DAY 3.

More rain today, but at least it didn’t rain in the house this time. The torrents of rain amaze me here, even with the rainy reputation Vancouver has, I still have never experienced any downpours quite like these ones!

Made a quick stop at the Masaya Volcano. This is a triple crater area with an active volcano that last erupted about twenty years ago. You had to plug your nose because of the sulphur gases, but if you listened closely, you could hear the hissing reverberating from the well of the crater. Apparently during the last Civil War, captured enemies were dropped from small planes into the centre of the crater. A rather inhumane way to rid yourself of rebels, I'd say. Very cool tourist attraction, all the same. And we are tourists, too, sort of. While there, though, the weather was very humid and hazy, so the view wasn’t that great. Then another major rainshower came through creating an unpleasantly overbearing smell of sulphur, and since inhalation of these gases is extremely toxic, we had to exit in a hurry.

Looking over the fence, into the depths of the smoking crater...

a long ways down and a nasty acidic stench.

Back at the house, a local lady and her sons came onto the property to weed and clean up the deck area. The littlest guy was named Brandon... I think he was around 2 years old, and he was running around barefoot and pantless, just a tee-shirt and some sort of makeshift diaper. But what a cute, cute face... dimples, sparkling eyes and curls. Undeniably adorable. Alana spied him almost immediately and scooted over to make friends with him. It's funny how with the language barrier, kids just seem to communicate somehow! She gave him a small gift, just some pencils and a notebook that we had brought from Canada, but the thrill and excitement on his precious little face almost reduced me to tears. Mwah.

Between rainshowers, Stew and I took a short walk down the road from Kyle and Ally's place to check out some of the neighbours. Boy it's sure hot here when the sun comes out. But with all the rain, we haven't had to worry too much about sunscreen yet! This type of weather suits me just fine!

Although the poverty here disturbs me, what is absolutely amazing is just how content these people are.
 

 

Above is the brick road along which Kyle and Ally reside.

Notice the runoff ditch for water overflow during the rainy season.

Below is a typical half-brick, half-plywood, doorless home that would house the average family,
complete with scrawny canine and maybe even a few chickens.

Above is a store, like your local 711, where you can purchase food, drinks and other provisions,

and even get internet access or watch the FIFA game. Priorities, eh?!

 
We met up with Andrew Z and a few others outside the El Valle hall, where they were picking up some of the young christians for Campamento. I only managed to take a few pictures before my camera decided not to cooperate. Argh... can't have that happening!
 

The hall in El Valle de la Laguna.

Meeting Jorlene (not sure of spelling, but it's pronounced JorLAYnay) was so special. We had prayed for her salvation for many months and she was Ally's first Spanish teacher. It was so encouraging for Ally when Jorlene and got saved in March of this year. Her brother Edwin and mother are also christians.

We packed up and have moved over to John and Joanne’s for a bit. Went to meeting in Masaya tonight. Man there's no shortage of meetings to go to here! Thoroughly enjoyed it... Stew spoke again with Ike interpreting. We met Katharine's relatives who care for her, and were introduced for the first time to some of the newer christians from Masaya for whom we have prayed. There are no words to describe the sheer joy of simply being with these Nicaraguan believers and observing their joy of salvation. You don't need to speak the same language to see that... their faces beam when they sing and they're happily sharing the scriptures with each other. And they, despite their earthly lack... and us, despite our earthly overabundance... we all share the same heavenly wealth... we are brothers and sisters in Christ.

"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 6)

DAY 2. Good Morning El Valle de la Laguna!

Awoke this morning around 7 o’clock from a long and restful sleep. Ally baked some fresh scones for breakfast. Delicious. She is quite the little homemaker. I’m so proud of her! Joanne and John came over for coffee. It was so nice to see them again. Trevor and Daniel are all grown up. Trevor is a mini Dave. Rebekah was happy to see the girls again and is staying tonight for a sleepover. All this girl noise is definitely a natural form of birth control for Kyle and Ally.

Drove through the torrential rain into the capital city of Managua to shop for groceries. Quite the sights along the way... some of the roads were totally flooded with brown, murky water. Nice. People everywhere, sitting around, walking, biking. With umbrellas, even on the bicycles. Oh, and locals also get from place to place piled into the beds of pick-up trucks. Some even have plastic chairs... nothing like your own personal comfort while traveling. On top of the incessant rain hammering on the roof of our van, there were deafening claps of thunder. And honking. Lots of it. Nicaraguan drivers honk in a beep-beep-I’m-here sort of way. Funny.

PriceMart is a big grocery store, kind of like Costco. Some things are really cheap, others quite expensive. We stocked up on the necessities, like chocolate and popcorn. The Ally-Sue mentality in the junk food department is cloned. Also got some coffee from El Coche, a specialty coffee shop. Tastes better than Starbucks. Well, almost. Sure was good. Must hit that place tomorrow, and the next day, and hopefully the day after that too.

Back to Kyle and Ally’s little pad. love it at their place... so peaceful and resort-like. You can sit outside on the covered deck, gaze out on the lake through the trees. Even with the pouring rain, it’s so warm and relaxing. Weird that you can be out in the rain here and not feel cold. Ah, this is the life.

Just got back from meeting in El Valle. Ate a late supper of steak, potatoes and green bean casserole, yummy, and compliments of Kyle and Ally.

Now to get all three little ladies in bed. Buenos noches.

DAY 1. Hello Nicaragua!

Heat and humidity of 100 degrees welcomed us at 11 o’clock this morning as we exited the plane in Managua. A balmy sensation, after this chilly summer we’ve been having in Vancouver. The flights were great, and this is our first of our long-distance travels that have been nausea-free. At the first sight of Kyle and Ally, who had come to pick us up at the airport, the girls squealed with sheer delight. It was a joyful hug-filled moment. After a lunch stop at Papa John’s for some all-American food, we continued on along the pot-holed highway to El Valle de la Laguna, and home to Kyle and Allison.

What a place this Nicaragua is. Poverty like I’ve never seen, nor could have ever imagined. An abundance of hot, humid, smoky smells. Scrawny dogs, cows and horses. People walking everywhere, or pedalling bicycles or riding in rickety old carts pulled by some breed of equestrian with which I clearly am not familiar. The public transportation buses are simply unbelievable. BC Air Care would never pass these diesel environment-polluting rust-buckets. But the scenery is astounding. Lush and green, a plethora of beautiful flowers and tall trees and leafy shrubs. Mountains too, just like home. Charmingly coloured birds that chirp and sing all day long. What a truly picturesque country. And the Nicaraguan children are gorgeous... tanned skin, pretty dark eyes and sleek black-of-blackest hair. And really friendly with their big smiles. I’m liking this Nicaragua already.

We spent a relaxing afternoon at Kyle and Ally’s place, enjoying the view, then watching the thunder and lightning storm. The rain here is warm but sure torrential, and sounds really loud on the roof! Comes right into the house too. Hello rainy season, nice to meet you.

In the evening, we drove to Bachert’s place for Campamento gospel meeting. Tried singing along in Spanish, which I’m sure was a source of amusement for the locals. Stew told his testimony, Mark interpreted. There were some 50 or so kids there, most of which were unsaved. Kyle and Ike spoke too. I was impressed with how attentive and respectful the kids were. Of course, not understanding the Spanish messages, I was largely entertained by the geckos who were busy catching bugs. What interesting little creatures. We were so excited to meet Katharine, our little sponsor child, for the first time. Such a doll. Hope to spend some more time with her during our visit.

Sleepless in Seattle.

Well, here we are, finally on our way to Nicaragua. It's 11:25 pm (way past MY bedtime!) and we're sitting at the Sea-Tac Airport, getting ready to board our flight to Houston TX departing at 12:55 am. Ninnies are out in full force. So far, so good.

We saw lots of fireworks going off on the drive to the airport tonight. Crazy amounts of money literally going up in smoke. I don't get fireworks, never have, but these friendly American neighbours of ours sure get into them in a big way on the fourth of July! Happy Independence Day to all my US friends!

Spent some quality time with some quality friends in Marysville this weekend. Eating, shopping, eating, visiting, eating and some more eating. I seem to do that so well. The eating part that is. Thank you wonderful friends for another fabulous weekend. We love you!

Birthday Girls.

We caved. Finally bought Nintendo DSs for the girls. Not for lack of pleading and begging for them on their part, mind you. But in selfish mode and anticipating a long and wondering-how-to-keep-the-girls-entertained flight to Nicaragua this summer, we figured this just might be the perfect gift.

So the presentations were made. Monday morning, 7:00 am. Miss Lannie's actual birthDAY, but Miss KP, of course, had to get her pressie too. Flying tissue paper. Digging deep into their gift bags. And what they found sent them into a frenzy of exhilaration. They were stoked. I don't think I've ever seen such happy little faces at 7 o'clock in the morning! Here they are.. in our bed.. enjoying their first Nintendo moments together.

They've since been traveling everywhere with us... first to Mickey D's for a celebratory birthday lunch (the birthday girl's choice, I know, in the food department we're raising our children well)... then the salon for a Princess Pedicure...

And even to Starbucks, for the birthday girl's favorite Frappe (like I said, we excel in the food department).

I'd say at this point that the Ninnies are a hit. So my hopes are definitely up for some peaceful travel time next Monday. Aaaaahhhh. Nicaragua.. here we come!

Dates To Remember.

I've been taking a trip down memory lane these days, reflecting on historical moments. Moments in our little corner of the world.

June 25th, 2004. A shocking and sad day when Curt was so suddenly taken from us. We still miss him, still talk about him. Still wonder, if he were here, just how he would fit into life with us now. So much has changed in six years. But with joy and tears, we anticipate that glad reunion day.

June 28, 2001. Boy, do I remember when Miss Alana Sharon made her grand entrance and melted our hearts. Tiny little bundle of cute femaleness, joining the then predominantly-male Wilson world. (And for the record, we're ahead in the female department now. Girls are up, 6-5. Haha, who would've thought??!) So tomorrow Miss Lannie turns 9. So tall, so confident, so grown-up. Wow. Simply unbelievable. Happy birthday, lovely lady!

July 29, 2002. The arrival of the naughty little sister, Kayleigh Priscilla. Who now turns 8 in a month and a day. Another wow and simply unbelievable fact. Our little Fidget Midget. A chitterchatterbox, with random facial expressions and verbal outbursts that send us into choking fits of laughter. Love her to pieces. Happy Birthday, Missy Prissy!

July 10, 1998. A Marriage, a Move and a bunch of little Men. Met and married this Stew, the wonderful man who wooed and won my heart... said good-bye to family and friends in Toronto and moved 3,000 miles away to the never-before-visited Vancouver... and inherited four sons to boot. Quite an adjustment, but somehow I've gotten from there to here. Plenty of hurdles and challenges along the way. But for this 12-year learning journey of love and commitment, I have no regrets. Happy Anniversary to my darling hubby. Love you more than you know.

Two or three.

Yesterday was a big day of change for us.

Having fellowshipped for a long while with the Carleton believers, earlier this year we concluded that God was calling us to fellowship instead with the christians at Fleetwood. Our first thoughts of this were a couple of years ago, when we became aware of the smallness of this little group. We prayed for guidance, not knowing His will. In His time, He answered. In some ways, so much clearer than we could have imagined.

So yesterday was our first day of remembering the Lord with the Fleetwood christians. As I sat in the circle, looking across at the other believers, I couldn't help but think of Matthew 18:20.
"For where two or three are gathered together in My Name..."
Compared to Carleton, it definitely felt like there were only two or three in that little group. But the rest of the verse is beautiful,
"...there am I in the midst of them."
How precious, that regardless of how many, His promise is the same. HE is there! What a blessing, to think afresh of Him, remember His love and suffering for me, and be confident of His unseen presence. Even amidst the two or three.

From a human emotion standpoint, it was a bittersweet day. Missed our friends at Carleton, yet we felt so welcomed by our new friends. We didn't say too much to the girls or ask them any questions. But on the way home from gospel meeting, Alana announced, "I like it at Fleetwood." Boom. Just like that. Kind of out of the blue. It surprised us. We asked why. She said, "Well, I like my new friends there. And there are blackberry bushes and bunnies out back." Kayleigh chimed in her five cents worth too. Said she missed Anna, but otherwise all was good. So the transition day ended on a positive note. Thank You, Lord.

Yesterday was also Father's Day. Had a fun family dinner together with the whole bunch, except for Kyle. Missed him. Looking forward to seeing him in a couple of weeks.

Happy Father's Day, Stew... the best daddie any of my kiddos could have!

Baking Up A Storm.

I'm sitting here.. and the aroma of fresh baking is filling my kitchen. Went on a blitz tonight. Created some yummy treats that totally annihilate the healthy eating plans of the calorie-wise. This is the world of sugar and spice, and all things nice.

Lemony crunchy squares.

All the better to pucker up with, my dear.

Found this recipe in an old, old, book that came from the old country. Typewritten. So it has to be ancient. Anyways, I had vague memories of eating these squares as a child.... and they turned out every bit as delightful as I remember.

 


The red of the raspberry.

Raspberry Almond.
&
Raspberry Chocolate.

Divine and divine.

Apples and carmel.

This recipe was a bit of work putting together each layer. Peeling and slicing all those spartans was a messy job, and cookin' them down with the cinnamon seemed to take forever.

But then I had my first bite.










Puffed Wheat revisited.










Don't worry.
Only little bits and pieces were sampled by the on-site residents. A plateful was shared this morning with some folks who obviously aren't waist-line conscious. The rest is on it's way to the freezer.

Milestone Birthday.

This week we celebrated Grannie Wilson's 80th birthday.

Casual family get-to-gether at their favorite restaurant, MeN'Eds.

Best pizza in town.

She was thrilled. Happy birthday Mom!

A Month of Nature, Science, Swimming.

May was busy. Fun, but sure flew by.

Barnston Island is an idyllic, peaceful little place... off the beaten track, away from the humdrum and clamour of the city rat race. Literally 10 minutes from our house, but in the six years we've lived here, have never been. So, one overcast Saturday morning we finally took the tugboat ferry across to Barnston Island. The girls rode their new bikes along the 10 k trail. Untouched, natural charm. So tranquil. Stew and I walked. The sun came out around noon, and provided some warmth. It turned out to be a delightful little outing. Will definitely return.

May was also Space Month in school for Lannie. That entailed completing a planet project for a class presentation. The planet of choice? Mars. In this chocolate-addicted family, why ever not!?

May also began some swimming lessons for the girls.. twice a week for five weeks. We're halfway through the program now, but I must admit I'm done. Done with the extra running and extra laundry. Like I don't have enough already. But the little mermaids are totally enjoying themselves and are very proud of their progress. We are too, deep down. Next swim stop.. Kyle and Ally's pool. Nicaragua.