In the summer of 2007 I was traveling down a long, twisting dirt road in the middle of know where about 30 minutes passed Somotillo toward a community called Cyametos when all the sudden I saw out of the corner of my eye a house that broke my heart. I could not stop thinking about that house so I told my driver when we come back down this road I want to stop and meet the family that lives there. Of course he thought I was nuts as usual but I knew God had showed me something I needed to see.
Hours later we traveled down that same road looking for that house. As we stopped and climbed over a barb wired fence at the entrance we were met by a very skinny lady with a huge chubby baby.. I remember thinking that baby needs to share some of its fat with the mom ( I later found out the baby was her neighbors child and she was just babysitting.)
We introduced ourselves and I asked if we could take pictures of her house. I explained I wanted to be able to show other Americans how people in Nicaragua lived so that I could raise support to help others. She gave us permission and inside we went. The inside looked like the outside. It was hard to tell the difference between the two considering the walls were made from sugar cane and spaced inches apart. It was heart breaking to see the conditions this family was living in.
That visit started a relationship I didn't expect. Since then I have been visiting this family almost every trip checking on them and praying for them and blessing them with food from time to time. The husband is lazy and hardly ever works and when he does work the money is used to buy alcohol. It's a sad situation. We shared the gospel with the wife the first time we met her and then later shared with her husband. As normal for Nicaraguans the woman responded and accepted the Lord but the husband just nods..
In 2009 I tried to visit them but the river was too high. I saw the mom of the woman and she told me that my friends had been sick for some time because of all the rain. The house was so bad that everything she owned stayed wet and molded. The wetness kept her and your daughter sick all the time. Although I knew the house was bad I guess my mind never went down that path of thinking how bad the rainy season could be. That moment stirred a desire in my heart to help this family with a new house or at least improvements to her house.
During the spring and summer of 2010 I made jewelry and had a jewelry fundraiser to help fix her house. I didn't raise enough to build her a new house but felt good that we could improve it greatly. Many of you I need to thank for purchasing those jewelry items.
During my July trip last year we hired a contractor to help fix her house and discussed what could be done to improve it. Decisions were made based on the money I had to fix the roof and add on to the side giving them at least a 10 foot section that would not be soaked by rain. I agreed, the workers were hired and I left satisfied. Never leave satisfied.. Always leave knowing your plans will change.. That's what God taught me in this experience.
Late July came the rains. They didn't stop until November and the river was to high for the truck to take the supplies. Another rainy season and no new house. The worse rainy season Nicaragua has had in years. I prayed for them often that some how God would cover them with a cloud or something to stop the rain from falling. December came and I went and still no house. It was so frustrating and I just didn't understand why they had not started but it was what it was. I asked how much more money would it take to add on to the house even more and I got a price and by mid January wired more money to fix the house with a promise it would be done finally.
Here I go back to Nicaragua in March only to find out the house has not been started on even then. Stories after stories of reasons why. Mostly because the block man Chema was busy doing another job and just could not find time to do it. Luckily, Chema and I are friends and I saw him the first day I arrived. I asked him to please start on it while I was there so I could take some pictures and he agreed he would go the next day. Finally, progress..
Wednesday evening I was told by Chema that work would be done the next day and I should come and see it. We had plans that morning but I felt a strong nudge I needed to go so we made plans to check it out. As we were driving down that same dirty, dusty road I noticed on the hill beside of my friend Darlings current house that someone had gone and build a house right in her back yard. I remember saying surely God someone has not come in and taken over her property (which is not uncommon in Nicaragua). I was getting so frustrated as we got closer to the house.
I headed up the hill to her house and much to my surprise inside the newly built home stood my worker Chema. I immediately realized that the house I am fussing over is the NEW house for Darling. A new house.. Not a repaired house, or a fixed up house or even an extension on the house but a WHOLE NEW HOUSE.
Needless to say I was speechless and full of tears and joy beyond what words could express. How did this happen? How could they have built a house? I could not hardly contained the joy in my heart.
Darling saw us and smiled from one ear to the other which she hardly does. She is very bashful and quite but on this day together we got to see God show up and show off.
So for those of you who thought you were helping me fix her house please know that your purchases of the jewelry BUILT A NEW HOME..
God is so good when you are faithful.
I know this story is long but I want God to get all the glory for what He did because it didn't stop with the House. It keep going through my friend Chema.
I was thanking Chema for all the hard work and asked him how in the world did we get a new house out of the money I sent him. He graciously replied, "because we helped you". I wasn't sure what that meant so I asked. You are getting paid well to do this right Chema". He replied, no Ms. Angie we are not getting paid to do this house. We decided to help you help this family and with the money you would have paid us we were able to build a bigger house for you". I was so shocked. I asked, "why Chema, why would you do that for me?", he said, "because it's you Ms. Angie, we wanted to help you because you are always helping us,". Needless to say I saw a very humbled young man that day give up his pay to help me help someone else. It was an amazing moment. I was so blessed that there are people in my life like Chema.
God's timing was perfect. If they had not waited on Chema to be finished with his other work he would not have been able to bless this family and therefore would not have received the blessings from God he will receive for his kindness.
Chema is an example of "The Power of One". You are an example of "The Power of One".
Chema has Jesus in his life, "THE ONE AN ONLY", and the people like you who helped me raise money for Darling are examples of "The Power of One" and Chema + Those Who Purchased Jewelry + Jesus = A new house for Darling.
Now that's what it's all about....
Check out the pictures of the Old House and the New House by clicking here.
God Bless everyone who purchased jewelery, prayed for this family or helped in any way. Thanks again for helping us build a new home for a sweet family.
If you are interested in helping me build someone else a new home, just let me know.
Angie
