Our BlogUpon arriving to Nicaragua,

our Central American Coordinator, Stephen, aptly

said, “Whenever you are having a bad day, just look up!” It is indeed a beautiful

country and we often remember this advice. So, our blog is taking this mantra. See

stories, photos, videos, and follow our adventure here.

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TostonesMost popular here is the national dish, gallo pinto, but tostones are a close second in my book. Here is a recipe for you to enjoy!

•Green plantains (1 = 5 tostones)•Oil to fry•Salt1. Peel and cut the plantains into

3/4 inch slices.2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan.3. Fry the slices in oil for 3 mins.

4. Remove them, drain and smash them using the bottom of a glass.

5. Fry again for 3 mins.

6. Remove and salt to taste.

As the Mumford & Sons sing in Timeshel, “You are not alone in this, you are not alone in this. As brothers [and sisters] we will stand and hold your hand.” So too, do we feel like we are not alone in our time here in Nicaragua. In the difficult decision to leave Waslala and move to San Nicolas, we felt the presence of friends. In the challenges our students bring and lack of educational resources at our school, we feel the encouragement of our former colleagues and students. In dealing with cultural differences and days of missing home, we feel the love and support from family.

In a struggle to forgive after being robbed more than once, we have felt held by God.

We also have had an infinite number of joy-filled experiences, side-splitting moments of laughter, and made lasting friendships. We have taught over 250 students, worked with over 50 compañeros, learned a new way of

life, expanded our global view, and in the process grown closer to one another. Our faith has been strengthened and our desire to live, learn, and love has deepened.

We are assured of what the song tells us, that we are not alone in this...as brothers and sisters we will hold each other’s hand.

F O L L O W T H E J O U R N E Y A T B I L L Y A N D K R I S T I N . T U M B L R . C O M

LOOKO U R O N E Y E A R N E W S L E T T E R

Just up

Nicaragua, NicaragüitaIn what has become a national hymn, Carlos Mejia Godoy sings a love song to his country, noting the beauty of this land dotted with volcanoes and marked with its two large lakes. After decades of a dictatorship and a brutal civil war, he expresses his pride by singing, “But now that you are free Nicaragüita, I love you so much more.” We feel the love and solidarity that is expressed in this hymn, and are forever committed to the people, the land, and its freedom.

Support UsWe are incredibly grateful to all of you who have supported us over the past year either through care packages, emails, prayers, or financial donations. We are reliant on your continued support this coming year. If you would like to make a donation to VMM in our name please click here. It costs VMM $30,000 to support each volunteer per year. We were asked to raise $10,000 to help defray these costs and have already exceeded our goal. Thanks to all who have contributed! We hope to raise a grand total of $20,000 and currently stand at $18,117. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. You can also mail a check to Volunteer Missionary Movement | 5980 West Loomis Rd | Greendale | WI | 53129 (Put our names in the memo section).

Our Nicaraguan FamilyHenry, Mama Janet, Sonia, Sylvia, Marlon, Idalia: There are so many people we would love to introduce you to who have had a positive impact on our lives here. It is tough to choose one, but we want to put a face and a story to the people we live with, work with, and learn from. Gris, a 22-year old student of ours who lives in San Nicolás, is a Tourism major at the University in Estelí. She comes to our English class every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, in order to improve her grammar and pronunciation skills. Gris has become like a sister to us. Her family has adopted us as their own, always bringing us desserts or tortillas. Her mother, Esperanza, is a seamstress and has taken in a few paris of my pants since my waistline has shrunk. Every time we go to their house Gris serves us coffee and cookies. She enjoyed meeting our siblings and making buñuelos with all of us. Gris is one of the many reasons we love our work and continue our commitment to service. There are many more Gris’ in our lives here and we are grateful to all our Nicaraguan family.