Spring break of 2005 was like no other I've ever had before. Like many classmates, I went traveling, swimming, to the beach, and came back to school with a tan. I'm guessing that my trip was a little different than theirs, however. Becky, Mrs. Teubl and I spent the week in Nicaragua. Nicaragua is the second poorest country in South America, and Becky can tell you all you would ever want to know about the country. It's hard for me to say what our absolute purpose in going was; it felt more like a collage of working, playing, helping, being helped, thinking, praying, and doing whatever we could to touch the lives of a bunch of little kids.
Our first destination was Managua, the largest city in Nicaragua, also her capital. In this city we spent our first few days at an orphanage. This place was a little harder to feel like you were useful because they seemed "Americaned-out"…I don't blame them, they see so many people come and go. Mrs. Teubl really connected here though, and spent either one or two nights in the orphanage with the girls. The best part for me at this place was when we gave a bunch of the little girls showers in the morning before school, and then braided their hair. The kids look so cute in their school uniforms. After a day a of searching for a doctor for a little boy, Bismark, Mrs. Teubl suggested that Becky and I fly ahead by ourselves to Puerta Cabezas (where the other orphanage was located). I thought she was joking, but apparently she wasn't, and I was very excited to do it.
Neither Becky or I speak much Spanish, so getting lunch was a little embarrassing. (I told the guy that HE wanted two sandwiches, and I used the informal tense which meant I was kind of calling him my buddy. Ayyy!) Despite a couple setbacks, we made it safely to P.C. where we were picked up by Earl, the pastor of the local church. What an awesome man…and his wife, Damaris, is equally awesome. It was so refreshing to be with people who really had God's joy in them. This orphanage is in much more need, I would say, physically and but even more so emotionally. When Becky and I went to visit the kids the first night, they saw us at the bottom of the hill and all came charging down to meet us. They were so desperate for attention that they didn't skip a beat before they jumped into your arms. It was so strange. Here you usually have to coax little kids for a good amount of time before they will even smile at you. I decided that I was going to be that attention for them while I was there. It obviously isn't an ideal situation, what they really need are parents, but I wanted to give what I could for that time. On the last day I was able to braid a bunch of the little girls hair as well…and Becky played with the little boys. I think she's now recruiting older guys to come down, the little boys need big boys. It was so interesting to be in a different culture, Becky and I decided that staring is not considered even slightly rude there, something that is a little hard to get used too, especially when you can't stare back(because you can get yourself in trouble doing that:)).
Traveling and visiting other countries and cultures are always good, mind expanding, thought provoking experiences, but when you are able to do something to affect someone's life for the good while you are there, I think the reward and satisfaction of it is doubled. I would encourage people to look for where God is calling them, and mostly just be willing to GO. It is MUCH more blessed to give than to receive! There are already ideas in our minds for more mission trips, and I'm excited to see where God will lead us.
By Lydia Strickland