My Nicaraguan

After a 5 day break it was time to leave again. This time to Nicaragua.
Nicaragua is in central America. This will be my second year going. i got to go on this trip last year because of an odd circumstance and a quick decision. My Uncle Gordon (Phil's Brother-in-Law wearing pink on the show) got this trip together. It was two days before the group was leaving, i saw Uncle Gordan at church and he asked me if i wanted to go if somebody dropped out. i said "that would be fun" meaning "maybe next year because i hadn't planned on it or asked my parents plus i doubt anyone would drop out." That was all of our conversation. Thursday night my mom called me angrily telling me if i am going out of the country i have to tell her. i said i didn't know what she was talking about and she said come home because you are leaving at 4 in the morning for Nicaragua.  Uncle Gordon had texted her and told her what time i needed to be at the airport.
This is nothing like the Dominican Republic trip.
This is work.
Our schedule was pretty much the same every day.
7:30 AM - Wake up, roll out of bed and walk out to breakfast of plantains and strange juice.
8:00 AM - Leave for work site.
8:30 AM - Wake up from being asleep on the bus. Grab my tools. Sing and pray with the natives.
8:40 AM - Start hammering 5 inch satan nails into green hardwood.
12:30 PM - Stop hammering 5 inch satan nails and eat lunch of guacamole, fritos, jalapeño peppers, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
1:00 PM - Switch to 4 inch nails when no one was looking and start hammering.
4:30 PM - Go back to the hotel, jump in the pool or the shower, and sleep until supper.
7:00 PM - eat 3 plates of whatever food we had.
8:00 PM - Worship and hear a lessons then announcements.
9:00 PM - Sleep.
REPEAT.
for 5 days.
On the 6th day we went to a volcano. i paid a native guide 12 dollars to take me to the rim on his horse. Worth it.

When we finished all the houses we passed out food supplies and essential housewares: pots, pans, knives, tools, plates, forks, spoons, bowls, dominoes.
There was 66 of us there from Whites Ferry Road (my church) and East Grande Church from Missouri. We built 21 house in those 5 days. By our standards they could have been tool-sheds, but to the Nicaraguans it was like winning the lottery.
Before we came these people lived without these things. That is crazy to me.

Another thing that struck me was how they never know what time it is.
Try living without any way of keeping time.
No watches, clocks, phones, nothing that keeps time.
In my life, everything i do is planned down to the minute.
i go to school, have homework, film a tv show, fly to Los Angeles or New York once a month, concerts, music festivals, people book me to speak at places, college visits, hunt deer, ducks, turkey, alligator, hang out with friends, footballs games, have a girlfriend, write a blog, go on mission trips, and make it to church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night at the least. These are just a few things i do.
i know what time it is.
They love, they laugh, they worship God, they have kids, and most of them would say they live a good life.
It shows you what is really important in life.

Lessons learned:

1. If a 5 inch nail doesn't go in, use two 4 inch nail. If two 4 inch nails won't got in, use three 3 inch nails. If three 3 inch nails won't go in, get a new piece of wood.

2. You don't have to speak the same language to be a friend.
    (literally and figuratively)

3. We don't need NEAR as much as we think we need to live a good life.


Estimated amount of nails hammered in 5 days:
5 inch - 1,400
4 inch - 900
3 inch - 600
2 1/2 inch - 300

Pictures:

They couldn't quite figure out how to spell my name

5 inch nails

Partially completed

The frames

My trusty hammer

Holding up that pole like a pro

Finished house

The Dream Team

Somebody has too