At the beginning of June, we had the privilege of sending off Kerri Roberts to Nicaragua for her internship for the summer. She has had an exciting and busy few weeks, so without further a due...I'll let you hear directly from her!
"This year coming to Nicaragua has been a very different experience for me than usual. I have had the privilege of coming before Fox River and getting to help prepare for the team. It was really cool to get to see all the things that go into preparing for a team and being part of that. There is so much more work than I ever knew or cared to think about. The Nicas work many many hours getting La Esmeralda and the houses we stay in ready for us, and Donna runs around the country getting all the things together for us, so that the team will be comfortable while they stay."
"God worked this week. We had two different groups in our team this year, the ones in the clinic and the ones going out into the communities. I got to be part of both sides and I can honestly say that both work extremely hard to accomplish whatever task God has given them on this trip. This year since we had separate groups that meant we had less translators…which meant I was a translator this time. Friday the medical people had their first clinic and saw patients! The community group went out into Las Nubes and La Esmeralda to hand out hygiene packs Fox River donated. We broke up into three groups and headed off in different directions. As we walked around to the houses and started to share these gifts it opened the door for us to invite them to the events we would be having that week, and also to share about the hope we have in Christ and the love He has given us. This is always one of my favorite parts of the trip, and this year was no different. I love this part because even though I don’t know much Spanish I can still communicate to the people that they are loved. In all it was an impacting week, as 84 people accepted Christ!!! Thank you God!"
"On Friday, I had my first young women's event at the church in Pochocuape. I was blessed to have a great group of ladies to help me make this day possible. The five of us were able to speak and show and be Christs love to thirty-five girls and it is our prayer that they felt it. It is my desire that these girls are able to understand that they are so much more than this world tells them. Some of them are starting to have children at the extremely young age of twelve and are told that if they aren't married and starting a family by 18, that they are worthless. They are told they are useless and ugly and unwanted, and the list could go on and on. That is why I chose to take a day and try to help them they are loved, chosen, and blessed. I pray that they would be defined by that instead of the worldly standards!
We broke up the day up into three different sessions. A session contained worship, a message, and some small group time to discuss. We played some games to start the day. Between the sessions we had some activities for them to do. They got to paint a canvas, we painted their nails for them, and we did a photo shoot. They all really enjoyed painting the canvas and getting to make it their own, we had written "Loved, Chosen, and Blessed" on all of them so that they would have a daily reminder of these truths. Nobody here really has many pictures of themselves so we took some single shots and some group shots for them. And who doesn't love to be pampered a little?! They really like bright colors so most of them left with neon nails! We had a great lunch made by a woman named Kathy, she is a fantastic cook!"
"Being part of the beginning of Pochocuape has been so so cool! The other night at youth group a young man named Fran accepted Christ. He helps us in Sunday school. Marcelo who is the pastor at this new church is so passionate about reaching these people and it really neat to watch and listen as he gives the gospel. Tuesday we were having bible study there and I was just sitting and thinking about how cool it will be to see the growth of this church. I need to step out more and talk to some of the girls. I am not very confident in my Spanish skills, but I just need to set my pride aside and make a fool of myself if that's what will get me going. In Pochocuape we have Bible study on Tuesdays, youth group on Saturday evening, and service on Sunday. I literally get to watch this church be raised up and that is something so different and special. It is so humbling to me that God would use me in the ways He has."
We love hearing what God is doing in and through Kerri and in the lives she comes in contact with. For more updates, please follow along on her journey at www.persiguiendo13.blogspot.com