Location Update

We are doing well. We had a very busy and productive past two weeks traveling and gathering information. Rob wrote last week about an important encounter we had with Walter Lopez, educational director of the district of Muy Muy.

Since that encounter we've traveled to Muy Muy several times in search of land. It is draining on one's physical constitution traveling by bus, researching land to buy in a foreign environment without fluently speaking the language, and walking in the hot sun. Long, exhaustive, stressful days.

In the meanwhile, Anna got sick. Prior to this she was working on a video but was unable to finish. Last Monday she, Rob, and Julio (friend from Puerto Sandino), had a very long, exhausting day in Muy Muy. I stayed back and prayed. On that day they made valuable contacts. (Longer story). They came back to Matagalpa and went again on Tuesday, saw land, and came back late. They were very exhausted!. Rob was covered in sweat. So was Julio. Julio's eyes were bloodshot. Anna knew she was sick. The next day she felt worse.

Rob wanted to go to Muy Muy again. This time he would rent a truck instead of going on the bus. We asked Anna to go but she did not want to go because she did not feel well and was afraid she'd get sicker. I did not want to leave her. She said it was okay for us to go and she would stay and rest so we left. While away she became worse. We left Wednesday and came back Thursday. Anna was pretty sick with fever, severe head pressure, and malaise. Yesterday she did not communicate much - just rested. Thank the Lord she woke up this morning feeling much better.

Yesterday morning while at Muy Muy, Rob and I scouted for land. Prior to this I prayed that the Lord would direct us and send His angel to go before us. Two potentially good things happened in regards to land prospects. Walter gave us a map of the Muy Muy district and highlighted the poor communities where we could search. One side was more "jungle-like" in topography and the other/opposite side of the area more flat - plain like. Rob asked me where we should look first. I did not know so I let him decide. He chose the plain side.

As we drove through this area I felt peace and calm because of the pastoral feeling of the area. We continued driving and I saw a restaurant - store front. These types of outdoor restaurants are typical here. I asked if we should stop here and inquire if they know anything about land being for sale. I've done this type of thing several times but it always makes me a bit stressed because of the language barrier. The place is clean, neat, and nicer than most outdoor places of this type. I usually begin by asking, "Hablas Ingles?" which means, "Do you speak English?" In this case, the proprietor did speak English and spoke it well.

Emma told us that she had purchased two manzanas (about 3.4 acres) a year ago for $6,000 per manzana. She told us that the owner had several manzanas and that she would help us to talk with the owner. We agreed that we'd come back to her place on Sunday. It turns out that she and her husband, Manuel, are evangelical Christians.

Their restaurant is called "Emmanuel" which is a take off of her first name and his name. Emmanuel means "God with us", which she deliberately wants to convey. During our conversation another young man came. This man is the person who built her house and restaurant, doing everything except the electrical work. This was interesting to me because, on a side note, Julio told us last week that by trade he is an electrician but does not get much work in Puerto Sandino as an electrician.

Emma told us that this man was quiet and is skilled. I am not a judge of construction but her place looked good. I felt thankful because now we have contact of a potential person who can help us with construction and a new Christian friend who wants to help us find land. We ended with prayer. She prayed in Spanish so her husband could understand. I understood pretty much, if not all, that she said. She prayed entirely for us. That God would guide us. That God would bless us. That God would bless the community through us. She kept repeating this several times.

This was a lovely encounter for me personally that I asked Rob to take a video clip afterwards so we could share. The second blessing we received yesterday was that Marcos, a Nicaraguan land developer, and business man that Rob and Anna met last Monday (another story), went considerably lower in price to what he originally quoted Rob. Rob is thrilled about this as this property is "prime" property.