WE'RE BAAAAA-AAAAACK!!!!!

Thankfully reporting to you today that all the team has safely arrived back home - AT LAST! The final four travelers arrived last night at 11:42 pm...a mere 35.5 hours later than planned! =)

We are so very thankful to the Lord for His kindness and provision. Would you continue to pray for this work? Here are some items you can lift up, if you are so inclined:

• Thank Him for His protection!


• Pray for our hosts in Nicaragua, the Benitez Family, that the Lord would continue to supply for them all that they need. They are such an amazing example to us, living their lives like we wish to: giving their lives away everyday for Him.


• Pray for rest for all.


• Pray that the work done in Nicaragua and in the hearts of the team would be sealed and continued to be blessed.


• Ask for healing for a few on the team who are experiencing post-trip tummy upheaval. =\


• Ask for protection from the enemy for the Benitez and for our team.


• Pray for clarity and vision as the team processes all of their experiences.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for 'accompanying the team' on this journey that is actually still continuing, even though everyone is back home!

We're Home....Mostly

Hello, all! This is Bree writing.
The majority of us are back home, and the remaining four are on a plane in first class seats heading to Omaha as I write. They are expected to land around 11:45 tonight, so if you would like to join us welcoming them back home, you would be most welcome!

I need to amend an earlier mistake in the chronicle. I forgot to tell you what the painting team was up to. We were rained out a lot, unfortunately. But Tuesday and Wednesday were very productive. We painted 9 houses, gave out toys and around 20 Step Up to Life tracts! We also went to a rural area where we painted a pastor's house as well as 4 others. As soon as one house was finished another person would ask for their own home to be painted.

I think it is difficult for people to understand how vital painting can be, not just for the longevity of the building, but for the sake of the family that lives within. A building is painted and suddenly it is not just the structure that a family lives in but a home. It is their own.

It's a beautiful thing. I apologize for forgetting that important report about our trip.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and for continuing to keep us in your hearts and minds as the last plane is even now in the air, and our team re-enters "normal" life. I know a lot of us wished we could have stayed longer.

The Trickle Continues

Hooray! Sarah Van is home!!! Linda Meneely Rice, John Rice, Helen Pleuler Van Moorleghem and Paul Van Moorleghem are coming home tonight @ 11:30 pm. Who's going to the airport???

Coming Back!!!

Well....almost! Little by little, the team is arriving home....

Rachel and Nate Brown came on stand by with the group that arrived at 11:42 pm...hooray!

So the two Rice's and the three Van Moorleghems are staying overnight in Houston. They have tickets for a flight tomorrow evening....but they are going to go to the airport earlier, hoping to come home on standby flight earlier in the day.

Looking forward to the stories coming out little by little...can't wait to see the pictures of all their exploits and view the videos of the Bug Chronicles!!!

Welcome back, Senoras, Senoritas & HOMBRES!!!!!!

No Place Like Home...

Whew! No one's home yet...but here’s the update:
· Already winging their way to Omaha on a flight arriving in Omaha around 5:45: Joe Slabaugh, Austin & Bailey Wells.
· Leaving Houston @ 6 pm: Emily Van Ornam, Jon & Rachel Harvie, Lauren, Emma & Mitchell May
· Leaving Houston @ 9:30 pm, arriving in Omaha @ 11:37 pm: Bree & Dan Reno, Sami Akeson, Abbey Moeller, Callie & Josee Bents, Sandy, Deborah & Bethany Hawes and also Alyssa Gregerson.
· There are 7 team members left and they are, as of now, scheduled to come home tomorrow night: Helen, Sarah, & Paul VanMoorleghem, Rachel & Nate Brown, & John & Linda Rice.

Linda has been impressed and blessed by the Continental employees that have been tirelessly and ceaselessly helping since about noon today to get them all out of Texas and back to the Good Life here in Nebraska!!! A few of our number will be flying first class, which will be a treat.

To pass the time, most of the remaining team members have broken into two teams (an adult is with each team) and are doing a photo scavenger hunt in the Houston airport. They are breaking up the monotony for sure and hopefully having a whole lot of fun!!!

Linda mentioned that Jon Harvie had noticed that quite a few of the flights coming into Houston this evening are delayed. This could open up some more seats for the seven still scheduled to stay in Houston ‘till tomorrow night. Your prayers would be appreciated, as everyone is REALLY ready to be home! (click, click, click!)

Sprint Through the Airport...

Fooey....after their plane from Managua arrived 1/2 hour late and after running like track stars through the Houston airport, the team found that their plane had already departed. I guess this was not completely unexpected, as the time between flights (had the flight even been on time) was tight.

Because of the large number of folks on the team (26), there won't be room on any one flight for them all to come home together. They have now been instructed to check back with the help desk in a half hour for details about how they'll all be trickling home!

Add another adventure onto the itinerary! And stay tuned for more details of the return of the 2010 Nicaragua Pursuit Team!

Homeward Bound (with Thursday and Friday Updates)

Just received two updates from the team this morning. The first one is from Thursday night. The second, from last night!

Here’s the flight schedule for today…
SATURDAY, JULY 3, 2010
#1775 MANAGUA TO HOUSTON 7:00 AM 11:18 AM
#2924 HOUSTON TO OMAHA 12:15 PM 2:17 PM

Some things to note:
· I checked for airport delays just a bit ago…Yesterday, Houston, TX had BIG thunderstorms and much flooding. At least in the afternoon, the airports there were shut down: no flights in or out. As of now, they are experiencing 15 minute delays with departures….(which could actually be in our team’s favor.)
· Assuming Houston is better today, PLEASE PRAY for their connection to be made there. As you can see from the schedule above, less than an hour is SUCH a short time to get 26 people through customs and onto their next connecting flight.
· Click here for a link to Continental Airlines if you'd like to follow our team's progress!

In just moments, our dear ones will be taking off and winging their way home to us! Hooray!!!!! I’ll see some of you at the airport this afternoon. And I thank all of you for your prayers, your kind thoughts and your generosity, all of which have sent and kept this team throughout their journey. To God be the glory, great things He has done!

In Him wth Joy,

Deb

P.S. If you’d continue to pray for them during their ‘re-entry’ back into home life, I know they’d so greatly appreciate it. It is a vulnerable time of fatigue and getting their bearings. Often, the enemy will attack during a team’s adjustment period after their return. Thank you so very much!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thursday night quick update from Bree:
Hullo! So, I’d like to tell you a story that actually just occurred. On the way back from the hospital in Managua, Victor’s truck was flagged down by two policemen. They recognized Victor’s truck. The policemen needed a ride; they had a man in handcuffs that they needed taken to police station. (All of you at home are thinking, “They didn’t have a car or anything?!?!” No, they didn’t have a car. Reality check, right?) So, the policemen and their handcuffed companion hopped in the bed of Victor’s truck, and a detour to the Masatepe Police Station was made. We have been told in the past of the amiable relationship between Victor and the police, but this was an amazing demonstration of their trust of Victor Benitez. Amazing. Apparently this is not the first time the police have requested help from Victor. God willing, this wonderful friendship will continue!



Friday night update from Linda:
We have had a full day today. The girls went to see the finca (farm) where the guys have been staying. It’s the 4 acres the church owns outside town, and Victor showed us the many trees – mangoes, avocadoes, bananas, coffee. Especially interesting were the giant Guanacaste trees whose branches grow into roots, and form a tree within a tree. We went to the Mombacho volcano & rode a truck up the side of the mountain, looking down on the city of Granada & Lake Nicaragua. After driving down the mountain, ALL 26 OF US went on the zip line!!! That was a victory for members on our team who have fear of heights, to say the least, and was a lot of fun, too. After Mombacho, we had a delicious lunch of Papa John’s Pizza & Fried Chicken, fries, coleslaw & rice. With our tummies full, we went shopping and had a fun time counting out the cordobas (Nicaraguan money) we changed dollars for, and did a quick shopping trip. We surely could tell that Callie & Josee work as cashiers!! It would have been total bedlam without them helping us count back the money. The team (minus Linda) went to the isletas (tiny islands) and rode the boats in the dark, which would have been more lovely had the moon not be hidden behind the clouds. The team came to the church to check on Linda, and the Centro de Fe gave us a despedida de luces – a farewell of lights – with several fireworks. At 5 PM, Linda left the market by taxi to return to Masatepe. Angela had baked & frosted two cakes, and Linda decorated them for the women’s meeting. (Lest you be too impressed, it must be shared that Linda had forgotten all her decorating supplies at home!) The message Linda shared was primarily a testimony & encouragement to the women that God is faithful. He loves us and cares for us. He is worthy of our all. The ladies enjoyed Angela’s cakes & celebrated God’s faithfulness. Nine of our girls, (including Bree, which explains why Linda is doing this update), plus Joe & Jon Harvie packed their suitcases after church, and accompanied Victor to an all-nighter in Managua. They’ll be home about 1 AM, but since all are packed, they’ll have a few hours’ sleep before we leave at 4 AM for the airport. Victor asked them to do the Step Up to Life skit and for Jon to play his guitar for the youth. The rest of us are packing, showering (I can hear the mothers cheering at that news, even from this far away!) and getting a few hours’ sleep before our departure. I make no promises about the aroma of their dirty clothes, Moms, but we have water tonight, and their team shirts have been washed for the trip home, so hopefully that will make them huggable to you. There has been a downpour every day, so we did get into a little mud from time to time. Your kids will be tired (but I’m sure you expected that) but they will be full of stories of what God has done in and through them this week.

Photos I

Bus ride to Masatepe after flying into Managua Friday night.

On the way to Terrabona....a rock the size of someone's head was stuck between two of the bus wheels!

Flooded road to Terrabona after torrential rains, courtesy of tropical storm Alex (later, Category 2 Hurricane Alex!)

Sami A., Bree R., Emma M. Lauren M., & two other gals enjoying the hot springs on the way to Masatepe from Terrabona.

Mitchell May in Terrabona!

The team prayed for seven Terrabona police officers and gave them gifts for their families. (Emily V. & Lauren M. in foreground.)

This is the building in Terrabona where meals were eaten. The boys slept in the adjoining rooms.

Children of Terrabona & some ladies from our team at the open air evening meeting on Saturday, 6.26.2010.

Motel where the girls stayed in Terrabona.

Beautiful Masatepe children...

Happy boys!

EXTREMELY happy boys!

Prepping for art class in Masatepe. (Abbey M., Nate B., and Rachel B.)

Art class: making 'rainsticks'.

Hanging out....Bethany H., Dan R., Mitch M., Sarah Van, Emma M.

Abbey M. and some of Terrabona's young men.

We heard from them very briefly today. Their zip line trip that was scheduled for this morning was postponed until tomorrow. The girls spent this afternoon w/cancer patients & new moms at a hospital in Managua. The guys painted.

One person for sure is still sick, so your prayers are appreciated. They’ll be packing up and saying their good-byes tomorrow night. And they leave VERY early (4 am, I believe) from Masatepe on Saturday to catch their plane home.

Art, Dance, Prayer

Hello again!
We have successfully accomplished our afternoon of teaching the children at the school. I believe that I mentioned that we would be doing dance and art classes. Both of these classes were divided by age. We were told while preparing in Omaha for this trip to plan for about 30 kids per class. Well. That morning they told us something more like 100 had signed up…. I will just allow you to imagine our faces. There was some reworking of previous plans. In the end the art class was divided into 3 groups instead of 2. The children rotated from class to class every 30 minutes or so. We made goo, drew pictures, and made impressions on foil. It went surprisingly smoothly. There were no riots!
The dance class went equally well. They finished early and asked the Nica girls if they would teach us a dance. So the girls learned a Nicaraguan dance to a TobyMac song! The next day we performed and it was lovely. All the little kids had streamers and the big kids danced ballet. It was wonderful. (I cried.) The song we danced to was the Spanish version of “No Sweeter Name” by Kari Jobe (Click here to hear 'No Sweeter Name'.) and “Feliz” by Ana Laura. (Click here to hear 'Feliz'.)
That evening we put together gift bags in a big assembly line for the teachers and the women in the hospital we will be visiting. While we worked on that we had a small team praying in the other room. As the assembly line ran out of things to assemble, more and more of us gathered in the other room. The praying, which was supposed to end at the same time the assembly lines ended, kept going. I am not positive how long we prayed. There was a team event that was planned for afterward, but the Holy Spirit had a different event planned! We worshiped and laughed and cried and prayed for one another. In my experience, it was one of the sweetest and richest times with the Lord. And it surprised me, because it was so informal. It just happened. I am learning that God does not need a big ceremony before He is among us. He is with us all the time. And we can laugh with Him! What a concept!
We prayed for the people in Terrabona, the town where we stayed last weekend & the people we will meet at the hospital. We prayed that God would heal people miraculously through us; we prayed that the gift bags we give to the patients at the hospital will not be viewed as being from us but from God and that the people would think of Him whenever they see them. We also prayed for our team members who were not able to come with us, for Kiley Cain and Deb Reno. Both have health issues that prevented them from coming. The team wants them both to know that they are not forgotten, and that we miss them (A LOT!) and wish they were here. But we prayed that God would order your steps even as you are not with us. That He would have meetings with people for you that are full of destiny and purpose. That He would be very near to you and that you would know without a shadow of a doubt that He has plans to prosper you and not to abandon you, but to give you hope and a future (Jer. 29:11).
The poor Benitez family, who have graciously loaned us their home to serve as home base, were kept awake by the continuation of our meeting. I am praying for their rest to be multiplied as the trip continues, although I do not believe we plan to keep them up every night like that.
At this very moment, Linda is teaching the teachers at the school about Step Up to Life. She is giving Pastor Murdoch’s illustration Titanic. (Click here to go to the Step Up to Life webpage. Click on the 'audio greeting' to hear more.)
And in other news: I have a message for Sarah Harvie!!! Sarah, HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY!!!!! Sarah has two family members with us here in Nicaragua; her dad, Jon, and her older sister, Rachel. They both miss you and hope you have an awesome birthday, Sarah!
Oh, and I am happy to report that we are all feeling better. About a fourth of our team (all girls) had what we believe was a virus. We’re glad that’s behind us! -Bree Reno

Tuesday Tidings!

Please enjoy this update we received by email today...brought to you by Bree Reno, one of the Nicaragua team members:

Hello dear friends. We have returned from the lovely city Terrabona! We are all exhausted. Some of us have been sick the last few days, so we are glad to return to Masatepe, which is where we will be working for the rest of the time.

Our hotel rooms are filled with giggles because we are so tired that our words tend to come out jumbled. At the moment we are wondering at how very different the two cities are. Being to Terrabona certainly gives one some perspective. It is difficult for me to describe. But we have agreed that after visiting Terrabona, it feels as though we are at home here in Masatepe. It is such a luxury to have a bathroom all to our selves in our room. Wonderful!

But I feel I should tell you about what we actually did in Terrabona. There were three groups that we broke into; painting, evangelism, and the children’s festival.

The painters were continually frustrated by the torrential rains. They painted the inside of the resident pastor’s house while the rain persisted. And when the rain stopped they painted the outside of houses and street curb.

The evangelism team consisted of many Nicas from Masatepe, who joined us for this leg of the journey, and our team traveled with them in pairs. The first day we watched as the our Nicaraguan friends proclaimed boldly to the people of Terrabona that God loves them and that they were special to them. We went into houses and prayed for the families that lived there. The second day we were encouraged to speak ourselves.

At the children’s festival, we dressed as clowns and had a dance-off. There were puppets and we played games. And at the end we lined the children up and gave them each a small bag of stuffed animals.

All of this was really successful. The people were very open and receptive. I believe there are a couple of good stories about people giving their lives to the Lord that I will attempt to bring to you in greater detail later.

There was, however, another fourth group that formed. Several of us caught some sort of sickness while in Terrabona. Most of us are feeling better and have mostly recovered, we would appreciate your prayers. Pray especially for our leaders who have worked very hard in close proximity and late nights for us sick people, that they would stay well.

As a team we are enjoying each other. It is a joy to be around my friends. And it is wonderful to watch them all interact and laugh about slaying bugs with Paul’s pillow. Thank you so much for praying for unity in our team (and your continued prayer!)

Today we are putting on dance and art clinics for the kids. I will hopefully write you more about that later. Updates may be coming a little more regularly now that we are back in Masatepe.
So if you would pray for our team’s health. Unity within the team and also with the Nicas we are working with. And continued focus among us, that we would not forget our purpose here and not forget to seek God for the little ways that we can help those around us.

I hope you will forgive me for this abridged version of our stay in Terrabona. Perhaps later I will obtain more details, along with the time to write them.

Masatepe Schedule

Thought it might be helpful as you are remembering our team for you to have a schedule of the planned activities. One of the the Spanish words that Linda and John Rice were sure to teach us early on in our training was 'flexibilidad'....translated: FLEXIBILITY! Which is the name of the game on any missions trip, I suppose. So below is the SCHEDULED actitvities...subject to change, of course. The text in red has obviously already happened at this point!

Friday 6.25 Our flight arrives at 8:08 PM. Drive to Masatepe, eat, sleep.

Saturday 6.26 Leave for Terrabona at 8 AM. Arrive at Terrabona around lunch time & eat lunch. Initial meeting of all the team & host churches. 2 PM begin work projects. Dinner in the late afternoon. 6 PM Crusade in the Central Park – all involved. Sleep in Terrabona.

Sunday 6 27 7:00 Breakfast & Devotions. AM Children’s Festival and continuation of work sites for the rest of the team. 12:30 Lunch Afternoon: Seminar for Pastors & Their Families (the rest of the teams will continue with work projects) Dinner Combined Church Meeting. Sleep in Terrabona.

Monday 6.28 7 AM Breakfast & Devotions Finish work projects, clean up places where we’ve stayed. Closing Meeting of Team & Host-Churches. 12:30 Lunch Leave for Masatepe. A surprise is planned on the way home.

Tuesday 6.29 afternoon -- art & dance workshops. John’s crew will be painting. Linda Rice and a helper will be baking cakes & decorating them.

Wednesday 6.30 AM Step Up to Life Seminar (Linda Rice teaching, team helping) and Teachers (from the Christian school that the church helps with) Appreciation time. We’re making gift bags of school supplies for them.

Wednesday afternoon art & dance workshops, John’s crew painting

Wednesday evening youth meeting with Masatepe Centro de Fe youth & our youth

Thursday 7.1 AM – zipline canopy tour near Managua

Thursday PM – visit to Managua public women’s hospital (visiting cancer patients and moms w/babies in the nicu). Work team will paint. Girls will visit patients & do manicures & massages & pray for healing.

Friday 7.2 – shopping, boat tour of the isletas near Granada, debrief

Friday evening – Ladies group meeting at Masatepe Centro de Fe. Angela has asked me to speak. She said it’s mid-year, God has been so good, she wants to encourage them to “strengthen their stakes”. Linda asks for prayer for divine inspiration for the message.

Saturday 7.3 morning 4:00 AM leave for airport. 7:00 flight. Only 57 minutes (YIKES!) in Houston to deplane, go through customs & immigration & catch our plane home. Don’t need to ask for prayer on that one, do we? The airlines think it’s enough time, or they wouldn’t set it up that way. I’d have preferred 2 hours or more, so we'll be depending on God to help us. (OF COURSE!)

Thank you for your prayers!!!

Satellite Images

Last Friday evening, our All Nations Church (Omaha) Nicaragua Team flew into Managua, which is just south of Lago de Managua (that smaller lake to the north and west of Lago de Nicaragua, that GIANT lake you see.) They left Saturday morning for a region called Terrabona. They'll be returning tomorrow (Monday, June 28th, 2010), to Masatepe, a town in the Masaya region, which is south and east of Managua. Here's a link that shows a satellite image of Masatepe:

http://www.maplandia.com/nicaragua/masaya/masatepe/masatepe/

Click on the link below to see where our team has been this weekend: http://www.maplandia.com/nicaragua/matagalpa/terrabona/terrabona/ As you can see, Terrabona is north and east of Managua. Wow! Looks pretty remote!

Nosing out the Nicaragua Numbers and News

Nicaragua covers 130, 000 square kilometers. (Nebraska covers 199, 000 square kilometers.) It is bordered by Honduras and the Gulf of Fonseca in the north, Costa Rica in the south, the Caribbean Sea in the east and the Pacific Ocean in the west.

Nicaragua is often referred to as 'the country of Lakes and Volcanoes'. The Pacific basin is marked by a spine of 28 volcanoes. Six are active, including the country’s two biggest San Cristobal and Concepcion and its smallest Masaya.

Nicaragua has more crater lakes than any country outside of Africa with nine in all, six of which are in Managua area.There is a great variety among these volcanoes; some have huge smoking crater mouths whereas other volcanoes were blown away in violent eruptions thousands of years ago, leaving behind nothing more than a tranquil crater lake. Managua is noteworthy in that it is the only city in the world with four crater lakes within city limits and it has two more just on its outskirts.

The north and north eastern regions are mountainous and home to Central America’s largest rain and cloud forest reserve, called Bosawas. Nicaragua has Central America’s largest expanse of remaining forest within 78 nature reserves and national parks.

Nicaragua's currency is the Cordoba. The current exchange rate is C$20.8440 Cordobas per $1.00.

Nicaragua is hot with an average temperature of 82°F year round. Humidity averages around 75% and there are two seasons, rainy and dry. The rainy season is from May to mid-November and dry in the months in between.

(Most of the above facts were gleaned from nvmundo.com)

Luggage Lessons

(Below is an exerpt of an email I sent to the parents of the Nicaragua team Saturday morning, June 26th 2010, the day after the team left:)

Regarding the remaining 31 pieces of “lost luggage”, I’ve spoken quite a few times this morning with a man named Nick from Continental Airlines. When he and I first spoke, he said that the two flights from Houston to Managua today were booked solid and that there would be no room for all our bags…that maybe two or three or four would come on each flight. We were SO disappointed. BUT! Nick called me back and said that he had ‘dug deeper’ into the situation and that the airplane coming down to Managua this morning was a rather large one (He said it was a ‘737-800’…I guess that means a big jet!) and that all of our bags are now scheduled to arrive in Managua @ 11:13 am!!!! Nick was SOOOOO helpful and reassuring. He and I chatted three or four times over the course of the morning. He was kind enough to give me a number I could call that would reach him directly. I am definitely sending Continental a letter of commendation for his kindness to our team. What a blessing straight from the Lord!

Now we play the waiting game to see if they actually arrive this morning! =) If they do not come this morning, there is another plane coming into Managua from Houston again this evening at 8:15, so there will be another opportunity to get them then, if needed.

Another note regarding the luggage…One of our team members, Sami Akeson, has some health challenges for which she regularly takes medication. Her meds were in the suitcase that she checked because she didn’t want the hassle of dealing w/security regarding her medication. When we first heard that no checked bags had come through to Managua, we were, needless to say, VERY concerned about Sami. But, (why are we surprised at all at this)….I found out this morning that one of the few bags to make it through was Sami’s!!!!! Thank You, Jesus!

The team was going on with the plan to breakfast @ 8 am and board the bus to Terrabona @ 9 for their three hour trek. Don’t you think there might be a lot of napping taking place on that bus ride?

My husband, David, took a call from Linda Rice (I was shopping!) at about 1:45 this afternoon. She was excited to report that EVERY BAG AND BOX THAT WAS ‘LOST’ HAS BEEN FOUND!!!! She was amazed that as the bags came off the airplane, Continental had arranged for a team of customs agents to be right there to claim our bags for us. Basically, our bags were ‘express approved’. Normally, there would be a drawn out process of checking the contents of each bag and box…all 31 of them. Oddly enough, =) THEY DID NOT OPEN UP ONE SINGLE BAG. She said it went fast and sooooo smoothly.

The customs folks normally shut things down at noon on the Saturdays at the Managua airport. There was some chance that even if the bags arrived at their scheduled 11:13 am arrival time that it would take so long to go through the customs process that they may not have been able to release the bags to the team ‘till Monday. But the Lord made provision to have Continental plan to have that extra help on hand. Linda even commented that if the bags had come in last night, it would have taken SO LONG and been quite a headache for the team as the customs folks went through all of the baggage.

It goes without saying that we are THANKFUL, THANKFUL , THANKFUL…and are learning again that when things seem ‘messed up’, that the Lord is working behind the scenes. He’s more than ‘got it handled’…His blessing is over and above all that we can ask or imagine!!!!!

Arrival and Initial Adventures...

The team arrived about 30 minutes late in Managua after a fairly uneventful pair of flights out of Omaha and Houston. There was a bit of a delay as they were leaving Houston. And the descent into Managua took about 30 minutes and a few members of the team had ear aches from it. Otherwise, everyone flew just fine.

As you may have heard very few of the checked bags made it to Managua. From the information Linda Rice gathered, the bags never left Omaha. I spoke with a representative from Continental on Friday night and she said that they hoped to be sending the 31 bags tomorrow at 11:13 am in Managua.

The team drove to Masatepe that night. After their drive and getting organized, they finally bedded down after midnight (that would be after 1 am our time!). The girls stayed in a 'motel' (nothing fancy...but most of the rooms had air conditioning which was MOST WELCOME!). The boys stayed at 'the finca' or the farm, bravely going without air conditioning!

They were scheduled to leave on a bus at 9 Saturday morning for the interior of Nicaragua to a region called Terrabona. Linda Rice and a few others stayed behind to retrieve the bags and then drive the three hours to Terrabona to meet the team.

Fare Thee Well

All Nations Church Nicaragua Team, 2010

Prayer time in the Airport

Prayers for safety and success!

Asking for a great trip!

Our team gathered at Eppley Airfield at 11:30 this morning to check our bags, pray together, say our last farewells!

We had a short layover in Houston. There was an unexpected delay with our departure (the Continental website stated that the delay was due to them continuing to load cargo...it's probably those 1500 beanie babies!!!), but are at this moment winging our way from Houston to Managua! We are now scheduled to arrive about 8:29 local time (7:29 CDT).

More news soon!

Ready for Blast-Off!

As our team of 26 souls busily

Purchases postponed particulars,

Launders last minute loads of laundry,

Packs clothes and clown costumes, sunscreen and snacks,

Sits on suitcases,

Farewells family and friends...

Would you ask the Lord:

• to grant them sweet sleep tonight (and wisdom to get to bed on time...!) despite excitement and nerves on this night before their departure? A few in our number have never flown...or were so young when they last flew that they do not remember flying.



• for grace for nervous parents as they let their young people go...that they'll be able to rest and fully trust in the Lord to meet all their kiddos' needs.



• for safety and help in making plane connections in Houston?



• to get all of our luggage to Managua on the same...we are taking MANY extra boxes and bags of supplies for our children's festival that will take place THIS WEEKEND...so lost luggage would mean HUGE changes in plans.



• to draw close the Benitez family, our hosts in Nicaragua...giving them foresight and wisdom for the next days as they direct our team? Would you pray for peace in their hearts & minds and for provision for all of their needs?

We are meeting at Eppley Airfield at 11:30 am tomorrow to begin the first leg of our journey and we can't wait!!! We'll be in touch as soon as we can to tell you about the first adventures on our trek to Nicaragua!

Initial Plans

This beautiful poster is being put up all over the town where we will be end up staying...
This is the translation:

Place of Hope - Mission to the interior of Nicaragua
3 months- June one week- July 2 weeks- August 1 month

3 focuses- social, ministry & spiritual- paint a preschool and houses of the needy, children's programs and help for pastor families- Evanglistic crusade during the evening- It is possible that we may visit another poor community called Chaguita Grande!

3 teams- We will have a team with 27 from John and Linda Rice's church, along with 33 of us for a total of 60.- 3 teams of 20 each, with given assignments and flexiblity to accept change.

3 requests- We hope that through these 3 things (prayer, planning and investing) the heart of God will be fullfilled. Every participant has at least one day devoted to prayer and fasting to consecrate their life for this specific purpose.- That each would be in service. That there would be NO spectators, while we are making history.

Become part of this trip, help us with pounds of basic grain, clothes and toys.

John 10:16 - I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one Shepherd.

Coordination: Center of Faith, Masatepe Ministries 'The Rock' Jinotepe

Following our noontime departure from Omaha, and upon our arrival in Nicaragua, our first order of business will be to join with a big group of folks from the local church from Masatepe in kicking off a summer-long outreach to the rural area called Terrabona. As it states above, we will be painting, interacting with the children (clowning, handing out the stuffed animals that we are collecting, making balloon animals etc.), encouraging the pastors and their families and having evangelistic services at night. It will be a mission trip within a mission trip!

Please join with us in asking the Lord to prepare the hearts of the people of Terrabona to hear the Good News of the Love of Jesus. Please pray for good weather. Please pray that we adjust well to our new surroundings and that we have much grace as we'll be camping in tents for two or three nights. Most of all, please pray that the Lord will be lifted up and that the people of Terrabona, the folks from the Center of Faith church and that our team will all be drawn closer to Him! Thank you for joining with us!

Thanks for Stopping By!

So glad to have you joining us for our trip to Central America! We are a group of people from All Nations Church, Omaha, Nebraska, http://www.ancomaha.org/ who have been readying ourselves to travel to Masatepe, Nicaragua to share with the people there how the love of Jesus has changed our lives. This blog will record the particulars of our trip. We leave June 25th, 2010 and return on July 3rd. We are making our final preparations and the count down to our departure is on!!! Stay tuned for the exciting details! (and thanks for visiting our blog...)