Why the URL Focus and Response?

Focus and Response

In a grief support group I attended last fall I learned that instead of asking the question WHY?
and thinking God I need you to answer, is not necesarily the things I want to know, but get caught in the questioning of death and life situations that are tough and painful.

It is in the questions we have for God that we steer our focus away from our situation and to Him, seeking Him, trusting Him in his timing that we will receive an answer. Then my next thought was okay, When will he answer me.

So my focus to be on you God, okay what am I to do in the meantime waiting for an answer from you? The response to God in the waiting ....worshipping, praising, and ministering while waiting for the answer.

I saw this while we were in Nicaragua. Those we visited on two afternoons asked God for someone to come visit and for him to supply their daily need of food. What was their response in the wait for their prayers to be answered? Prayer, worship and praise!

We visited many families that did indeed pray that God would send someone to visit them, talk about God and what he is doing in their lives and bring some food.

As I was writing this I was reminded of a verse in John 16:24, "Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will recieve and your joy will be complete."

The Joy is the answer to prayer.

I was also thinking this week Lord, what is it you wanted me to learn from these people. These dear children of our Father are starving and without homes.

My husband next week finds out his fate with his employment at General Motors. We are waiting for an answer. What has our focus been...waiting on God to do His will, not ours. It is out of our hands. Either way we are going to experience life in a different way, one more severe than the other. So while we wait, do we spend every waking moment worrying? No. Do we spend every waking moment looking for work or making our to do lists for "Just in Case", no because doing either one leaves us spinning our wheels. So our response while we focus on God and His will for Gary's employment is prayer, and praise. Praise because God has been good to us for our whole married lives. I can't not praise God for his goodness, he has been good in every circumstance.

So back to the people we ministered to. I know that they also put their focus on God and that they Respond to Him in Trust. So I will follow suit. I will leave it in His hands, he has the answer, and as my friend Scott says, God has only a plan A!

Dot

Dot celebrated her 50th mission trip while we were in Nicaragua.

I while know she has been to Poland, Austria, Thiland, and Nicaragua, I am not sure where else Dot has been. I will have to ask you and give you an update later. I have worked with Dot on three different trips to Nicaragua. Each trip having a different number of people of different ages. This trip was a smaller group but still with a wide age range.

I found that Dot and I have similar interests, missions, teaching children and ministering to adults. She also made sure all the trips we went on together to bring our friends...the puppets. I was glad to use those again!

Dot is a retired school teacher. Teaching is deep in her heart. I was so pleased to know she would be joining us on the trip to Nicaragua this year.

This year travelling had a bit of a glitch for Dot. She broke a bone in her foot a month or two before we left. She was determined to go, I admire that. She was able to get her cast off in time before we left. She did have leftovers from the injury, swelling if she stayed on it too long. But she knew her limits and heeded them.





Besides working with children Dot does like to do construction work. I thought it was neat she was still determined to do it even though her foot still was giving her problems.
Dot is the person in the dark shorts, working with Linda, mixing cement for the El Ayudante all girls dorm sidewalk.





Dot made a list of teaching supplies we would be giving out to the different teachers we would meet while on our trip. We made sure to give each preschool teacher a kit and then Sister Paula some for the school at Scared Heart of Mary Orphange. The teachers are always so pleased and very blessed by the gift of the supplies. Teachers are not given any monies to use on their classes, which means they buy them theirselves or go without. The packets included a stapler, grade book, pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, staples, paper clips, thumb tacks and maybe a few other things.
Often I had Dot asking me about where supplies should/could go. I would offer how about where we are going to minister, she said that is what I thought too. I think we did end up having supplies delivered to a preschool we didnt visit as we wanted to bless a group of teachers that maybe doesnt get a regular visit from a mission team.

Three years ago when we gathered supplies I didnt count the number of pencils we had brought with us but I was sure of two things: we had enough pencils to give each villager of Ruben Dario and they must have multiplied in the air, those are good guesses.

I have loved working with Dot as she has teaching experience and has wonderful ideas about how to handle the kids in different situations. She and her husband Jim, taught me an easy way to get our play equipment back from each child when it was time to leave, give them back something in return to take home. So that started the Beanie Baby collecting that happens when we go to Nicaragua. We have the kids stand in a single line, as they come to the front of the line they exchange the play equipment to get a Beanie. No tears, only smiles this way!

The other thing I learned was to make sure if we were going to give out prizes or anything that we had to have enough so each child got whatever we handed out. I was told that sometimes the kids will fight over the items if only one child gets something. For instance supplies.

Dot also aided our group in getting extra hygiene supplies. We took these supplies with us to the girls orphanage and gave them out to those we visited during home visits with Pastor Felix and Pastor John Paul. We had packed around 200 kits and then packed bulk hotel sized shampoo, conditioner, combs, mouth wash, and lotion that we put in ziplock baggies when we got to Nica.

Dot thanks for all you do. You have been a great role model to me, I have learned a lot. There are still many things to learn, and hopefully we will work together again soon!

Map of Central America & Nicaragaua

Reverse Culture Shock...

Every mission trip I have been on has been around 8-10 days. Enough time to get used to the culture I immerse myself in. Enough time to get used to the food and making friends with the local people, staff and my heart stolen by a child we worked with.

Often times, I dont even recognize I miss someone from the area we have worked in. This trip however, I was hit hard, my heart was moved and captured by one little girl living in the all girls orphanage of Sacred Heart of Mary. She had a beautiful smile, brown eyes, and her hair done up in three pony tails. I loved watching her and sat next to her and our translator Luis when she was making her picture frame with her glued down with glittery red foam letters. She was quiet.
I didnt watch her blow her bubbles but I got to see the many pictures of her that Scott and Linda took of her.

When I packed for the trip I put in my usual wardrobe of four skirts and two pairs of pants, along with other needed apparel I would use. The night before leaving I had decided that maybe I put too much in my suitcase and it would weigh too much! Anyway, after arriving in Leon I was going through my suitcase and notice the grave error that I had made in making my suitcase a bit lighter, I packed only two dresses I could really wear the third one being something to wear when we got to managua. I had packed the two pair of pants. My intention was to take the skirts and leave just one pair of pants in my suitcase. Luckily laundry was done while we were there!

When I got back home from Nicaragua it was interesting having my full wardrobe to wear again, but I found on Tuesday morning it was too much to go through and find something to wear to work! Yikes. I just didnt feel like making any decision, it was too much. So thank goodness I own a pair of black pants and brightly colored shirts and sweaters. I was set to go once I found the pants and a shirt to wear. No decision any longer.

I found being a passenger in my husbands car on the way home from Detroit Metro a bit overwhelming as we were headed home. All these lanes of cars! wow. In Nicaragua the freeway was a two lane road all the way from Managua to Leon. Nothing like here in the U.S. where all the main freeways are two or four lanes on each side!

The biggest thing for me was having to start cooking again, cleaning house and running errands.
I didnt do this the whole time we were gone. I gave no thought to it as our meals were prepared, our clothing and towels were laundered for us. We did not have anything to think about other than the ministry we were planning! :)

It is February 11, and I am still feeling the readjustment.

We went to church twice on Sunday while in Leon. Then we also had two Bible studies we led during the week we were there. All the services and Bible studies we had praise and worship for nearly a half hour. All the music was loud and lively and beautiful. People sang with passion to God. I TRULY so miss that. Being among these brothers and sisters worshipping was so wonderful. I can only imagine what God hears when we praise and worship him in music. Worshipping in different countries gives me a taste of what it might be like for God!



At the left is a wanted poster. Mr. Frog seemed to not have made it back from Leon. I wonder what his adventures are like? I wonder if some little child has been enjoying Mr.Frog's rendition of "On the Road Again" as that is his favorite song to sing!

Thank you all who helped send out team to Leon. It was a very sweet time. I enjoy thinking about the time we spent there ministering, encouraging and answering many peoples prayers.

Linda...

This is our team photographer. I sure appreciated her taking this job, because when we are busy working with kids she can take photos, and she did a terrific job. It is always neat to see things from a different point of view, and see things from someone else who has never been to Nicaragua.
There are so many cool things to take pictures of, for example volcanos and daily life in the barrios.


Then there are all the pictures of the children. Everyone of them catches our hearts. Having pictures of the children help us to remember stories of them, the fun we had and how special they are.

For me, pictures jog my memory a bit. What we did on the different days.
Linda did a huge job. She took many of her own pictures, I didnt even think to ask her how many she took. Then when we got back to the States she got everyone else's pictures and put them in one big file to make a presentation! I think there are over 500 pictures in the file she created.


I loved the two pics she got of some birds she saw. I was thankful she captured them on film. Linda's hobby is bird watching! It is cool to have someone with an 'eye' to know what to look for when setting up a picture.

I enjoyed watching her when I could. Glad to have her as our photographer.

I also found out Linda has a tender heart, and likes kids, I know she had a favorite little friend at the girl's orphanage. (for some reason I thought I had a pic somewhere of her holding the little girl...but couldnt find it...maybe my imagination? who knows!) She has an awesome testimony about her life, which touched so many women at a Bible study we had. Her testimony helped so many women.

In the New Testament I remember a verse that says: "I thank God for you every time I think of you." Linda this is true, I do. Thank you for your courage, strength and tenderheart.

The Men Team Members

I would like to introduce you to the men of our team. left to right are Mark, Don, Lynn and Scott.

It is neat to be able to travel with a group of guys who are willing to play with little kids and also go to an all girls orphanage. I know there were times they probably would have rather said, No Tammie I dont want to go play with those little girls. I am glad though that they did go with us, to the VBS programs we had for the children we ministered to.

I feel our guys are very loving, sweet, protective and great role models. Each has their own talent and they are all able to share their love of Christ to anyone they come in contact with. I have been amazed time again when I have worked with Don, Lynn and Scott at their polite and gentle attitude toward the women on our team.

Mark he is fun to talk to, and listen to about his life. I love reading through his facebook and getting to know him. He seems to like playing with kids. After Sunday after church he played with a group of boys in the churchyard. He had folded a piece of paper up into an airplane and was flying it to them. He also had a good time when one of the boys from the church convinced me to open my hand so they could put something in it...I knew it was going to be gross of disgusting...and I did...well....they put an iguna foot in my palm. Mark was laughing before it even hit my hand. Course to make the boys laugh I made a big deal out of it, they loved surprising me! Mark, he loves to laugh. He didnt hesitate to give a testimony I heard when the men went to Bible study and met with the baseball players. He has a gentle attitude, and love Christ, one can just see it in his face!

Then there is Don. Don and I laughed alot too. Must be a family thing for him...Mark is Don's nephew btw. On Sunday we took the kids from El Ayudante to the movie theater to see Bolt. A little girl Dina decided she was going to be friends with Don that day. She and he shared a bus seat and Dina she just loved the stuffins out of Don and well Don, he didnt seem to mind as he was hugging and holding her. It was neat to see that. Don, was a tech guy. He printed off I dont know how many pics of kids for VBS for a project we were doing. It was nice to have him do the picture taking and printing of the pictures. Don and I were also prayer team partners when we went to do home visits. He really could relate to the needs of the ladies and couple gentlement we visited. One point he mentioned several of the people we saw could be his parents. What really caught my attention with Don is that he is very gentlemenly in his manners toward us ladies in the group. While out prayer walking the one day our group came up to a large puddle in the center of a street (it was nasty water too, and took up the whole center), he yelled ahead to the tranlastor to ask the ladies to step back from the road so we would not get wet! I didnt move fast enough, I was at the end of the line in front of Don, he stepped in front of me and said dont move. WOW! I thought, my husband would have never thought of that!!!! Thanks Don!

Then Lynn. Lynn, Lynn, Lynn....What can I say? I have certainly learned to chuckle. Sarcasm sometimes goes right over my head! But with Lynn his sarcasm is always fun and aimed to make everyone laugh. I like that. Like Don, Lynn is considerate too. He and I didnt get to hang out much this time. But he was always around at VBS asking what would you like me to do, I just responded play with the kids or color. I knew he would never paint nails, so I didnt ask him to do that! hehe. Imagine he even said he didnt want a manicure! Anyway, manicures aside, he did go to the dollar store and buy huge amounts of stuff to use with the kids. I think his biggest purchase was a bag full of hair goodies for the girls to do their hair. I loved that he did that. He has I think two girls of his own.

Scott he was our team leader. Our fearless team leader. Do you realize he ate two snapper fish eyes? I cringed at the suggestion someone made he should try them. Course when he saw Daniel take a swallow he must have thought, "well hey, something not to pass up". We got pictures! hehe. Scott has a soft heart for those who dont know the love of God. He is bold. passionate and does not miss an opportunity to tell a person about God's love for that person! Scott is also very gentlemanly and polite. I was so glad to have him behind me walking up one of the volcanos on the saturday before we left. He stopped and got me a limb to use as a walking stick! I told him maybe I can make it now!

Thank you men for coming. I always have a blast with you all when working with you!

The Source of Backaches

Several of my teammates were able to help the staff construction workers at El Ayudante lay a new sidewalk in front of the girls dorm.
Linda and Dot are mixing cement with water and gravel to get the correct consistency.




Mark's Volcano, cement mix, gravel and water.









Don is pouring cement from the wheelbarrow Mark (white hat) is in the background watching his Uncle.








Leveling the sidewalk.




photos taken by marilyn mckay 2009/01

tweet...

It all started probably on Monday morning during devotion time. The birds were singing and flying/swooping in and out of the patio. During praise and worship Ms. Marilyn has her arm raised up and her finger out as a perch waiting for one of the brave birds to land on her finger.

It was so fun seeing her do this every time we were together. I kept hoping a bird would perch on her finger and reward her for her patience!

It never happened. But most of us, I think, wished it would have. It would have been so cool to see it!

One day when Scott and Lauren were out visiting local residents he made a friend. A bird friend. It was cool that Lauren got to take a picture of Scott with the bird perched on his finger.

It tickled me to see that picture.

I guess my point in telling this story is we had a great time, had many fun moments. This was one of them for Scott.

Our last day we had devotions in a different location. We met near the womens dorms in a cover pavilion. The birds seemed to follow us out there also! I was glad. It was nice hearing their sweet birdie songs every morning during devotional time. At one part of our time during devotions Marilyn needed to go get water. So our excellent team photographer said. "hey before she gets back lets get a picture of us all posing with our fingers in the air and then stay that way til she comes out". It was so fun seeing her smile on her face and hearing her laughter, she has a great laugh and beautiful smile.

I am thankful for the time we spent in Nicaragua. For the chance to work with those I had before in the past, Lauren, Dot, Scott, Lynn and Don. Then to meet three newbies to missions, Linda, Marilyn and Mark. It was an awesome time working together. Each person had a different function on our team and each person did a great job.

Group photo taken by Linda Catrell, remaining photos taken by Scott Bondy

Front

Nicaragua 2009 Thank You card used to send supporters of many kinds, prayer supporters, supply donors, and financial donors

Pictures by Scott Bondy

Inside of Card.

Pictures by Scott Bondy