Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Immersion


What does typical life in Nicaragua look like?  We were about to find out.

Caleb, Judah and Liam recently spent 3 days and 2 nights with the family of a school staff member.

The cultural immersion began upon arrival.  We were received by our host, her son, her sister-in-law, and eventually by her husband, mother, brother, nephews and nieces, and extended family, all of whom live in the surrounding houses.  Our accommodations were simple -- a single room with a double bed for Caleb and Judah to share and a mattress for Liam to sleep on the floor.  We met the parakeets and dogs, watched the baseball game in the nearby dirt lot, and played soccer in the dirt street with the neighborhood kids.  We ate lots of delicious gallo pinto, eggs and Nica cheese with the family.  We prayed together as a family each night before bedtime.

Our quest for cultural immersion, Spanish language development, and a better understanding of typical life in Nicaragua had exceeded our expectations!  Our host family had gone out of their way to make space for us.  There were many challenging aspects, like bucket showers (their neighborhood only gets water every 2 days), different food, roosters and noises during the night, and simply living away from the comforts of our own home.

As we prepared to leave, we found it difficult to say goodbye.  But we now have new friends, a deepened relationship with a coworker, and even stronger roots in Nicaragua.  We found mutual encouragement in our common love for God, which bridges all other differences!