Julie R. Neidlinger: Lone Prairie Blog

Nicaragua, here I come.

written by Julie R. Neidlinger 1 comments link this post

The Clif's Notes version: I'll be gone for a few weeks on a missions trip to Nicaragua. I may not take the time and money to fight for a computer with a slow connection at an internet cafe in Leon. It's a frustrating battle at times. We'll see. If not, I'll talk to you when I get back.

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The Full-length Novel Version: This is my fifth year going to Nicaragua.

I drive to Fargo, have dinner with some of the group, and then, early early on Sunday morning...

I'll be flying out from the Fargo airport. From Fargo, I'll hit the great airports of Minneapolis, then Houston, then, at last, Managua.

I'll pay $5 to enter the country, there'll be craziness trying to find all the bags and to see which ones didn't make it. We'll get all kinds of help loading the bus with all of the bags, and tip the fellows that worked so hard lifting all the stuff. Then we'll careen through the streets of Managua, arriving at La Quinta to fall into bed with the gated closure and the guard dogs keeping us safe. The next day, we'll head north to Leon where we'll be back working with the community of El Convento and Pastor Alfredo.

I have no plans on painting any murals this year. In two past years, I've worked on a mural for the church and gotten high off of the oil-based paint. I also cut my own hair to make a fine paintbrush when nothing else was handy. This year, I'm hoping to avoid that. But, of course, if the need be a mural, I'll not say no. (Please God, no mural this year.)

Our projects will include mainly whatever God wants us to do, plus, we have our own ideas of doing some construction, working with the kids, taking people to the doctor, getting school uniforms and supplies for kids, spending time with the church people, getting food donations together, and in general, just being with our Nicaraguan friends.

I'm eagerly anticipating a lot of things. I'm excited to see Teresa, the girl I've sponsored in school and college for a few years, and I hope to hear her sing with her family's Christian mariachi band. I am looking forward to seeing Elias, the owner of La Phoenicia (the place we stay) and Italian Pizza (the place we eat at in the evenings, an Italian restaurant in Nicaragua owned and run by a Lebanese man who makes the best food imaginable). I admit to looking forward to going to the beach, but I'm not so keen on climbing another volcano.

Every year is different, but if you haven't had a chance to see what I'll be a part of, you can read about past trips, or check out these rough little videos I put together from last year (there are four of them): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

The fourth video of that set is the one that sums up the "experience" of being a group member, and the final scene, with Alfredo singing for the camera, is poignant: Alfredo, who has been our bus driver for many years, is now the pastor at the church. We are all so excited to go down there and work with him in this role. He is well-liked by all of us, and has a heart for evangelism and reaching out.

I'm bringing a small video hard disk camera down this year, instead of a regular camera. My goal is to get more moving footage and focus on producing videos for the web and for disc so that group members can share what we are doing more easily once we get back.

Here's our web site: Nicaragua Resource Network - North Dakota

Stay warm; we will be. And, most importantly, keep the whole group in your prayers: Gaylon, Tom, Michael and Colleen, Travis, Chad, Emily, Molly, Lew, Lance, Shannon, and me.

See you in February.