Hello again!
It is amazing how quickly these months have gone by. Our team has undergone many changes since we arrived last April, and many of those changes have meant Nique and I are getting consistently pulled in more and more directions. We have both felt very busy, but it is rewarding to look back on the work that has been done so far.
I was recently reading about oak trees, and how so much of their early growth happens below the ground. In the early stages of development, much of the growth happens below the surface–a good root system and firm foundation for the tree needs to be formed. This root network is essential, and is what allows oak trees to withstand the elements as they grow. In many ways, Nique and I can relate to these oak trees. We are at a point now where we can look around us and see the healthy root system developing around us here in Masatepe, and are now starting to see the Lord shaping and encouraging the sapling upward.
One exciting update is that in October, we had the opportunity to host a video team for InterVarsity–a [very large] national college ministry in the US. They came here to Masatepe to shoot a video for their [then] upcoming Urbana conference–a conference about global missions which is held every three years with thousands of college students and young adults. The video is intended give a glimpse of “life on the field” for anyone considering vocational missions work. We are praying that the Lord uses this video as an encouragement to young people thinking about pursuing missions at the Urbana conference, and also that the video could spark interest for people to potentially join our growing team here in Masatepe.
https://vimeo.com/764202919/58da77397e?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=878123
As some of you know, we have now spent many months here without regular running water. Our running water comes from the city, and is only turned on each day from 6am-8am and again from 4pm-6pm. This is common practice throughout Nicaragua. To get around this, you can install a large water tank to use as a reserve when the city water is not running. We had decided not to do this, largely because they cost hundreds of dollars.
Nique and I have recently gotten to know another missionary couple in a neighboring city and they have been so kind to us. They have been serving in Nicaragua for around 7 years. They knew that we didn’t have a water tank and randomly texted Nique asking if we’d be around to drop something off for us. We were absolutely shocked to see them show up with a water tank in their truck for us – we couldn’t believe it. Now we have running water! This has been such a blessing for us and has made daily life so much simpler. It’s amazing how easy it is to take such a small thing like running water for granted.
We wanted to share a story about one of our Nicaraguan teammates who we will call “Chris” for the sake of privacy. When we first arrived in Nicaragua, I (Brian) met Chris playing pickup soccer at a nearby “field”/semi-grassy-area only a block from our house. He is about my age and lives close enough that I could throw a rock and hit his house from our front door. I would regularly see him hanging around with questionable company—guys who are drinking, smoking, etc. He would often participate himself. He lives with his Mom and two younger brothers, and I soon found out that his father had been an alcoholic and had passed away in 2021 from liver failure. After a few months of getting to know Chris, we hired him at Beto’s Bistro (our team’s cafe and community center). Right around the time of his hire, he committed himself to becoming sober. He has now been sober for about 5 months, and it is evident that the Lord is working in his heart as well. Please be praying that his heart would continue to be softened and that the Lord would continue to fan the flames of desire for something more satisfying than the life he has been living.
Addiction, and specifically alcoholism, is a huge problem for men here in Masatepe. We are especially excited to see the transformative power of God at work in Chris’ life because of the witness he could be for other men struggling with addiction in the community.
Another person we wish you all had the opportunity to meet is Rudy. He works and lives on our team’s farm and rehab center here in Masatepe, called Luke’s Inn. There have been many times recently where Rudy has expressed His love for Christ and has been a great example and witness on our team. He has served for One Collective for many years and lives with his wife and 4 daughters. He is rather quiet and introverted, a hard worker, and loves to laugh. Rudy and his family live a very simple life, with very few physical possessions. It it a level of poverty that is difficult to explain in words, but is unfortunately a common standard of living here in Nicaragua. Although I haven’t asked him, I’m pretty sure his most prized physical possession is an old worn-down machete. It’s needed for much of the work he does around the farm, and could be replaced with a new one for about $6. Our team recently gifted him a new machete, and the big grin on his face told us much more than his words of gratitude could.
We recently had a team dinner where we all went around saying something we were grateful for. Rudy’s wife began to talk, but was quickly choked up with tears after telling us that she was thankful for her family. Rudy quickly stood up and put his arm around her. What he said went something like this:
“Yes… I am thankful for my family too. You all know the way that we live. I don’t have a big house. I don’t have a car or motorcycle. I don’t have fancy clothes or nice things. But I have Christ, and he has given me everything I need and so much more.”
I don’t cry easily, but I was crying a little as I heard the conviction in his voice as he spoke. I am often so blind to the spiritual things around me as I go through life worrying about my day. It was so personally convicting to hear Rudy—who would appear to have every right to complain about the harsh hand he has been dealt in life—stand up and speak with more gratitude for his Savior than anyone else in the room. I really cannot put into words how powerful this moment was for me and others present.
We are so grateful to have Rudy and others like him on our team who are such a powerful witness for Christ in this community. We ask that you’d be in prayer for Him and his family and that he’d continue to be emboldened to share his testimony with those around him.
Thank you again for your prayers! We are very excited for this year and are holding our plans loosely for whatever God has in store for this community.