Day #6 Update [October 18]

In the mornings while Dave is getting coffee at V*rbo Chr*st*an School, he has been able to see some old friends (teachers, administrators, and parents bringing their children to school).  That is a perk of not having coffee at the Team Center.  God did not intend for us to be alone, and while Dave traveled to Nicaragua alone, I am thankful for the friends who walk alongside us in ministry and for those who we don't see very often (in Nicaragua, in the USA, and in other countries around the world) but with whom we are united in Christ (Psalm 133:1).

Today is focused on Veracruz English Academy (VEA) again.  After the 8-10am class, Regan and Dave took his van to the mechanic (the human mechanic, not the dog that sleeps under his van) because it had been making a loud noise.  After some crude but effective diagnostics, they left the van for some work to be done.  After a stop to pick up Regan and Blanca's grandson, Elias, and another student from school at 12:30pm and another stop to make copies for the afternoon classes they headed back to VEA.  Several students who were walking to class were picked up along the road to finish their trek in the car.  When they arrived, there were several students already there waiting.  Being the last day of class for the trip for Dave, he recruited the Eskimo (ice cream) man to come to school and provide ice cream for all the kids.  Between 4 teachers, 60+ students, a few parents who sit outside the gate on a cinder block wall waiting for their children, some timely passers by, and one transit bus driver, they bought $44 worth of ice cream.  The Eskimo man waited outside the school all day and after the five o’clock class he told Dave he was very appreciative.  It is always a lucrative day for him on Eskimo day. 

After the last class ended, the guys picked up Pastor Lionel and his 17 year old son, Emanuel, who is a VEA student.  They went to two of the five CBS groups from his church, Camino el Cielo (CeC).  Pastor Lionel was trained in our charter CBS class prior to the civil unrest.  Since last April his church has had three groups.  Members from CeC attended the training last weekend, so that puts them at five groups now.  Dave said he was very proud of the progress they have made toward having everyone in the church being in a healthy CBS group.  

Dave thought he was going to just be a part of each of the groups for the night like we did last summer, but after they arrived at the first group, the Pastor introduced Dave as the speaker for the night and he quickly began to pray fervently.  He was hot and sweaty, in shorts and a T-shirt, and said he hadn’t shaved since he'd been there.  He was also soaking wet from getting in and out of the car going to the homes in the hard rain.  He said he went with his “old faithful” and talked about me for 20 minutes each time.  As are the churches, the groups are made up of mostly women, so he said his topic was a big hit.  He said he stressed the importance of doing lessons each of the five days and attending the groups.  He encouraged them with some of his personal experiences as a group member.  He shared that many people asked questions and told what CBS had meant to them already.  One Facilitator (equivalent to our Core Group Leaders at CBS) shared that he was being honest when he said he was a little reluctant at first, but when he saw the results of CBS in his own life and how it was affecting others, he volunteered to start two more groups until they could get more folks trained last week.  For those of you who "do" CBS in the USA, this was much like our end-of-the-year Share Day and made it a heart-warming end to an already fantastic day.  After attending the 6-7:30pm group and the 7-8:30pm group, they went back to Mi Ranchito Restaurante for dinner and finished up around 9:30pm. 

Earlier in the day, Dave saw Carmen, Rudolpho's mom.  This is a lady he has only met twice in 16 years, but she told Dave that the day before the guys came to visit with her and her son, Rudolpho had really had a bad day and they had a blow up between them.  She said he really needed the visit (and she did also) and she expressed that she saw a positive response from Rudolpho immediately after they left and that he was also in better spirits that morning.  Dave shared with me that the night before, when they were hugging goodbye, Rodolfo grasped Dave extremely tight as he was pulling away, so they hugged a little longer.  Dave asked Carmen to keep Regan and Blanca informed of Rudolfo's progress in school and at home.  She agreed.  It is good to have a friend.  "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.  But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" Ecclesiastes 4:9-10