Travel Day

God is amazing! He got all of us to Managua safely (after a 1 hour flight delay and some mild turbulence) and showed us his mercy and love, along with some beautiful scenery, along the way.

The weather has been cooler here today than I think any of us anticipated. It helped that it was overcast with the nicest breeze.

We received an extra blessing at customs. Rafael told them we were a very large group, with TONS of bags. They decided to just wave us all through. No one had to trouble with opening luggage and showing off a bunch of supplies and clothes.

At the airport, after assembling the collective luggage of 18 people, we loaded unto a bus that had no air conditioning, but did have a TV. Odd. And there was a lot of honking. It is just another form of communication, or greeting even, and doesn't necessarily mean "get out of my way!" the way it might in the US.

On our bus ride to Managua, we stopped for a photo opportunity at the cone volcanoes Momotombo and Momotonbito. It was the perfect opportunity for newlyweds Joe & Shelley to take a picture. It might not be the volcanoes of  Hawaii like some couples prefer, but the volcanoes of Nicaragua are romantic enough for this couple serving the Lord.  (I can't find my picture of them right now, but here is one of the volcanoes for you to enjoy the scenery.)

When we arrived at Hostal Jerusalen, they showed us directly to our rooms which have been newly updated with hot water! Praise God! After unloading our luggage, we came back to the dining room for a late lunch of ham and cheese. They weren't kidding when they said we'd have to eat with one hand to keep the flies from landing!

After lunch, some of the group decided to break out the soccer balls and bubbles to play with some neighborhood children and teens. That was a lot of fun and helped us introduce ourselves to some of them. I think Aaron and Todd passed out candy too. I guess that helped with the smiles some. :)

Now, we sit around enjoying one another's company and singing the praises of the Lord to the the guitar playing of Steve, Aaron, and Todd. The smell of something truly delicious comes to us from the kitchen.

 

Rafael, Gertrudis, and Rick are working on their third version of our schedule. I'll post any changes when I get a chance. If all goes well, this should upload by the time we are done eating.

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