Resting in Granada

We arrived yesterday in Granada after about a 3 hour drive from Santa Maria. It was a nice easy trip. The Thursday activities in Santa Maria were great, although at times, we thought we would be overrun with kids. We started the day with a trip to Las Casitas, the form home of many of our friends until the mudslide in 1998. For many on the team, this was a return there, but its also a reminder of the memories that continue to haunt the people of Santa Maria. We had about 30 people in the back of a flatbed truck that we rode to and from the mountain. Then it was a quick lunch and turn around for the final day of Bible camp. Kids...lots of them! We think we topped out at around 95 kids, but it might have been more. They just kept arriving. We finished out the lessons on with the Assension story. Nathan did a great job of portraying Jesus once again, and Butch and Dick made a great burial cave. After games, crafts and a lesson explaining the story, taught by Verbo church members, we had a group picture. Try that with 100+ people. One by one, as the kids left, they were given a crown and some cookies. We were all very tired after that!

The Thursday evening prayer service began at 5 pm, and we were prayed over and thanked by our friends at Verbo. We have a very strong relationship with people in Santa Maria, and I hope we can continue to show our people at St. John's how much our ministry and partnership is valued. Its not an easy thing to show in pictures and conversation. Maybe this will one day lead you to join on a future mission team.

Following church, we had a dinner for all church members. Pasta, chicken and rice all around! People then said goodbye for the evening, and we went about packing, resting, and preparing for the next day departure.

Breakfast was served on Friday morning, beans, fruit, bread and scrambled eggs with ham...our typical morning feast. It was then on to packing, taking down mosquito nets, closing up the cots, sweeping the floors and final good-byes. After a prayer, we were off, leaving behind great friends and partners in ministry.

Our afternoon in Granada was nice and relaxing. Some swimming, some shopping and some walking. Ron found a great shop for leather goods. Add a few more belts to his collection. We ate dinner at a steakhouse behind the cathedral after stopping at another church to listen to their choir performing a free concert of typical Nicaraguan songs.

Its early this morning, Saturday, and we are catching up on news through the tv and internet. Things we don't even think of in Santa Maria. Today some are headed to see Volcan Masaya, and others are going to the market in Masaya. We'll head to Managua around 2 pm where we will say goodbye to Pastor Jose and his family. Another successful time in Santa Maria, praise God!

Many thanks for your continued prayers! We know we would be lost with out them and the Lord's guidance. We look forward to being with you all again soon.