I am here with a friend named Juan. I’ve been here with him 6 or 7 times now trying to have a surgery that he desperately needs. This should-be-easy process is complicated for many reasons. I’ll do my best to explain.

First, let’s talk about the hospital. This is the hospital in Managua that is free to all Nicaraguans. Sounds great right? But this free hospital is run by people that are not qualified to run a hospital. That’s the first problem. The second is the “system” that is in place here. It seems so ridiculous.  You are handed a slip of paper from your doctor when you have an appointment. To get back into the hospital you need this piece of paper. The security guard will not let you in the door without it. Once you figure out how to get in you wait. Everyone waits. No sign in. No number system. No snack machines, books, magazines – nothing.

Now let’s talk about Juan. Shortly after we got here last August, another crazy couple came down to work with us. Their names are Joe and Julie (Joe is pictured right with Juan). They have some medical training so they started volunteering at the local hospital with another friend of ours – Seth. The three of them met Juan during their visits to the hospital and as they became friends they learned more about his story (you can find Seth’s post about Juan here). Juan had surgery 15 years ago to correct his bowed legs. His left leg healed fine but his right leg did not. The doctors put some screws in his leg damaging it further and the leg never fully healed. He also has a bone condition called osteopetrosis (or “stone bone”) which means his bones are extremely hard, making it very difficult to operate.

He has had a bone infection for 15 years now. Joe, Julie, the Hickersons and Seth decided they would help Juan get the care he needed so they took him to a better hospital to get a professional opinion and some x-rays. After this, he was all set to go back to the free hospital so he could have the surgery there. Seth continued to go back with Juan only to be re-scheduled or given any number of other excuses just to not operate that day. Seth must have gone to the hospital with Juan 10 times. When it came time for Seth to leave, I offered to take this over for him never having met Juan. In my attempt to let my yes be yes – this is where we are now.

I can’t begin to imagine what it’s like to live with a bone infection for 15 years. The doctors describe the open sores that expose his bone as “volcanoes”. Juan needs a miracle. His entire life has been changed by this. He has never walked like a normal man. There is no doubt that if Juan was born in America he would be walking today. This hospital is Juan’s only choice and you could argue that it is the hospital’s fault that his leg is in this condition in the first place. I’m looking at him now and he looks terrified at the thought of having to stay here again – scarred with what happened here when he was a boy. He tells me that if I’m not with him, they will not even see him or ignore him all together. Without his “Yankee friends” he says he’s hopeless.

Juan makes a very difficult journey to get to the hospital from his home in Tipitapa. The hour long bus ride is very painful and this morning he fell really hard while getting out of the bus in Managua. It took him 10 minutes of sitting down for the pain to subside enough for us to make the 20 minute cab ride to the hospital.

Most of the people I work with here in Granada have difficult circumstances today because of bad decisions they made in the past. This is not the case with Juan. He has never struggled with addiction. He has no self-destructive behaviors or compulsions plaguing his life. In fact, despite his circumstances, he spreads joy everywhere he goes. He talks to everyone and they instantly love him. His joy is contagious, heart-warming and encouraging. He truly is a blessing to know and be around.

So why am I here? I am here because I believe in a God that hears the cry of his people. I believe in a God that wants to heal Juan’s leg. I am here because, as my friend Joe Kidd put it, “The Lord has won the war and is much bigger than the stupid Nica system and any of satan’s forces working with it!”.

• Down a broken road, I was led to this church.
• Down a broken road, Rebekah was led to the same church.
• We met during a time in our lives when we were finding peace, joy, and ourselves after many years of pain and struggle.
• We married in March of 2007.
• 9 months later we went to Honduras.
• 10 months later we went Nicaragua.
• 1 month later God told us to move to Nicaragua.
• Our lives now have purpose and meaning and it is all because of God’s work in us.

But what we didn’t know was that while God was at work in our lives during this time, he was also at work in the life of a single mother of 2 in Nicaragua.

After arriving in Nicaragua in August 2009, we met Natalia. Rebekah began to build up a relationship with her and this led her to help Natalia start a sewing business to help her support her family. We decided to film her story and share it with our friends and supporters with the intentions of raising some money to help finance her business. After talking to her further, I was shown how God had woven our paths together. Here are some of the events that led her to where she is now:

• Down a broken road, I was led to this church.
• God began to show me who I was and how much he loved me.
• God brought a Christian woman named Brittany into my life and she help me and discipled me.
• God brought another Christian woman named Annie into my life and she helped me as well and discipled me.
• And now God has brought another Christian woman named Rebekah into my life and she is helping me start a business and she disciples me as well.
• My life now has purpose and meaning and it is all because of God’s work in me.

This left me wondering whether all this has happened by chance or by divine appointment?

As these three lives walked down broken roads seeking their identities, God was working in the midst of their brokenness in order to have those paths cross so that he would be glorified.

And for that I am eternally grateful…

Everything seems to be moving along nicely. We planted okra and cucumbers last week and they have already popped out of the ground. Hopefully, we have built a suitable home for the worms and they will begin to produce rich food for the plants to eat.  We will be documenting this process as we go so check back for updates!

A fellow missionary here is currently helping Massiel with rice, beans and oatmeal each week to help alleviate some of the pressure from her. She is so appreciative of the small amount of food we bring her each week. Unfortunately, in two weeks the funding for this will be depleted. If you feel led to help Massiel out (anything you can give will go directly to this family) please contact us or email us at aheartforthenations [at] gmail [dot] com.

We hope you will sponsor youth in this year’s race.If you’d like to help, we suggest the following sponsorship levels:

• Single Sponsorship: $5
• Triple Sponsorship: $15
• Quintuplets: $25
• Ten People: $50
• Any amount you would like to give is welcome!

Checks may be mailed to:

Adventures in Missions
6000 Wellspring Trail
Gainesville, GA 30506
Attention: Nicaragua Kids Camp Fun Run (don’t forget this!)

Or, sponsorships may be made online at this link: VidaJoven

Once you are on the web page, simply:

1. In the drop down menu select “Support a World Race Project”
2. In the Project box that appears, type in: Nicaragua Kids Camp Fun Run
3. Follow the simple donation process

All funds collected will go directly to the Vida Joven Granada. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Thanks for your help!

Through our supporters and some extra donations, we were able to provide over 30 bags of toiletries for the families. We went down the day before Christmas Eve with toys and pinatas for the kiddos and bags of food and toiletries for the adults. It was an amazing day and such a blessing to be able to be there.

Here’s a couple of videos from the day:

You can check out some pictures from El Basurero by clicking here.

So what does daily life here look like? To be honest, it seems really slow to an American used to a fast paced lifestyle, but each week ends with a lot of work accomplished. We have a combined total of seven small group meetings, community dinners (sometimes twice a week), craft and literacy programs (more to come later), personal study and reflection, and discipling one on one.

I am taking part in two small groups, one of which is made up of Nicaraguan women. We started with a bang, but after I clearly outlined the commitment I wanted from each participant attendance tanked. I have two or three women who have faithfully attended, and I’m praying that God builds those relationships further.

Frank is currently developing a discipleship program for recovering addicts. He has a Nicaraguan who is highly interested in discipling and being discipled. He graduated from the program shortly after we arrived in Granada and has faithfully attended each discipling session, as well as multiple small groups. We are praying that he is the answer to our prayer to have a Nicaraguan willing to take over a discipling program in Granada.

Continue to pray for deep and lasting relationships, and for Nicaraguan who are willing to disciple!

I have been doing some work for a client that is trading store credit with us for my services. This has been great because this client just happens to be the best little coffee shop in Birmingham! Today Bekah was on her way to meet me at my office and a guy asked her for some money. We make it a practice not to just hand out money (nor do we ever actually HAVE money) so she refused. Half-way up the next block God would not let her just walk away. She walked back down and offered him lunch with us (surprisingly not the first time she has shown up with someone and said ‘I have someone that needs some food’).

What ensued was one of the best conversations I have had. We talked about our pasts, our beliefs and our dreams – all over some tea and paninis.

I may not have any silver or gold, but I do have credit at Lucy’s Coffee and Tea!