Rebecca Chuckney - Serving The Kingdom

Wrapping up...

Tue, 5 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Oh my. Where to begin. Time has absolutely flown by. Today was our last day of ministry, which is so hard to believe. Tomorrow we are leaving for our "debrief" time in Costa Rica and we'll be there for 4 days and then return for 2 more days to Granada before we fly home. The reality of leaving has started sinking in this week and I find myself fighting off tears at so many random moments...I don't even want to think about actually saying goodbye next week. It's like my heart is torn in two-one part is so excited to see family and friends again but the other part is indescribably sad to close this chapter.

But before I get preemptively sappy, a recap of the last month: Mom and Dad visited, which was so much fun. I absolutely loved playing hostess to this city and showing them the people and places I've come to love so much over these last months. It is nice to have people from home understand a bit more what life is like here. We got to do so much and it was so fun to have them here. It was a blending of my worlds, for sure, as I introduced them to things here but we also visited Casa Bernabe, another orphanage all of us has previously been to as well. I will always cherish the memories I have with my family in this country and feel confident more will be made.

Last week I visited three different orphanages. Two of them I had already been to and one was new to me. I loved reconnecting with the kids I already knew and also got to know so many more!

One of the highlights was going with my neighbor, Yelba, age 17, to visit her sister (who I already knew from the girls' orphanage in Granada!). We went on Sunday to visit Diana (age 10) and her mother was there too, which surprised Yelba. It was a very interesting family dynamic to observe. I don't even know if I can put it into words...the mother so distant and formal, Yelba trying to be fun for her sister, and Diana looking quietly back and forth between the two of them with this look that I'm not sure I know the depths of...I walked away with a mixture of emotions-sadness at the reality of the situation but also feeling glad that Diana lives in such a joyful place where she is well cared for. It's hard to come to grips with it all but I was glad to see Diana with her family.

Another highlight was going back to the orphanage on the island of Ometepe. This is where we were before Christmas and I was overjoyed to see the most adorable pair of sisters back at the orphanage! They had left the week we were last there to live with the grandmother but it was a violent home and so it is much better that they are back at Cicrin, the orphanage. Juliette, the crazy-fun girl in the hammock with my teammate Annie and me, is 4 years old and a bag of sass! She is hilarious and we had so much fun playing.

Again, it is so hard to believe I am leaving Nicaragua in a little over a week. I am overwhelmed by the richness of the memories I have here, the lessons I've learned, the way my faith has been stretched and increased immeasurably, and the knowledge that none of this would have happened if it were not for so much support from all of you-whether financially, through prayer, emails, letters, so much. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! Words seem so inadequate...

I can't wait to tell you more stories in person, and to hear about your lives as well. It reminds me of that verse..."Let us keep on spurring one another on in love and good deeds..." Hebrews 10:24. Just know how much you have helped spur me on!!!

Blessings to all of you!

5K Race Fundraiser

Mon, 6 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Special Announcement--Vida Joven 5K Fun Run

Nicaragua Base News

Adventures in Missions

April, 2009

Granada welcomed Vida Joven, or Nicaragua's Young Life, in September of last year. The pro-

gram has been wildly successful, demonstrating that young people here are hungry for whole-

some alternatives to drugs, alcohol and life on the streets. El Puente is bursting with kids

each Thursday night, and we've expanded the program with additional offerings throughout the week.

However, financing the program is not easy. Joe, a member of our Awakening team, suggested we put

on a 5K Fun Run in Granada to spread the word and raise support. The city has given its blessing, and

we are scheduled to go on April 25th.

As the first event of this sort for all of us, we are looking for ways to make this a success for

the kids. AIM has opened a dedicated account in which sponsorship funds may be collected. If you

would like to sponsor young people in this race, we'd like to make this account available to you as well.

If you'd like to help, we suggest the following sponsorship levels:

Single Sponsorship: $5

Triple Sponsorship: $15

Quintuplets: $25

Ten Youngsters: $50

Of course, you could give more or less, as your budget allows.

All funds collected will go directly to the Granada Vida Joven Club. If you have any questions,

please feel free to contact me. Thanks for your consideration, and for helping these kids step out in

faith.

El Puente, Granada, Nicaragua

Checks may be mailed to:

Adventures in Missions

6000 Wellspring Trail

Gainesville, GA 30506

Attention: Nicaragua Kids Camp Fun Run

or, Contributions may be made online at:

https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=worldrace

Once you are on the web page, you:

1. In the drop down menu select "Support A World Race Project"

2. In the Project box that appears, type in: Nicaragua Kids Camp Fun Run

3. Follow the donation process through.

Don't forget this!

Princess for a day

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Even after living here for over half a year now, I am constantly discovering new parts of town that make me wish I had longer to live in this city! I was blessed to be able to spend last week with my brother and sister, Mark and Lindsay, as they were here leading a group of their friends on a spring break trip here in Nicaragua. Part of their week included spending time with eighteen beautiful girls who all live in an orphanage here in Granada. This was my first time even seeing this place and it was such an oasis, housing this group of girls, located off one of the busiest streets. Inside was a peaceful haven where these girls all live together with the three nuns who take care of them.

We took all these girls with us on a few excursions, one of which was a day at the beach. I loved watching some run away from the waves, while others dove head first, each girl all smiles. The beach was a blast but my favorite thing we did with the girls was treating them to a night of royal status. We told them we were taking them out to dinner and when we showed up, they were dressed in their best and finest dresses, each looking like a princess. I've seriously never seen a more beautiful group of girls. Their hair was perfect, their shoes were polished the best they could be, and their joy was contagious. We proceeded to the restaurant where we ate delicious food and then we surprised them with a Mariachi band. The dance floor was our home for the next two hours and I've never enjoyed sweating that much! These girls could dance circles around us gringos and we had so much fun, laughing, dancing, and trying to learn new dance moves.

Amidst the flurry of twirling dresses, energetic music, and peals of laughter, I had a moment where I almost ended up in tears-joyful tears. I looked around me and all I saw were princesses. I was reminded of how we are each children of the King and that, in his eyes, we are all princes and princesses. These verses in Psalms came to mind and I have been dwelling on them in my quiet times lately, amazed that God sees me as his princess, his beloved daughter, heir to his Kingdom. Sometimes I guess we need tangible reminders of these kinds of truths...and if it takes taffeta, ruffles, and a Mariachi band to get my attention, so be it.

"Daughters of kings are among your honored women; at your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir. Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear; Forget your people and your father's house. The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord."

Psalm 45:9-11

In other news, the realization that I only have a bit more than a month left here is hitting me...I want to make the most of every day and am trying not to get sad about leaving before I have to. It will be really hard to leave this place, the culture, the friendships, everything...but pray for me, and our team, that we would be fully present here, focused on where the Lord wants us. It is easy to start thinking ahead to what is next, which is good, but I want to finish well here. So please pray for focus and energy as we finish this last leg of our time here in Nicaragua.

Love to you all!

God of Wonders

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I've gotten to know one of the women who works at a caf I frequent. Her name is Chilo and she is about 3 months pregnant. I asked her the other day how her baby was doing and how she was feeling. She said she was actually really nervous because her baby hadn't moved at all the last two days, after about a month of daily movement, and she has had a miscarriage before so I could tell she was really worried. She told me her mother told her to keep having faith in God but she was really scared. She didn't want to lose this baby. I asked if I could pray with her and prayed with every ounce of faith I had in me, asking for God to heal this baby and have his hand over the pregnancy. Literally as soon as we said "Amen," Chilo's eyes got as big as saucers and she grabbed her stomach saying "Ahora se mueve!" ["It's moving right now!"] We both burst into joyful tears and kept on saying what a miracle we just witnessed and praise God, over and over. It was truly a miraculous moment and I am still in awe that God would let us witness his power like that. It was such a lesson that God truly hears his childrens' requests, and when we pray with faith, he is faithful to listen. Chilo has been coming to church with me and I think she is really wanting more in her relationship with the Lord. Please pray with and for me in this friendship, that God would continue to make his power known to his people!

"You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples."
Psalm 77:14

Further updates, we have been full swing in ministry with Bible studies, ESL classes, Young Life, feeding programs, door to door ministry in local barrios, and even a fishing ministry! Please continue to pray over all the people involved with each of these, that the love of Jesus would be spread in everything we do.

We also had a fun adventure yesterday, hiking around the crater of Volcano Mombacho. It was a beautiful view of Granada and a fun way to enjoy God's creation.

I hope February is closing out well for everyone. I still can't believe how quickly time goes by...
Much love and many prayers, Becca

just enough..

Sat, 7 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

[This is El Puente, our mission base. We live behind it and also conduct many ministries from this site, such as our women's Bible study.]

We have been praying about starting a Bible study for women and had our first meeting Tuesday morning. At first no one showed up. Eight of us gringos (or gringas if we want to get technical), were there promptly at 7:30 anxious to see who would come. We had announced our study at multiple men's Bible studies, asking them to tell their wives, at church, and had extended many personal invitations to our neighbors, friends, and chance encounters on the streets. I personally was very excited about starting this study because a few women who live next door to us had asked me specifically about a women's Bible study. Needless to say when no one showed up we were a bit discouraged. We spent the rest of the time together praying and God has a sense of humor because after about 30 minutes of prayer we opened our eyes and realized a Nicaraguan woman was sitting in our circle. She had come in while we were praying and none of had noticed!

It's funny how God often reveals just enough to keep us trusting Him.Just when we could have been discouraged he gave us a glimpse of his plan to renew our faith.He doesn't have to, but He often does.The Lord is teaching me so much about having more faith-truly believing in what he says.Yesterday morning was a great reminder that every heart counts.Cynthia, the one woman who came to the Bible study, may be the only reason we are having this study.Or maybe God will bring more.Regardless of numbers, his faithfulness astounds me and he is teaching me more of what it means to trust in him.

Please pray for this Bible study, that we would honor the Lord in the way we conduct it, that it would be a safe haven in this community, a place for women to come together and learn more about Jesus together and to be encouraged by fellowship.

Glimmers of hope...

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Things are starting to take more shape, as every member of the team is honing in on the ministries that they want to devote the rest of our time to. Now that I am on leadership, my week has been filled with lots of meetings with ministry contacts and other AIM staff to help nail down the details for this semester. Since this is the first year this program has been run here in Granada, we are pioneering this part and it's been a bit of an adventure, but certainly exciting.

In the meantime, we have still been continuing in some of our ministries, which has been great to reconnect with friends.

some of our precious neighbors hanging out on our front gate. Paula, Elisabeth, and Melissa.

A glimpse into my week: I was talking with our neighbor, Martha, last Saturday and asking about her 2 kids-Celeste and Jeshua, both under age 2-and she said they were fine but her great-grandmother was in a coma and it seemed it would only be days before she passed away. I prayed with her right then and then went 2 days later to check on them. Turns out she had passed away that night, and while I was talking to Martha, this elderly woman came out of their house. Martha told me she was the daughter of the woman who had died. I turned towards her and said I was so sorry, and she just walked into my arms and started weeping. I started crying and we cried together, and I prayed with all of these women. It was an incredible moment-reminding me of the universality of grief and also the power of prayer. The woman's name was Esperanza (Hope). How appropriate-that even in our saddest circumstances we can still have HOPE in the Lord. It was a powerful reminder for me.
Jenn, a teammate of mine, and I were able to help provide food and coffee for the funeral service, since they couldn't even afford to do so. This family is so poor yet they have such close family ties that it makes me appreciate the richness of community. Please keep this family in your prayers and our relationship with them.

I am excited to say we are starting a women's Bible study next week, and these women have all expressed interest in attending so keep that in your prayers as well! I'm trusting the Lord for big things here!!

Another day this week we went to the city dump in Managua, called La Chureca. I had been there a few times and even saw some familiar faces. My friend Daniel led us around. Daniel works full-time in La Chureca and the work he is doing (through an organization called Love, Light and Melody) is amazing and encouraging in the midst of such destitution and poverty. There are over 200 families living in this dump community and it is a life-changing experience to even walk through there. It is amazing to me how beauty and joy still can shine through the eyes of children, like precious Fabiola in this picture, presenting hope in a seemingly hopeless place.

I hope all is well with you. Thank you for reading and know that I appreciate your support and prayers!
Much love,
Becca

Happy New Year!

Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

After a wonderful time of being with friends and family over the holidays, we are settling back into life in Nicaragua. We moved into our new dorm-style house behind El Puente, which has been great to be closer to a lot of our ministry. Seems like we always have kids to greet us when we come out our front door. Our first few days we relaxed and moved into our house, and yesterday we worked about 5 hours in the yard, cleaning up from a lot of the construction, hauling tree branches into our bonfire area, and picking up trash. Something exciting that greeted us when we got back was that they are putting pavers on our street! After years of saying they were going to, they are finally doing it. I wonder if this will change trash pick-up at all since it is no longer a dirt street. Hopefully people will take better care of it since it looks so much nicer.

Next week we are going to be nailing down the logistics and details of what the next few months are going to look like. We will be choosing particular ministries and essentially making an internship out of our hours of service.

There have been some changes in the structure of our leadership team as one of our male leaders has felt called back to his home. We are getting a new leader in his place and I, as well, am stepping up into a leadership position. I am excited about what the Lord wants to teach me through this transition. Please pray for our team as we seek out where God wants to use us in this city.

I'm excited to be back and would love your prayers, as always. Thank you for reading! I hope you are having a wonderful start to this new year.

I'll be home for Christmas...

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Well, we're back in Granada after a wonderful and restful week on the island of Ometepe. It was honestly one of the most beautiful and serene places I've ever been. The orphanage was right on the lake and the children were so sweet and fun. They ranged in age from 6 months old to 21. And many of the staff were people who grew up in the orphanage. There were around 25 or 30 kids and we spent each day doing various jobs with them in the mornings, such as a feeding program, working in the garden, raking the yard, volunteering at a medical clinic, and helping in the kitchen. Then in the afternoons we played soccer, frisbee, swam, hiked, napped, snuggled, ran, and much more with the kids. One day we drove to a nearby beach and had a blast jumping in and out of the lake. Another day we did an 9 hour hike up a volcano. We got up at 5 am and didn't get home until after 7. It was an incredibly hard, muddy, intense hike (probably one of the hardest I've ever done!) but so rewarding and a fun way to get to know a lot of the older kids better. After the 4+ hour ascent, we ended at a lagoon in a crater of the volcano and ate lunch, some people swam etc. And then we began the 4+ hour hike back down. The views of Ometepe were incredible and we had some good laughs, a few scares, and overall just a great time with everyone. I am hoping to be able to return to the orphanage at some point next spring to see some of the kids again.

Not snow....rain :)

I was so inspired by the woman who runs the orphanage, Helen. She has been working there for 18 years and is such a kind, patient woman and it was obvious how much she loved all the children. While we were there 3 of the kids had to go back to their homes (they were social orphans, meaning they still have families but their families just couldn't afford them). It was a sad day and Helen's concern was at a high level because she wasn't sure the home situations the kids were returning to were safe. She said that the Nicaraguan government often tries to force kids back into families even if she tells them it's not a good situation. Her dedication to the kids was amazing, as she spent an entire day in Managua before the courts, demanding that they respect her judgment of each child's case. It was very eye opening to the difficulties of running an orphanage and the complications of the government. Please pray for Helen and the other staff of this orphanage as they deal continuously with each child's situation.

As I prepare to fly home tomorrow, I am in a place of reflection over the last 3 months and am truly amazed with how the Lord has met me in my time here. Last night as I walked around our neighborhood saying goodbye to people, it made me realize how much I love this country, these people, and how much I am looking forward to coming back and continuing life here. There is something so beautiful in the open-door lifestyle here, and I find so much joy in the relationships that I have here. I would love your prayers over this Christmas break for wisdom about what ministries to pursue next semester. When we come back we will be focusing in a bit on one or a few ministries in particular and at this point I am still not exactly sure where God wants me. I am excited to be home for a few weeks, to be with friends and family and enjoy Christmas traditions. I probably won't blog until I get back in January so until then, I hope all of you have a wonderful, joyful Christmas, full of reminders of why Jesus really came and the gift he gave us on that day! Thank you SO MUCH for all the continued prayers, support, and encouragement. I can't tell you how much it has kept me going. I need y'all! You are such an example to me of the church in action. Thank you for letting the Lord use you in that way. I hope to see so many of you.
Feliz Navidad!!!!

Off to Omotepe

Sat, 6 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Well, this was our last week in Granada before we come home for Christmas. We are leaving on Tuesday for an orphanage on a nearby island, Omotepe, to work there for a week and then we are flying home!

This week was one of festivity and celebration, as the school year has come to a close and Christmas is quickly approaching. We finished up ESL with a big review game of Jeopardy, complete with candy prizes. It was a fun way to wrap up the year and say goodbye to the students. Hopefully we'll have some or most of them back in January, although the details of ESL for next semester are still coming together at this point. We really got to know some of them pretty well and it was fun to just celebrate a semester of good work together.

Another fun part of this week was the start of the 9-day processional of the Virgin Mary around the entire city of Granada. They literally take her down from the front of a cathedral and put her on a huge float and she processes throughout various streets around town each night. Street vendors, lights, fireworks, and thousands of people all come together and make this quite the event. The parade was on our street two nights ago and it was so much fun walking around before and after, running into literally everyone we know, it seemed, and taking in all the tradition and community that surround this event. It was such a snapshot of Latin American culture.

It's hard to believe we are about to head home...that is has been 3 months already. Time has gone by so quickly and relationships feel much deeper than the short amount of time it has been. We said goodbye to the kids who live on the street where we do trash pick-up and it was so sad! We told them Merry Christmas (or, rather, "Feliz Navidad!") and the good news: that we'll actually be living on that street when we come back in January! Our team is moving into the back of El Puente, the AIM base, where they will just have completed a house for missionaries to live in. So, we'll continue pioneering this experience as we move into a completely new setting next semester.

I will hopefully blog once more before I fly home, to tell about the orphanage. Please pray for focus and energy this last week...that our minds would be present here in Nicaragua, not looking too far ahead to going home. I am certainly excited to have a chance to come home, though, and feel blessed to be able to do that! Looking forward to seeing many of you!

Close call with the turkey

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thursday full of family, friends, food, and thankfulness. Our team worked hard to put together quite an amazing Thanksgiving meal. We had a turkey, stuffing, even a variation of pumpkin pie (with a Nicaraguan fruit called ayote that is similar to pumpkin...kind of). We certainly had to flex, though, and parts of our day were quite comical actually. For example, the water pressure went completely out halfway through the morning, followed quickly by the power men coming to our door and claiming that we didn't pay our October bill (which isn't true...). Long story short they still cut our power, mid-turkey. So, I ran next door to Chilu's house and sure enough they let us use their oven-all day. The funny part was that it was half the size of a normal oven so our bird barely fit, but it worked. And 5 hours later we had a perfectly cooked Thanksgiving turkey and our team sat around a long banquet table, in the former barn that is now El Puente. I love Nicaragua J It was a great day, filled with reflections on the many blessings in my life...and while I certainly missed many things from home, I have to say it was a wonderful and memorable day filled with laughter, joy, good food, and lots of gratitude for so many things in my life-both at home and here.

Another highlight of the week included my boyfriend Joe's visit this week, along with his mom and sister one day as well. It was a joy to share my world down here with others! The rest of the week was great too, although it strayed from our normal schedule a bit. We still taught ESL and are having our class "fiesta" for our last day on Monday. Then on Wednesday we ended up only doing our kids' program/activity instead of trash pick-up because of various issues with the trash-company that should be worked out by next week. It was so much fun though and we played with the kids for a solid hour and a half, including a great lesson, song, and prayer time. Thursday was a great day with the team, with everyone cooking, eating, just being together. And Friday we went up a mountain overlooking the entire city and spent the morning in solitude, which was a great conclusion to the week. It was the most beautiful day and a great chance to just slow down and spend some uninterrupted time with the Lord, enjoying his creation.

Overall, my heart is just full after this week. Even though we still don't have power yet (2 days and even a bribe later...), there have been countless moments of joy throughout the last few days reminding me of how much I have to be thankful for in the way of relationships, provisions, spiritual blessings, and so much more. I hope you are finding moments of joy throughout your week as well. Know that I am thankful for so many of you and the countless ways you support me and love me!

Happy Almost Thanksgiving!

Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

With the rainy season virtually over, the wind has picked up and the breeze is almost a constant. Apparently this time of year is when the gnats go crazy and we find pockets of them everywhere, just hovering in the air. I still have a hard time remembering that Thanksgiving is this coming week...it just feels so strange to have hot weather in November.

Trash pick-up was absolutely the highlight of our ministry for me last week. We had so many kids come out and help us with the trash, and then we had a blast playing games with them, acting out a parable, singing fun praise songs, and prayer. Alberto, one of my favorites, was at my side every second, offering to help with the trash, running into my arms to escape being tagged during the game, and just to sit in my lap during the story. A ton of these kids are cousins and so we're getting to know the families in the barrio better every week.

Alberto, Fernanda, and me picking up trash and then praying.

This week's teaching was on being firmly rooted in our identity in Christ and how we need to actively protect that against the lies this world and the devil throw at us. So, needless to say, it was some intense teaching and was made even more so by the tangible lesson that Charles had planned. We each had to get four huge rocks, each to represent something in our life that is keeping us from being totally surrendered to the Lord. And then we were told we had to carry the rocks in our backpacks all week, every moment except for shower. We even had to wear them to sleep. It was a physical reminder of the way that sin, pride, control, things like that literally burden us and prevent us from living in the freedom which God intended for us.

Three of our team members coach a soccer team here and Saturday was the championship game. A bunch of us went to cheer them on and although they lost, it was so much fun to watch. A ton of the kids we do trash pick-up with came with us and so we had a pretty loud cheering section. Actually, I think we were the only fans there, period. J

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving! While I'll certainly miss the traditions, food, friends and family from home, know that I am so thankful for each of you and will be thinking happy thoughts that day. But someone please enjoy a piece of Debbie's chocolate pie for me! J

ALSO-Speaking of being thankful, thanks be to God, I have SURPASSED my support-raising needs and don't need anything else at all! So even if you have pledged to give money in the future, I no longer need it. I am truly overwhelmed with the way the Lord met my needs through so many of you. I don't know if I can say thank you enough!!!

Renewal

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This week was one of renewal...in so many ways.

One major way I saw renewal was in our team and focus. We met to pray and discuss about the trash pick-up day and what to change, if anything, about it. During our meeting we decided to stick with picking up trash this week until we had further direction elsewhere, but we had a renewed sense of purpose within it-to continue building the relationships with the families on that street and to look for opportunities to share the gospel. That afternoon we had a blast picking up trash (strange, isn't it, that it could be so fun...) and then afterwards we gathered the kids in a field by the street and played a few games, taught them Jesus Loves Me in Spanish, and then shared the gospel with them and had a short prayer afterwards. There were probably about 20 kids there and they seemed eager to listen and engage. I was especially excited the kids we've gotten to know over the last few weeks ran and got their sisters, brothers, cousins, and friends when we told them we were having an activity, so there is a whole bunch of new kids to get to know! That day renewed our sense of focus and was so encouraging to our team.

And another sense of renewal was simply within myself. I had such a great week with the Lord and my time with him was sweet and rich. I found so much more time to just be with him and he was faithful to meet me. One of the scriptures that stood out to me this week was in Psalm 63 where it talks about our souls being delighted as with the richest of fare...and I felt like God was bringing that delight to my heart in new ways this week. So, needless to say, I feel renewed. We also have been reading a book on Spiritual Gifts and it has been really interesting to dig into the ways the Lord gifts each of his children, equipping them to do specific work for his Kingdom.

Lastly, I feel renewed joy in the relationships around me-both within my team and those I'm forming all around me. I had a great conversation with my neighbor, Chilu, about her Catholic church and I'm excited to keep talking to her about her faith. My relationships with the girls on our team have been growing steadily deeper and stronger with time, too, which is such a blessing. We laugh a ton and really have so much fun together, and it is a great group to grow and live amongst.

It is hard to believe this but the Nicaraguan school system takes their "summer" vacation from the end of November until the end of January, I believe, so they are almost out of school. That will bring some changes to our daily schedules as our ESL classes will probably stop being taught since they are in the schools. So we are praying about what ministry opportunities will be coming up, and I'd love your prayers over that as well! I hope all of you are well. Thank you, as always, for reading

Much love, Becca

Barrio bonding

Sat, 8 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Update from last blog: the service we held last Saturday for Crea was great! There was a pretty good turnout and there were dramas, songs, testimonies, and a brief sermon all packed into the night. And I think they were able to raise a ton of money! So thank you to all who prayed for that program. Continue to keep those men in your prayers.

Kids at the daycare

On another note, I love our neighborhood! Last night after the movie they showed a slide show with pictures of virtually everyone who lives in our barrio and it was so fun to watch with the kids. Everyone was cheering for each other, and there were so many pictures of local shops, people, and neighborhood activities that everyone could identify with. Getting to know this community around us has been one of the biggest highlights of living here so far. The relationships, such as mine with crazy Chilu next door and her niece Katerin, continue to be a blessing as they bring so much joy, laughter, a sense of belonging, and hope for deeper friendship over time.

Chilu and Katerin, my neighbors

In our teaching this week, we had representatives from Community Health Evangelism come talk about using health seminars as a means for sharing the gospel. After going through this training, we are pausing to re-evaluate our "trash pick-up" effort that we have been doing on Wednesdays. We are wondering if there is a better way to go about the same goal but allowing for more Nicaraguan ownership of the problem and effort, rather than us gringos coming in, identifying a problem, and inviting locals to help us in "our" project. Instead, we'd love to think of a way to get the locals to take initiative with problems they identify within their own community, even it if isn't necessarily trash they see as the problem. I'd love y'all to pray for wisdom, guidance, and creativity as we pray about if and how to change our efforts.

On the whole, time is going by so quickly! But each week seems packed with good memories and meaningful conversations, teachings, and personal growth. I still feel overwhelmed with how God is meeting me here, showing his grace and mercy to me...even when I "mess up" and don't love like he does, or share the gospel when I could, he still is gracious, whispering that he still loves me, and provides me with opportunities that are beyond myself, forcing me to abide in Him. I am trying to learn how to do this and would love you to pray with me.

Love and happy Fall greetings to all of you! Send me pictures of changing leaves!!!

Dios te bendiga!

And I'm back :)

Sat, 1 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

What a whirlwind! It was so great to be home for a quick weekend. The wedding was beautiful and it was such a blessing to see so many people I love at once! I couldn't have asked for a more encouraging trip home. I got to see so many of you and it was like being recharged to come back to Nicaragua. Upon my arrival, my team had to catch me up on the many things that had gone on while I was gone and it was so exciting to jump back into things. There were stories of worshipping and dancing in the rain, praying with a man after church to receive Christ, and a beautiful hike with Young Life kids to the top of a mountain. All of these stories remind me of the joy and purpose I have felt while I am here and affirmed my need and desire to be in this country, serving alongside this team. I jumped back into teaching ESL, which went well on Tuesday. Our students want to learn and we are getting better at knowing how to teach them, so everyone is adjusting to each other nicely. Trash pick-up was really fun this week! It rained and we kept on working which felt really nice since it was so hot. The kids were running around with us in the rain and my little buddy Luis Anthony (2 years old, shoes always on the wrong feet) was a great helper, especially when he was wearing my glove, which came up to his bicep!

Our teaching this week was on the book of James from a local pastor, Pastor Flores. He is such a wise man and I hope to spend more time with him. His church is Torre Fuerte, where we attend and help out on Sunday nights. I'm enjoying getting to know the people at that church better the longer we are here.

Yesterday we walked around the entire city of Granada advertising for a service that we're helping at tomorrow night...the service is for a men's rehab program (for drugs and alcohol) called Cra. We rented an ambulance with loudspeakers and literally walked in front of it all over the city handing out flyers and collecting money for the program. It was hilarious and so Nicaraguan. I loved it. We were just this herd of people-Nicaraguan and American-covering the city with our noise (loudspeakers, coins shaking in cans, laughter, requests for donations, saying Hola and Dios te bendiga over and over)...it was so much fun. Hopefully we'll see a large turnout tonight at the service!

This is us behind the ambulance...I'm trying to balance my can Nicaraguan style :)

At the Friday movie night they showed some awful "scary" movie about spiders for Halloween. I opted for playing with the kids on the side. It was a hot, sweaty, good time complete with soccer, some game involving a dance with hip movement only a Nicaraguan can do perfectly, and precious Mitchell picking every single flower off of a nearby bush and giving me a whole bouquet.

Don and Connie Rock, a staff couple with AIM, are visiting us this week and we're having a great time getting to know them. Continue to pray for our team, for unity with other believers in Granada, pray against sickness (many of us, including myself, are fighting colds), for the men at Cra, for sustained energy in playing with kids, and an open heart to what the Lord is teaching me. I loved seeing those of you who I got the chance to talk to this weekend...and to everyone, thank you always for your love and support! Know that I pray for you as well!

Mucho amor, Rebeccita

Routine...but not...

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Some of the girls on my team during a sunrise :)

This week we started to feel set into a routine (although "routines" are never quite set in Nicaragua...) with our ESL classes, trash pick-up, church services, and discipleship time. Monday and Tuesday afternoon when we taught English were both surprisingly rewarding. There were more students than we expected, which was encouraging. The nuns at Sisters of Charity Orphanage (where we teach and help at the daycare) opened this ESL class up to the community so some of the students are girls from the orphanage but most of them are other kids who live nearby. Since it was the second week, we had a better grasp on the students' level of English so we could split the class according to their language foundation. I ended up teaching the beginner level and had so much fun doing it! The ages of kids in our class range from Victor, age, 9, to Raoul, age 26. So sometimes it's tricky to think of teaching techniques that appeal to the whole spectrum of ages...but I am enjoying getting to know the students better and hope this will be a way to develop friendships that extend beyond the classroom. On Friday, for example, we were walking home from the daycare when I bumped into Daisy and Conception-two sisters in my class. They were walking home from school so we got to walk a ways together, getting to know each other better and they also practiced some of the English we had learned this week!

On Wednesday we went back to the same street to pick up trash and the part we had worked on last time was noticeably less littered than the rest of the street, although by no means clean, but that was a little encouraging. We prayed on the steps of El Puente before we started and when we opened our eyes there were about six kids that helped us last time, sitting there giggling and waiting for us to open our eyes. They were ready to help! We had so much fun getting to know them better while also being productive, picking up trash along the street. Many of their parents were in their yards and so got to know some of them as well, including one woman who expressed her thanks and how she thinks this is what their neighborhood needs-so we're hopeful that our efforts may spark a community-wide initiative to keep their barrio clean. It has been a great way to get to know more families, though, and I'm excited to continue this weekly activity.

In other news, one of the highlights of my week was eating a Nicaraguan meal out of these huge leaves they serve the food on. It is incredible. The ladies on the corner by our house cookout every weekend and sell the most amazing food. I got chicken, ensalada (think really good coleslaw), and plantains. Some kind of good, let me tell you! We look forward to the weekends when we can go down to the master cooks on the corner. J I hope all of you are having a wonderful weekend. I am so excited because I get to come home this week for Molly's wedding! Hopefully I can see many of you!

Please continue to pray for the relationships with our translators, Mario and Natalia. They are both becoming such vital members of our team and the Lord is working a ton in both of their lives. Also pray for each of the ministry sites, that we would start to feel called to one in particular and that relationships would deepen with the all of the people we interact with regularly and not regularly. Pray for eyes and ears to see every encounter as a ministry opportunity.

Thank you, as always, for your prayers, emails, letters, and overall support and encouragement. Love to all!

ABC's and Sippie Cups

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This week we jumped into a few new ministries that included teaching English classes at an orphanage, cooking and serving food at a local school, and helping out at a daycare. All of these were a lot of work and a lot of fun at the same time. We're going to be teaching the ESL classes for the rest of this semester and possibly next semester as well. There is a large disparity between the amounts of English that the students know-some had to start with the alphabet while others can carry on long conversations. We will be compiling lesson plans to help us organize how we're going to teach and accommodate the various levels...so far it has been a challenge but a great way to get to know some older kids. It has been interesting for me to try my hand at teaching, considering I was in the Education School for one semester in college...I'm curious to see if God will re-instill a desire to teach in me or not. Regardless, I know it will be a good experience and hopefully rewarding for all of us involved!

The feeding program at Colegio San Antonio serves about 45 students and it is amazing how many people a few pots of rice, mashed potatoes and ground-up meat will feed. Only three of us at a time help with this feeding program simply because the kitchen is so small that any more would be counterproductive. Doa Carmen runs the show and doesn't mess around. J Who knows how long she has been orchestrating the feeding program but it is obvious that she is loved by all the kids at that school. We'll all be trading turns helping out there so hopefully we will start getting to know the students better as time goes on. It is eye-opening how many kids at the school are enrolled in this free feeding program...many of them look just as well-provided for as the more wealthy kids but looks can be deceiving, I guess.

One of my favorite days was on Friday when we went to an orphanage-run day care for kids ages 2 to 6. It was non-stop action from the moment they saw a bunch of gringos in the doorway! They greeted us with shouts of joy and came running up to us, showering us with hugs. We had never met them before but they greeted us like we were their best friends. I think they might have made our days more than we made theirs! It was so much fun just hanging out with them. We played on the jungle-gym, gave endless piggy-back rides, helped put lids on about 60 sippie cups and then helped with lunchtime before we left. They were full of energy and it was contagious! I can't wait to go back and hang out with them.

Our teaching this week was from a local pastor on the book of Job. It was a thorough study of the historical context and the theological meaning behind Job's story, his life. Although I had read the story of Job before, it was good to take more time to go in-depth and really soak in the message that God is sovereign and his purpose is so much greater than we understand...even when life circumstances tempt us to think otherwise. He is always good, even though his ways are above ours. The stories that Pastor Garcia told us about his own life were so moving-and pointed to God's power, which was a cool accompaniment to the lesson.

Wednesday we started what will be a weekly tradition-trash pick-up. We are working on the street right in from of El Puente (the base). For about 2 hours we just picked up (and in some cases dug up) trash along this street. Surprisingly, we were soon joined by a large group of kids who live on this street, as well as some of their parents! I never knew picking up trash could be so much fun but we were all laughing and having a good time getting to know each other while cleaning up the street. We only made part of the way down but are going to continue working on it every week. Even since Wednesday I've noticed a small difference in the amount of trash thrown in that area. Who knows...maybe we'll start a trend.

Currently it is pouring rain. Supposedly it's a tropical storm, although these days I can't tell the difference between heavy rain and a tropical storm-it's just always raining. At least it cools things down when it rains like this. It sounds like a freight train on the roof yet somehow it is also soothing. I'm about to leave for worship team practice...looks like a trek in the rain. J

Well, after a week of so much newness I am filled with even more excitement to continue in these new ministry sites. Friendships are still being deepened with the kids on our street, and my crazy neighbor Chilu (whose niece actually cut my hair this week!). Please pray for the new relationships that are being formed with kids and families at the school and orphanage, as well as sustained energy to continue serving with a joyful spirit. The team has been in good spirits lately which has been a source of encouragement to me. We are all getting along really well and I am learning a lot through our many conversations and Bible studies and just living life together. I hope all is going well for everyone reading this. Keep me updated on your life as well!

Much love,

Becca

Bring on the rain!

Sat, 4 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Our team pretending to be pirates at an old pirate fort in Granada...I'm supposed to have a hook as a hand....

Full week! We finished our first book (Victory Over the Darkness, by Neil Anderson) and it provided good topics for our group to think about and discuss together in our morning sessions. This week, there was a team of about 45 people from Texas here on a short-term mission's trip and they were scattered doing different projects and activities all around Granada and in surrounding cities. Their construction team was helping build a wall at El Puente (the AIM base) and I got to help with that. Thanks to years of Dad making me help out at his jobs I was able to keep up and it was such rewarding work-seeing a wall built where there had previously been only bamboo shades separating the common area from the kitchen.

The Texas team also invited us all to attend a conference they were putting about leadership in the church. The first half of the day was divided into men and women and then we all joined together after lunch. It was a very charismatic group and the Holy Spirit was doing some work! It has been eye-opening to see how differently people worship and I think everyone on our team came away from the conference with a lot to think about. Overall, though, it was really neat to be a part of it and the teaching was really encouraging. And I love the freedom with which people worship here-it's contagious!

Currently, a few of the boys on our team are a few hours away participating in a Young Life basketball tournament with some of the local boys. Pray for their time together, that relationships would be deepened, that they would have a fun, safe time, and that they would be able to grow together in their walks with the Lord.

Every Friday night, a couple who lives at the end of our street project a movie on the wall by their house and tons of kids in the neighborhood come sit on the sidewalk and watch. They teach me all kinds of crazy games that I've never seen before but they are fun to learn. That has been a really fun way to get to know some more of the kids, especially the younger ones. Already I have run into many of the girls I met last Friday and we exchange hugs and then set up when we're going to play volleyball next. It has been such a fun way to get to know the families here.

And last night we had a bit of an adventure-our drainage pipe (where ALL of our water drains) got clogged and then we had a torrential downpour. So the whole bottom level of our house flooded! Luckily we were all home and could move important things off the ground but the water was almost mid-shin and still rising, and still raining! We called the men at El Puente and they ran over (in the rain) with the longest pipe I have ever seen in my entire life. They pushed from the inside and out came leaves, a few rags, a dead rat, and finally a foam football! It was like scoring the biggest touchdown-you should have heard the cheers from our team J The water then rushed out and then we spent the next 2 hours or so mopping it out before we went to sleep. Nicaragua keeps us on our toes, that's for sure.

Today (right after I post this) we are heading to Managua, the capital, to spend some time on our day off. I'm hoping to get to see my friend Christina who lives there!

I pray all of you are well. Thanks for reading praying! You need to know that whenever I get tired, uncomfortable or discouraged God reminds me of all the people who are supporting me and it gives me such energy! I feel so privileged to be here working together WITH YOU for the Lord. Thanks for all the encouragement!

Learning curves...

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Constant learning. That's how I would sum up the last few weeks of my life.

I'm learning new Spanish words everyday, mostly by trial and error but I'm certainly learning. My attempts at conversation often include a lot of laughter and hand-motions, but communication is achieved nonetheless-most of the time.

I'm learning to play the guitar, to sing in Spanish, how many varieties of rice and beans there actually are, and how good a plastic bag with juice and a straw can be on a hot day.

I'm learning more every day from the Lord about who I am in Him. We're reading a book right now called Victory Over the Darkness and it has been such a good tool for pointing me to scripture that tell me exactly how God sees me-as his precious child, set apart and chosen to participate in the work he's already doing in this world. My walk with the Lord has truly been deepened to a new level as I'm simply resting in his promises and truth. It's amazing to me how little I have just basked in the knowledge of who I am in Him...it's been a blessing to have the time to do just that.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"

1 John 3:1

This verse has really encouraged me-reminding me of who I am and why I'm here. He lavishes us with his love so that we can be filled, overflowing even, to go share that love with others.

I'm also learning how ministry is life and life is ministry. That has been a catch phrase around our house, and it has challenged the way that I look at my life. Too often I think of "ministry" as something structured, organized, or scheduled-an activity at a certain place and time-rather than simply seeing everything around me as an opportunity to share in what God is already doing.

If you want to know how to pray for me and our team here are some specifics:

One of our translators, Mario, is really searching for deeper meaning in life and it is so obvious that God is working in his life and heart...pray that we may encourage him and just love on him and that he would continue to let his heart be softened by the Lord.

Also, pray for the men who live and work at El Puente (the AIM base here). They are all men who have completed a rehab program and are living at the base in return for their work to keep the place up, help run many of the ministries the base has, and in general are just serving the community we live in. Their lives are such a testimony of God's redemptive and life-changing power...pray that they may continually seek the Lord for their strength, joy and energy as they serve this city.

Pray for the ministry of Young Life that is starting up here. It is just beginning and there is already a lot of excitement among the kids here. Pray for leaders to rise up among the students and that God would be at work in their hearts.

There are so many other things...but that's a start! Thank you, as always, for reading my blog and sending so many encouraging emails! I love hearing how y'all are doing. I hope that it finds you well! God bless!

Finally in Granada!

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hola! We made it to Granada! After a week of training in Georgia, where we got to know our teams and leaders, we have finally arrived in Nicaragua. Training camp consisted of lots of team building activities, speakers on topics ranging from children's ministry to spiritual warfare. Overall it was a great time to get to know our teammates and also prepare our hearts for what lies ahead. I love my team, too! 10 girls, 4 boys, and 2 leaders. We have been getting along really well and everyone seems to be very excited about what we're going to be doing and learning together over the next 8 months. During our first full day in Granada we walked around the city. It is so beautiful-full of history with old cathedrals and the town square has so much culture. We also walked to the lake and the volcanoes and mountains in the distance looked so cool with the clouds hovering near them. That night, we met with Charles and Sarah Kaye, the full time missionaries on staff with AIM here, and it was so neat to see the base that they have spent the last year or so restoring, using it for a church they're starting, as well as other Bible studies and clinics they run out of the building. We had a chance to just worship together before dinner, which was amazing because there we were, a bunch of Americans and Nicaraguans together, worshipping the same God in two different languages. It was an awesome way to inaugurate this adventure. We've been having nightly soccer games on the street in front of our house where kids just come out of nowhere. I sat and talked to Chilu, one of our neighbors. She is an elderly woman who doesn't have a very big family. She sits outside of her house almost every night and I hope to continue our friendship. We laughed a lot as we were trying to understand each other since I speak so little Spanish, but hopefully I'll improve as the year goes along and we can go deeper with our friendship. She told me she only has one lung and isn't allowed to work in the hospital as a nurse any longer and she misses working. After sitting with her for about an hour, I had to leave but moments like that make me so excited to get to know the people in this city, to work with the various existing ministries, and also help start up new ones as well. Thank you for all your prayers, encouraging emails, and for reading this blog! I hope to update it at least weekly. More to come... I love and miss you all!!!

Adios Amigos!

Sun, 7 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Family and Friends,
I hope you all are doing well! Well, I am about to leave to start my mission's program in Nicaragua. I have a week of training and then I'll fly down on September 15. It is hard for me to believe how quickly time went by this summer and that September has finally arrived! God has been incredibly faithful in my support raising process and I want to thank each of you who contributed to me being able to afford this experience. I am so grateful to have all the prayer and support that I have felt from so many of you and it makes leaving all the more exciting as I know y'all are behind me.
While I am in Nicaragua I will have internet access but it may not be consistent. The best way to keep in touch will be via email and skype, and this blog. If you'd like me to email you when I update this blog, please let me know! My hope is that this blog will be a good way for me to be able to share what I'm doing and learning while in Nicaragua.
As I head out, I would love your thoughts and prayers for travel safety, team unity, and for God to be going ahead of us and preparing our hearts for what we are sure to learn in these upcoming months. Thank you all, again, for all your support and I am excited to share with you what God does in Nicaragua! I hope the start of fall goes well for all of you and I look forward to staying in touch!
Much love,
Becca

email: rebecca.chuckney@gmail.com

Mail: (no packages)
Rebecca Chuckney
In care of Charles & Sarah Kaye
Apartado 123
Granada, Nicaragua