Making History(part two)

There is nothing like watching the slow, shy smile on a child's face begin as the tiny corners of that smile broaden from being loved on and accepted.  That to me is the best way to describe the scene this past Friday night as our team went into Zapoa, Nicaragua to pass out Christmas presents.  We had been traveling all day to get to La Cruz on Costa Rica's border.  We checked into the hotel and then quickly set out to make it across the border and into Nicaragua.  Already late, tired and sweaty we arrived to the extremely long line at immigration in Costa Rica.  My heart sank as I looked at the discouraging line and thinking about how all those children were waiting on us and now we were an hour and a half late in getting to them.  Susannah and I decided to see if our good friend, who happens to be the head of immigration for Costa Rica, was in her office.  It just so happened, that she was! (This was unusual for her to be there that late in the day).  I handed her the sugar cookies we made for her and she sweetly stamped our passports.  I watched as the line of North Americans and Europeans glared us down for being those able to bypass the line!  At once we set out quickly to cross the country line and enter Nicaragua.  We headed to the next office where our buddy, who is also head of immigration, was waiting for us to personally stamp our passports.  Once again, we bypassed the long line!  He was so excited to see us and know we were going all the way into the country past the border to have a smaller fiesta for the younger children (and it might have been because we made him cookies too!)  After he stamped us in, he ordered a patrol car to take us to the church in Zapoa from the border!  Although this was not my first time in Nicaragua, it was my first time to enter in a government vehicle with flashing lights and a siren!  We pulled up just in time to organize the gifts and pass them out to the anxiously awaiting children.  It was by far one of the best nights of my life and truly a moment I will never forget.  Pastor Rudy asked Susannah and I to sing for the church and Brian to preach.  It was awesome!



The next day (also morning of the BIG fiesta) I woke up with my head pounding and the feeling of a fever coming on.  I rolled over to see Susannah feeling about the same.  Here was one of the biggest days of our lives and we felt awful and missing home in a big way.  I called my Mom and in her sweet and encouraging way she said, "Sweetheart, get up because you have a job to do and then you get to come home!"  My mom was right and I mustered the strength to get up, get ready and face the task ahead.  We finished up the last minute errands and headed to the church to meet the youth and women who helped prepare the food.  We gathered in a giant circle, all of us sporting our fabulous T shirts, to pray one last time.  Then time to load up and head to border!  My heart did a little leap of excitement as I glanced back to see the caravan of cars, all the while marveling that this day had finally come.



Since the Costa Rican police have come to know Susannah and I, they allowed us to park at the patrol office inside the border where our cars would be safe.  Of course I took the Captain cookies too ;)!  Next stop customs check, where Susannah and I flashed our sweetest smiles, showed our badges and they waved our entire group through and did not need to check one single person.  Brian, however told them he would bring them a T shirt, which they were very excited to own.  The Kentucky gang and the Costa Rican gang joined forces to clean things up around the area the fiesta was to be held.  Soon to join in the cleaning and setting up would be the Nicaraguan gang.  While all the preparations were going down inside the border on the side of Nicaragua, Susannah and I set out to speak with immigration for Nicaragua.  The government welcomed us again with open arms and now we have become familiar faces to them!  They stationed armed guards around the entire perimeter of the fiesta and ensured the border guards let the young girls into our party.



The favor God has given us has been tremendous.  I am so in awe and humbled that He would choose me to be apart of something so amazing.  Our ministry Fuerza de Luz, is living up to it's name on the border!  I cannot wait to see all that God has in store for 2010.