Chikungunya

All of you have heard of Malaria.  Many of you will have heard of Dengue Fever.  But have any of you heard of Chikungunya?  I (Jessica) had not heard of it six months ago, but now I know more than I ever needed to.  Chikungunya is a virus that is spread by mosquitos, and recently arrived in Nicaragua.  It has been prevalent in areas of Africa, Asia, Haiti, and South America for years, and it’s coming to a country near you.

I hesitated to write anything about it in a newsletter, lest it sound like complaining, but it has been a big part of my life for the past 7 or 8 weeks.  I contracted Chikungunya around the third week of February.  It begins with joint pain and 3-7 days of high fever, accompanied by a wonderful rash.  I also had a few days of horrible mouth sores that made it difficult to even drink water, along with a few days of depression, which is also a symptom.  Then it all fades a bit, and just when you think it’s gone…it comes back!  And sticks around for a long time.  Over the past 7 weeks I have had severe pain in my feet, knees, wrists, and knuckles.  Sometimes it is just a little sore, other times I can hardly walk on what feel like broken feet.  Opening any bottles, or sometimes even turning a door handle can be excruciating.  Picking up toddlers is difficult, and getting down onto the floor to play with the kids or then back up again, has been nearly impossible.

The internet, and friends who have had it, say that these symptoms can last up to a year, but that probably at the three month mark, things will be much improved.  I am thankful that no one else in our family has gotten it, and that you can only get it once.  It has also taught me a few important lessons that I think I have learned in the past but need to keep learning again and again.

1. Good health is a gift!  A gift that I need to be thankful for each day.  This is temporary, but there are so many people who have chronic pain or illness, and they need our love, prayers, and practical support.
2. It has made me wonder if I could still be thankful and honor God with my attitude if I had chronic pain…it has been a challenge to live thankfully and joyfully over the past weeks, but we know that our joy does not come from our physical bodies or life, but from a greater hope.  It is challenging to live in that truth despite our circumstances.
3. No matter how self- sufficient or accomplished I may feel some days, I need to recognize that it is only through the strength, body, and mind that God has given me that I am able to do anything at all. We are not in control, which can be both reassuring and frightening at the same time!

We would appreciate your prayers that the pain would continue to lessen, and that even amidst our daily struggles that we would be able to have the joy of the Lord and point others to Him. Thank you!

SOAAR Program

This has been a year of much growth at Nicaragua Christian Academy.  Liam has kept very busy with helping provide direction to the school for many of these changes, including developing a new association of international schools in Managua, unifying preschool learning standards at our three NCA schools, overseeing the design and construction of a new library, and helping to develop a new child protection policy for the safety of our students and staff.

Another huge change that we are all very excited about is the SOAAR program.  Thanks to Andrew Ippel, the originator of the program and its first coordinator, the SOAAR (Students of All Abilities Recognized) Program will allow students with significant disabilities to attend NCA International.  Until now, there are no English-language educational opportunities for children with disabilities in Nicaragua (and very limited services available in Spanish).  NCA International will be the first to offer such services.

There are three primary reasons for the development of this new program.  First, we believe that as a Christian school, it is part of our vocation to reach out to all of God’s children.  By inviting students with disabilities into our school, we show God’s love and help them fulfill God’s calling on their lives.  Second, we believe it is important for all of our students to develop genuine and meaningful relationships with kids who are different from them in one way or another.  We hope that this will help our students be better advocates for justice and inclusion of people with disabilities in society.  Third, we know that NCA International’s unique founding mission is to serve the educational needs of missionary families.  In some past cases, missionary families have been forced to leave Nicaragua due to lack of educational services for their children with disabilities.  We are excited to take on the challenge of providing these services and enabling families to receive the support they need.

As we begin this new program, please pray for our school.  There are many new aspects of what we are doing and there will be new challenges along the way.  Our desire is that God will be glorified in the way we do this.

"NCA Selfies" Teacher Conference

On January 28, a group of over 150 administrators, teachers, assistants and staff from our three Nicaragua Christian Academy schools (NCA International, NCA Nejapa and NCA Matagalpa) joined together for a full day of professional development and encouragement.  The directors of the three schools and the association (ANCA) led the opening session, introducing the new acronym GRACIA (Gratitude, Respect, Authentic love, Community, Integrity and Always learning) -- the word "Grace" in Spanish.  We talked about how NCA schools are a Community of Grace as we point our students to the message of the Gospel.

Speakers from Nicaragua, the United States, Guatemala and Costa Rica shared with teachers on topics ranging from special education, classroom management, technology integration, discipline, language arts instruction, and collaboration.  It was an opportunity for teachers to recharge, share a meal together, worship together, and connect with one another in collaborative relationships.

There was also a lighter side to the day.  The theme, "NCA Selfies" (to explore what makes our schools who we are) was celebrated as teachers were invited to visit a photo booth complete with silly wigs, hats and masks.  Student photographers helped them take pictures to commemorate this event.  This was the first event of its kind but certainly will not be the last!

  

A Local Haircut

A few weeks ago I (Liam) took Caleb and Judah to the market to get our hair cut at the usual place, which is the same place I have been going for over 12 years.  It is always busy and noisy with the sound of buses honking and pulling in and out of the bus station across the parking lot.  As we sit on our small flimsy plastic chairs waiting our turn, I can't help but see how very different this life is from where I grew up.  The small haircut shop has dated posters on the wall and no running water.  A radio plays popular Spanish songs.  At one point, Judah needed to use the bathroom, and was offered a small bucket in the corner of the room.  I decided instead to take Caleb and Judah across the parking lot (in slight fear of our lives due to the crazy bus drivers), through a dark part of the market and to the public restrooms.  Although not pretty, they appeared to be fairly clean and well-kept by the lady who was in charge.  The price for using the urinal was 3 córdobas, and the price for the toilet was 5 córdobas ($0.20).  After we returned to the hair salon and while Judah was getting his hair cut, a blind man and his companion stopped by to ask for money.  The owner of the shop stopped for a minute to give him a couple of coins.  Another interruption involved someone selling coffee, and again, the owner stopped to buy a cup of coffee for 5 córdobas (poured into a small styrofoam cup from a small thermos).

When we go to the United States, we are often asked what is different about life in Nicaragua.  Sometimes it is difficult for us to see what is different after having been here for many years, but when we look at our everyday experiences, we realize that what has become our normal is actually quite unique.

The cost of the haircuts?  I paid less than $5.00 for all three haircuts.

Library Construction

Construction of our new library has been under way now for a few weeks!  The first NCA library was started about 20 years ago, and consisted of a small collection of donated books stored in a cramped room.  Our current library is slightly larger and our collection of books has increased over the years, but we have now reached the point of outgrowing our existing area.

Libraries are not only uncommon in Nicaragua, but are almost unheard of.  There is a National library just a ten minute drive from NCA, but patrons are not allowed to check out books.  There are a few lending libraries in communities around the country, primarily run by non-profit groups, but these are few and far between.  The average public school in Nicaragua does not even have a complete set of textbooks for their classrooms, let alone a library.  So while the majority of people in Nicaragua know how to read, the idea of reading for enjoyment or self guided learning through books does not happen for most of the population.

We are excited at NCA to be raising up a generation of readers who know how to think critically, to solve problems, to evaluate the world around them, and to come up with innovative ideas.  NCA recently implemented the Accelerated Reader program to provide incentives to students for reading books, and we have seen huge increases in our library use.  Reading is such an important skill to unlock language development and comprehension in all areas of study!

International Christian Fellowship

One very important aspect of our life here in Nicaragua is our church, ICF (International Christian Fellowship).  ICF is an interdenominational English speaking church that meets every week on NCA’s campus.  The congregation is made up of missionaries, business people, embassy workers and others from different walks of life.  We have found it to be a place where we can learn and worship in our heart language, and where we can encourage one another in what God has called us to do in Nicaragua. Liam and I have been very involved at ICF really since we started attending.  Years ago we were both youth group leaders, and now I (Jessica) am in charge of our children’s programs (nursery, toddlers, preschool, 1st-5th grade) which usually serves about 40-50 kids each week.  Liam leads worship once a month, putting his amazing piano skills to great use.  Although we did not originally come to Nicaragua planning to do all of these things, they have become a large part of our lives and ministry here, and we’re so grateful that God has given us this family of believers when we are far from our own family and friends in the United States.

Summer Travels

We have been back in Nicaragua for about a month now, after a three month long trip to the United States.  We did a lot of traveling, including stops in Chicago, Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, and Vermont.  Overall it was a wonderful trip with lots of time to visit with family and friends.  We were especially grateful for time spent with Grandparents and Great-grandparents, as well as time visiting supporting churches and meeting new people.  Some highlights for the kids included camping at Lake Michigan for a week, playing with cousins, canoeing and kayaking, and fishing.  Liam and I enjoyed our longest ever vacation from our kids during our trip to Vermont and Lake Placid.  We are so thankful for each of you who welcomed us into your homes.  For those we were not able to see, hopefully we will connect again soon!