Greetings, I hope that this letter finds you well. 2020 has been an interesting year. I got to go to the States at the end of March and had plans on returning to Nicaragua at the end of June. Due too closed borders and many canceled flights I didn’t get to return home until the middle of December. Even though I greatly enjoyed my time in the States, there were always many tears with every canceled flight; yet still an opportunity to trust God more. Now looking back I can understand much better why God orchestrated it for me to stay in the States longer. He knew I would benefit from it greatly in many ways. I got to rest and process things deeply; and God reaffirmed in a deeper way the calling He has given me in ministering to the Miskito ladies.
During my stay I was blessed with the opportunity to receive a variety of different Ladies Ministry trainings and also Christian Life Coach training, which was a beautiful answer to prayer and will be very helpful in the Ministry God has set before me. Since I’m back home, in Krinkrin Nicaragua, most everybody in the village has been very excited with Christmas and New Year’s cheer. It has been so good to reconnect with the young ladies and moms of the village. God has definitely continued to have His Spirit at work here, and has blessed the work of the ones that were still here on the field this past year.
The village people were all happy for Sarah and I’s return and many are much more open to share about their life than they had been before. One lady excitedly told me that she got married to her children’s father. Another young lady embraced me with open arms and a cultural sniff of love. She just wanted to sit down and tell me where she was at. She was embarrassed to tell me that she now lives with a guy (unmarried) . Would I still love her even if she choose to live in sin? It was now in the open, and she was able to understand that yes the path she has chosen is not honoring to God, and it makes me very sad, but I still love her, and more than that God still loves her. And yes I will keep praying for her, believing that there will be a time when she will live her life in a manner pleasing to the Lord. Ever since then every time I see her she comes over to me wanting a big hug just knowing that I still care and love her .
Another girl proudly shared with me that she is still following after God as best as she knows how, even during my time away. And we were able to discuss in greater depth what it looks like to follow God in every aspect of our lives. Still another girl who is very dear to my heart shared with me how she became pregnant just before I left then gave birth at the beginning of December. When her baby was two days old he died. From past experiences and the way my parents responded to her, she assumed that I would still care about her too. But she just wanted to share everything with me too so she could see for herself that I really still do care and love her right where she’s at. Others expressed excitement of starting Bible study again and having their babies monthly weighing and check-up. And most everybody and their neighbors are very enthusiastic about telling me their point of view on the two hurricanes and massive floods that hit a month earlier.
Yesterday medical emergencies piled in one after the other. One man cut his foot with a machete and as I was suturing his wound, still another young man came in with a cut that needed cleaning and suturing as well. Then there was a first time mother having serious complications at childbirth. She made it through the night and Chris was able to make an ambulance run downriver on his little boat first thing this morning. We praise God that she was able to make it to the hospital and both her and her baby girl’s lives were saved. In all these conversations and situations I keep remembering the words of Pastor David Gidcumb, “they don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
During my time in the States God continued to grow His love in my heart for the ladies of this village. And He has been working in their lives as well and most of them seem to understand in a deeper way how deeply I care for them and love them. I pray they will be able to understand how much more God loves them and cares for them . Before I had gone to the States, this spring, I did a weekly Bible Study with the young ladies and moms of the village. Also two of the village ladies and I worked with a program to weigh the babies and the pregnant ladies and teach hygiene and nutrition. I’m excited to be a part of this program again, starting on Monday, and also adding fetal development awareness to the program. Then on the 11th I will start the weekly Bible Studies with the ladies again.
I’m excited about the words God gave me for this upcoming year, “Deepening Relationships.” Then a little at a time as opportunity arises sharing the gospel with those that I love so dearly. I feel so blessed and rejoice that we serve an Awesome God! Thank you for your prayers and support! May God bless you a hundred fold for your loving care that you have shown to the lost and hurting. Sincerely your sister in Christ, Eva Lee
