visiting brookside and gr

It's time again to head back to the motherland...back to the motherchurch.  I plan to arrive back on the 14th and stay until the 4th.  If you're interested in grabbing a meal together or a coffee or anything please shoot me an email (or hit up the contact page from the link above) and we'll try to work out a good time to do that.  I haven't been very good

matching shirts

How many of you, I wonder, have ever showed up to an event and you've got the same shirt on as a baby...and you also have the same name as that baby?  That's how I made it onto the blog of one of some good friends from Nicaragua!  Click here to go see their blog... and a photo!

end of November

As always, there's probably too many stories to tell in the length of this blog since I've again waited so long to send an update.  Here are the topics I hope to hit: school visits and the computer refurbishing program, the FRB video contest, an outing with the kids, and the return of the Dama.

from managua to miskitos to malaria

When I say a lot has happened since the last post, it's no joke. I expected to blog a couple of weeks ago after returning from two one-week Participatory Video projects. The first one was south of Managua in a very new 'land bank', and the second was along the Rio Coco, in a community known as Wiwinak, accessible only by boat. Both of those projects could easily take up several blogs on their own. But then after returning from the second week out of town, I was thrust into a couple of other smaller projects, and couldn't find the time to

quick saludos

I'm about 5 minutes from heading out for two weeks to the campo (the country) where I'll be doing another round two rounds of participatory videos.  First, I'll be south of Managua near Jinotepe, and then I'll be heading for Wiwinak, on the Rio Coco (there was a plane crash here a while back, some of you may remember this).

For now, I want to leave you with a video to show you the type of project that we're going to be working on. This video was edited down from its original version and translated into english. The original can also be found on our youtube channel if you want to watch it in spanish. Here's the link! Enjoy!



Check back in a couple of weeks for some photos and maybe some video.  I look forward to coming back and updating you on how it went!  Please pray that it goes well, that Farid, my assistant for the participatory video projects, really grows into his position even more during these next two weeks.  They will be pretty intense, as the only power will be generator-produced, and the only water will be river water and water we bring in!  And the only place to go to the bathroom will be an outhouse! Come to think of it, please pray for good health as well! I've been very blessed to have had no major problems so far!

I'd also like to just quickly say how nice it was to see so many of you during my last visit to the States and Canada!  More in a couple weeks!

in the news

Just came across an article featuring myself and the teacher training program for computer teachers.  I found it through a facebook page... I'm still struggling to understand how facebook works, because

video: the 5¢ tour

Thought there might be some of you who want to see where I live. Here's a quick run through.

chepe and farid

Thanks for coming back to check out the next post--I'm glad you're here! I think we all agree too much time has passed since I wrote last. I'm just getting back at it after my first break since December!

i *am* actually still here...

...I've just been a bit too busy to write another blog. Things are constantly crossing my mind of things I want to share with my readers and supporters, but then I'm often too busy at work, and I have no internet at home! (It's something I've been looking into--now, if I could just find it at the right price)

I'm in the middle of a video for the Nehemiah Center at the moment. It will be about 10 minutes, and will lay out some of the context of our work, as well as explaining the key concepts for the way the Nehemiah Center exists and functions. Even though we only have about three weeks to finish it, it still feels like we've just begun. We've filmed several interviews that will serve as the main body of the video, outlining the three main pillars of the NC: biblical worldview, community development, and collaboration. I'll be creating a look and feel for the video and working on the introduction in the next couple of days, and we'll also be heading out of Managua to film a little more for the collaboration section of the video.

There's a lot more to tell, but I've gotta get back to that video project!

Prayer items:

- pray for lots of creativity in the NC video
- pray for Nicaragua, its people and its leaders as they gear up for another presidential election this fall
- pray that I'll have time to get another blog update out soon!

schedule for next two weeks

Thought I'd share a brief overview of our schedule for the next couple of weeks in case you're curious or would like to hold us up in prayer.

Wednesday 24

Today Derek and his dad are making a trip to León for two main reasons. First,

another quickie

Good afternoon! Here's a quickie because I don't have much time. Tomorrow evening Derek Schuurman arrives from Redeemer University, where I graduated. He was my computer science prof, and is coming here under that capacity to train local teachers and students in that field. I've been working very hard to arrang for invitations for him to speak at both Christian and secular universities, as well as to a group of Christian profs from Managua. The impetus for the trip is to support the local Christian schools association by helping refurbish some computers and training a group of 15-25 Christian school computer teachers, with whom he'll be spending two days.

We're very excited to have him, and I'm also feeling the pressure at this point! We didn't find out until a few weeks ago that he would be coming, so preparations have been maid in a hurry. This post is mainly to ask for your prayers during the next two weeks while Derek is here. He's coming tomorrow, November 23, and leaving December 4. Lots of things will have to go right in terms of logistics: power, transportation, food, housing, health, safety, and more. I know that it is all in the Lord's hands, but I also know that more people raising this trip before the Lord the better! Please pray for the hearts and minds of all of those who will hear Derek speak. Please pray for the translators, who will have their work cut out for them, and pray for Derek as he leads various workshops. Pray that we'll be able to make some valuable connections with Christian educators. And remember me as well, as I try to coordinate everything to the best of my ability so that God will be lifted up and his name known more fully in more places.

I uploaded a few photos from the most recent training I did with the Christian computer teachers. In the same album are photos of my week in Santa Lucia where I did a training with the farmers there through our partner ACJ (YMCA). We trained them to use our video equipment and then asked them to make a film about their community. Hopefully I'll get a chance to share more about that later. For now here are the pictures...

By the way, we call the group of teachers "RedProCom" which means Network of Christian Computer Teachers. I guess it could be NetComTea in English. Oh, and I just realized that I do have the photos from the Video trip and the computer training separated. Here they are:

RedProCom 2


PV Santa Lucia

quick update

These next two weeks will be quite busy. On Thursday (November 4), we'll be hosting the second computer teacher trainings at the Nehemiah Center. We'll be focusing on things that will help the teachers get a quick start with their lab using Open Source Software. On Friday I'll be heading to Santa Lucia, Boaco, about 2 hours outside of Managua for an initial meeting with a small rural community for a "participatory video" project. We'll be using the methods and manual of the organization InsightShare to empower the community in making a video about themselves. This initial meeting we will lay out our objectives and lead them in choosing a group of 6 or so people to be a part of the training. We hope to use their final video to show the impact in that community of the programs that the CRC and the Nehemiah Center have been promoting through a local organization ACJ (YMCA of Nicaragua). By having them make the video, we hope to have a more authentic picture of what's going on, but just as importantly we hope that the community will grow through the experience. When you have to think through your history, what parts of your community you want to present and how, and what hopes you have for the future, it makes you more self-aware as a community and actually becomes part of the development process. Following this first meeting on Friday, we will return on Monday to begin the actual training and creation of the video. It will be a 2 or three day training and then 2 or 3 days accomanying the team of trainees as they go out and make a film (up to 20 minuts) about themselves. So I'll be "out of town" for about a week, depending on how everything goes--we're planning on being flexible with the time we spend there because we're not sure how long everything will take.

Much planning still needs to be done on both of those fronts--both for the computer teacher training and the community-based video training. A good Nicaraguan friend of mine, Fabio, will be helping to facilitate the community training, which I'm very excited about--it is his first time collaborating with us on a major project, and he is a very talented individual. I look forward to seeing him fill this role.

As far as the Dama de Hierro goes (my truck), about a week and a half ago I submitted an appeal to the civil court, which I was told would take about a week to go through before I'd get an answer. We pleaded the case that I hadn't been given a fair chance at a just ruling, and that the evidence wasn't even considered, but rather ignored. I'll be hearing this week about that, and I believe I can appeal again if it still comes out against me...but so can she (the other party involved). So we're hoping she will accept the decision if she loses, and we're hoping for a just ruling.

I'm also in the process at the moment of getting a new passport. Mine went missing some time during my move about 4 months ago (I'm assuming it was then). It was in need of replacement anyway, since it was about to expire, but the complicating factor is that I need to renew my local residency, which is more difficult since it was my old passport that had the stamp. Hopefully I will be able to get all of this done in time to get a reasonably priced ticket to go home at Christmas--I'm afraid to get the ticket now because I'm not sure how long this whole process will take. Ah, the joys of living internationally! Some of you know what I mean!

Ah, one more thing. I mentioned previously that I had created a video for House of Hope, a ministry that reaches out to and serves prostitutes and former prostitutes of Managua. They posted the web version on their home page, and I invite you to take a look. I may be showing this film when I'm in North America again, but feel free to check it out anyway. (www.houseofhopenicaragua.com)

prayer items:

-pray that planning and preparation goes well for both of the trainings coming up--for the computer trainings and for the community participatory video trainings.

-pray that the appeal receives a fair look by a fair judge, and that the other woman involved, Sylvia, will accept her responsibility in the accident.

-pray that my passport and residency go through quickly so that I can get a ticket home for Christmas!

dancing with joel

How many of you are subscribers to the CRWM E-News? It's "the electronic newsletter from Christian Reformed World Missions. With this monthly email we hope to keep you informed with stories and news about what World Missions’ missionaries are doing worldwide. We hope you enjoy these stories of transformation from around the globe."

Two recent articles:

1. This week there was a really neat article by Joel Huyser, who I work with at the Nehemiah Center, called "Dancing to a New Program". It starts like this...

I (Joel) am not good at dancing.

It was not part of my culture growing up in Sully, Iowa. And I definitely don’t have rhythm. When I took up the trombone in middle school, my Mom spent long hours teaching me how to tap my foot to the beat of the music. I was that clueless. Seriously.
Read the full story...

2. A couple of weeks ago there was an article about my work. Here's the teaser:

Today’s electronic world has ushered in significant changes in every community - from large metropolises in North America to small, rural villages in Nicaragua. As technology changes, schools around the world are adapting their programs to give their students a “head-start” in the new electronic era. Dave Stienstra, a partner missionary with CRWM and the Nehemiah Center in Nicaragua, is helping missions organizations, local agencies, and Christian schools navigate this new world. Read the full story...

blamed again

For those of you who have been wondering for a long time, last week I finally heard back about the result of my appeal for the accident report with the police. Quick review: got in an accident almost two months ago; I basically t-boned a car at midnight on my way to the airport when she ran a red light; the first police report indicated she was at fault, gave me a speeding ticket, and her insurance would have to pay for damages; she didn't like the idea of having to pay a deductible and increased premium and vowed to appeal, which she did; she pulled some strings and had the report reviewed and the resolution was in her favor, totally ignoring her critical mistake; I appealed with the help of a lawyer and began the month-long wait for a response. That is the response I got last week. Next week we will be filing another appeal, this time with the civil court, so a different set of strings will need to be pulled in order to manipulate the system. I'm still hoping that those who make the decisions will do so justly. I post here when I know more. For now, I'm very thankful that my motorcycle is running well, and just as thankful that the rains have slowed down significantly.

Speaking of rains slowing down significantly...they were coming down really hard for like almost two months. There has been so much flooding in Nicaragua and damage because of it that it's been quite disastrous. Lake Managua has grown, I just heard, so much that it's covering several blocks of the neighborhoods closest to the lake, and is still rising. The ground is so saturated that any time it starts raining, rivers appear out of no where. A few nights ago during a 40 minute downpour, I was on my bike near my previous house, and I was slightly concerned that I couldn't see the road; water coming from side streets careened across the road, and manhole covers were shoved out of their place by brown water pushing its way up from below. When you see this quantity of water, it's not hard to see why so many streets have open drainage systems instead of pipes--they simply can't contain it.

The rain has also affected farmers significantly. Those who lost their crops last year because of lack of water are now losing their crop again--and the seeds for the next!--due to erosion from the extreme amount of rain. The price of beans right now is skyrocketing, and prices in general continue to rise in kind.

Red Pro Com #1

In other news, we had our first training day for Christian computer teachers, and it was a definitive success! We had exactly 20 teachers from almost as many schools out to meet for the first time and begin what I hope is a deeply enriching mutual learning experience. A couple of weeks ago, Christian Reformed World Missions published an article about this group of teachers on their e-news bulletin. Here's the link. It really does a good job of explaining what it's all about. In this first session we focused on developing a biblical understanding of science and technology and how that relates to teaching computer classes. Unfortunately we only took a few photos of the hands on part of the day, where the teachers are getting the opportunity to install Ubuntu on computers and set them up for dual-boot. They're all interested in coming back in October and November for more meetings.

By the way, you may notice that I have started posting other things on my blog--there are some posts below that I didn't send emails about. I decided to start blogging once in a while about things that aren't necessarily related to my ministry here, but that I believe are important and interesting topics. I hope you'll pop in once in a while to read them. I will continue to send email invitations to read my ministry-update blog posts. Thanks for following along!

prayer items

-pray for the rains to slow down, for the ground to dry up a bit, and for harvests this next season to be bountiful
-praise for a great first session with the computer teachers, and pray for further creativity and energy within the group (and for its leaders!) pray that there is natural leadership from within the group of teachers that stimulates and involves everyone
-pray for my situation with my car, the Dama de Hierro, and that through this long process we'll eventually see justice done

making ideas happen

A friend sent me a link yesterday that I finally got to reading today. It struck me as so simple, yet so true. We (yes...even you!) make excuses all the time for not doing good things--for not making good ideas happen. When was the last time you had a good idea...but failed to act?

Here's the link to the top 15.

I hope you take the time to read through some of these. The reason I believe it's important is because sometimes we don't even realize we're making excuses, or we don't even realize that most people who actually do make things happen ignore the excuses.

Personally, I fight with these very excuses every day. I think I'm not good enough, not smart enough, not creative enough...that someone better equipped should do what I'm trying to do, that there's not enough time, that things aren't prepared enough, etc.

What do you think? Leave a comment here. I hope it inspires you to stop paying so much attention to those excuses and DO something about your good ideas. Yes, you!

collision

Another several weeks has gone by, and things have been busy again lately. After surviving a highly stressful week last week, I think I'm through the worst of it. Here's a recap, and a brief look at what's to come.

:: The computers for Christian schools program ::

A couple of weeks ago we began visiting schools who have submitted applications to receive computers from the lot of computers we got from Food for the Hungry in Korea. We wanted to do site visits to get an idea of the physical space, electrical setup, and to talk with the administrator and the proposed teacher to see what we're going to be dealing with. It was exciting to take that first step towards a relationship with the schools. The applications were submitted by the Christian schools association on their behalf and really should more rightly be called recommendations. They chose schools they thought were positioned to make a computer lab successful. Here are a few photos from our first trip:
This is a picture of a school in Managua. I don't recall the name right off hand, but they have classes from kindergarten through 6th grade. No computer lab currently.


They're very excited about the possibility of getting computers and making space from this room, currently the 3rd grade classroom. 3rd grade would get displaced and have to be relocated. Proposed room:


Here's another school in Managua that already has a lab. They've got about 700 kids from kindergarten through high school, and their lab has about 9-15 computers, depending on whether you count the ones that aren't working. One thing interesting that I noted was that all the monitors were painted black...which indicates that their idea of maintenance and mine might be slightly different:



Next step will be to talk a bit more about which schools should get how many computers, plan for helping them to accommodate the space, and start planning for our monthly trainings for computer teachers. Worldwide Christian schools will be helping fund the program, and is already a large part of the Association of Christian Schools.

:: The Media Studio ::

Just finished another video! I'm so glad to be at the end of another project. They are so much work! The video is a promotional film for House of Hope ministries, who try to reach out to women and girls caught in the trap of prostitution. I learned a lot through this project, both in terms of filming and editing, and in terms of the legalities of making a film about prostitution. I will definitely let you know when it's posted online. In this case, the organization wants to host the video themselves, so it will not appear on our YouTube channel as many others have.

Next projects: I'm going to be working with other CRC missionaries here to produce a short 3 minute film to be used in our sponsoring churches during collections to give an update about what the CRCNA is doing in Nicaragua. That should come out sometime in the next few weeks.

Also, we're looking at how to implement a "participatory video" approach in some of the communities that the Nehemiah Center is involved in. It would involve training communities and supplying them with the equipment to make their own films...to record and tell their own story from their perspective. It's a very empowering process. I believe this kind of project is starting to gain more interest in the world. This would allow the studio to be involved a bit more directly in community development and really tie it into other projects that the Nehemiah Center is carrying out. I'm quite excited about this.

We also had a team down from Antioch Church in Bend, Oregon. They're very artistic and feel a strong calling to be involved in the arts. Check out their channel on Vimeo (also check out this really cool video they made for World Relief). They were excited to see what's going on at the studio and so we're going to be working with them to see what kind of partnerships we can arrange. They talked about the possibility of sending teams down to do trainings or even sending individuals down to do internships and work on specific video projects.

:: Life outside of work ::

Well, this part of life has been feeling the squeeze lately. Steph, a friend from Brookside came for a visit, and while she was here, I didn't spend a whole lot of time working. She did, however, help me film the video for House of Hope, as we had a couple of shoots while she was here. We visited some volcanoes, lakes, a market, some restaurants, and basically hung out. It was great to have a friend in town to show around and do stuff with! Thanks for coming, Steph!

The sad part of her trip was that I had to make several trips to the police station. On my way to pick her up from the airport, I got in an accident. Someone turned left right in front of me at an intersection when I clearly had a green light. Basically t-boned her. The process of what happens here after an accident is different than in the US and Canada. The police arrive (it has to be a certain kind of police, called "Transito"), and they ask questions, draw pictures, measure distances, and then tell you when you need to go to the police station to get the final report and determination of who is at fault. Sometimes it can take several hours until Transito arrives to the scene. (click below to see some pictures of the event and my truck)



Thankfully, in my case they arrived within about 10 minutes, and within 45 minutes they were done. When we went to the police station the next day the police explained to me that they understood it was her fault for running a red light and that I'd probably win the case. But, they also explained that the woman I hit had a friend in the police department, and that she'd have an advantage because of that. And they also said that I was going to get a speeding ticket because of evidence left by my skid marks. They weren't real clear on how they determined that I was speeding, or even what the speed limit was, or how fast they thought I was going. They were clear about another thing, though--that I was likely to get a "red ticket" which means a suspended license, and that I'd also likely have to attend a class, and that on top of a very heft fine--1500 córdobas ($75). The largest traffic fine I've ever heard of is 400 córdobas ($20). I was shocked that they were going to slap me with all that--I wasn't even going terribly fast--in my perspective, this fine was far too heavy. Then they also made it clear that I could make sure that it would not show up in the report (and therefore I'd avoid a suspended license and the class), if I paid the 1500 córdobas to them directly instead. After a bit of a chuckle, I explained that I wanted to deal honestly with this situation, and that if I had to take responsibility for speeding, I'd rather do that, but that I did think what they were saying was extreme. At that, they turned to my friend Lennin, a Nicaraguan, and said, "I don't think he understands correctly..." and then they explained the whole thing to him again about the red ticket, suspended license, classes, etc., and reminded him that it didn't have to be that way. I can't say it wasn't tempting to pay them off, but I held my ground and braced for an extreme ruling.

Well, as it turned out, the report indicated that she was at fault. It did slap me with a ticket, but it was only a yellow one--same price, no suspension, no classes. The women actually tried to make a deal with me that I pay her deductible, which I did not agree to, and she told me she'd be appealing the ruling based on the fact that she didn't want to pay her deductible and she had other debts, and she didn't want to pay a higher insurance premium when it came time to renew. She was divorced, she says, and has kids and debts. So she asked for a review of the case, and pulled some strings, and the second police report indicated that I was at fault, and hardly even mentions her in the telling of what happened.

At this point I have involved a lawyer, and together we have filed an appeal. I am still hopeful that there's a just judge somwhere, and that we'll end up with a just ruling. The damages to my car (and hers) are nothing minor. The chassis on my truck is twisted, the motor is crooked, and while it does start now, the transmission does not engage except when it is in 4x4 low (which is like 10mph with the engine screaming in fourth gear). There's obviously a good deal of damage.

Depending on how the case turns out and what all happens, I may be starting a capital campaign soon to raise funds for a new truck. :) Totaling a vehicle here is pretty much unheard of. Mostly vehicles are fixed, then sold as if nothing had happened, and nobody knows the history. Lots of damaged vehicles running around because of this.

That's it for today. Here are the prayer items:

- pray for our project that the Media Studio moves forward in the best way possible, and that we'll continue to develop according to the Lord's will.
- pray that the computer program unfolds well, and that planning for the monthly trainings goes well.
- pray for a just outcome for my situation with the truck and the accident, pray for the other women involved, for her well being, and that she would accept responsibility.

fresh look

So, I'm still alive! Isn't it good to know? I came to post an update this morning and then got carried away on redesigning my site! You should notice that it's a wee bit different than the old site.. Here's a picture of the former so you can remember and then appreciate the new look! Good change? I think so.

I've been busy since the last post! I don't think I'm going to try to catch you up on everything in every detail, but here's a quick overview.

Media Studio

• Internships: We finished the Trinity semester program here with a fair bit of success. We again had three video students this year, and another student who did her internship with the NC helping update the content on our NC website (which very soon will be implemented on our website). The first video dealt with land banks in north-central Nicaragua. The second video dealt with a transformed community in north-west Nicaragua. And the third video deals with the work of the CRWRC on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua. The first two are posted online, one of which can be seen at the Nehemiah Center Media Studio YouTube channel. See the link in the upper-right of this website. We've gotten many compliments on the videos--thank you to the students who gave so much to these communities and films.
• Projects: I've been working on more projects including: A five minute video about the "Programa FE"--or the "Healthy Church Iniciative" that CRWM is supporting. This is a program that Steve Holtrop has been quite involved in. See the YouTube channel--it's there! We also produced a short film about the Arts Camp that the NC put on last year to help raise funds for doing it again this year (very soon, I think). Check out the video on the channel. If you'd like to contribute to that project, they'd be thrilled. Also working on a project for House of Hope (see links on the right), which will serve as their annual update. Many of you have recieved thank you cards from me made by the hands of women in their ministry. And another project that we have on the list is a larger-scale project that will be a 60 minute documentary for the Assemblies of God Nicaragua to celebrate their 100th anniversary. Quite an exciting opportunity to be a part of!

Computers

• Maybe some of you remember that we were about to take shipment of 105 refurbished computers from Korea. They've arrived! We're currently processing proposals from 7 different Christian schools who wish to recieve enough computers to start a computer lab. We're working with ACECEN (Nicaraguan Association of Christian schools) to figure out which schools are best equipped to receive such a gift and are best positioned to create a sustainable lab. The idea is that the schools, with the gift of a certain number of computers, will be able to use those computers to generate enough income to pay for replacing the computers, pay for the teacher, and pay for any additional costs that they incur (electricity, etc.). We're going to be training the teachers in these new labs and teachers of already existing labs. Trainings will cover anything from the basic maintenance and configuration of administering a lab, to development of curriculum and classroom management. We're going to be training them on free and open source software, which come with open licenses, unlike proprietary software from Microsoft or Apple. Another main idea is to create a community of teachers that can also be a support for each other.
• Things in the office have been a bit slower as many of the missionaries are out of the country for a vacation in the summer. This means fewer computer issues and complaints...and has allowed me to focus more on other things.
• Cindy (my Nicaraguan, Nehemiah Center employee, counterpart) has continued to take more responsibility for certain IT tasks. This is great because as a Nicaraguan she's likely a more permanent player here than I am. The idea is that local person will completely take over the IT administration of the NC someday.

Other news

• Moved into a new house! This is actually very big news.
  It's been a lot of work preparing the new place, but I'm very excited about it. Now, instead of renting one small room and sharing it with a friend, I'm renting a house with that same friend and another friend, and we each have our own room. And we have a separate living area and kitchen and laundry area; our own lawn; and a spectacular view. And we are able to do it without increasing our budget too much. Check out these pictures...
• Getting ready for a visitor next week! My friend Steph will be the first friend to actually make the journey southward to Nicaragua to come and visit me! So I'm really looking forward to that.

prayer items

• Pray for creativity in the current video project with House of Hope, and for preparations for the large-scale documentary with Assemblies of God.
• Pray that planning for the computer labs will go well and that the planning for trainings will go equally well, and that the Lord will use all of this to his glory.
  
• Praises for a new place to live and a visitor coming soon.
  

gotta see this

Okay, this isn't a normal post, but it does make me laugh. I was on my way to lunch yesterday and saw an accident at an intersection not far from my work... How in the world does it happen exactly like that? (click play, click the image again to take you to my album on Picasa's site, then click on the full-screen button to watch the slideshow bigger...trust me, it's worth all that).

rest and toil

This will be a quick post! I've only got about 25 minutes, and then I need to go home and pack and get some sleep before I get up early tomorrow morning to catch a flight to Michigan! I am super excited to be returning to celebrate my brother's getting married! I can't believe it's already happening!

I feel like I've been running around like crazy the past month or more! I've been busy mostly with the Media Studio stuff. I've been overseeing three documentary style projects of the Trinity semester program (including a week+ on the atlantic coast of Nicaragua), and this week I've been working on two videos for the Nehemiah Center) At times it's been pretty stressful, but I trust the Lord is working things out...I was reminded of that when I came across these verses from Psalms 127 (NIV).

¹ Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.

² In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

Found them interesting paraphrased in The Message, too:

^1-2 If God doesn't build the house, the builders only build shacks.
If God doesn't guard the city,
the night watchman might as well nap.
It's useless to rise early and go to bed late,
and work your worried fingers to the bone.
Don't you know he enjoys
giving rest to those he loves?

Maybe it can be a good reminder for you, too. Leave things to the Lord. Do all that you can, but do not lose sight of the fact that it is He who works through you... it is He who accomplishes His will in you. And don't forget to rest. Don't forget the rest. He wants us to have it.

I just finished a video. A couple videos really. Quick reminder that they can always be found on the Nehemiah Center Media Studio Channel. (Become a follower, it's fun!) The videos both dealt with the work of the CRC in Nicaragua through local people and organizations. The first tells of the work of CRWRC and the Christian Center for Human Rights. The other talks about the Program FE, or the Healthy Churches Initiative that CRWM is in the middle of. Both videos will be making their way to partnering churches in the near future. You can watch them directly if you want a sneak preview.

Remember the post about Wiwinak? Where I included a newsletter from a colleague who wrote about a plane crash? Apparently his article made it into the hands of a pastor and became the key illustration in a sermon. Very good, challenging sermon. When you get a chance, I recommend it. You can find it here.

I need to post some more of what I've been doing lately. Maybe I'll see you in church. I should be sharing very briefly in Brookside on the 9th, and First Hamilton CRC on the 16th, if all goes as planned.

Actually, that sermon I mentioned and linked to above was where I was presented with the verses from Psalms. Here are some more verses that came from that sermon, too. Look them up if you so desire, or don't. Have a great week!

1 John 2:15-16

Matthew 6:33

prayer items:

- pray for a great trip back to Michigan for Mike's wedding!
- pray for a couple of satisfying visits and presentations at churches
- pray that the videos that the Trinity students are doing will come out great!