back to school.

Today's the first day of school. It kind of reminds me of our very first day of school 3 years ago. I remember the feeling of hope, and the sentiment that we were making a massive impact on the community.

We have the same feeling today. We'll have it tomorrow, and we'll have it a year from now. The change that God is making in this community is real, measurable, and life changing.

We're honored to be a part of it.

He will provide

On Saturday morning, Wayne took Alison to her tennis lesson and Emily to a friend’s house while I tried to get caught up on some of the little things.  Over the course of the hour I was working, several people came down our street, selling different items and letting everyone know it by yelling out what it was they were selling.

First, tortillas.

A little later, shrimp and fish.

Then there was a guy with avocados.

And our regular fruits and veggies lady came by as well.

Each could be heard coming from about a block away as they announced themselves in hopes of finding customers.

I smiled to myself as I was leaving, thinking I could have purchased something from each of them and made a pretty yummy lunch or dinner.  It’s pretty convenient to have all those things brought right to your door -- and it’s not just on Saturdays, it’s everyday.

As I thought about it, I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 9:8 that says, “And God will generously provide all you need.  Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”

That’s when I realized, the gifts, promises and provision of God are like those street vendors!  He’s there offering more love, grace, favor, mercy, a little more grace -- and on top of all that, as we are faithful He also provides for our physical needs!  And these gifts are not hidden away, they’re walking down your street and yelling at you to come get some!

We just finished our annual trip to the US -- visiting friends, family and churches who support our ministry here, giving updates and fundraising -- and it was incredible!!  God is not only providing for our needs through this amazing team of people, but He’s also providing for their needs as they faithful tithe and give out of their abundance.  

Be faithful, be a giver and go get yourself some God gifts, don’t let them pass you by!

it's good to be back.

It's great to be back in Nicaragua, serving LifeLink International at the LifeLink Ministry Base. The sun is warm, breeze is blowing, and we have a full staff of teachers/helpers/kitchen/maintenance here enjoying a week long training session.

Megan is doing a great job leading the LifeLink training sessions. We speak a lot about excellence and expectations. We focus on specific verses in the bible and learn how to live them out in our jobs and daily lives. There's a lot of bonding between the team members, which in turn makes for a more productive year.

Right now we're really focusing on making sure our work is excellent, our hearts are right, and our ministry has the foundation needed to accomplish some big vision. LifeLink has about 270 kids enrolled for the new year, and we're looking forward to ministering to them all.


-Wayne

aaannnddd we're back.

Finally, right? We've been gone for a while. We spent six weeks in the US over december and january, and with the crazy travel schedule, we took a break from posting.

We had a great time in the good 'ol USofA. We ate at a bunch of our favorite places (chik fil a anyone?), traveled the eastern coast, and generally spread the word about LifeLink International. It was great to be back for a visit.

So here we are! Back in Nica and ready to share our tales as they come.

For your amusement, here's a picture of the ladies posing in front of the cathedral in November.

where did we go?

We're taking a small break from blogging for a few weeks while we travel. We'll be in the US for a much needed break and opportunity hang out with family and friends. I'm actually posting this while my beautiful wife is driving us to hotlanta. We'll be back to our random postings when we get back to Nica.

adapt.

Today is a new generation of church, missions, and leadership. While a lot of the old practices and advice still hold true, a lot of it is dated and largely doesn't apply.

Take the concept of relationships for example. One or two generations ago, relationships were confined to face to face encounters or telephone conversations. Today, we communicate largely through email, Facebook, and twitter. While most everyone sees that it's happening, it's the millennium generation (33 and younger) that couldn't see it not happening.

To put it another way, if the internet suddenly died (revolution anyone?) most people 33 and younger would have a hard time adapting, while everyone else would just shrug it off and comment how they "always knew this would happen."

Missions and nonprofits feel this impact tenfold. While more seasoned missionaries are keeping stories and comments in their pocket to share when they go home to itinerate, younger early adopters are sharing and tweeting everything that floats through their mind.

It's "your watering down the message" vs. "people want to share the experience".

What do you guys think?

want to make a difference?

For those of you who are still confused as to what Megan and I do on a daily basis, we operate and maintain a school in one of the poorest regions of Nicaragua, Central America.

One of the largest parts of that is the LifeLink International Child Sponsorship Program. This program pays for the uniforms, books, pencils, teacher salaries, insurance, school lunch, and anything else you can think of that kids need or use on a daily basis.

Today, Nov. 28, we launch a new class of children. That's a class of kids that would otherwise not have the opportunity to go to school. Kids that would suffer from malnutrition. Kids that would spend the day in the dirt roads in the back lots of Sandino if not for the LifeLink School.

Today we ask that you consider sponsoring a child. The cost is $35 per month. The rate of return is incalculable. You could be a hero to a child's life. Just click here. www.lifelinkint.org









You can also help by tweeting this post, sharing on Facebook, and emailing it to your friends. The further the word spreads, the better.