Hello~
I hope this finds everyone well and preparing for the busy holiday season ahead!
I'm not even sure when the last time was that I updated everyone, I'm sorry that I'm so bad at it...I know you all just sit by your computers and wait to hear from me ;-)
I guess I'll start with my trip back to the States...it was awesome! I LOVED being able to be home. It was a super busy time, and I'll just give you a few highlights. I flew home on a day where I was VERY sick...it was not fun and I pray that I never have to do that again! So, the first few days at home, I pretty much crashed and tried to get better so I could get my hands on my niece. Well, that didn't happen right away, but I did make up for lost time once I started feeling better. Amy and I were fortunate to be able to travel to Michigan for our friend's wedding (CONGRATS JUSTINE AND PHIL ;-) and also spend time with our other friend Lindsay and also a great opportunity to catch up with family at the dairy farm. EVERY TIME, I'm shocked by how big the cows are, but that chocolate milk cow...she's my fav! Thanks for the fun time MI friends ;-) The second week home was filled with LOTS of time with Sam and Alex, enjoying some BEAUTIFUL fall weather, watching the DUTCH (Central AND Pella High...yea baby cousins), going to Beauty and the Beast at PCHS, Alexandra's baptism, a retirement party for my dear college professor Ed Willis, trick or treating with 2 of the CUTEST cupcakes in the world, LOTS of Dutch Boys, preschool with Caleb, lunch with Kaeleigh, and just hanging out on SEVERAL different couches (thanks to those who let me lay on your couches and catch up...you know who you are ;-) Needless to say, it was a great trip and it was so nice to be rejuvinated and catch up with familiar faces. I tend to be a bit more homesick this year, so the trip home was a much needed trip! I am looking forward to being able to travel to the State again in about 5 weeks for Christmas...so I can't wait to see you all again ;-)
A few things that you can pray for back here in Nicaragua:
~Presidential elections were held yesterday in Nicaragua...and the outcome was as expected. Daniel Ortega was elected again and I'm not sure what that means. He is very much a dictator and a crook, so it's not good. Please continue to pray for the people of Nicaragua...such sadness, poverty, and oppression. The violence that was expected was not as bad as they thought it was going to be, so there are things to be thankful for. We did not leave the house yesterday and a quick run to the store today was the extent of it. Riots and violence are going to be commen this week after elections, so we are sticking close to home. Pray for safety and security always, but especially this week. I have never had a time where I did not feel safe, so praise the Lord!
~I was fortunate to be able to be in charge of the prayer room this weekend at NCA's youth group 30 Hour Famine. My eyes were opened to many of the problems of the students at NCA. Suicide thoughts, drugs, sex, cutting, and SEVERAL children in bad homes are a real reality in our school. Please pray for these kids...so much hurt and many feeling like there is just no hope. However, the Holy Spirit was definately at work this weekend, and I was so blessed to be a part of it. In all things, God is good!
~I don't know how many of you have heard about Norah, the tenth grader I've been working with since last year. She was adopted by another missionary family but is now living with a different family at NCA. She is hurting and is DESPERATE for some acceptance and love. Please pray for Norah by name, she is not in a good place. Pray for me as I work with her, it truly breaks my heart and I have no words to describe how messy the whole situation has gotten. Pray that I can be a constant in her life, and that God will use me to deliver his promise and hope to her.
~As always, the kids at El Crucero. There have been some problems with a few of the kids who are showing signs of sexual abuse. Pray for provision of the many things that they need.
It's been a heavy week back in Nicaragua, I've just felt really run down and exhausted by all the bad situations. However, I am fortunate to be in a Beth Moore study and it delivers me hope every day by speaking of how God is who He says He is and He can do what He says he can do...what a bright hope! My daily homework has been a great source of encouragement for me and I am loving it!
Thanks for reading and checking in on me! I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers....it means a lot to get messages from people at home!
I'd love to have visitors....just want to remind you all that the offer stands ALWAYS!!!
Love and Blessings~
Angie
Monday, November 7, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
I've fallen behind...
Hello friends~
I hope this finds you all well! I'm always a bit sad this time of year that I am missing the change of seasons....it's just either hot or really hot here!
Things are going well down south, not much new to report. I'm settling in to my new roles and starting to really enjoy them. It's not as busy as last year, and I've found that to be very refreshing, it's nice to have a little bit slower pace this year. It's still crazy busy, but more relaxed about being crazy busy ;-) Our house this year is a HUGE blessing and we absolutely love it! SO much better than the one we were in last year...
Of course, there are always things you can be praying for:
~My car has been in the shop A LOT lately, we're suspecting an internal problem. SO, I just ask that you would pray that a solution may be found and I can get my car back. It's difficult to be without a car here, especially with all the things I'm invovled in this year as compared to last year. Seems like a silly thing to pray about, but the Father cares about ALL things and it's been quite stressful!
~I have picked up another new role. I am a worship leader at my church and I love this role! It's so great to lead worship and be involved in a church. My church has also been a huge blessing and now I feel like I'm able to give back a little bit and it's great! It makes my schedule a little bit more crazy, but it's been fun so far!
~Praise God for a new life in our family! Alexandra Rose was born last Thursday September 29 to Tim and Sherri. SKYPE does not do her justice, she is just SO CUTE!!! I'm so blessed to be able to go back to the States in exactly 14 days (not that I'm counting down or anything) to meet my new little angel! I'm so grateful for the opportunity, and ask that you would pray for safe travels for me and a great 2 weeks at home. I do need a time of total relaxation and spend time with familiar faces. The longer I'm away, the more I miss (obviously) but there are many days where I would hop on a plane, even if just for the day. I miss all the regular stuff, and at times, that's just really hard. I know that God has called me here, but that doesn't make it any easier. Anyways, I hope to see many of you too for a quick catch up ;-)
~I've had several e-mails from people asking about the paperwork. THANKS for checking in! A quick update on that...still no word, however my mom and dad checked with the bank and the post office. The check never went through and the guy at the post office said that it should (eventually) show back up at Amy's house in Pella. SO, continue to pray that happens....I'm not as nervous about it as I first was, although it still makes me uneasy that my birth certificate is just floating around somewhere...I'll have to start the residency process over again, but I guess the good part of that is, I know what I'm doing this time around ;-)
~Pray for the children and families at Tesoros. Their reality should just not be the reality for children...so many heartbreaking lives, yet they smile and are generally happy! It's a tough place to be at times because I can only do so much, and I want to fix it all.
Thanks for checking in, I really treasure being thought of and prayed for!
Blessings~
Angie
I hope this finds you all well! I'm always a bit sad this time of year that I am missing the change of seasons....it's just either hot or really hot here!
Things are going well down south, not much new to report. I'm settling in to my new roles and starting to really enjoy them. It's not as busy as last year, and I've found that to be very refreshing, it's nice to have a little bit slower pace this year. It's still crazy busy, but more relaxed about being crazy busy ;-) Our house this year is a HUGE blessing and we absolutely love it! SO much better than the one we were in last year...
Of course, there are always things you can be praying for:
~My car has been in the shop A LOT lately, we're suspecting an internal problem. SO, I just ask that you would pray that a solution may be found and I can get my car back. It's difficult to be without a car here, especially with all the things I'm invovled in this year as compared to last year. Seems like a silly thing to pray about, but the Father cares about ALL things and it's been quite stressful!
~I have picked up another new role. I am a worship leader at my church and I love this role! It's so great to lead worship and be involved in a church. My church has also been a huge blessing and now I feel like I'm able to give back a little bit and it's great! It makes my schedule a little bit more crazy, but it's been fun so far!
~Praise God for a new life in our family! Alexandra Rose was born last Thursday September 29 to Tim and Sherri. SKYPE does not do her justice, she is just SO CUTE!!! I'm so blessed to be able to go back to the States in exactly 14 days (not that I'm counting down or anything) to meet my new little angel! I'm so grateful for the opportunity, and ask that you would pray for safe travels for me and a great 2 weeks at home. I do need a time of total relaxation and spend time with familiar faces. The longer I'm away, the more I miss (obviously) but there are many days where I would hop on a plane, even if just for the day. I miss all the regular stuff, and at times, that's just really hard. I know that God has called me here, but that doesn't make it any easier. Anyways, I hope to see many of you too for a quick catch up ;-)
~I've had several e-mails from people asking about the paperwork. THANKS for checking in! A quick update on that...still no word, however my mom and dad checked with the bank and the post office. The check never went through and the guy at the post office said that it should (eventually) show back up at Amy's house in Pella. SO, continue to pray that happens....I'm not as nervous about it as I first was, although it still makes me uneasy that my birth certificate is just floating around somewhere...I'll have to start the residency process over again, but I guess the good part of that is, I know what I'm doing this time around ;-)
~Pray for the children and families at Tesoros. Their reality should just not be the reality for children...so many heartbreaking lives, yet they smile and are generally happy! It's a tough place to be at times because I can only do so much, and I want to fix it all.
Thanks for checking in, I really treasure being thought of and prayed for!
Blessings~
Angie
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Healer- Planetshakers
I just wanted to share this video with you all. I feel like so much is going on both Stateside and here in Nicaragua~poverty, death, divorce, abuse, birth defects, earthquakes, car accidents, disabilities, broken relationships, hard hearts, addiction, dishonesty, cancer, abandonement, pride...there are so many yucky things that go on around the world. This song reminds me of the ultimate healing that we yearn for and hope to get a small taste of on this earth. Take time to REALLY listen to the words and enjoy!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Back in Managua
Hi friends and family~
Hope you are all well and enjoying the end of the summer time! Just a quick update for you...
I made it to Nicaragua on Tuesday after a LONG day of airport time...ugh! BUT, I made it safely with all my luggage which is always a bonus. I was happy to have a few friends pick me up and it was good to reconnect with them. I'm looking forward to getting in to my new routine. I will be spending 2 days a week at NCA and 3 days a week at Tesoros de Dios. My job is not real clear yet....but I know I'll enjoy whatever it is that I wil be doing. I'll keep everyone updated as my plans unfold.
A few things you can pray for:
~Thank God for good travel and (so far) a good adjustment to Nicaragua...again!
~Pray for Nora, a 16 year old girl who I was working with. I believe that God has placed many people in her path to help her through this trial in her life, and I am fortunate enough to be one of them. Thank God that she is going to be continuing her schooling at NCA.
~Pray for the kids and teachers at NCA. School has gotten off to a good start, and pray that is continues throughout the year.
I am also happy to report that I am right at 50% of my fund-raising goal. THANK YOU to many of you for supporting me financially. It is so appreciated! If you would like to support me financially, please contact me and I would be happy to direct you in the right direction. Supporting me by prayer is the best way that you can support me, thank you !
Blessings~
Angie
Hope you are all well and enjoying the end of the summer time! Just a quick update for you...
I made it to Nicaragua on Tuesday after a LONG day of airport time...ugh! BUT, I made it safely with all my luggage which is always a bonus. I was happy to have a few friends pick me up and it was good to reconnect with them. I'm looking forward to getting in to my new routine. I will be spending 2 days a week at NCA and 3 days a week at Tesoros de Dios. My job is not real clear yet....but I know I'll enjoy whatever it is that I wil be doing. I'll keep everyone updated as my plans unfold.
A few things you can pray for:
~Thank God for good travel and (so far) a good adjustment to Nicaragua...again!
~Pray for Nora, a 16 year old girl who I was working with. I believe that God has placed many people in her path to help her through this trial in her life, and I am fortunate enough to be one of them. Thank God that she is going to be continuing her schooling at NCA.
~Pray for the kids and teachers at NCA. School has gotten off to a good start, and pray that is continues throughout the year.
I am also happy to report that I am right at 50% of my fund-raising goal. THANK YOU to many of you for supporting me financially. It is so appreciated! If you would like to support me financially, please contact me and I would be happy to direct you in the right direction. Supporting me by prayer is the best way that you can support me, thank you !
Blessings~
Angie
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Dia de las Madres
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to my fantastic mama! I can't even begin to think of all the many things she has done for me without getting crocodile tears rolling down my face. I've never met anyone more compassionate and caring than my own mother. She goes above and beyond everything I ask of her, and she does it with a smile and a giggle ;-) She's amazing, and I want her to know how much I appreciate her...love you mom! You are one of my biggest blessings!
You know, when I was younger and people would say "You are acting just like your mother" I would smile politely, followed by a big dramatic eye roll and go along. As I get older, I take that as a huge compliment...ok, and every once in awhile I will still do the eye roll...
I want to also say HMD to my many other mothers. There are so many amazing women who have helped me to mold in to the woman I am becoming every day. I am grateful to my many girls (TVM, Sue B, Sue H, T-dog, Julie) who are counselors, nurses, prayer warriors, shoulders to cry, the ones who smack me back to reality, pick me up from the heap of mess I can be, and most imporatantly, know how I like my glass for margaritas ;-) I am CONFIDENT in the fact that I would not be who I am and where I am without you ladies...thanks for the being the best "mamas" a girl could ask for. I love you all too!
One more...to my sister and sister-in-law....I am SO glad that you are mamas so I have some nieces and newphews to spoil! You are both amazing mothers and you're forming your little people in to some pretty cool big people. I love to walk this journey with them...
I hope that some day God will bless me with the title of MOM and I have many great examples and divas to look to for guidance, I am abundantly blessed.
You know, when I was younger and people would say "You are acting just like your mother" I would smile politely, followed by a big dramatic eye roll and go along. As I get older, I take that as a huge compliment...ok, and every once in awhile I will still do the eye roll...
I want to also say HMD to my many other mothers. There are so many amazing women who have helped me to mold in to the woman I am becoming every day. I am grateful to my many girls (TVM, Sue B, Sue H, T-dog, Julie) who are counselors, nurses, prayer warriors, shoulders to cry, the ones who smack me back to reality, pick me up from the heap of mess I can be, and most imporatantly, know how I like my glass for margaritas ;-) I am CONFIDENT in the fact that I would not be who I am and where I am without you ladies...thanks for the being the best "mamas" a girl could ask for. I love you all too!
One more...to my sister and sister-in-law....I am SO glad that you are mamas so I have some nieces and newphews to spoil! You are both amazing mothers and you're forming your little people in to some pretty cool big people. I love to walk this journey with them...
I hope that some day God will bless me with the title of MOM and I have many great examples and divas to look to for guidance, I am abundantly blessed.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Preparing for May madness :-)
Hi friends and family~
First of all, I need to apologize for being horrible at communication! It's been busy as always, and I just haven't made the time to do this! THANKS to those of you who continue to check in with me and ask my family at home how I'm doing, it's great to feel so loved...
I just returned back to Nicaragua on Wednesday night around 8 and was INSTANTLY reminded that this is HOT, dry season. It was 115 on Wednesday durning the day and I'm guessing it was around 90 at 8:30 when I got out of the airport. So, needless to say, it feels unbearable at times, but gives me all the more excuse to be near water and lay on my bed with my fan on high ;-) I was supposed to return on Tuesday, but got the DSM airport, walked up to the counter and the friendly lady said "Where are you going honey?" and I said "Managua" and she said "oh, no you're not." My flight to Chicago was cancelled, so I got a bonus day with my family, never a bad thing. My time in the States was great...the highlight was seeing friends and family and celebrating Grandpa George's 90th birthday. We had a suprising turnout and were blessed to see so many family and friends. I know my g-pa doesn't have e-mail but I do know my mom prints these out and sends them to my g-parents, so let me just say to grandpa and grandma we had an amazing time celebrating with you both for the lives you live and I am so proud to by your grandaughter ;-) I could have never use enough words to express my thankfullness to God for putting you in my life. Amy and I sang in church for g-pa for his birthday, and I promised a full out concert for his 100th and he smiled and said "Looking forward to it!" So are we Grandpa...
I was also able to go to school with 2 of my favorite little people and share chocolate bananas with their classes. Thanks for having me Kaeliegh and Cole! I'm just as proud to be your auntie. I also got to take Caleb to Pizza Ranch (his always #1 pick) and spend lots of time with a little one running behind me yelling "ANNIE, ANNIE". I loved spending time with Sam, she's growing up so fast! I also got lots of time on Sue B's couch, Tim and Sherri's chair, mom's bath tub, my fav rocking chair at the Bandtras, DSM with Sue H and T-dog and my favorite booth at El Charro. Never a bad trip home....
So, back to Nicaragua...5 weeks of school and the count down is on for all of us! The kids are getting anxious and with it being so hot, especially in the afternoon, everyone can just be pretty miserable. BUT, we have a lot of fun things planned for the month of May which makes it busy, but good. A few highlights for this upcoming month:
~Willy Wonky and the Chocolate Factory with the 1st graders starring as the Oompa Loompas...I've been asked to be the head Oompa and I of course agreed...dancing, singing, dressing up like a dork, just a few or my favorite things.
~Emily and I are making "Ang and Em" day and heading to a resort for the weekend on May 14, we're both pretty excited about the beach and relaxing for a few days!
~Field trip to the zoo on May 17...we are looking for adult volunteers to come along and help, let me know if I can sign you up ;-)
~Mother's Day here is a BIG deal, so we're planning a fun program for the kiddos to do, should be a good time. That's at the end of the month.
A few things that happened BEFORE my big trip to the States.
~The play. We did The Toymaker and His Son on April 8 and I was asked to sing a few songs. It went VERY well and it was a great message...I'm still hoping to get a good copy of it. It's posted on Facebook in parts on my wall, if you have time and are interested, I would encourage you to watch it. The message brought me to tears and it was just so powerful. Everyone did a GREAT job and I was so blessed to be a part of it.
~We found a new house for next year!! Any one that's been here can vouch for how small my room is so I'm ecstatic to be able to move in to a 3 bedroom home with TONS of space and in a quieter "quinta." We will have GREAT neighbors and I think it will be a good move. Em and I will be in the house, so we'll have plenty of extra space for more visitors next year ;-)
~It's just been SO fun to watch the kids grow and mature this year, I would have never expected all the change from them at the beginning of the year. It's most fun for me to hear them reading so well. They are truly blessed to have Ms. Franklin for a teacher and I just feel lucky to be a part of it!
And of course...things you can be praying for:
~A HUGE THANKS to God(through many of you) I am OVER on my financial support for this year!! I was so humbled and grateful to recieve that e-mail, what a HUGE blessing and weight lifted off my shoulders. It's very hard to do much with raising support while I'm in Nicaragua, so this is a big relief and blessing! However, I will need to raise enough support for next year as well, so if you feel like you should, you can still support me financially. I've had a few e-mails in the past week about how to donate online, so here it is.
Go to www.crcna.org
Click on the Our Ministries link.
Click on World Missions link
Go to Ways to Give
Go to Online Giving
Choose the US (obviously ;-)
Choose Missionaries-Latin America and look for my name. The rest should be easy enough to do from there.
I am responsible for about $20,000 for next year and I have a little extra from this year to get my started, but still have lots of fundraising to do over the summer. Please know that I feel so blessed by each gift and am humbled that you think enough of me and my work in Nicaragua to share your hard earned money to help me do God's work in Nicaragua.
~I come back to the States in exactly 6 weeks for the summer! Pray for me that I will finish strong and that all the many plans we have for May will go smoothly and successfully!
~I have found a church that I REALLY like...after a 9 month search, I just love the worship and the pastors. It is a true answer to prayer.
~It is an election year here, which means there can be some scary protests and acts of violence. We have only seen one, and pray with me that it is truly the only one we see!
~ALWAYS praying for the kids at El Crucero...so much pain and hurt in their lives. They're SO sweet and want so desperately to be loved. Lauren is there now while the directors are in the States. If you could pray for her by name, that would be fantastic! She's 24 years old and is running the place and she is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But, her stress level is high and she needs to be lifted up.
~Frankie. Still head over heels for him, pray for me that God would reveal the next step in his plan and how Frankie will fit in to my life. I would LOVE to bring him home for the summer so you all could meet him. Unfortunately, that's highly illegal and will not happen. Maybe some day...
Thanks again for reading, sorry it got a little long. I am so thankful for each of you!
Blessings~
Angie
First of all, I need to apologize for being horrible at communication! It's been busy as always, and I just haven't made the time to do this! THANKS to those of you who continue to check in with me and ask my family at home how I'm doing, it's great to feel so loved...
I just returned back to Nicaragua on Wednesday night around 8 and was INSTANTLY reminded that this is HOT, dry season. It was 115 on Wednesday durning the day and I'm guessing it was around 90 at 8:30 when I got out of the airport. So, needless to say, it feels unbearable at times, but gives me all the more excuse to be near water and lay on my bed with my fan on high ;-) I was supposed to return on Tuesday, but got the DSM airport, walked up to the counter and the friendly lady said "Where are you going honey?" and I said "Managua" and she said "oh, no you're not." My flight to Chicago was cancelled, so I got a bonus day with my family, never a bad thing. My time in the States was great...the highlight was seeing friends and family and celebrating Grandpa George's 90th birthday. We had a suprising turnout and were blessed to see so many family and friends. I know my g-pa doesn't have e-mail but I do know my mom prints these out and sends them to my g-parents, so let me just say to grandpa and grandma we had an amazing time celebrating with you both for the lives you live and I am so proud to by your grandaughter ;-) I could have never use enough words to express my thankfullness to God for putting you in my life. Amy and I sang in church for g-pa for his birthday, and I promised a full out concert for his 100th and he smiled and said "Looking forward to it!" So are we Grandpa...
I was also able to go to school with 2 of my favorite little people and share chocolate bananas with their classes. Thanks for having me Kaeliegh and Cole! I'm just as proud to be your auntie. I also got to take Caleb to Pizza Ranch (his always #1 pick) and spend lots of time with a little one running behind me yelling "ANNIE, ANNIE". I loved spending time with Sam, she's growing up so fast! I also got lots of time on Sue B's couch, Tim and Sherri's chair, mom's bath tub, my fav rocking chair at the Bandtras, DSM with Sue H and T-dog and my favorite booth at El Charro. Never a bad trip home....
So, back to Nicaragua...5 weeks of school and the count down is on for all of us! The kids are getting anxious and with it being so hot, especially in the afternoon, everyone can just be pretty miserable. BUT, we have a lot of fun things planned for the month of May which makes it busy, but good. A few highlights for this upcoming month:
~Willy Wonky and the Chocolate Factory with the 1st graders starring as the Oompa Loompas...I've been asked to be the head Oompa and I of course agreed...dancing, singing, dressing up like a dork, just a few or my favorite things.
~Emily and I are making "Ang and Em" day and heading to a resort for the weekend on May 14, we're both pretty excited about the beach and relaxing for a few days!
~Field trip to the zoo on May 17...we are looking for adult volunteers to come along and help, let me know if I can sign you up ;-)
~Mother's Day here is a BIG deal, so we're planning a fun program for the kiddos to do, should be a good time. That's at the end of the month.
A few things that happened BEFORE my big trip to the States.
~The play. We did The Toymaker and His Son on April 8 and I was asked to sing a few songs. It went VERY well and it was a great message...I'm still hoping to get a good copy of it. It's posted on Facebook in parts on my wall, if you have time and are interested, I would encourage you to watch it. The message brought me to tears and it was just so powerful. Everyone did a GREAT job and I was so blessed to be a part of it.
~We found a new house for next year!! Any one that's been here can vouch for how small my room is so I'm ecstatic to be able to move in to a 3 bedroom home with TONS of space and in a quieter "quinta." We will have GREAT neighbors and I think it will be a good move. Em and I will be in the house, so we'll have plenty of extra space for more visitors next year ;-)
~It's just been SO fun to watch the kids grow and mature this year, I would have never expected all the change from them at the beginning of the year. It's most fun for me to hear them reading so well. They are truly blessed to have Ms. Franklin for a teacher and I just feel lucky to be a part of it!
And of course...things you can be praying for:
~A HUGE THANKS to God(through many of you) I am OVER on my financial support for this year!! I was so humbled and grateful to recieve that e-mail, what a HUGE blessing and weight lifted off my shoulders. It's very hard to do much with raising support while I'm in Nicaragua, so this is a big relief and blessing! However, I will need to raise enough support for next year as well, so if you feel like you should, you can still support me financially. I've had a few e-mails in the past week about how to donate online, so here it is.
Go to www.crcna.org
Click on the Our Ministries link.
Click on World Missions link
Go to Ways to Give
Go to Online Giving
Choose the US (obviously ;-)
Choose Missionaries-Latin America and look for my name. The rest should be easy enough to do from there.
I am responsible for about $20,000 for next year and I have a little extra from this year to get my started, but still have lots of fundraising to do over the summer. Please know that I feel so blessed by each gift and am humbled that you think enough of me and my work in Nicaragua to share your hard earned money to help me do God's work in Nicaragua.
~I come back to the States in exactly 6 weeks for the summer! Pray for me that I will finish strong and that all the many plans we have for May will go smoothly and successfully!
~I have found a church that I REALLY like...after a 9 month search, I just love the worship and the pastors. It is a true answer to prayer.
~It is an election year here, which means there can be some scary protests and acts of violence. We have only seen one, and pray with me that it is truly the only one we see!
~ALWAYS praying for the kids at El Crucero...so much pain and hurt in their lives. They're SO sweet and want so desperately to be loved. Lauren is there now while the directors are in the States. If you could pray for her by name, that would be fantastic! She's 24 years old and is running the place and she is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But, her stress level is high and she needs to be lifted up.
~Frankie. Still head over heels for him, pray for me that God would reveal the next step in his plan and how Frankie will fit in to my life. I would LOVE to bring him home for the summer so you all could meet him. Unfortunately, that's highly illegal and will not happen. Maybe some day...
Thanks again for reading, sorry it got a little long. I am so thankful for each of you!
Blessings~
Angie
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Mi Vida Loca
Hello friends and family~
Hoping this finds you all well and enjoying the warmer weather!
I just thought I would bring everyone up to speed on my crazy Nica life! Things have been REALLY busy, but also very good. I've had visitors or been visiting people every other week since I got back in January, so it's been a LOT of fun, but also very busy. I was fortunate to be able to take the bus to Honduras during the last 2 weeks of February to meet my parents there. It was SO NICE to get out of Nica for awhile, while also getting time to spend with my parents. It was a whole new experience for me playing nurse, but it is a role that I LOVED!! We got to see some pretty crazy things in the ER at the hospital, but it was great. Made me think I could make nursing school my next adventure :-) Thanks to mom and dad (and the rest of the team) for inviting me and letting me participate. It was a true blessing!
My last scheduled visitor for this semester was my dear sister. Amy left at 6:00 this morning to head back to Chicago. She flew in last Friday and let's just say the sister reunion was a sweet one :-) We had a great time. She got a taste for the Nicaragua dance clubs, the beach, the orphanage at El Crucero, the Nehemiah Center, Rosti Pollo, Tesoros de Dios and of course NCA! It was busy but so good....thanks for coming Amy!
My next trip will be in 4 weeks from today (not that I'm counting down or anything) when I head out at 6 am to head back to the States. I'm SUPER excited to get back and see many of you, but I'm most looking forward to celebrating my Grandpa Eekhoff's 90th birthday while I am home. God has SO RICHLY blessed him with an abundant life and our whole family is looking forward to celebrating that with him April 16. It was a GREAT excuse for me to head home ;-) It'll be great to spend almost 2 weeks back in the States. In Nicaragua, we will celebrate Semana Santa (Holy Week) and I hear from people who have been here before that I will not regret not being here, I guess it gets pretty crazy...so I guess it's an added bonus to heading home! I'd love to catch up with many of you, let me know when you would like to take me out for coffee, lunch, dinner, movies...anything ;-)
I guess the most exciting news that has happened around here is that I have OFFICIALLY decided to sign on for another year in Nicaragua. It was great to have Amy here to help me make that decision. I will be home on June 11 and head back to Nica around mid-August. I will be changing roles a little bit...I've committed to work with Mihelle Adams at Tesoros de Dios. I'm excited to share more about my job role there when I get it all figured out ;-) I'm excited to continue this journey, however deciding officially has been a little bit more difficult emotionally than I expected. The longer I am away, the more I miss out on, and realizing that I'll miss out on another year of activity (mostly with the nieces and nephews) has been more difficult than I thought. HOWEVER, I have an overwhelming sense of peace in the midst of the difficulty that God is going to use me here for another year. My new job will be much more flexible than it is now at NCA, and I anticipate an extra trip home in October to meet the newest member of the Te Grootenhuis family ;-) He or she is scheduled to arrive on October 4, so you can bet this auntie will be buying a ticket for that day...or one close to it.
As always, there are things you can pray for:
~Peace for me as I have made my decision, like I said, it's tougher than I thought it would be. Pray that God would reassure me with confidence in my decision. It's been an emotional roller coaster these last few weeks as I've been struggling to decide, and I always hope that I made the right decision. Pray that I would be confident and that God would show me the ways I can be used for one more year here.
~Frankie. Ask Amy about him. I'm SO IN LOVE WITH HIM, pray that God would reveal my role in his life. I'd hop on a plane with him tomorrow and bring him home if I could. I never expected to fall so in love with him, but with that comes much heartache because of his situation.
~Financial support. This is a huge part of my ministy, and with committing to another year comes the responsibility of raising my own support for living expenses. God is AMAZING and provides in ways that I never thought and from people I never expect it from. God is good, and I trust that He will continue to bring in my support as needed. I'm right at 85% for this year, which is GREAT and I know that God will provide the rest!
~Provision of teachers at NCA. There are MANY openings this year, just pray for those God has already prepared for the jobs!
I LOVE and appreciate hearing from all of you...and I hope to meet with many of you next month.
Blessings~
Angie
Hoping this finds you all well and enjoying the warmer weather!
I just thought I would bring everyone up to speed on my crazy Nica life! Things have been REALLY busy, but also very good. I've had visitors or been visiting people every other week since I got back in January, so it's been a LOT of fun, but also very busy. I was fortunate to be able to take the bus to Honduras during the last 2 weeks of February to meet my parents there. It was SO NICE to get out of Nica for awhile, while also getting time to spend with my parents. It was a whole new experience for me playing nurse, but it is a role that I LOVED!! We got to see some pretty crazy things in the ER at the hospital, but it was great. Made me think I could make nursing school my next adventure :-) Thanks to mom and dad (and the rest of the team) for inviting me and letting me participate. It was a true blessing!
My last scheduled visitor for this semester was my dear sister. Amy left at 6:00 this morning to head back to Chicago. She flew in last Friday and let's just say the sister reunion was a sweet one :-) We had a great time. She got a taste for the Nicaragua dance clubs, the beach, the orphanage at El Crucero, the Nehemiah Center, Rosti Pollo, Tesoros de Dios and of course NCA! It was busy but so good....thanks for coming Amy!
My next trip will be in 4 weeks from today (not that I'm counting down or anything) when I head out at 6 am to head back to the States. I'm SUPER excited to get back and see many of you, but I'm most looking forward to celebrating my Grandpa Eekhoff's 90th birthday while I am home. God has SO RICHLY blessed him with an abundant life and our whole family is looking forward to celebrating that with him April 16. It was a GREAT excuse for me to head home ;-) It'll be great to spend almost 2 weeks back in the States. In Nicaragua, we will celebrate Semana Santa (Holy Week) and I hear from people who have been here before that I will not regret not being here, I guess it gets pretty crazy...so I guess it's an added bonus to heading home! I'd love to catch up with many of you, let me know when you would like to take me out for coffee, lunch, dinner, movies...anything ;-)
I guess the most exciting news that has happened around here is that I have OFFICIALLY decided to sign on for another year in Nicaragua. It was great to have Amy here to help me make that decision. I will be home on June 11 and head back to Nica around mid-August. I will be changing roles a little bit...I've committed to work with Mihelle Adams at Tesoros de Dios. I'm excited to share more about my job role there when I get it all figured out ;-) I'm excited to continue this journey, however deciding officially has been a little bit more difficult emotionally than I expected. The longer I am away, the more I miss out on, and realizing that I'll miss out on another year of activity (mostly with the nieces and nephews) has been more difficult than I thought. HOWEVER, I have an overwhelming sense of peace in the midst of the difficulty that God is going to use me here for another year. My new job will be much more flexible than it is now at NCA, and I anticipate an extra trip home in October to meet the newest member of the Te Grootenhuis family ;-) He or she is scheduled to arrive on October 4, so you can bet this auntie will be buying a ticket for that day...or one close to it.
As always, there are things you can pray for:
~Peace for me as I have made my decision, like I said, it's tougher than I thought it would be. Pray that God would reassure me with confidence in my decision. It's been an emotional roller coaster these last few weeks as I've been struggling to decide, and I always hope that I made the right decision. Pray that I would be confident and that God would show me the ways I can be used for one more year here.
~Frankie. Ask Amy about him. I'm SO IN LOVE WITH HIM, pray that God would reveal my role in his life. I'd hop on a plane with him tomorrow and bring him home if I could. I never expected to fall so in love with him, but with that comes much heartache because of his situation.
~Financial support. This is a huge part of my ministy, and with committing to another year comes the responsibility of raising my own support for living expenses. God is AMAZING and provides in ways that I never thought and from people I never expect it from. God is good, and I trust that He will continue to bring in my support as needed. I'm right at 85% for this year, which is GREAT and I know that God will provide the rest!
~Provision of teachers at NCA. There are MANY openings this year, just pray for those God has already prepared for the jobs!
I LOVE and appreciate hearing from all of you...and I hope to meet with many of you next month.
Blessings~
Angie
Sunday, February 13, 2011
How can it be the middle of February already?!?!?
Hello friends and family~
I hope this find you all well!
I just realized I have not sent out an update for quite some time, sorry! It's been a bit busy since I returned from the States at Christmas. My friend Tricia came to visit about 2 weeks after I got back to Nica, and we had a GREAT time!! It was SO nice to have someone to show around my life, it's great too because she can report back to everyone at home ;-) We hit the Masaya market, Gran Pacifica beach resort, El Crucero orphanage, Tesoros de Dios and of course...NCA. THANKS for coming TVM, you're awesome! Marlo and Carol Van Klompenburg are also here for the month of February...more familiar faces. It's been a real blessing having them here. There is a team for Faith church here this week as well, in fact they are probably just landing in Managua right now, so another fun week for me!
Things here are going well, it's been very busy but I enjoy it! We have a student teacher in our first grade room now, so needless to say, the kiddos are getting lots of attention ;-) We've been keeping busy with fun things too. We've spent some time at the beach this semester and taking out the student teachers so they can experience the Nica culture through our gringa eyes...hahaha. We went to Granada yesterday and had a great day...I'll try to get some pics up on Facebook and on the blog.
There are always ways you can be praying for me...read below!
~I have turned in to the resident counselor for all the teachers at NCA, which I love, but last week I had a bit of a meltdown. SO much hurt in their lives and I guess I just wept for all of them. Pray specifically for my 2 dear friends, Jed and Gina. I don't want to give out too much info but they are both walking through fire and have entrusted me to walk with them. Pray for wisdom for both of their situations, and that God would use my words to speak His truth in to their lives.
~Praise God for continued safety and his proctection over us as we travel out and about...it's been fun to learn to drive here, but can be quite scary at times.
~Financial support is a big part of my ministry. I'm at about 80% of where I need to be through July. If you would like to support me in that way, go to www.crwm.org and look for my name ;-)
~It's decision time again for me as far as what I would like to do in the next school year. Pray that God's guidance would be present in all my thoughts and that ultimately, His will be done.
~I am SUPER excited to be able to meet my parents in Honduras next week with a team from the area. Pray for safety for me as I travel on the bus (I'm a bit nervous) and for them as they travel. And, in all the many activities that are planned in Honduras, God be glorified!
Thanks for keeping up with me, I LOVE hearing from many of you!
Blessings~
Angie
I hope this find you all well!
I just realized I have not sent out an update for quite some time, sorry! It's been a bit busy since I returned from the States at Christmas. My friend Tricia came to visit about 2 weeks after I got back to Nica, and we had a GREAT time!! It was SO nice to have someone to show around my life, it's great too because she can report back to everyone at home ;-) We hit the Masaya market, Gran Pacifica beach resort, El Crucero orphanage, Tesoros de Dios and of course...NCA. THANKS for coming TVM, you're awesome! Marlo and Carol Van Klompenburg are also here for the month of February...more familiar faces. It's been a real blessing having them here. There is a team for Faith church here this week as well, in fact they are probably just landing in Managua right now, so another fun week for me!
Things here are going well, it's been very busy but I enjoy it! We have a student teacher in our first grade room now, so needless to say, the kiddos are getting lots of attention ;-) We've been keeping busy with fun things too. We've spent some time at the beach this semester and taking out the student teachers so they can experience the Nica culture through our gringa eyes...hahaha. We went to Granada yesterday and had a great day...I'll try to get some pics up on Facebook and on the blog.
There are always ways you can be praying for me...read below!
~I have turned in to the resident counselor for all the teachers at NCA, which I love, but last week I had a bit of a meltdown. SO much hurt in their lives and I guess I just wept for all of them. Pray specifically for my 2 dear friends, Jed and Gina. I don't want to give out too much info but they are both walking through fire and have entrusted me to walk with them. Pray for wisdom for both of their situations, and that God would use my words to speak His truth in to their lives.
~Praise God for continued safety and his proctection over us as we travel out and about...it's been fun to learn to drive here, but can be quite scary at times.
~Financial support is a big part of my ministry. I'm at about 80% of where I need to be through July. If you would like to support me in that way, go to www.crwm.org and look for my name ;-)
~It's decision time again for me as far as what I would like to do in the next school year. Pray that God's guidance would be present in all my thoughts and that ultimately, His will be done.
~I am SUPER excited to be able to meet my parents in Honduras next week with a team from the area. Pray for safety for me as I travel on the bus (I'm a bit nervous) and for them as they travel. And, in all the many activities that are planned in Honduras, God be glorified!
Thanks for keeping up with me, I LOVE hearing from many of you!
Blessings~
Angie
Friday, January 21, 2011
Earthquake!!
Just when I think nothing exciting happens here...
This morning at 11:15 we experienced a 5.1 earthquake here in Nicaragua. It was VERY scary for all of us and it just creates some uncertain feelings here. The kids did well, we've practiced earthquake drills so they knew what to do, although they have a lot of questions. It makes you realize REAL quick who's in control of all things!
Join me in thanking God that it was not any worse, and asking that all people here will be kept safe and that there are no more earthquakes anytime too soon :-) No one was hurt at school, so we're all thankful for that.
Blessings~
Angie
This morning at 11:15 we experienced a 5.1 earthquake here in Nicaragua. It was VERY scary for all of us and it just creates some uncertain feelings here. The kids did well, we've practiced earthquake drills so they knew what to do, although they have a lot of questions. It makes you realize REAL quick who's in control of all things!
Join me in thanking God that it was not any worse, and asking that all people here will be kept safe and that there are no more earthquakes anytime too soon :-) No one was hurt at school, so we're all thankful for that.
Blessings~
Angie
Monday, January 17, 2011
Welcome 2011!!
Hello friends and family~
It was SO great to see many of you while I was in the States over Christmas and New Year's...for those of you I didn't see, let's try again in April :-)
Again, I returned to Nicaragua and hit the ground running...I flew in last Saturday (January 8) and we started school on Monday. We survived the first week, and it actually went pretty well so we are thankful for the small things. It was great to see the kids again and they were pretty excited to see me. Most of them were just excited to hear about the snow that I saw, many of them have never seen snow but they love to hear about it!
I was VERY happy to get back up to El Crucero last weekend too. I assumed that I shared with all of you my love story with my litte Frankie but I learned that I have not, so here's the short version. Frankie is about 2 1/2 years old and I'll never forget the first time I saw him in October when I first met him. He melted my heart right away. One look and I was in love!! He walked up to me, lifted his little arms, I put him in mine and the rest is history. I am just so attached to him and I know he feels the same way about me...he WOULD NOT let me put him down on Saturday. I'm not sure who cried harder when I walked out the door. Anyways...needless to say, Frankie got pretty spoiled over Christmas, he now has a basket of clothes, a basket of toys, and his own shoes at my house. I LOVE my slumber parties with him, and I think he like them too :-)
I feel like I've adjusted pretty well to the Nica life again, it feels different this time. I'm not too sure why, it just does. I've really been missing my family a lot this time...I think I just got used to them all over Christmas. Seems so quiet here without them...
THANK YOU for all or your support...you're all amazing!
Things you can be praying for~
~Another tragedy with an NCA Nejapa student. She was killed today from a stray bullet in a gang related shooting....SO SAD!!! These kids just lost another peer in August, so there are many raw emotions at our Nejapa campus. Lift up this campus and the students as well as Gabriela's friends and family.
~The orphanage that I spend lots of weekend time at is having LOTS of issues...sexual assault activities among the children who learned from their own homes. Staffing has been a HUGE issue and now they need even more supervision for the kids as they are feeling that they are not as safe as they may have been before. Pray that God would send the right person to work with these children who so desperately need love and attention, but most of all safety. Unfortunately, these kids come from some very traumatic homes prior to the orphanage and learn at a very young age the negative behaviors they see in their homes.
~My dear Australian friends (Jed and Liz) got robbed last week. THEY TOOK EVERYTHING!!! Pray that God would provide their needs and replacement for all the things they lost....God has been so good already!
~There are a LOT of teachers leaving NCA this year, pray that God would work in the hearts of future teachers and volunteers so the school's need can be fufilled next school year. Any of you reading this that are teachers...have I got the job for you :-)
I love hearing from all of you frequently, thanks for your notes and e-mails, they are so encouraging to me! Again, I LOVE visitors, I would love to show you this country! Consider this your invite and come on down for a visit. It's really warm here right now and sunny all the time...isn't that enough to make you want to get away from winter?!?!?!?!?
Thanks guys, you all rock :-)
Blessings~
Angie
It was SO great to see many of you while I was in the States over Christmas and New Year's...for those of you I didn't see, let's try again in April :-)
Again, I returned to Nicaragua and hit the ground running...I flew in last Saturday (January 8) and we started school on Monday. We survived the first week, and it actually went pretty well so we are thankful for the small things. It was great to see the kids again and they were pretty excited to see me. Most of them were just excited to hear about the snow that I saw, many of them have never seen snow but they love to hear about it!
I was VERY happy to get back up to El Crucero last weekend too. I assumed that I shared with all of you my love story with my litte Frankie but I learned that I have not, so here's the short version. Frankie is about 2 1/2 years old and I'll never forget the first time I saw him in October when I first met him. He melted my heart right away. One look and I was in love!! He walked up to me, lifted his little arms, I put him in mine and the rest is history. I am just so attached to him and I know he feels the same way about me...he WOULD NOT let me put him down on Saturday. I'm not sure who cried harder when I walked out the door. Anyways...needless to say, Frankie got pretty spoiled over Christmas, he now has a basket of clothes, a basket of toys, and his own shoes at my house. I LOVE my slumber parties with him, and I think he like them too :-)
I feel like I've adjusted pretty well to the Nica life again, it feels different this time. I'm not too sure why, it just does. I've really been missing my family a lot this time...I think I just got used to them all over Christmas. Seems so quiet here without them...
THANK YOU for all or your support...you're all amazing!
Things you can be praying for~
~Another tragedy with an NCA Nejapa student. She was killed today from a stray bullet in a gang related shooting....SO SAD!!! These kids just lost another peer in August, so there are many raw emotions at our Nejapa campus. Lift up this campus and the students as well as Gabriela's friends and family.
~The orphanage that I spend lots of weekend time at is having LOTS of issues...sexual assault activities among the children who learned from their own homes. Staffing has been a HUGE issue and now they need even more supervision for the kids as they are feeling that they are not as safe as they may have been before. Pray that God would send the right person to work with these children who so desperately need love and attention, but most of all safety. Unfortunately, these kids come from some very traumatic homes prior to the orphanage and learn at a very young age the negative behaviors they see in their homes.
~My dear Australian friends (Jed and Liz) got robbed last week. THEY TOOK EVERYTHING!!! Pray that God would provide their needs and replacement for all the things they lost....God has been so good already!
~There are a LOT of teachers leaving NCA this year, pray that God would work in the hearts of future teachers and volunteers so the school's need can be fufilled next school year. Any of you reading this that are teachers...have I got the job for you :-)
I love hearing from all of you frequently, thanks for your notes and e-mails, they are so encouraging to me! Again, I LOVE visitors, I would love to show you this country! Consider this your invite and come on down for a visit. It's really warm here right now and sunny all the time...isn't that enough to make you want to get away from winter?!?!?!?!?
Thanks guys, you all rock :-)
Blessings~
Angie
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