Dias Cuatro: Team Work Makes the Dream Work

     It was another day of hard work and fun here in Matagalpa. The devotional this morning was given by Eric, who spoke about the value of patience. We tend to get caught up in what we're doing and feel like we need to rush to get everything done in one week, but that's not realistic nor our goal. Our goal is to continue our long-term partnership with the Tingles and this mission project, and patience is an essential part of doing so.

     

      It's been raining on and off since we got here, but once again it held off long enough for us to continue work outside and keep things moving along with the construction. Our plan for lunch was to make chicken and broccoli for the kids,  but broccoli was nowhere to be found in Matagalpa today so we improvised and made cauliflower instead (which they loved just as much). 

    It was truly incredible to see everyone work as a team today. The kitchen is far from being big enough for all of us to work in at the same time. Yet we had half of us in there preparing and cooking the food while the other half was in and out using power tools, building cabinets, and cutting wood. Others may have thought it was impossible but somehow we managed to make it work. 

   

     We changed things up today and had Rich, Bill, and Todd help serve the kids' lunches so they could get to know some new faces. The kids were excited to have Rich serving their food because of the 'muy grande' portions he gave them. I'm pretty sure most of them even left with enough for dinner so they were very happy about that!

     After lunch, Donna and Amy (with the help of Megan as their translator) taught a class for new and expecting mothers in which they gave them some great tips for taking care of their newborns. Sally Jo sat with them and helped to make sure everything went smoothly. They also put together gift bags filled with diapers, bottles, and other goodies for each mother to take home with them. It was truly inspiring to see them talk to a few of the mothers one on one who were dealing with some difficult health issues. Overall, they did a fantastic job with these women and made a difference in their lives.

     In the meantime, Eric and Doug finished building the cabinets, Wayne and Todd finished putting the shelves up, and Bill and Rich cut enough wood for all of them to do so. They also got the shutters put together and ready to go for tomorrow. I was excited to use my first power tool today with the help of Chuck, who was also working on getting some wood together for the shelves and cabinets. I've never measured and cut wood before but I was thankful that Chuck cared enough to teach me and guide me through it.

     Our winners of the Bueno Bars tonight were Rich and Amy. Obviously Rich for his extremely generous lunch portions... and the fact that he's the only bilingual one in our group who can have real conversations with the kids. Amy did an incredible job teaching and comforting those women who were definitely in need of both, and I could tell they were very grateful to her for doing so.

      Today was really extraordinary to say the least. It's hard to believe we're more than halfway through the week already but what a week it's been. We look forward to giving our best again tomorrow and we pray that the weather works in our favor. We are thankful for good health, our supporters, and our ability to accomplish so much this week.

Dias Tres! A Lot of Progress and a Little Bit of Rain..

  

      We began today with a wonderful devotional from Bill, who spoke about our best motivation for being here in Matagalpa. He reminded us that others may praise us for coming on a trip like this, but the recognition is far from the reason we chose to be here. 

     We got lucky again today and avoided rain for almost the entire day of work. Donna and Amy set up the medical clinic for the morning check-ups and Sally Jo and I helped with the kids and medical charts again. Megan began cooking the fish tacos for lunch with Eric's assistance, and Doug managed to finish painting the inside of the kitchen at the same time. Todd, Wayne, and Bill worked on more shutters for the kitchen as Chuck and Rich worked on building the cabinets and shelves. 

                      

       After lunch, we had a lot of fun as we rehearsed the four songs we planned on singing at the evening service. Wayne played his guitar, Bill joined in with the drums, and we worked on our lyrics, melodies, and harmonies. It took us some time but eventually we got the hang of it and sounded pretty good

      In the afternoon, several of us stayed inside the church and did crafts with the kids. We set up a rock painting session in which they each picked out their own rock to paint. They really enjoyed it and most of them ended up painting two or three rocks each. We thought we did a good job at keeping the paint on the plastic until we looked under the tables and realized half of the kids decided to use them as napkins. But it was all in good fun and definitely worth it. I also think we felt a little bit more confident today with our Spanish and had somewhat of an easier time communicating with the kids. 

    The rest of the group continued their hard work outside and were able to make quite a bit of progress before the rain started up and we had to call it a day. Unfortunately, the pastor had to cancel service again because of the weather conditions, so we are crossing our fingers that on Thursday it will work out.

     We had dinner at 5:30pm and then went into our debrief for the night. Our three lucky winners of the Bueno Bars tonight were Eric, Todd, and Bill. Although Eric spent much of the morning in the kitchen helping Megan cook, he still managed to get the electricity in the kitchen up and running. Todd and Bill worked tirelessly to build two more shutters and put them up before the day was over. All three of them remained focused and determined to get their jobs done and it was amazing to see the finished products. 

    It was another great day filled with fun, hard work, and learning experiences. Through our faith, we have been blessed with the ability to spread love and joy to the people here. Wayne and Megan have reminded us that most of these kids just need to feel valued in some way and that we can play a major role in doing so. We are going to get a good night's rest and be ready for another successful day tomorrow!

Matagalpa Mission: Day Two

     Today was filled with many things including hard work and excitement. After breakfast, Wayne and Megan discussed what jobs we would be working on today and we all got to volunteer for different ones. Soon after, we made our way back to Barrio Sor Maria Romero with our goals set and high hopes for the day. 

      As we unloaded our truck and van, we were delighted by how eager the kids were to lend a hand and help us carry in the materials. They were so excited to have us there and we definitely felt the same way. 

     Sally Jo, Megan, and myself all helped prepare and cook the deconstructed chicken pot pie for the childrens' lunch for the day. Doug and Rich started painting the Enriched kitchen as Eric led the electrical work. Todd, Chuck, Bill, and Wayne worked on getting the wood ready for the door and shutters they were going to build for the kitchen. Amy and Donna stayed inside the church to help some of the kids make crafts including clocks made out of paper plates. The kids loved making them and it also gave them the chance to practice telling time. 

    

       My favorite part of the day was getting the chance to meet and talk to many of the kids while they were eating their lunches. They were happy, playful, and helping me with my Spanish which they said was no bueno. Although, even with the language barrier, the kids remained eager as ever to understand and work with all of us.  

       In the afternoon, the men of the group continued their work outside to get the kitchens' front door up as well as one of the window shutters. Donna and Amy set up a small medical clinic inside the church and gave a check-up to each kid in the group that Megan set up for the day. Sally Jo and I helped with the charts, names, and ages of the kids along the way. 

    Overall, we ended our day with a sense of accomplishment and thankfulness. We all worked in small spaces together but still managed to work as a team and get things done. Doug and Donna were even rewarded with Bueno Bars for their preparedness, focus, and outstanding work for the day.

      We pray that God continues to guide us this week and that we handle any and all circumstances with courage and ease, and that we remember our true purpose for being here. As Todd and Amy spoke about in their devotional this morning,  I believe that through guidance and love, we are all being nudged in the right direction. 

Day One in Matagalpa!

     We began our day with breakfast at the Hotel la Estancia Don Roberto and a lovely devotional from Sally Jo. She reminded us that God speaks to us through the Bible and through others, and that we can't forget to listen for him while we're here this week. 

      Shortly after breakfast, Wayne and Megan took us to Barrio Sor Maria Romero, which is where we will be doing our work this week. We walked around the community and got to meet some of the people and children who live there, who couldn't have been more welcoming to us. Although their living conditions were much worse than I could've imagined, they were all in high spirits with big smiles on their faces. Rich even got to have some conversations with a few of the kids as he speaks Spanish much better than the rest of us.

     After having lunch on a mountain top while enjoying a beautiful view of Matagalpa below, we got ourselves ready for dinner and the service. Unfortunately, the pastor had to cancel the service because of the intensity of the rain at the time so we will now go on Tuesday night instead... which is probably better for us anyway since we were planning on singing a few songs and could definitely use a lot more practice. 

      Overall, it's difficult to sum up the true experience of the day we had. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this, but needless to say it was a lot to take in and process. I think right now all of us feel more ready than ever to get to work, spread God's love, and do what we can for this community.  

We've Arrived in Matagalpa, Nicaragua!

Hola Amigos! It's been a long day of travel but luckily both of our flights were on time and our travels went smoothly. Our bright green t-shirts have confused some people, including one flight attendant who thought we were a group celebrating St. Patrick's Day a little too early, but aside from that they have been a great help keeping us together :) ...Now that we are here in Matagalpa, we are going to get a good night of rest and prepare for a wonderful day tomorrow with the Tingles and the Nicaraguans. We are all excited and grateful to be here and look forward to a productive and joyous week with everyone! Once again, we are so thankful for all of those who made their generous donations and helped make this trip possible. Let the fun begin! 

Meet Our Team!

Sally Jo Gieser 

Can it be? - this fall I start my seventh year as head of the Mission committee and this year's short term foreign mission team is almost ready to leave on  trip number seven. What an experience and what a blessing this has been - sharing the challenge of ministry in a different culture with BLC members!  On three of these trips, I have been able to share the experience with my husband of 54 years, Chuck. Ministry - whether in the pastorate or in Christian Camping - has been our life. God is so good to allow me the health and strength to continue to serve Him and His people - at church and now in Nicaragua.

Eric Jerabek

My name is Eric Jerabek and I am a retired planning engineer from AT&T and have been for 27 years. I am happily married to Dolores and together we have three children, Eric, Karyn, and Daryl, who are all teachers now. These days I enjoy traveling, volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity Restore, and volunteering as an instructor at the Five Rivers Environmental Center in Delmar. I chose to join this mission trip because I want to use my God given talents to help those who are less fortunate. 

Amy Vogel

My name is Amy Vogel and I have a wonderful husband, Todd, who I just married back in early June. I have three children of my own, Steven, Kyle, and Gabby, and two stepdaughters, Arika and Annika. I am a full-time Nicu nurse at Albany Medical Center. The reason why I wanted to join this mission team is because I love helping people. Listening to Todd and my brother talk about the joy they've had in the past doing this work has inspired me to be a part of that joy this year. 

Todd Vogel

I am blessed to have been a member of BLC for 14 years now and have served on various committees throughout that time. I am also part of the worship music both in the contemporary and traditional services. Some of my most memorable and faith growing experiences have been on mission trips at BLC and in the relationships formed during and after those trips. This trip will be another special experience in faith as I will be able to share it with my wife, Amy. Thank you for all who provide their support through prayers and supplies.  

Chuck Gieser 

I was born in China where my parents were missionaries. Having foreign missionaries, missionary kids, and internationals in our home was the norm. When I was 14, my brother, two friends and I worked six weeks building a small house in Costa Rica. It has been a joy to share in the Lord's work with incredibly capable missionaries in many countries - two of these being Wayne and Megan Tingle. The school they began continues with 500 students and a Nicaraguan teaching staff. Now the Tingles have begun a new ministry in Matagalpa. I am one of five that Skypes with the Tingles monthly, helping them think through much of what they are doing. It will be good to experience what we have been talking about!  

Richard Licht

My name is Richard Licht (but folks call me Rich!) and I am happily married to Mary Ann with three children, Lizzie, Ben, and Nate. I am employed by the Center for Internet Security, and have been for three and a half years following my retirement from Federal Service. I love to hike, cook, spend time with my family and attend their events. I have been wanting to join a BLC mission trip for a few years, as I want to spread the news of Jesus' love for us through acts of kindness and support for others. This mission to support the Tingles is a perfect opportunity and it sounds like great fun!  

Bill Collins

My name is Bill Collins and I am a Christian husband to Barbara, father to James and Leigh, and father-in-law to Stephenie and Joe. I am happily retired from a 37-year career as a lawyer and administrator in New York State government. Retirement – to me – means travel, tennis, choir, hiking, drumming in Praise Band, volunteer firefighting, scuba-diving, volunteering at a homeless shelter, and attacking the moles in my front lawn with a vengeance. I have been on a mission trip to Nicaragua before with my daughter and am very excited about this opportunity to share the love of Christ in Nicaragua again.  

Kristy Rama

I graduated from Suny Albany with a degree in English and now work at a small wealth management firm as a client relationship manager. I come from a big family and have four younger sisters- Kelly, Katlyn, Kimberly, and Karen- who are my biggest supporters along with my incredible parents, Mike and Gail. In my free time, I enjoy playing the guitar, singing, writing, reading, hiking and almost anything else that involves being outdoors. Come October, I will also be an official volunteer at the Mohawk Humane Animal Shelter. This will be my first mission trip and I couldn't be more excited for it! Going on a mission trip has always been a dream of mine and I'm so grateful for this chance to work with the Tingles and do what I can for the people of Matagalpa.  

Doug Ophardt 

My name is Doug Ophardt and I have been a Capital Budget Analyst for 16 years. I was on a previous trip to Nicaragua in 2014 and found the experience very exciting. First, because I was helping the Tingles' school, surrounded by the most cheerful children who were excited each day to come to school, overcoming the challenges faced in their daily environment. 

Second, I was lucky to be out in the local community painting walls at the "Inglesia de Dios Pentecostal El Shaddai;" me with my limited Spanish and only an English to Spanish dictionary, trying to discuss baseball. It was great being immersed in a totally new culture and stimulating to meet people with so much to share, and who allowed me to be part of their lives for a few days. It was great fun to just "go with the flow." 

I look forward again to working with the children, helping them in their school work, getting to know them, having them teach me Spanish, and learning more about the Nicaraguan people and their culture.  

Donna Spellman 

My name is Donna Spellman and I was born and raised in upsate New York. I've been married to my husband, Gary, for 26 years and we've been blessed with three children, Brian, Sean, and Kaleigh. In addition to being a wife and mother, I am a Registered Nurse of 30+ years. Most of these years have been spent caring for premature and critically ill infants but I love working with people of all ages. Honestly, nursing has given me far more than I have given of myself. When I have free time, I almost always spend it outdoors. I love to hike, kayak, ski, and garden. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this mission trip and I look forward to serving.