We arrived in Managua yesterday afternoon and came over to Bluefeilds on the plane this morning. We had to send two of our bags by a freight line because the local airline only allows 30 lbs per passenger. They should arrive Friday.
We had a good visit to NY this past couple of weeks where Kim's mother and my parents live.
On Sunday, I arranged to have Jonathan fly in and spend most of the week with us. Kim was totally shocked when she saw Jonathan and I walk in the door. She cried, which makes it a success as far as women are concerned (just kidding).
Jonathan and I spent much of our time working on a business project that we are doing together. He has a lot of skills as a web developer and we are partnering on a project that will use both of our skills and hopefully build a business for the future.
 I also helped my Dad with some projects, putting a couple of new faucets on the outside of the house. It was kind of fun sweating copper pipe together again.
We also were able to spend time with my sisters and their families and Kim and her mother took a day trip to meet up with her youngest sister from Rhode Island.
The music classes have continued in our absence. We have see the morning group really get excited as they grow together. This group will start going with us to minister in Corn Island every other week. We will be using ministry funds that everyone has donated to support this team as they go out.
We have some new music from Nehemias and some others that they have produced right here at the house.
The word is getting out and they are attracting musicians. Two people that got together here are now doing special music right now at an evangelistic crusade using instruments that we have loaned them pretty much permanently.
It is interesting to see the impact that we are having simply by being here and providing simple resources that these brothers and sisters could never afford. We have discovered that our greatest ministry is in facilitating others, doing big and small things to enable others to succeed in ministry. It is really the spiritual gift of service, where we stay behind the scenes, but still have big impact.
 Our trip back was very smooth until we got to the Managua airport. As we were leaving, the customs people decided to go through our luggage like rabid starving squirrels looking for a nut. They were doing this to anyone carrying a bunch of luggage, rummaging through every piece of clothing or anything else in suitcases.
They decided to charge us for the security cameras we brought back. We explained that they were personal items, not for sale, but they decided that these were not personal items. They said nothing about the computer monitor and dvd player (still in the boxes) or anything else we had. It was very arbitrary.
After arguing with them for about thirty minutes, they charged us $76.00. We had little option but to pay it, or stay there all night or have them keep our stuff, which they would have gladly done.
 We got up early and repacked all the suitcases. The airlines from the US allow us only 50 lbs per suitcase (x 4 suitcases). The local airline that takes us across Nicaragual to Bluefields allows only 30 lbs per person . . . so . . . we have to repack the suitcases, putting all the heavy stuff in two suitcases and the light stuff in the other suitcases, so we get two 30 lb suitcases and two 70 lb suitcases.
If we had brought it all on the commuter airline, it would have put us 140 lbs overweight at a charge of $1.20 US for each lb (more expensive than the cost of an airline ticket in the first place).
Our picture gallery (we should call it a "media gallery") contains a special treat this week. We have several musical items that the guys have produced. Some are more refined than others, but it is just there to show you the difference that a little investment in the Kingdom can make.
Thank you as always for your prayers.
God bless you,
Tim and Kim |
