Another day of visitors!

Our first surprise guest was Brad, who was driving by on his motorcycle and stopped by to say hello to the kids. The kids were overjoyed to see him. In the 15 minutes we were at Pollo Campero before his arrival they probably asked me 10 times if he was coming. They gave him a rock-star entrance, chanting his name and swarming him as if they hadn’t seen him in years.

To add to the excitement, Kiki and her brother, Rob, who’s visiting for a week, showed up shortly thereafter. The kids, especially the girls, love Kiki. Rob, who doesn’t speak any Spanish, was a quick favorite after assuming the role of a horse, giving rides to multiple boys at a time on his back. I think they had a really good time today.

One sad note – recently (the last 2 weeks or so) one or two kids remain on the corner washing cars each day while the rest of the kids come to lunch. They rotate, which, I guess, is better than having the same kids miss lunch every day. My efforts to convince all of them to come are always in vain.

After lunch Brad gave me a ride to the market on the back of his motorcycle – what fun! Even though it’s only about a 10 minute trip and we didn’t crack 25 mph it was still quite enjoyable. I got a haircut and did some Christmas shopping. The guy who cuts my hair always insists on slicking it back with an obscene amount of gel, thus assuring that I look like an Italian mobster when I leave. I am pretty sure that my attempts at haggling were taken a little more seriously with my new look, though. Last time I went to the market, with my parents, I got hopelessly lost. I vowed not to allow this to happen today. I was successful, but found myself erring to the other extreme as I walked by the same vendors at least four times. Oh well.

The market is on the same bus line as my neighborhood so I was able to ride my favorite, ruta 117, all the way home. I again find myself sitting by the pool enjoying a nice breeze. I will really miss this place when I return home. God has been so generous to me throughout this experience. I’ve been so blessed to have found the kids, great friends, and a wonderful apartment. Even more, though, I am reminded every day of how loved and supported I am by family and friends. As if these things aren’t enough, I’ve also experienced the blessing that comes through service. I came here trying to figure out how God wanted me to serve and have found myself on the receiving end of so much love. Nicaragua is a wonderful place. I know I will always remain involved here.