Day #7 Update [October 19]

This morning Dave arose to a knock on his door at 5:45am.  It was Eduardo, bringing him more purified water and his clean clothes.  He was at V*rbo Chr*st*an School again before 7am for his morning coffee.  Regan made his way to Verb* school to meet up with Dave and to speak with a young teacher about helping out at Veracruz English Academy (VEA), since the teaching staff is down to Regan and "Teacher Giovani" and they need some additional help.  

While there, they learned that Amy (daughter of a friend of ours) was very sick.  She was throwing up in class and had a terrible stomach ache.  A very generous donor (THANK YOU!) contributed funds a year or so ago for One By One to purchase a 2011 Prado that Dave drives when we are there.  Good used vehicles in Nica are hard to find but we had the opportunity to purchase this one from the Mennonite community in Nicaragua.  We have developed a friendship with the Assistant Director of CAM in Nicaragua and his family, as we have helped each other over the last few years with medical clinics.  They are very meticulous about caring for what God has blessed them with, so the vehicle purchase was a great opportunity and has been used well in ministry thus far.  They were able to give Amy and her mom, Erica, a ride home, so her mom could let the ladies at the bakery (that they own and operate with their husbands), know she would be gone this morning while they took Amy to a medical clinic in Ticuantepe about a 30-minute drive away.  The men left the ladies there with money for a return taxi ride and lunch since they were going to be there for at least three hours, probably quite longer. 

On the way back to Veracruz, Regan and Dave stopped for breakfast and then returned to the Down's house to take care of some administrative business and finalize more plans for the rest of his time there this trip.  Receipts were provided for routine maintenance, a new timing belt, and insurance registration on the Prado; for the breakfast and lunch on Sunday's CBS training at New Jerusalem Church; a bicycle for Angel's transportation to class; and for Mateo’s rehabilitation and transportation costs, including special shoes.  Those items totaled $685.  Mateo is the little boy we met last summer who was a healthy boy before he fell in the dump behind their home and has been suffering from seizures and has not been able to walk or talk since then.  With your support since the summer, Mateo has been evaluated by specialists and is receiving much needed and potentially life-changing therapy.  Marcos, Mateo's dad said Mateo is getting a little better as he goes.  Dave noted that Marcos sounded encouraged but he knows that the family still hopes for more progress.  Will you please continue to remember this family in your prayers?  So much time went by between the accident and initiation of therapy, but we know God is the Great Physician and can heal Mateo completely if that is His will.  Thank you for supplying some of this family's needs (2 Corinthians 8:1-15) so they know they are not in this circumstance alone.  They are so very appreciative.  When you give to One By One, these are some of the many things that your money goes to support!  

On that note...Would you please be in prayer about if God is calling you to join One By One as a recurring supporter or to make a one time contribution to advance God's Kingdom in Nicaragua?  Many of you have been with us on this ministry journey from the beginning and we are SO THANKFUL for you and the way you faithfully pour yourself out, in prayer and financially, for others who you may never know in person.  Thank you for carrying the burdens of your brothers and sisters in Christ in Nicaragua (Gal. 6:2).  You are making a difference in the lives of so many and we hope you get a glimpse of the difference you are making through these updates.

The guys left Regan’s house around 12:30pm to pick up Angel (the lone young man still remaining from C*sa B*rnabe Orph*n*ge who now resides with a family on the V*rbo farm) to purchase his graduation clothes.  On the way out of Veracruz, they stopped at Carol's house to confirm she could go with them tomorrow morning for breakfast and school shopping.  The group traveled into Managua to Centro Commercial and then Huembes market, making a stop for lunch at Rosti Pollo in between.  They were able to buy some dress pants, a belt, white t-shirts, two dress shirts, socks, and new shoes for $110.  They were back in Veracruz at 6pm and stopped to confirm that Melisa and her mom would be able to join the shopping venture with Carol in the morning. 

Regan and Blanca’s V*rbo Church community group/bible study started at 6:30pm.  They studied John 5.  While Regan and Blanca had been involved in Community Bible Study (CBS) with another church, V*rbo was one of the new-to-CBS churches that attended the training last weekend.  They plan to start a CBS study of Genesis next week.  After the Bible study ended at 8:30pm, Regan, Dave and Teacher Giovani took Angel to the store to purchase some hygiene items and food for Dave's final three days in Nica.  Regan dropped the other three off at CasaB by 9:45pm.