HELLO NINDIRI

I've actually said goodbye to Granada Este not just because they've split but because I've split!  Yes, Shelina and I have moved to another city and congregation (just me on the congregation move) as of September 30th.  That's why you haven't heard so much of me lately...been getting settled.

It was a long and hard decision, but ultimately we decided to move for financial reasons.  Granada is such a touristy town that prices were increasingly going up and up for us.  For example, our light bill had quadrupled in just the year that I was living with Shelina!  We had tried to find other accommodations in Granada for less money, but it just wasn't happening.  So one day talking with other need greaters living in different areas we discovered that in just moving cities we could cut our expenses considerably.  They told us of a brother's house in Nindirí up for rent so Shelina and I went to see it and we loved it.  Fast forward a month and we're here now!  I can't tell you how much I love getting double the house for half the cost.

Nindirí as a whole is really nice.  It's more rural so we're getting to live a much quieter life; no more drunks outside our window at 3am or 18wheelers driving down our street every 5 minutes.  It's really nice and clean and known for its two parks and how most homes have really lush gardens.  Another plus is that we're closer to the capital and typically about 5 degrees cooler than Granada at all times.  I actually wear pants to bed now!  

There is just 1 congregation here, and they've really put themselves out making us feel welcome.  Sisters have transferred studies and return visits to me so I can keep my time going and they gave us a little welcome party last Sunday!

complete with food!  what a nice surprise!

naturally it was a dance party

My new congregation has about 100 publishers but only 8 pioneers and a ton a rural territory.  Oddly, most of the pioneers here are brothers, so they were really excited to get a female pioneer.  I'm excited too to get moving in my new territory.

here's our new house

My favorite part...our interior courtyard complete with built-in grill (see rear left of wall) and water tank!!!!  Yeah,  no more bucket baths!!!

My least favorite part...the massive tarantula that decided to appear last Thursday night.  I apparently can do scorpions but not tarantulas.  After I started crying trying to kill it, Shelina stepped in.  Hey, we all have our limits, ok?!

GOODBYE GRANADA ESTE

Well, it's official....Granada Este is no more :(  but for a good reason!  Between us and our sister congregation Granada Norte, we had enough publishers to make a 3rd congregation, so the divisions began and the name changing started as follows:

1.  Bartolome--new congregation

2.  La Villa--former Granada Este

3.  Pan Casan--former Granada Norte

Each congregation has between 60-70 publishers and 2-3 elders.  You know the most exciting part?  Each congregation has reported increased attendance since the split!  Looks like Jehovah is certainly blessing the work in Granada :)

The night the list went on the info board of who would be in each congregation.  Many tears that night as teachers found out they'd be in a different territory from their progressive students and long-time friends would be separated after years together.

Number 11 Alixe and Pilar at their last meeting together.  They're called that because they're always together and they're both so skinny it looks like the number 11 walking towards you.

 We got to do one last shabang as a congregation, though.  Many members of Este and Norte were invited to participate in the drama at this year's District Convention.  Our final performance fell the weekend right before the split.  I had the privilege of participating for the first time!  I worked with a couple other sisters in costuming coming up with how we wanted each character to look and then putting that into action.  Jehovah made it so easy for us through use of the excellent illustrations in his publications.  We had a blast!

Pilar (Queen Ester) and I right before her performance.  What a beautiful queen she made!  She was the perfect choice because she's often reminded me of Queen Ester.  Beautiful both inside and out.

Mission accomplished!

EL SALVADOR PART 3

I'm dedicating this post to David, Shayla, and Shaylita.  

David is the brother above with Shelina.  He is an El Salvadorian brother serving in English.  He very generously picked us up upon our arrival to El Salvador and offered us a tour of the city.  From the moment we met him, he and his family showed us extraordinary love.  He showed us where the grocery store was to get our lunch, where the assembly was being held, the mall, and the famous Wal-Mart we heard about.  He carried our suitcases up to the room and made sure we got checked in ok.  The next night, we got to meet his beautiful wife Shayla and daughter Shaylita when they took us out for pupusas.

Saturday night, this family went out to eat with the family they had generously offered housing for during the convention.  When they arrived back at their home, they discovered thieves had broken in during the convention and stolen everything of value from both them and the family they were hosting.  All of this while they're also busy (financially and emotionally) supporting a close family member with cancer.

The next day at the convention when we heard the news, we immediately rushed over to comfort them.  Their reaction was amazing.  They told us that when their 5-year old daughter saw everyone upset she said, "Don't be sad.  We need to pray."  And that's exactly what they did.  And their viewpoint?  "Maybe this is just the push we need to simplify and serve Jehovah more fully."  They expressed their appreciation for the assembly program--there was so much information about how our trials don't come from Jehovah and don't express his displeasure with us or show that we're doing something wrong.

What an example to imitate!

EL SALVADOR PART 2

You all know me so I'm sure you've already guess the other part I loved about El Salvador--the food!  No, seriously, it was like visiting the U.S.  They use the U.S. dollar as currency, they've got chains I'm familiar with like Zara & Nine West, and they have restaurants I know.  Like what?  Drumroll please....

Can you hear that?  Yes, those are angels singing!  That's how I felt when I walked into THE ONLY STARBUCKS IN CENTRAL AMERICA!  They ONLY exist in El Salvador for some reason.  Ahhhh, Wifi and a frappuccino.

Where else did we go?  Not the Pancake Shop Pancake Shop!!!! But....

Denny's!  What's crazy is that I think I ate at Denny's all of one time when I lived in the U.S. and yet I was so excited to see it here.  Grand Slam, here we come!  You wanna know how I know I've lived here too long?  When we scanned the menu, we saw that certain soft drinks and juices came with free refills, something unheard of here in Nicaragua.  I told Shelina "if I just had a plastic baggie with me I could order a refill, put it in the bag, and then I'd have fresco at lunch."  Sad, huh?

And last but not least....

Oh, Mexican food how I've missed thee!  We spent Saturday night with a new couple we met serving in Guatemala (shout out to Kimberly and Trevor!!!) and enjoying blackberry margaritas, chips/salsa, and enchiladas. Ahhhh!  And for those of you reading this thinking "you live in Nicaragua; all Latin food is the same, right?"  Wrong.  Don't get me wrong, I love Nica food but oh, how I've missed my spicy Mexican. Hopefully, this will hold me over for a while.