Embarking on a journey to change lives...Day 1

After months of preparation, we finally began our journey to Managua, Nicaragua this morning. Thousands of dollars were raised so that we could have the opportunity to build a house for a family here in Nicaragua. The Nica Crew arrived early in the morning to pack the school bus with luggage filled with both personal items as well as hundreds of donated shoes and school supplies. After the bus was packed, we reported to our first period. We were all restless sitting in class anticipating our early departure from school in order to head to Miami International Airport. Once the bell rang, the Nica crew came together to gather at the bus. After we were all accounted for, we prayed together as a group. We prayed that God's light would shine through us during this week. We prayed for wisdom, safety, and life changing experiences for our crew as well as the people we will be serving. After our prayer, we loaded the bus and headed to the airport. We anxiously awaited to board the plane. All of us are incredibly excited to be God's hands and feet this week. The plane ride proved to be a smooth one which ended with a perfect landing drawing applause from the passengers. Once we walked out of the airport, we all realized the harsh reality we had stepped into. One of the first images we saw was the sight of a little boy begging for money. The pain in his eyes matched the pain in our eyes as we had to turn him away. We stepped on our bus in Nicaragua which has been assigned to drive us. As we drove through Managua, several scenes struck a chord with our group. We noticed the beaten houses which are really more like tin shacks. We observed the graffiti that covered the capital city. The kids on the streets were covered in dirt and ripped clothes. They were out there begging for money and food. One guy from the group exclaimed "when I was seven, I lounged on my couch and watched animal planet everyday. But wow...these kids are out on the streets begging for money. Crazy. Just crazy." Clearly the kids on the streets have grown up in extremely different situations than us. It is truly a disheartening sight to see a six year old girl clothed in dirt and poor clothing on the streets. I was incredibly grateful that we will be able to play with the kids in the orphanages. Instead of begging on the streets, these kids are safe in orphanages and we will be able to show them a love that passes all understanding, God's love. As we continued to drive through Managua, the images continued consistently. We noticed that every single bus was completely stuffed with people as if they were sardines in a can. The men and women in the buses were so tightly packed that their limbs were pressed onto the windows. We finally arrived at the ranch where we will be sleeping during this trip. Chachi, the director of open hearts missions, gave us a briefing on what to expect and told us the details of the family we will be building a house for in the coming days. As I write this blog, we are singing worship songs around the hammocks and doing our nightly devotional. We are filling up with God's spirit so we can be charged and ready to serve with all of our hearts. This trip is filled with expectancy and I am absolutely certain that God will move in us and more importantly move in this city through us. Cover us with your prayers as we embark on a journey to spread God's love in the city of Managua.