AACS Nicaragua Trip 2017

Today we started off the day by finishing up our construction projects in the morning and then in the afternoon we visited a public hospital to provide encouragement and prayer for the people there as well as giving donations to provide for their physical needs.  Here are thoughts from the day from several different students: Jeremy Solsman - Today I felt kind of awkward when we first entered our room in the hospital.  When we entered, there were 5 people laving on beds in the room, surrounded by family members.  When we went up to the first person to talk to him, my nervousness melted away and I could feel his joy and the presence of God in the room.  Afterwards, when we went to talk to the other 4 people in the room, I could also fell the presence of God and their joy at our prayers.  This was very encouraging to me to experience God working in these peoples' lives. Rachel Solsman - When we went to the hospital, at first I felt awkward because I didn't rea...

Yesterday, after 3 days of digging 1.5 ft and 3 ft trenches, carrying 40 wheelbarrows of rock and sand, mixing almost 9 bags of concrete, laying 30 support block (150 lbs each), refilling the trenches, leveling the dirt and laying the concrete  Kaitie, Cal, Mr. Cole, Angel, Wilmer and I finally finished our one construction project. We paved a new walk way to what will soon become a shed for fertilizer. It was really hard work that has now taken its tole on all our backs but it was so worth it. The workers here work so hard and I personally wanted to finish this project for them, so it was one less thing they had to worry about. It was great to get to know the workers we worked with, Angel and Wilmer, who are so funny and kind. Today since we were done, we helped other groups with their projects and I got to speak a little to Joel, another worker. The people who work here and even just the people here in general have so little, yet they are so happy and kind and loving and generou...

Thursday-Kaitie and I had a fun time pouring and mixing concrete while talking to 2 of the plantation workers.  We talked the whole time with the workers while doing construction.  We taught them Spanish and they taught me English, while Kaitie helped translate.  We laughed at each other and joked around a lot with the workers.  The two workers then talked to us about the Tower of Babel, and related to how we had a bit of a language barrier as we were doing construction.  It was really cool to see them talking about Bible stories to us, and them asking us how much we read the Bible. There was something really cool about talking to Christians who are so far away from where I live and who speak a different language.  It made me laugh but also kind of sad when one of the workers said to me, "I will tell the government of Nicaragua not to let you out of the country until you have taught me English, and I have taught you Spanish." Cal Anderson