FBC Nicaragua 2013: Reflections On Our Experience (The Eyres)

We're home. I mean back in "Ohio-home". I just resumed my morning routine of walking my dog the usual 40 minute loop, and thinking through my responsibilities of the day ahead. Like I do every morning when I'm at home. Today's walk, however, was different. My thoughts were of my past week spent serving in Nicaragua. My dog wasn't there. The path I usually take walking wasn't there. The usual sounds, sights, and smells were not there. And my daily responsibilities were of a completely different nature while I was away.

We listened to roosters crow through the night, and woke up to dogs howling (most probably) because of starvation. I woke up this morning to the birds of Westlake, Ohio, chirping and my dog having jumped on the bed to welcome me back home.

We travelled roads of stones, mud, bumps and obstacles. We were distracted by people of all ages.... completing tasks such as roadside work, hauling bananas, nursing their babies, and sitting in chairs. It was "sensory overload" for me in every direction. After all, we travel our roads of smooth pavement, wearing clean clothes, completing fairly routine tasks, and knowing a meal would soon satisfy my appetite.

We wash ourselves with clean water each day, and never think twice about where our water comes from, or whether it is safe for us to consume. This past week, our water for everything came from the bottled water tanks we filled our Nalgene bottles with. Our toilet paper was deposited in the waste baskets, to avoid seeing it come up through the shower drains.

We went into a different Nicaraguan village each day to serve the people waiting for us to offer medical care, recreational activities, Bible stories, and Christian fellowship. They were joyous people, and knew no different than the lifestyle they were living. We kept thoughts of our own "lavish" lifestyle to ourselves. After all, we were there to serve the one God that we all share. Their smiles of love and appreciation followed us each day of our week. It didn't matter that their language was Spanish, and mine was English. We all smiled in the same language.

I asked a few people on our team a question that I struggled with all week long..... "how in the world do you describe to someone asking about your trip once you arrive back home exactly how it was? What words do you use?" I decided best to share the idea that my experience was truly one that was beyond any realm of my understanding......UNTIL this trip had happened. An experience forever now in my heart. I move forward now feeling like a week of incredible personal growth has occurred. Not for only myself, but for the other 27 people I was with. What a team it was. And what a week we experienced.

When a strand of leftover yarn from a craft project offered to a small child at the end of day was received like I had offered a nugget of gold, I knew in my heart that we had been loved, and our love had multiplied during our time spent there that day. We packed up our supplies and drove away from the villages knowing that God had been with us all. Our caravan that had come to the village had the responsibility of now keeping our travels moving.

God moves in mysterious ways, and it was a week he found ways to keep us alert to his ever-presence in our lives.

Lee Ann Eyre