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Nica Update: Last Year
A little over a year ago…streams of water, not drops, came out of the sky. Lisa was substitute teaching and I was riding in the back of a van looking out the window at how much water was flowing down both sides of the road. We were driving in the middle of the street to avoid being caught in the newly formed rivers on each side of the road. Someone in the seat in front of me turned to me and said, "children often drown when they get caught in those currents". Then we arrived safely back at the school.
Rebekah and Will needed to buy a present for a birthday party they would be going to the next day. So, we decided to drive to the mall to shop for a present. My phone rang shortly after the kids had picked out a gift. That is when I first heard the news that one of our students from our Spanish school, NCA Nejapa, had drowned while walking home from school that day. I knew the girl who had drowned because she was a part of the child sponsorship program that I oversee, I also knew her Mom because she served lunch to me at NCA almost every day. She works as a cook in NCA's cafeteria.
Because it is uncommon to embalm, when someone dies in Nicaragua they are generally buried within 24 hours. This means everything happens very quickly. Another custom is for family and friends to bring food and coffee to the grieving family to help feed all of those who visit. On our way home, Lisa dropped me off at a local grocery store where someone was going to pick me up to go to visit with the family. I found myself walking around the grocery store filling my cart with paper cups, napkins, Coca-cola, sugar, creamer and then finally standing in the coffee isle trying to figure out what kind of coffee do you bring to a Nicaraguan funeral. I still don't know, because some of our Nicaraguan friends arrived and picked it out for me. From the grocery store we went to pick up more friends from NCA who had purchased two massive bags of bread buns.
There was no road leading all the way to the house and so we drove as far as we could and parked in someone's front yard. We walked the remaining one hundred yards with the groceries we had bought. I arrived at the house and was met by a scene that was both familiar and very unfamiliar. The familiar gathering of people when someone has died, some were crying, some were talking quietly, most were standing quietly with their own thoughts. In the center was a small house pieced together with some boards and a tin roof. Inside was Ana Gabriela lying lifeless on the couch with her mother wailing next to her.
I spent a lot of time that night thinking about how much I love our kids, Rebekah and Will. I wanted them by me right then and there; I wanted to hug them, I wanted to tell them that I love them.
Over the next several hours we visited with many who came to show their care and love for this hurting family simply by coming and sharing a time of grief with them. As more and more people arrived I watched the men string light bulbs directly to the power line that ran to the house draping from the nearby trees. I watched the kids walk around giving coffee, pop and bread to all of the guests. Over time I got tired and leaned against the house, when I did a small piece of a board broke and fell to the ground. I looked through the small hole and could see the now familiar scene inside. I was grieving two things at that moment, the death of a child and the pain of the poverty of this world.
So that death would no longer have power over us, God also lost a loved one to death. Jesus' death and then three days later his resurrection brought an end to the power of death. 1 Corinthians 15:55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?".
We get to serve as God's hands and feet in this world and it was a blessing to see how the community at Nicaragua Christian Academy worked to overcome one piece of poverty in this world by building Blanca and her family a new house.
I am thankful for God and I am even thankful for the difficulties he uses in our lives to shape us. I am also thankful for the people he surrounds us with to help us through difficult times. I am thankful for each of you and the love, care and encouragement that you have given to our family.
My father passed away 33 years ago. I enjoy remembering him by visiting his grave when I get a chance. His grave stone has the following verse engraved on it: Psalm 30:5b weeping may remain for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
As hard as it is to believe at some moments, joy does come in the morning because of what our faithful Savior Jesus Christ has done.
May this Joy be yours now and forever,
Dan (Lisa, Rebekah, and Will) Van Zoest
PS: Here is a message from Blanca:
May the grace of the Lord shine in each home and on each of the people that shared of their own resources for my family. I am profoundly grateful for the huge support you have given for my house. Thank you from my heart and may the Lord multiply your generosity.
May God bless you and care for you in all your ways, and may He always be with you.
Blanca Morales and Family
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