Day 5: Nicaragua

Today marked the point in the week when fatigue sets in and many kids and leaders grew tired. We began the day as usual with breakfast and a devotional time. This was followed by a trip with the orphans to the beach. We swam, made sand sculptures, kicked soccer balls, threw footballs and cared for the orphans - all the while trying not to let the sun get the better of us. Despite coating and re-coating suntan lotion, many (like myself) ended up with red marks which revealed small places that we had unknowingly neglected when applying SPF cream. Regardless, it was an amazing morning with the orphans at the beach.

We headed from the beach straight back to the orphanage along the pothole covered dirt road. We were packed into 3 buses and one Toyota Land Cruiser, which managed to get stuck in a deep mudhole. It became a team challenge, as teens and adults filed off the bus to help push our vehicle out of the slop. On our fourth attempt of rocking it back and forth and becoming coated in red mud during the process, we finally managed to free the tires and get back on the road.

Lunch was ready for the group when we arrived. We ate as you would imagine a group would after a long morning of swimming at the beach. We then had a short break and divided into two groups. One group worked with the orphans, entertaining the kids with sports and crafts and demonstrating the love of Christ. The other group of 21 people, went to the prison. We shared the gospel in the three different cell blocks, delivered hot meals and cold drinks and prayed with many of the prisoners. The conditions were deplorable but the ministry experience was priceless. Several surrendered their lives to Christ and were moved by the way in which our group modeled the love of Christ to them.

This evening our entire group of ladies offered a "Girl's Night" to the young ladies of the orphanage, complete with crafts, make-overs and all sorts of things to make the girls fell special. Just about a football field away in the church building, the males on our trip led a "Guy's Night". We brought along a Tivo player with saved World Cup games. We watched soccer (football) and played some competitive games with the young men.

We concluded our evening with a "front porch" group time, but it was clear that the group was exhausted by this time. We called it a night and told them to get their rest since we will be up at 7AM tomorrow to get an early jump on our next work day. We plan to do devotions, eat breakfast and then have everyone head to the construction sites to carry on the work that we begun a few days earlier. Thanks once again for your prayers!