A Very Candid Post

One year ago, we were packing our twelve suitcases to embark upon an adventurous mission for God's Kingdom. It's difficult to believe that we have lived in Nicaragua for nearly a year! We have settled into our new lifestyle and a general routine. I suppose we didn't realize just how different our lifestyle truly was until our best friends came to spend two weeks with us. I have tried to maintain a positive attitude in every update from Nicaragua. I will never feel inclined to complain about my circumstances here. In witnessing the poverty and need in this country each day, I realize how fortunate we are.

My friend, Elaina, has encouraged me to share with our supporters what our lives look like in Nicaragua. Please know that we are not complaining about any of these aspects; we just want you to see how truly fortunate you are in the United States.

Let's start with the basics. Bugs. We have cockroaches. Lots of them. Big ones. Everywhere. To quote Peter Nethington, "The cockroach that ate Cincinnati was just in my shower."  Personally, I am not fond of getting close enough to take a picture, so this movie poster will have to suffice.

Other bug species that we encounter frequently and in great numbers are tarantulas, flies, bees, tiny little vicious biting ants, and of course, mosquitoes. Several students and teachers have contracted a disease known as Chikungunya which is carried by these nasty blood-sucking varmints. There is also the fear of Dengue and Malaria. For those of you who know me, you know that I am the best mosquito repellent to have around because they are all attracted to me. Even wearing repellent daily, I currently have 29 mosquito bites--all within the last 5 days.  And finally, even though they are not bugs, there are other things that creep and crawl. Geckos are cohabitants in any home. And, although they are fast and at times pretty large, they are great at controlling other insects. It took some time to get used to watching them crawl above my head at night. We have had a snake in our apartment, and these guys are pretty common...I took a picture of him because he was safe and sound in a deep glass bowl!

scorpion

In the grand scheme of life here, critters are the least of our concerns. Although we have no hot water to wash dishes and do laundry, we do have a way to take a warm shower, if we are brave! Allow me to introduce you to our source of hot water showers, the widow maker. This dazzling piece of technology heats the water in your shower with electricity. We strongly recommend that if you come to visit, listen carefully to our tutorial on how to operate this. Sometimes they go out...with a bang. Hannah has been the lucky one each time we've had one stop working. She explains, "I hear a loud pop and see a flash out of the corner of my eye. Then, it catches on fire for a few seconds. I just jump out of the shower as fast as I can when it happens."

The Widow Maker

Up until a few weeks ago, we were blessed with a full-size North American stove and oven through our sublease. Now, we have this:

This stove is sitting in a space made for a typical North American
sized stove.

This is a Nica stove. In a previous post I told you that people here typically don't use an oven. On this stove, the oven is definitely an afterthought. Sadly, I cannot fit my cookie sheet in it. For perspective, keep in mind that the size of this space is about the size of a typical North American stove model.

Most of you are used to simply flipping a switch and a light comes on, or turning on the faucet and water comes out. Here, you never know if these actions will produce results. For example, yesterday, our power went out at 6:30 A.M. and did not come back on until almost 4:00 P.M. And, we are regularly without water. Luckily, at our new place, we have a water tank to use as a reserve. Here's Spencer checking the water level on our tank.

Spencer checking the water level in our
reserve tank.

Also, it is HOT, all the time. This time of year we have the added bonus of humidity. We have no central air conditioning-not at work, at home, or in the car. The only relief is a fan. We do have a small air conditioning unit in one of our bedrooms, but remember, electricity here is 6 times more expensive than in the states. To give you an idea of the difference, we ran the A/C in our bedroom for several nights for 4 hours. Our next bill had gone up $14.00.  

It's dirty and dusty, too. I wear flip flops all the time. From the time I step out of bed until I go to sleep at night, I have shoes on my feet. No sooner than the floors are cleaned, a new layer of grime and grit seeps in through the doors and windows. Along with the dirt and grime, trash is unavoidable. Refuse lines many dried up river beds, trickles down hillsides, and rolls along the streets. The garbage is depressing, but since most of the population cannot afford trash removal, it is a fact of life here.

Another luxury in the states is the fact that the cops leave you alone unless you've done something wrong or need help. Here, not so much. Unfortunately, checkpoints are frequent. Jeremy gets stopped several times per month to check his paperwork. Sometimes, we encounter corrupt "policia" who demand a fine or "multa"or they threaten to take you license--even though we've done nothing wrong. 

Ahhh the language barrier... We are getting so much better! But our friends were a bit overwhelmed with prices quoted in Spanish and in Cordobas. I can now quickly convert "Cords" to dollars when I look at a price in the store. Elaina stared at this for several minutes in multiple stores as I explained that, yes, this bottle of sunscreen costs $18 plus 15% tax bringing the total to a whopping $20.70!

This is approximately $18.00 

Sunscreen is not the only exhoritantly priced item. Common items like cereal, chips, canned goods, chocolate chips, butter, baking needs, and nuts are very pricey, too. That is, if you even find the item. We have yet to find many of the items we used in the states on a regular basis.

I hope we didn't overwhelm you with this post. As we have settled into life here, much of this has become second nature to us. God created the Kane family to be resilient and steadfast. We will continue to march forward as we encounter year number two in Nicaragua. We love it here and we are thrilled that God called us to do His work in this country. 

We could not do this without the financial blessings of our supporters. If you are a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual financial supporter, we would like to gently remind you to check your records as we finish our first year of work. We are so blessed by each of your gifts (and especially blessed to buy a bottle of sunscreen) ;-)

Bottom of the 9th!

May...have electric, May...not. May...have water, May...not.

So here we are at the end of  May also know as "hot/dry season" and at the end of the school year. Students are restless and ready to be done with school. They are hot, tired, hot, overloaded, hot, and mentally checked out of school. Their exhaustion is validated with daily heat indexes in the 100's and nightly lows in the 80's. Friends back east--air conditioning is your saving grace. Friends out west--you have considerably lower humidity levels. When sweat begins to trickle down your back at 10:00A.M., you know you're in for a whopper of a day here near the equator.

Our school has experienced some challenges, too. Over the past several months we have been experiencing water shortages. Each day around 11:00 A.M. our tanks run out of water. This makes for times that are difficult and unsanitary. We are still waiting for the new transformer so that our library can be air conditioned. Only three areas of our school have that luxury: our library, the administration offices, and the computer lab. On average, electricity here costs six times the kilowatt rate paid in the states. And, if you live in certain higher income areas of the city, the rate is even higher. The average electric bill for our school to run lights, fans, technology, and two air conditioned areas is approximately $5000.00 per month. Even with these exhorbitant rates, power is not reliable. On the hottest day of the year thus far, we lost power at the school. This meant no fans, no lights, and no technology. Keeping students focused during these times is certainly a challenge!

For us, school is out on June 3rd. For the rest of Nicaragua, school continues through November. Traditionally, students in Nicaragua have the months of November, December, and January off from school. Since NCAI is a North American based educational platform and many of its teachers are North American, we follow a similar schedule as the United States. This last full week, students in grades 7-12 will be preparing for their semester cumulative exams.

World Studies 3rd Period Class

A few weeks ago, our Student Council put together something called "Lunch Box Social." On this special day, students gather in groups and choose to either make lunch or purchase lunch. Those groups who made lunch set up their meal in a predetermined classroom while the "buying groups" collected in the Eagle Center to bid on the meal they wanted. The meals are auctioned off to the highest bidding group. Themed meals included spaghetti, pizza, fried chicken, Nica cuisine, Korean, and Chinese fare.  This was a great fund-raiser and a great way to connect a variety of students who may not normally spend time together.

Our Lunch Box Social Group

Serving Lunch

Apples in Nicaragua cost $1-$2 EACH!

Spencer Making Dinner for the Rizzo Family

May 1st is Nicaragua's Dia del Trabajo or "Labor Day". Since we had that a long weekend, we took the opportunity to go visit the family in northern Nicaragua again. Before we went, we asked the family if there was anything we could bring them. Their answer: soda, ice, and apples. Remember, this family has no refrigerator, so ice is a special treat! Apples are generally $1-$2 EACH here; we rarely buy apples for ourselves. So, we took off for La Finca Argentina with a cooler of ice, a dozen apples, and several 3 liters of soda. It's become a tradition that they cook for us the first night, and we cook for them on the second night. This time, we prepared barbecue chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans. With 14 people to cook for, this was no easy task. They really enjoyed their feast!

Jeremy and His Co-Pilot, Oliver, driving to
Northern Nicaragua.

 

Ice is a Luxury for Many
Nica Families.

Moving!

In a few weeks, the sublease of the apartment we are currently living in will be finished. We have found a small house in a great community near the school. This home will provide a patio for hanging a hammock, a small yard for working outside, and a bedroom big enough for Spencer! Spencer has been staying in a room that was meant to be a maid's quarters. It is only large enough for a twin bed and his feet hang off the edge. Four people living in a small apartment has been a challenge, but we were well prepared for this at Camp Cedaredge!

Our soon- to- be new home!

We are so appreciative of your support through prayer and financial gifts. Thank you for making God's work through the Kane Family in Nicaragua possible!

Hot Season Happenings

About My Girls...

Choose beautiful. Many of us have seen these campaigns either on television or the internet sponsored by Dove. Over the past two months, I have been teaching my 7th grade girls how to love themselves. Teaching girls to have a high self-esteem is no easy task. I have shared stories from other girls going through the same phase in life. Remembering when I was in 7th grade, I share stories of my insecurities as an awkward pre-teen girl in junior high. Sure, they giggle and say, "No way, Mrs. Kane, you could never be insecure!"  On Thursday, I shared the "Choose Beautiful" video.

Afterwards, I asked how many would choose to walk through the "beautiful" door. Sadly, not many of my girls said they would. My prayer is for each of these young ladies to see themselves the way God sees them--as unique, beautiful creations. Thankfully, it appears that I have earned the right to speak into their lives. I pray now for the right words to say!

 

Semana Santa

The week before Easter is know as Semana Santa, or Holy Week. Although we were out of school for the entire week, the rest of Nicaragua began the festivities on Wednesday. Our family had made plans to go back Finca Argentina to visit the Rizzo family, but a message from the U.S. Embassy halted our plans. Basically, the message indicated that beginning on Wednesday through Easter Sunday, U.S. citizens were to be on alert as crime rates are higher and there are more police checkpoints. One would think that police checkpoints would be a good thing, but not necessarily. Unfortunately, there are many corrupt officers that will stop you for no apparent reason and demand a "multa" or fine, right there on the spot or they threaten to take your license. This has happened to us on more than one occasion. Luckily, we were able to negotiate our way through the situations by basically saying nothing (easy for us since we don't know the language well). The opinions on how to handle theses situations vary within the mssionary community. Some say to give them the fine-which is basically a bribe since no citation is ever written and therefore the traffic stop didn't happen-to avoid the full day ordeal of retrieving your license. Others say that giving them the money is feeding the beast of corruptness. And still others go as far as writing down the officer's badge number if they request a fine, and notify the powers that be. With all of this being said, a four hour trek each direction to northern Nicaragua did not seem to be the wisest choice for our family. So, we stayed home. I found an inflatable pool volleyball net for $10 at the local supermarket to have some fun at the pool!

Other News!

This Thursday, Spencer and the rest of his basketball team will be traveling to Costa Rica to play in an international tournament. They will be playing against teams from Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Panama among other Central American countries. Thank you to all of you who helped him attend this tournament! Please pray for their safety and the opportunity to share Christ through their sportsmanship.

Also, the library is now open for business! I take my students every Thursday to check out books and enjoy the new facility. There is still no A/C and this is the hottest time of year, but that doesn't seem to bother my kiddos. They love to read!

Wrinkles...They Do Iron Out

Library Woes

Our new library was scheduled to open on January 24th, however there were a few wrinkles. Somehow, the cost of air conditioning the new building jumped to a whopping $30,000, when it was originally quoted much much lower. Here we are, at the beginning of March without a new facility. The library has been packed up and ready to move since early January. The most frustrating piece of the puzzle is my 7th grade accelerated reader class. In anticipation of the library closure, my kiddos checked out two books each in December to begin for this semester's course. Certainly this was enough material to get through 3 weeks of school. But, the weeks of a closed library began to add up.

Unlike the United States, books are a high commodity here, especially those written in English. I wish it were as simple as heading to the local thrift store to stock my classroom library, but unfortunately that's just not the case. We are fortunate, however, that the librarian unpacked a box of books for the students two weeks ago for them to choose a new title.

Good news, the school has renegotiated a price and hopefully, the new library will open in two weeks. Please pray for this to happen!

Festival

NCA 3K or 5K Fun Run to raise money for a pool.

 

On a lighter note, NCA organized a festival to raise money for our homeroom parents' wish list item...a new pool. Several other larger schools in the country have pools, and our parents decided that this should be NCA's newest endeavor. Did you know that a high percentage of Nicaraguan people do not know how to swim? I assumed that with the great number of huge lakes and two coast lines, Nicas were born with fins and gills. Not true! This pool can be used as a mission to teach people how to swim as well as add to the PE and extra-curriculur activity program at NCA. 

Each classroom was responsible for a game, somewhat like a fall or spring festival at U.S. schools. My girls and I decided to offer a service instead! Yes, a hair painting and nail salon! For just under a dollar, kids could get their hair painted or a get a manicure. It was huge success--too bad we ran out of hair paint 2 hours into the festival. The most popular attraction was the jail. Festival-goers could pay to have someone carted off to jail. Some put up a good fight, some went quietly, and some tried to escape...

Jeremy's Classes

Wrinkles continue to iron out for Jeremy, too. Many of you know that Jeremy is teaching Apologetics, the one class he didn't want to teach! God has a sense of humor, does He not? The first semester was a bit of challenge, but Jeremy has finally settled in and is enjoying teaching.

His newest endeavor this semester is teaching Domestic Arts. He is teaching students the arts of cooking, repurposing, and many other handy things. When he arrived, the kitchen classroom needed some work, so Jeremy worked his magic to update it and make it functional. Part of his makeover included a pot rack and a super cool demonstration mirror for the cooking unit.

 

Field Trip

The 7th and 8th grade students took a field trip to La Maquina for science explorations. Each team had a list of items to find including decomposition, autotrophs, and lots of other scientific terms I have forgotten over the years. Luckily, my girls knew what they were doing!

Influence

Many of you may have seen my facebook post earlier this week where a student proclaimed I should be a preacher. That statement made my heart sing! Each and every day, I do my best to weave God's word and love into the classroom and it's working! Moments like these are such an affirmation of God's place for us right now. Here are all of my students except a new young man from Zimbabwe that started last week. Please keep them in your prayers, the future leaders of Nicaragua, Korea, the United States and other nations. Don't misunderstand my words, these are not just the next generation, but the next leaders of our land. Many of these kiddos come from highly inflential families. You are supporting, thorough your prayers and financial gifts, the future.

NCA 7th Grade Class 2014-15

NCA 8th Grade Class 2014-15

A Patchy Post

So much has happened in the past month that it was difficult to name this post! I kept contemplating which things to write about, so I decided to make this post a sort of bulletin to share life in the mission field.

Our Second Christmas

We celebrated our second Christmas in Nicaragua. Last year, as you may have read, was filled with exploration and adventure. This year, things were quiet. Almost too quiet. Many missionaries often feel a sense of loneliness at different times while they are in the field. Christmas morning was the first time I felt this. I think it was the isolation of being in a foreign country combined with the new season of our lives where the excitement of Christmas morning has lost its pizzazz. What Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" and cinnamon rolls could not fix, prayer and perseverance did.

Trip to La Finca Argentina

After Christmas, our family went north into the mountains to stay with a Nicaraguan family for a few days. On this farm they plant, harvest, and prepare coffee as well as other typical farm chores. Experiencing life with a Nica family was enlightening, peaceful, and reflecive. Gallo pinto and Nica cheese were served at each meal with either soup, fresh chicken or eggs. The house had electricity, but it ran on solar power only. The sunlight charged a battery pack that powered the home with lights, and even television. Little 5 year old Maria Belin knew that no sun means no cartoons today. All of the water was directed to the house from a spring that runs through the farm. 

In return for their hospitality, our family prepared an Italian meal for their family-15 people to be exact. Jeremy prepared chicken fettucine alfredo, I prepared a salad and garlic bread, and Spencer and Hannah served them. They were refusing to eat until we sat down with them, but Jeremy convinced the family that this is something we wanted to do for them. Reluctantly, they started without us. Here are a few moments from our time with Nelson Rizo and family.

Sharing Spencer's guitar. Douglas had not played in years!

Picking my one of my favorite things...COFFEE!

Spencer hauling 150 pound bags of coffee to the husker.

This little guy works at the farm. La Finca Argentina
employs over 20 people.

Jeremy & Spencer sorting the grades of beans.

Teacher Retreat

Each year before the beginning of second semester, NCA teachers and staff get together to refresh, reconnect, and rejuvenate. It was a great time of relection on our relationships with Christ and team building.

Jeremy in catching marshmallows from his
teammates.

The van push/pull relay.

Arrival of an Intern

In early January, we had an intern from Cedaredge arrive to spend two months with us! Megan Bradshaw will be working at a local orphanage, helping out at NCA with the library move in the coming weeks, and experiencing life on the mission field. We are happy to have her!

Spiritual Emphasis Week

As the second semester is in full swing, we experienced yet another first. This past week was Spiritual Emphasis Week at NCA. Throughout the week special activities led to up Friday, where normal classes were cancelled in exchange for praise and worship, breakout sessions, and a wonferful keynote speaker. Students were able to choose from sessions such as "The Connection Between Science and Faith", "Worth the Wait (ladies only)", "Dealing with Depression", and "Coping with Stress and Worry." Although there were many more sessions from which to choose, students had to decide on four. Tough questions were answered in a safe place as relationships were fostered between teachers, students, and the Master Teacher, Jesus Christ. 

I think that sums up our busy month! Thank you all for your continued prayers and support!

Reflections: San Juan del Sur 2013

On Christmas Day 2013, our family made the trek south to San Juan del Sur for some much needed relaxation. I had just completed a full year of studies including both summer terms while working full time. My family vaguely remembered who I was! We decided to take a mini vacation at Playa Marsella Beachfront Hotel for 5 nights. We settled in for 5 days of nothingness. Beach, pool, naps, and reading consumed our days.

One of the days, we ventured to SJDS town to explore the town and some select real estate. Walking into a RE/Max agency, we inquired about a particular property of interest. And, yes, it was still on the market.

In my spring semester world geography course, I chose to do a missions project for my final assignment. The goal of the assignment was to choose a particular area of the world and apply the 5 themes of geography. I took it a step further and researched San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Why Nicaragua? Ten years ago in the highlight of my travel agent experience, Jeremy saw a documentary about Nicaragua. Then, over and over again through various outlets, Nicaragua kept reappearing in our lives. So, I dug in, and developed a geography assignment like no other.

When my grandmother died in 2010, I decided to someday open a Christian school in her honor. I didn't know where, when, or how, but I knew it was what I was supposed to do...someday. Hence, the theme for my project. I researched the country of Nicaragua and its economy, government, education system, real estate, climate, and culture. Now, we were there, in reality, looking at the possibility of a Christian school on the square in a quaint red building in San Juan del Sur, NI. However, we all knew in our hearts that this was a future possibility, not for here and now.

So we relaxed for a few more days before our trek to Granada.

Reflections: Arrival 2013

8:34 p.m. December 24, 2013. The Managua airport welcomed the Kane family after a lengthy day of travel from Salt Lake City, UT. Gathering our luggage while adjusting to a 90 degree temperature difference, signs exclaiming, "Bienvenidos!" captured our attention. Sure, we have traveled to many countries over the years with similar customs and immigration experiences, but never with the intentions that we had for this trip.

After clearing immigration, we met our driver to take us to the Art Hotel in Managua for the night. Along the way, we experienced the sights and sounds of Christmas Eve in Nicaragua. It was anything but a silent night. Late into the evening when North American families were tucking their children into bed, Nicaraguans were lining the streets gearing up for a celebration.

When we arrived, the hotel attendant showed us to our room. Exhausted, we were ready to turn in. She gently explained that we should just stay awake, because at midnight we would be be awaken anyway. So, we decided to stay up to see what the hype was all about.
At 5 minutes till midnight, the popping and crackling of the fireworks began to increase. At midnight, the Kane family was immersed into a deep fryer of fireworks. The smell of sulphur and the remnants of paper filled the warm, humid air for nearly an hour. Our first Nica Christmas was louder and brighter than any Independence Day celebration we could imagine in the U.S. Once the commotion subsided, we settled in for a long, not-so-winter nap. For tomorrow, we would travel south to San Juan del Sur.