The rains have started--bringing relief and grief. I've been having to water all the crops daily since I arrived in March. Couldn't wait for the rains to get here and now they are (here). No more hours spent watering. Tragedy struck as well. Finally got the PVC arch frame greenhouse up and ready for business and it collapses with our second storm. Woke up to find twisted, mangled PVC poles on the ground and the plastic roof pulled down. Somewhere the water got trapped and brought it all down. Looked like a twister disaster scene on CNN. So back to the drawing board again. This time no more PVC, no more plastic. Sturdy eucalyptus posts and fiberglass panels, the old fashioned way. 

Almost daily the electricity goes out--for a few minutes up to a few hours. When it goes out at night it means I can't sleep--no fan. And I cannot be indoors here without a fan. I spend almost all of all my days outside. Now that the days are cooler with the clouds and rain I can be inside, as long as I have a fan blowing in my face. You should see me trying to cut out baskets, baby Moses, reeds in front of a fan. I have to hold onto everything in order for all of it to not blow away For me it's not easy coming up with ideas on how to teach preschoolers. Never thought I would be teaching kids this young. Not sure I am teaching them, I'm learning that at this point you just have to entertain them to keep their attention.

God is great--He is letting me do just what I asked before I came here. I wanted to work with the kids here at CICRIN, as well as with those in the community. I am now doing both. I am going to the elementary school right here at CICRIN twice a week to teach Christian Education/Bible Lessons with kids grades Pre-K thru 6. It's amazing how the lessons I'm teaching the kids seem to really be ministering to me in what I'm dealing with in my interactions with some of the kid(s). I know some of you know who that means.
I have also started working with the older boys at CICRIN in spiritual development. The kids have declared me their own youth pastor. We had a great first meeting. We talked about what makes a man a man, since many think that they're already one. I told them that ALL topics will be open for discussion in our meetings. It should be interesting. Please keep me and the kids in your prayers.

FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE, BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE. I think I need these tattooed inside my eyelids, but I would add PATIENCE as a close fourth. If you don't have the first three, you can't have the fourth. You have to have patience to wait for what you believe in to take its course. Hope and patience mean almost the same thing. And you can't have patience for someone you don't love, unless your being paid to do so.

Well, I'm real excited to becoming home for a visit this week. I arrive on Wednesday. I know I want to live here but I really need this break. Cool nights, American food, Mexican food, every kind of food there is. I will probably regain all the weight I've lost here.

Another itchy skin day. Usually by late morning, every day, my arms start to break out in itchy spots from all the sweating I do. Today is particularly itchy. Why do I have to have such sensitive skin if I am going to be working outdoors in a hot, tropical climate. My usual remedy is to jump in the lake to cool off.  Where are my prednisone pills when I need them? Nothing like self-medicating yourself when there are no limits to what you can get at the pharmacy.  Don´t freak out. I take them very rarely. Just to get through days when I´ve had enough of the heat rash that really never goes away. Today I just stopped working earlier than usual and hung out in the kitchen. I taught Danilo and Felix how to make a carrot cake for their friend Maria´s birthday. It turned out good. I explained we had to trim the edges because our hot oven without a thermostat burns the edges of everything we bake. A good excuse to have cake scraps for my coffee at night.  I told them it was my service fee. We are also experiencing a bumper crop of tomatoes so I helped Dalila make about a gallon and a half of ketchup. They love the stuff. It´s what they use in place of tomato sauce. I wanted her to make part of it without sugar, but I got too tired, itchy and hot to care.  Oh, yesterday I made some nice, hot salsa with roasted tomatoes and jalapeños. It came out good and hot. Looks like I will be eating most of it by myself. Most think it´s way too hot. I ate it last night with roasted pelibuey (half goat, half sheep). This morning I ate it with stuffed squash flowers. While I´m in town I´ll have to remember to buy some tortilla chips to eat with the guacamole I´m going to make.


I am excited to see how God is making a place for me to talk to kids young and old about God and get them to make Him a part of their lives. I just began teaching Christian education at the elementary school located on the orphanage property. I spend half an our with three classes twice a week. Pray for me. I need serious help in how to teach preschoolers about God. I´ve also started meeting with the young men at CICRIN to study the Bible, pray, and to talk about issues of concern to them as young men. I´m excited that I am getting to do exactly what was in my heart to do. So my plate is full, but I have a lot of time to prepare for lessons and discussions. I´m expecting God to do great things in all our lives here in Ometepe Island. I´ll keep you posted.

 Felix and Danilo, the dynamic duo, always together

 Milena, Connie and Me getting ready to go to the Ojo de Agua

 My nemesis, the bus aka el chocoron. It broke down on me yesterday. It hates me.

 Brother and sister, Milena and Jose Antonio

 Serious work, having fun at Charco Verde

 Hellen enjoying the sand at Charco Verde

 Tio Jose with new charge Jose Hilario, joined us just two days ago.

 Danilo looking cool after giving all the small kids a ride around the beach.

a typical scene on the island, small store or `pulperia`with Volcan Concepcion in the background.