A Very Rough Update!

Hola Family! Just for warning you this is going to be a very quick and rough blog.

Also there are dome photos on facebook under Nicaragua Album!

The team arrived 2 days ago. I didn't know what my emotions would be when they got here, but I was actually extremely excited and to my surprise felt I was ready to leave! I had prayed earlier in the week that if I was meant to go that He would make me ready and prepare my heart! And that He did! So much has been going on and I feel like I haven't has sufficient time to minister the way I want to, but absolutely feel now that I will get that opportunity to poor out the Love of God the the many people I will encounter! I never got to live with the old woman, but I did visit her often and bought her a radio so she could listen to sermons on Sundays. I have no Idea what God has in sore for me this coming season, but I definitely feel it will be to learn more so how to go with the flow! I have been very tired the past couple of days because God Woke me at 2:40am to pray so I did for the rest of the night. Then woke me up early this morning as well. We have a new member on our team joining from the Mateo 5:16 ministries named Addison. I am not sure what tomorrow will look like. Saying goodbye to all the kids. Full of lots of tears I am sure! God is good and I only want to do His will! Please continue praying for my health and the teams safety. Please also be praying for Mateo 5:16 ministries because they are not happy to see me go. They were hoping I would hear from God to stay with them and here at the ministry, but I have just not heard that yet. I am struggling with feeling a little bit of pressure because of that, but I will be having a chat with them as soon as possible! I love and Miss you all my family and Sorry if I am leaving anything out! My brain is way to scattered at the moment.

Blessings to you all! Happy Holidays. Sorry this was such a short update!

Love, Rachael Michelle

The Place I Want To Call Home.

I thought I might use this blog to tell you all about the kids here at the base and the current state of the country.

Right now the ministry takes care of 7 girls and 2 boys. The girls are Flor who is 17 years old, Raquel and Patricia who are both 16, Maria who is 11, Stacey and Emy who are both 9, and Elieta who is 8. The boys are Samuel 12, and Moses 6. I have been able to hear some of the stories of the kids and they are literally heartbreaking. Stories like Flor and Samuel's, who are siblings and also both products of rape by there mothers father. Their entire life they have been teased and tossed around used for Sexual favors until they were brought to this ministry. Samuel was taught by the time he was 7 years of age how to smoke, drink, fight, do very perverted things to women, and many other horrible things. Samuel and Flor both have learning problems and are very insecure. Emy is from the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua and was used for sex between all of the males in her family from the time she was 4 until she was brought here when she was 8. Almost every child’s story is like this or similar (some not at horrific). It is completely heartbreaking. This country is full of Children (who are supposed to be the parents) taking care of children. The people here are stuck in a cycle of abuse, men abandoning their families and having many families at once. It is very similar to African families. I have been praying a lot that God would cleanse this nation that He would wash over this nation, that purity will be restored to this nation! God gave me a revelation about the purpose in creating different ethnic groups and cultures in the world. He says we are all created in His image. So doesn't that apply to cultures and ethnic groups as well? God created the Latino people to be very loving and family oriented and touchy-feely people, but through sin, what was created for good and to be an example of the love and affection of Father God was perverted and now the Latino culture is considered one of the most sexual cultures in the world. I have been interceding a lot for the direction God wants me to take. He called me here for a purpose and slowly I have been learning what that purpose is. I know I will be back here in this country again learning to Love in a way that God would Love. I was very quickly surprised at how God has really used me to bring His guidance and wisdom to a ministry that has been around for a very long time. If we let him He will use in many ways!

One thing I find is very difficult to remember in a place like this is to thank God for the little things. Thank Him for the things going on in front of you instead of being discouraged with all the heart ache going on around you. I think that is why “stopping for the one” is so important because we are not God and if we look at the big picture all the time it is very easy to become discouraged and even give up! He really is doing some amazing things here. “Do not despise the day of small beginnings” seems to be a reoccurring theme here. Please be praying for more up right Godly male role models to impact this country. They are so needed and could really make an impact on this country.

I got a new. One of my team members who arrived here early from England. Her name is Susie she is a very sweet women and I am so thankful to have her here with me praying and interceding. Last night (November 22, 2011) we had Church, which is normally on Wednesday nights, And Holy Spirit fell! Praise Jesus. That is what I have been praying for in this church since my first Sunday here! People were really touched!

I learned last night that I have become famous here in Diriamba. Apparently when Juanita my house mom went out to the Market. Some drunk men were asking about me! I am not sure what to think of this news! I think I am just going to take it as an opportunity to minister! Thank you Jesus! Haha. I also learned my team should be arriving tomorrow afternoon! I am a little embarrassed to say when I heard this news I wanted to cry! I in one way am so excited to see my team members, but in another way heart broken because I have to leave my family and new home. Please be praying that this transition is as pain free as possible! Just thinking about leaving them now is so painful. What was meant to be a week turned into 3. So by the time I leave here It will have been here a month, a month that feels more like a year! Lynne and Glen Schweitzer the founders of this ministry have already told me that I am welcome at any point God calls me here to stay and work with them in this ministry! Which is a huge honor to be so welcomed and wanted. I know God is calling me back to this place. I just need confirmation in the timing. Please pray with me about this issue. For it is one very, very dear to my heart! The relationships I have made here are irreplaceable! As well as the things I have learned about myself and what God created me for! At the moment the ministry is looking for a substitute house mother so Juanita, the current house mom, can take a break! They are really praying for a married couple so that the boys will have a male role model at the base!

All in all everything is well. Please be praying for my health has I have had a lot of stomach pain, especially in the morning. Also have been very tired and drowsy from all the carbohydrates and lack of green foods.

I wanted to add the weather here is immaculate! Seriously there is always the most beautiful breeze and the heat is never over barring!

I love you all so much and am so thankful for each and everyone of you! All you North Americans have a blessed Thanksgiving and always remember the significance of the date rather than just eating and sleeping. I urge all of you to really press into the him this November 24 and realize what you have to be thankful for! Which is a lot!

Many blessings to all of you!

Love,

Rachael Michelle

Zechariah 4:6 -Then he answered and spoke unto me, saying, This is the word of Jehovah unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts.

P.S. I will have many pictures up soon! I promise!

Two Weeks Down and More At Home Than Ever!

Since I am able at the moment I am writing another Blog.

First, I miss you all so much and am so thankful for your prayers and support the past few weeks I pray God blesses you so much in return. There has been a lot going on here in Nicaragua. The kids here at the Lakinta base where I am staying, in the village of Diriamba, have grown very attached to me and I to them. I love them so much and I am trying very hard not to think about when I have to leave. I got the opportunity to teach them the “Shackles dance” with a few of my own changes. They loved it especially the older ones, to my surprise. They loved learning a new dance and I am just happy it was difficult for them because I was afraid it might be to easy!

The older boys (16-20 years old) who lived here at the base were asked to leave to go back to the families they do have because Juanita is the only women living here taking care of everyone and it was to difficult (initially this base was supposed to be a base just for children not the youth). It has been a very sad last couple of days because of that.

Also please join with me in prayer for the church here on the base. God has really placed it on my heart and it has been through some major problems. There are a lot of changes happening and the community is not adjusting to them. A new pastor, Pastor Manuel and his wife Elesia, have been placed in charge because the previous one caused a lot of conflict in the ministry and the village. However, the community do not want to submit to the new pastor and his wife, especially the youth. This past Sunday Pastor Manuel asked me to preach. At first I said I didn't think it was a good idea, but it didn't take long for God to remind me of the promise He has given me. So I went back to him and said yes. There wasn't huge shift in the atmosphere, no one got healed, and no one was rolling on the floor after I preached, the time I had to share what was on my heart I believe was really for me. I was nervous, but the entire time I was on that stage I could feel God with me and I knew this was only the beginning.

Since I have been here God has given me many dreams about Nicaragua and this ministry in particular. Because of this I have gotten the opportunity to poor into the founders Lynne and Glen who in return, for the time being, have become mentors to me as well as asking for my help in important matters. They have prophesied many incredible things over me and have lifted me up in a major way. I am so blessed and humbled to be here.

Communication is actually getting a lot better! I can understand most of what people are saying to me. Still can not say that much, but definitely more than when I got here and more than I would have learned if I was just around people who speak English all the time! I play lots of Futbol (soccer) with the youth in the village. I found my spot as goal keeper I am actually not bad! I have grown very close to one girl Patricia who is 16 she is so cute and I have really been able to poor into her and she into me. At first we never understood each other, but through the grace of God we can actually communicate pretty well. It takes a while, but we get there. I took here for Ice cream in Jinotepe (which is where the Hotel Mateo, the hotel rented out by the ministry, is. It is about a mile walk and then a 20 min micro-bus ride from where I am staying in Diriamba) and one of the Sundae's on the menu was called ARCO IRIS! Haha I tried to take a picture but it was to far away. I am eating a lot of rice and beans about the same as African rice and beans. However I also get lots of other foods like potato, plantains, homemade tortillas, I got pineapple this morning! I was so excited. However, I did have some of the water on accident a few times and got to feeling pretty sick, but as of today I don't feel so bad! Praise Jesus! I contacted some of you to pray! And I am feeling it!

This country needs a lot of prayer its President Daniel Ortega is a dictator. The elections were just last week and many riots broke out when it was found out he cheated his way into being re-elected. His wife is a professed witch and has brought many other witches into the country to be in her coven. She has bribed many churches with money into hanging up campaign flyers covered with witchcraft. Hope has left almost all of what I have seen of Nicaragua. Especially the youth. There is some crazy statistic here that says 75% of the population is under 35years of age. So there is a lot of hopeless and dreamless people.

Many people come to Nicaragua to help, but they just give and give only making the spirit of greed and lust even bigger. God has shown me how important it is to rely on His strategies when going into countries like this. The people do not need more stuff. They need God, but have yet to see it.

I am definitely missing my church and especially worship! The worship here is basically 2 girls on stage singing songs in Spanish I have never heard without instruments. It is a difficult adjustment.

Thank you again for all your prayers and support may God bless you 100 fold!

Love,

-Rachael Michelle

The First Week.

Hola! Mi Amigos and famalia!

This is the real update. I actually have more time and my computer with me! So it has almost been a week since I left you all to go Follow Jesus! My flight was fantastic! I had three section one seats to myself the entire three hour flight. I had prayed before I left for God to make divine appointments in the seats beside me, but He spoke through my mom who told me to rest! And that I did!

The ministry I am staying with until my team meets up with me is called Matthew 5:16 ministries (http://ministeriomateo516.org/web/) Founded and lead by Glen and Lynne Schweitzer. They are the sweetest people. When I arrived I was able to sit down and have lunch with them to learn more about them and their ministry. Papa Glen is the biggest and best papa and rightly so in a nation that has been deprived of fathers! The ministry has been going through a lot of changes and is in a bit of a financial situation. So if you feel lead at all I suggest looking over their website and sewing into them anyway possible. I am meeting with them this week to pray with them about the situation and what my place here for the time is!

I was able to get a SIM card for the balckberry given to me before I left. However, my charger got mixed up with the super glue in my bag.... So please pray I am able to find one like it that I can buy.

The ministry is renting out this amazing hotel where many of the teams that come stay. However, since I am running solo for the time being I am staying at the children's base about 30 mins away. Highly less westernized, but it is how I prefer it. No mirrors and cold bucket showers.

The weather here is amazing! Not to hot or to cold, but there is always an amazing breeze! I learned it had rained for 3 weeks 24/7 prior to the day I arrived. It has not rained during the day since I got here, but the roads are so bad from the previous rain and the rain during the night that it is very difficult to get to the base where I am staying.

As I said before I am the only English speaking person at the base. Communication takes a while if at all. I often feel very lonely and the days are long, but I do get plenty of time to spend with Jesus. I have leaned how to say "can I help you" because other wise I am just sitting doing nothing. Often I can hear them talking about me, but it is so frustrating because I don't know what they are saying....

There are about 5 kids 11 and under (4 girls and one boy) and about 10 kids 15-19 years of age (6 boys and4 girls). The younger kids love me and have adapted to me very well they love to play.. a lot! However, the older kids have not warmed up to me completely, but I can see I am growing on them especially a girl named Patricia who is 16.

There is a house mama. Mama Juanita she is so great and the kids love her as if she was there real mother. I have learned a lot from her in such little time. She lets me help make supper I learned how to make real Tortillas 2 night ago.

I love this Family God has brought me into they have blessed me so much! I am going to be so sad when I have to leave them! I know in these next few weeks as I wait for my Iris team to arrive God has a lot in store! Hopefully I will be able to get out into the village beside the base and meet more people. Pray Jesus sends someone who understands English!

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support! Please keep them coming! I am so blessed to of been given this opportunity and I can not wait to see what God does in my life and in yours!

Muchas Gracias!

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Rachael Michelle

This will be very short. Not much Time.

I have arrived In Nicaragua. I am going to be here about 2-3 weeks before my team arrives. I am staying at a small base with Matthew 5:16 ministries. The base I staying at has running water and electricity. However it doesn't have anyopne who speaks English fluently. Also it has rained 24/7 for 3 weeks prior to my arrival so the roads are destroyed no cars can drive on them only a 4 wheel drive land rover can male it.
I have my own room and toilet. And God is really teaching me a lot. I wake up every morning to a sheep named Princess at my door and very loud parrots tyrying to talk. Please continue to pray as I am figuring out what God has for me and my time here. I fixed a sewing maching this morning, and am going to the market in a bit. I will try and get pictures up if I ever get internet working on my computer!
Love you all and miss you lots and lots!
Love,
Rachael Michelle