Nicaragua continues to be a country in deep need. Despite pockets of wealth, the large majority of the country continues to live well below the poverty line…doing what they can to make enough money to put food on their tables, and little else. The area the team worked in, El Palmar, was no exception. No more than 10 miles from beautiful resorts on the Pacific coast, the small village had few (if any) homes with running water or inside toilets. In fact, the church had an outhouse built just in time for the team's work week. This was poverty, by any standard.
In contrast, the local church was rich with faith, hope, and love. The manner in which they treated the team, with admiration and respect, and the dependence of their faith in Christ Jesus was amazing. The team was reminded on a daily basis that “stuff” is often just a distraction to our ability as believers to have a deep, loving relationship with our Creator.
Over the next few posts, you will have the chance to reflect on the trip through the eyes of some of the team members who served in Nicaragua on this trip. Hopefully through their words, you will be able to see and feel the incredible depth of impact this trip had on them. Their lives have been forever changed and they are excited to share just a bit of that with you here…
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Whether I’d like to admit it or not, before my first mission trip to Nicaragua, I think I felt as though I was doing the Nicaraguans a great favor by helping them as a member of the construction team. My back was strong, and I was there to serve. It was only after that first trip that I realized that what I took away from Nicaragua was not a great sense of satisfaction from the work that we did, but rather, a sobering dose of God-breathed humility. God took me to Nicaragua to build relationships with a people who were content in the tangible things they had (which was very little), humble in spirit, and closer to the Lord than any North American I am acquainted with. I now have a dual mission: first, to serve my Christian brothers and sisters in Nicaragua, and second, to allow them to pour into me, teaching me how to worship God with a humble heart.
This year, I was fortunate enough to make the trip with my son Mason, who turned 14 while we were in Nicaragua. Imagine our surprise when we arrived at the church we were serving with and found the place decorated with balloons and streamers, honoring Mason’s birthday. The church members serenaded him with songs, then formed an impromptu receiving line to welcome and congratulate him. The ceremony was topped off with the presentation of a beautiful cake, with an icing message of “Feliz Cumpleano Meson.” There was no “show” involved here. This was not done out of obligation, or as a favor. This was love, pure and simple.
Traditionally, the construction team sets aside a few minutes each day during which we share testimonies with one another. In trips past, the Nicaraguan men are often surprised by this “time-out”, since they are so focused on getting the job done. This year, however, I was surprised to see how receptive the Nica men were to this ritual. As we shared with one another, I noticed the sincerity (and even tears) in their eyes. On the third day, our team leader had to leave the construction site before our daily time of sharing. At 11:30am, however, the Nica team leader (José) immediately called a stop to all work, and announced that it was time for “testimonios.” He gently reprimanded a few of us who were trying to just finish up a bit more work. That was the first time in a long time that I felt tears welling up behind my sunglasses.
On Thursday night, Mason and I elected to spend the night with a Nicaraguan family in their home. With great delight, they proudly showed us their house and livestock. They served us honey from a beehive, potatoes from the ground, and chicken from the yard where they roamed freely. They doted on us at every opportunity. In the end, they vacated their bedroom for us, sleeping on the dirt floor in the store room. They day we left, they sobbed. “Hermanos en Cristo” (brothers in Christ) they said, as they saw us off. Do I feel selfish that I have gone to Nicaragua the last four years to experience that feeling? Nope. I feel loved…by the God who we all serve.
– Jay Rajaee, team member