Schools in El Chonco

     Hello! I'm Olivia Alligood. We are more than halfway through our trip and I am just now introducing myself. Before I begin to share what we did on Friday, I will share a little about why I am here. I love traveling and I believe that one day I will be a missionary. I have a minor in Spanish so I was on board as soon as I heard about this trip. I put the whole trip in the Lord's hands and he was faithful in every step of the way. I am here because I love kids and I love sharing what I have learned with others, especially those that might not have the same resources as I have. Being here in Nicaragua has been incredible. I love the children and the people of Nicaragua. I am looking forward to teaching in the schools this week.
    On Friday, we spent part of the day in El Chonco. This was the first time we were in the classrooms and it was an awesome experience. We saw a lot of different ways of teaching and some really cool ideas that surprised us. I cannot speak for everyone's class because I was only in one class but we were able to talk about what we saw. In the PreK class I was in, the teacher had the students glue on pieces of paper on an "e". I really liked how she reviewed with the students every time there was down time. She had the students repeat the name of the vowel a lot. They went on break for about 30 minutes after they were finished. When we came back from the break, she drew an "e" on the ground with chalk. She had the students "walk" on the "e". The students loved doing this. After they had the chance to walk on the big "e", the student drew their own e's on the ground with chalk. After that it was time for lunch and the students were done with school. The funniest thing that I heard that day was when the teacher was going over the rules for break time with the students. One of the rules was that they could not go home. Only in Nicaragua would that be a rule.
      We ate enchiladas at the feeding center in El Chonco and hung out with the kids until we had to leave. Once we were back at Amigos, we changed into bathing suits and headed to the beach. The beach was a private beach owned by an American women. She moved down here a couple of years ago after her husband died. She bought a ranch right on the beach and has since then opened up a free clinic for the Nicaraguans. The beach was a wonderful way to end the week. It was very relaxing and we were able to watch a gorgeous sunset. This week was a great and exciting week. I have learned so much already and I cannot wait to teach this week.

Lost in Translation

I don't think that I have ever been more nervous in my life. Today, we went to the Escuela de Normal which Chinandega's college for students that want to be educators. We were to go in and teach some of the first year students lessons that they could one day use for their own students. We decided to use Fruit Loops to teach math. I felt that all the students really liked the lesson. They seemed to understand the concept of using something fun, but concrete like Fruit Loops, to teach a hard concept like multiplication, area of a shape, and less than or greater than. We had so much fun working with them and seeing the difference between their schooling and ours. Even though we were nervous about the language barrier we seemed to get along ok with only a few concepts lost in translation.

We also took a tour of their school which is a good bit different than North Georgia, and we ate lunch with the students. We had a great time hanging out with the super sweet students of Escuela de Normal, and as Megan Kelley would say, we made tons of friends.

The rest of the day we had to ourselves. We all decided to go to the market with Casia (an amigos missionary and super sweet girl) as our tour guide/body guard. The market was a very scary place but with luck and fast walking, we went in and out not buying anything. The others stores though were very nice and we all bought some gifts to take home. I am loving our trip so far. I know I have said it before but Nicaraguans are the sweetest people, and I totally love them. Keep us all in your prayers as we walk through this journey not only that we enrich lives but that our own lives are enriched.
Thank you and God bless!
Heather Harkins

Sweet ANGELS and water slides!!!

Well, guess what the weather was like today... HOT!!! But, I think we are getting used to it (maybe). 

Today was absolutely one of the best days of my life. We started the day out by going to the orphanage for children with special needs; Hogar Ninos Angeles. There were about 20 to 25 children and 4 incredible women that took care of these children and the facility. The facility was spotless and the children were on mats on the floor. It was incredible to see their smiles, and although one may think they didn't know we were there, they did! As special education majors, we were able to pick up on children using tennis balls for sensory stimulation, some children were over stimulated and we were able to pick up on the implications from this too. We sat with these children and loved on them unconditionally. As we began to leave, of course I started to cry and thought to my self what more can I do? After realizing we had done what we were there to do, I was able to wipe the tears and continue the day. However, I would like to ask that when you say your prayers, please say a prayer for these special angels and the women that take care of them.

Home of the ANGEL Children

After visiting the orphanage, we got to go to lunch in the city. So... we chose pizza! After taking the taxi, we got in the restaurant, and they had air conditioner! :) This was probably some of the cheapest and best pizza I have ever had! Communication went fairly well, although it did take us 5 to 10 minutes to ask for marinara sauce! 

Now for the even more fun part!!! 

We each paid $5 for us and one child from El Chonco to go to a Nicaraguan water park. Trust me... it is not what you're thinking, but it was a blast! There were three working water slides that did NOT meet US regulations by far. There was also a petting zoo, and by that I mean animals were running around the pool! :) They even had a merry-go-round (see picture below... I can't even explain it); it was so much fun to spin the kids on it! We also celebrated one of the workers birthdays today and her whole family got to come! :) The children played hard, we played hard, and needless to say, the bus ride back to the village had many ninos sleeping! 

Today was such a great day and I can't wait for tomorrow when we go to Escuela de Normal to teach the first year education majors! :) 

P.S. Hello to all my Fowler Drive friends!!! :) Ms. Dove loves you!!!

New Beginnings!

Today was a day full of new faces and new beginnings. We visited two villages.
El Chonco was the first village we visited. We were welcomed by dirty, little smiling faces. The people of El Chonco opened their homes for us.

We visited the school that was built and set up by Amigos for Christ. The school houses 300 students within four classrooms. We were unable to visit with the students because school was cancelled for the day, but we are looking forward to being there during a school day.

We also visited Villa Catalina.  This village was completely built by Amigos as a refuge for the destruction made by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The government came in and promised them temporary housing in the land field outside of Chinandega while new homes were built. After two years of living in the land field, Amigos for Christ stepped in and promised homes as long as the people agreed to live in tents and help build homes while all the houses were constructed. Everyone moved in when the last block was laid. The community was so welcoming, and you could tell immediately a difference in the Villa Catalina and El Chonco. Through the work of Amigos and the people of the Villa, a community is flourishing and it is amazing to see.

Tomorrow we are going to the water hole and to the special needs orphanage!!! Keep us in your prayers.

Love and God Bless, 

Megan Kelley

Heather Marie Harkins

       My name is Heather Marie Harkins and I have lived in Dahlonega my whole life. I will be a junior next year at North Georgia and of course I love my school. I was trying to work on a spanish minor but that didn't work out the way it was suppose to. Even though the minor didn't work, I still really wanted to go abroad. When the trip to Nicaragua came up, it sounded like a gift sent from God. I have always always wanted to go on a mission trip and the fact that I get to now go on one and get college credit for it was amazing. With the support from my family and friends I raised the money to go, and here I am writing to you from Nicaragua.

        We have only had one day so far. We walked around two different villages and have seen first hand how these people live. I have to say that I now want to slap myself for ever complaining about my life. People in the US don't know how lucky we have it. We sit around and complain about our houses, cars, children, and neighbors and look what it has done to us. We have everything and we are still often unhappy. These people barley have a roof over there head and yet they seemed to be the most joyful people I have ever met. They work together as a family and as a community. We have come down here to help them and teach them but really I think it is us that needs the lesson. I hoped to touch lives on this trip but I can already see that it will be my life that will be touched.

All for His name

Hey! My name is Meghan Roemer. I just finished my sophomore year at North Georgia, and I am so excited to continue on through the Education program. I am a ECE/SPED major with a Spanish minor.

Ever since working with missions in Mexico my senior year, the spanish culture has just been a part of my heart. I am humbled by the state some of these families live in, yet they are some of the happiest and joyous people I've ever met. Planning for this trip has had a lot of obstacles through my first two years at North Georgia, and I wasn't even sure if I was going to get my minor after all. By God's grace, my schedule worked out perfectly to fit my spanish classes, and I pulled out an A in my hardest spanish class last semester. When I heard about the change of plans for the study abroad trip and the details of working with Amigos for Christ, I knew that none of that was by chance. It was not by chance that my heart goes out to the spanish culture and language. It was not by chance that the Lord has been sovereign over my schedule. It was not by chance that this trip is more than just school credit. And as confirmation of everything, it was not by chance that the funds for the trip worked out the way they did. I am so blessed and thankful for His guidance.


To me, this trip is just another way to share God's endless love with those around me and to be a light to dark hearts. I pray that the Lord would do His great work through me and use me to impact others' lives. He has blessed me in so many ways and has given me gifts to be used for His glory, so that is what I want to do...all for His name.

We're Almost there!

My name is Taylor Lee, and I am a Senior at North Georgia College & State University.  I plan on graduating in December 2012.  I was born and raised in McDonough, Georgia, and I came to North Georgia to play on the Women's Soccer team.  I have two younger siblings and have always been part of a "team" and something bigger than myself.  It was only fitting that I aspired to become a teacher and change the lives of young children.  I have truly enjoyed every minute of student teaching, and I cannot wait to embark on this amazing journey the next few days. 

When making the decision about coming to Nicaragua, I considered several things.  I asked myself questions like: “Have I ever done anything like this before?” No. “Would coming on a trip like this put me out of my comfort zone?” Absolutely. And lastly, “Would I rather do anything else with my time and talents?” No way.  So here I am, on the way to Nicaragua feeling more nervous, anxious, and excited than ever.  I thank my Mom and Dad for their constant support throughout my life, my sisters for allowing me to be a role model for them, but more importantly to God who has answered my prayers by blessing me far beyond what I could ever imagine. 

Yay!! We’re almost there!! J

Create in me a pure heart!!!

Hi, my name is Megan Kelley. 
I am a GRADUATE of North Georgia as of yesterday!!! I am a resident of Dahlonega, Ga and i have lived there my entire life. I chose to become a teacher because I believe in being the change you want to see in the world. I believe in our nation and I want to help make our nations education the best it can be. Children are my joy and my passion. 

This trip marks a great day for me, not only am I graduating college but I am getting to use the gifts God has given me to help others in need. God has blessed me with a life like no others. He has given me a huge family and support system that I could not live without. I know that one of the hardest yet educational parts of this trip will be seeing that others are with out the kind of love and support that I have always had. 

Psalm, 51:10 says " Create in me a pure heart, O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me." If the only thing I get out of this trip is a look at my blessings and a change of heart for this world then God has given me more than I could ask for!!


GOD BLESS, MEGAN KELLEY!!

Let this once in a lifetime journey begin!

Hi, my name is Missy Dove. I am from Athens, GA home of the DAWGS!!! I am a senior in the Early Childhood program at North Georgia College. I am the youngest of two and have the most amazing parents any one could ever ask for. On September 2 I will be joining hands with an incredible man and we will become one with God. :) I have so many exciting things going on in life right now and I cannot begin to express how blessed I am at this point in my life. But I am taking events one by one and the first exciting event is this trip to Nicaragua!

Making a decision to go on this trip was slightly difficult. Not because I don’t want to make a difference or that I will miss my family, but because I FEAR flying. But with much prayer to God, he has assured me that I will be safe along this journey and I must follow His will. I have always had a passion for children and helping others. I have experienced seeing “poverty” in the states, but as I have been attempting to prepare myself for what is to come, I know it will be a SHOCK. I am ready to immerse myself in the culture, learn more about the world in which I am placed, and make a difference in the lives of others.

There is no way of expressing one or two things that I am excited about! I am slightly nervous but I am so excited to experience the culture and see new things. Oh yeah… let’s not forget about everyone going on this trip… IT WILL BE THE TIME OF OUR LIVES BEING WITH EACH OTHER!!! 

Thank you to everyone who has shown me support in multiple ways. Without you I would not be writing this and getting to have an incredible experience! Love you all! Romans 12:2

Here we go....

Who am I?

My name is Ashley Dial, and I will be graduating in May from North Georgia with a degree in Early Childhood and Special Education. I have always had a passion for working with children but didn’t take the traditional route to become a teacher. Right out of high school, I had the intention of becoming an engineer, but the Lord had other plans for me. After three semesters, it became clear that engineering was not what I was supposed to be doing with my life. At that point, I made the decision to transfer and become a teacher. It is one of the best decisions I have ever made, and there is not one doubt in my mind that this is what I am supposed to be doing with my life. I genuinely love going to the elementary school each and every day and cannot wait to be able to do this for the rest of my life!

Why this trip?

I initially heard about the trip this past fall and was immediately excited about the possibility of going to Nicaragua to teach! I was willing to do pretty much anything to ensure that I was able to go on this trip…even enroll in grad school early! When I finally found out I could go without jumping through hoops, I realized that this was meant to be and I needed to take this opportunity and run with it! I mean, when will I have the opportunity to travel abroad with such an amazing group for two weeks ever again?!?

Now that you know how much I really want to go, you must be asking, “But why?” Like I said in my introduction, I have always had a passion for working with children and spend most of my time outside of school volunteering or working with children. Also, I have always wanted to go on a mission trip, but the logistics just never worked out. When presented with this trip, it immediately clicked that this was what I needed to do. I would be able to minister and share God’s love by using the talents that He has given me. After this realization, it became evident that this was the perfect opportunity to take a leap of faith and minister abroad.

What am I looking forward to?

I honestly cannot wait to see the children and spend time getting to know them. After all, I did become a teacher because of my love for kids. I know that my life will be forever changed after meeting and spending time with these children, and my hope is that I make at least a small impact on their lives as well! I am also excited for this unique opportunity to use my God-given talents to serve my Lord and Savior! It is such a blessing to be given the chance to serve the Lord in this way! In addition, I am excited about seeing a new country and being immersed in a new culture.

Ashley

Uncontainable Excitement!

Hey y'all! My name is Erica Jones, and I am from the small town of Blue Ridge nestled in the mountains of north Georgia. I am graduating from North Georgia College & State University on May 6th (the day before we leave for Nicaragua!) with a degree in Early Childhood and Special Education. I come from a huge family consisting of five siblings (an older step brother, younger sister, younger step brother, and two younger half brothers). Since I am the second oldest, I have always been very nurturing and motherly. I have always had a huge passion for children, and I have always known I wanted to be a teacher. I love being a positive role model and having an impact on the lives of children. I have a huge heart, and I have always experienced true joy in helping others.

Why did I choose to go on this trip? I have always had an interest and felt led to participate in mission work, but I have never been sure where I was meant to go. Over the past year, as my relationship with my Lord and Savior has grown and strengthened tremendously, I have prayed for Him to open my eyes and reveal His plan of where He wanted me to go. I first heard about this trip around last October and was very hopeful. However, when the trip was first mentioned, individuals wanting to attend were to be enrolled in a class with NGCSU. I was super bummed since I would be graduating before the trip, which meant I wouldn't be able to  go. So, I continued diligently praying for direction in my life. Two months later, in December, this proposition of this trip came up again. This time, I found out that in order to go, individuals did not have to be enrolled in a class. I knew this was God reassuring me this is where I was meant to be. I immediately emailed Dr. Barnes and set everything up in order to for me to get on board with the trip. At this point, I couldn't have even pointed out Nicaragua on a world map, but I knew this is where the Holy Spirit was leading me. So, here I am today--only 12 short days away from our departure!

Is it possible to pinpoint one thing that I am most looking forward to? No, it is not! I am going on this trip expecting the unexpected. I can't wait to see how the Lord uses me and the other girls to work in these people's lives. With that being said, I also can't wait to see how the Lord uses the people in Nicaragua to work in our lives. I am excited to be able to experience another culture, especially one that is so poverty stricken. True, authentic, infallible faith is found in such cultures because their faith is all they have to live by. I am ecstatic about being able to witness such faith. Overall, I am excited about every aspect of this trip, and I can't wait to see how our lives are transformed!

xoxo,


Erica

14 days and counting...

In merely 14 more days, we'll be departing for Nicaragua and ready to spend close to two weeks exploring, learning, and growing.  This blog will help you stay abreast of our journey and adventures.  Over the next two weeks, each student will be introducing themselves and explaining why they chose to go on this trip.  Hopefully, this will help us develop a sense of community and get to know each other before our trip.

So, I'll begin.  My name is Alyssa Barnes, and I am an assistant professor at North Georgia College and State University.

I first traveled to Nicaragua in February 2011.  I traveled with another professor from NGCSU, three professors from Piedmont College, and other professionals from different school districts around Georgia.  I was new to the group, but all of the other women were making their 4th and 5th trip.  The Teach Amigas group spent a week in classrooms around Chinandega and creating a professional development celebration for the teachers in the local villages.  Falling in love with everything Nicaragua, I jumped at the chance to take students back to experience this amazing culture.

I am looking forward to watching the faces and expressions of the students as they see the extreme poverty, yet overwhelming beauty of Nicaragua.  I know I've grown as a person from my trips to Nicaragua, and I cannot wait to see the transformations that occur in my students.

MAB