family & bye party

Today we had the first study with the family I was passed by the brother who left for Managua... and it went great. 

They are very poor and got problems + both mum and dad are slightly handicapped. 

The dad was shot in the arm during the war, but we don't know what is behind the mums disability. 

The kids are lovely & cute and well behaved, the girl listens in very closely and is a good reader :)

In the evening we had a goodbye party for the Mexican pioneers and the brother from El Salvador whom came over for the campaign but are leaving in a few days. 

As per usual Mily worked very hard, she is a great host and fantastic cook... her cake & chocolate sauce were superb quality stuff !!!

During the evening bro/sis were also asked to provide their personal input regarding how they perceived their time here and relate experiences to others. 

After thus it was dance dance dance, however as you all know.... "Gringos don't dance" ;)

Heading out to meet some new studies

This is "city centre" in Totogalpa; it is also where the 4x4 trucks pickup the people living in the country-side. 

I was passing the square today and took a shot while waiting for a brother. 

The reason... He is leaving for Managua on very short notice and needed to pass one of his bible studies to me (it's a whole family studying actually). 

 

Toughest trip yet

Last Saturday was a very tough day.... yes very tough...  even the locals were shattered by the journey. 

We (brothers only, no sisters allowed) took our bikes this blasting hot day and cycled up and down local dust "roads" in the mountain for about 1hr... then we had to leave the bikes in a strangers house and continued walking another 1hr on even worse and steaper "roads".

There we met some who are only reached with the good news 1 or 2 times a year. 

Despite all bringing this life saving message to the locals was well worth it. Praising Jah in this way is a privilege. 

We were told that we have to view this type of ministry as a "messenger arrangement" more than anything else since as long as there is no transport it's not feasible to have bible studies (or even return visits). 

Most on this trip were the young and fit ones in the congregation, but we were 4 older ones as well. And one of them was in his mid 70's ??!!

It goes without saying that the life they live here makes them tough cookies... if you would take a 75 year old from Europe on this trip he would probably die of a combined stroke + heart attack half way through. 

Personally I took 2 litres of water in my backpack; this normally lasts me half a day in the mountains, but here it did not last me since we spent a full day. 

The locals do not have my water problem because they are accustomed to the water in the mountain-wells which they use to refill their bottles, but "I'm a gringo" so cannot drink water from the wells. 

Needless to say I was VERY thirsty when we came to rest near the main road where I also found a small local kiosk.

But they did not sell water so I had to quench my thirst with strawberry Fanta instead :(

Below iPhone photo of the 75 year old brother half way through the trip, he is taking a well deserved rest. 

Our brother who's taking the lead and knows the place, looking at the mountains where we are heading off to. 

Short rest before continuing the trip. 

Another short break 

At this point we left the bikes behind and are walking. 

Halfway through the trip and in the middle of the day. 

We are all worn out and it looked like a battlefield with corpses spread around as we slept and recovered in a dried up riverbank. 

We had a pioneer party the other day

Some brothers from Costa Rica came over to help out a week. Before they returned they had a party for all pioneers... and the brother in question was hillareous!!!

Light was really bad so I had difficulties taking decent photos with my iPhone. 

Eating time....

Then time for some Bible games. 

After the games it's dancing of course... But "Porque los europeos y gringos no saben bailar?"  

That means in English why don't Europeans and Americans know how to dance? So as you might have guessed... I did not dance ;)

This is parts of the great crowd. 

Mondays are study days

Monday is "day off" for arrangements in the congregation. 

So most bro/sis use this day to perform daily tasks & shopping + study. 

We also dedicate our Mondays for study, both, spiritual & the language which we need to learn. 

Our Sunday...

Went to the meeting as per usual for some spiritual food. 

Then out preaching. 

In the afternoon we invited a single mother and her son (our favourite kid in the village) for a lunch and a word-game. He is a fantastic youngster with great qualities. 

God's name is freely used here

Note the writing above the window at the left hand side of the driver. 

Here in Nicaragua  it's not like back in Europe where people have a "hang-up" on the name of God, or others who just choose to live in ignorance by not even looking into how/where/when this name was used in the past (and why not now). 

However here they use God's name freely everywhere and lots of cars and churches has it printed all over the place. 

Below another sample from a Pentacostal church in Managua that we passed in a taxi one night. 

What was up today then?

Not much... preached most of the day and found 1x potential study for me and 1x for Mily. 

Below is a tasty thing I tried for the first time today, it is a frozen banana dipped in chocolate.   Don't know how they did it though.... but both the taste and the substance itself was pretty much an "ice cream experience". 

Today it was cleaning day

Today there was no ministry, we did a major clean of the hall instead.