PANMissions Canada

God Richly Blessed This Whole Venture

"I thought that this would be my last trip - now I'm not so sure!!" - Rev. Kees Vandermey

Kees Vandermey's Memories of The July Nicaragua P. A. N. Trip as Told to Rob Gilbert

Friday, July 7,2006

It's 9:00 on a warm July morning and Shirley Hastie was there with the big yellow school bus as the thirteen of us gathered outside Knox, took photographs and said our goodbyes. Everybody had two hockey bags jammed with "stuff" The bags had been carefully weighed (more or less) and we were ready to go. A highlight of this trip is that I have son Adam with me and Susan Woodruff has her son, Evan, along for the trip.

At Pearson Airport, our first catastrophe happens. Adam misplaces his return tickets and other personal items. Turns out they were on top of one of the hockey bags and they are miraculously found by the baggage handlers! Stopped to change planes in Miami. Rush, rush, not as long a layover as we had anticipated. We arrive in Managua, Nicaragua to be greeted by a wave of humid, warm air and our two drivers, Alfredo and his brother Victor. We end up at Jenny's Place for supper. We had rooms in a new building called the Angels Inn. It's a new building and we appear to be the first people to stay there. And so to bed.

Saturday, July 8,2006

Up early for breakfast and then on a quick tour of old Managua. Once a prosperous city, the place has never really recovered from the earthquake in' 72, when hard times really began, along with the civil, wars.

Stopped off at the Peace Gardens where people buried their weapons in concrete as a symbol of the hope for a lasting peace. We were all deeply touched as we realized how powerfully symbolic the place is. Then to the dump, which seems to stretch to the horizon. This place is a way of living for many locals and it is hot. One look at the piles of refuse and almost felt like we didn't want to get out of the van. But we did, and distributed water to the people there for about an hour. Hard to believe that this is their way of life - people actually live here!

After a sandwich lunch, on to the build site. We found the footings already in, ready to go - no floor yet, though. A sign of things to come on Monday when the build was slated to start in earnest. Later, to a local "shopping mail" called Huembe's, with crafts like rocking chairs for $50.00 and hammocks. The chairs come in kits for transport. Bought one, and then "home" again.

Sunday, July 9, 2006

Up for breakfast and to church in Xiloa. Still looks about the same with its corrugated steel roof. Kids and some adults waiting for us when we arrived.

As arranged, I preached the morning service, through an interpreter. Some of our group did Sunday School for about 100 children. Lunch at a nearby house and then a trip to nearby Masaya volcano. The volcano is dormant and you can walk right up to the crater - still an uneasy feeling. And then to a real adventure - we took a "canopy tour". Even though it was miserable - wet and raining, I couldn't help but be thrilled, dangling from a cable as I traversed the tree tops. To dinner at a local restaurant and "home" again. Tomorrow we get going on the build!

Monday, July 10,2006

Everybody up, breakfast and to the build site by 9:00 a. m. after about an hour's drive.

First things first - some of us getting the concrete blocks organized and ready to lay. Others unpacking hockey bags. At noon to a feeding station in Managua. Learned one thing right away - "don't put the chicken stew on top of the rice" - everybody likes them separate.

Back to the site and laid blocks until 5:00 p. m. "Home" for supper - a typical meal is either beef or chicken - always rice or beans - with a salad and usually fruit for dessert. Coffee, lemonade and water to drink. After supper, to a nearby girls' orphanage and a craft session. What a joyous time to see them enjoying themselves. Then, back home to sit on the porch and organize for the next day. 

Tuesday, July 11,2006

Up again for breakfast and the usual half hour for devotions. Back to the build site at 9:00 a. m. Some of our members worked on gift bags and crafts at a parishioner's house.

The rest were hard at it, tying rebar, laying blocks, making concrete forms, mixing concrete by hand. Everybody participated in something The organizers made sure the materials were on site.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

A rerun of Tuesday - more blocks, more cement, more rebar!! It is interesting to build in a warm country - no insulation, no furnace - much simpler, but still hard work. Three of our ladies visited a prison for females, to hold a small service and hand out gift bags. Not sure what day, but they visited a women's hospital, too, and handed out more gift bags. Continued the build until 5:00 again, then "home for supper. Afterwards, visited a boy's orphanage run by a local Spanish church. Home to bed, supper and sleep again.

Thursday, July 13,2006

After breakfast and devotions, time getting short - a large gang to the work site.

Some of the ladies to a women's cancer hospital. Very depressing, to see close to 60 women there. Beds are short, so they had to double up. Others painted a room at a local children's hospital, which is a fairly modem building being maintained by various Christian groups. Also took clothing and handed out teddy bears and little gift packages to moms and kids. And gave money to help repair a broken respirator. Home for supper and then out to a 'Folkloric" Show at Huembes. It was really a fun time that evening.

Friday, July 14,2006

The usual breakfast and devotions and on to the site.

The building is really starting to take shape - about 25' x 40', but we were almost "toast" from the heavy building work. Some of the ladies visited the public school for crafts and "good byes" Home again for supper, prepared the next day's lunch, as usual and blessed sleep.

Saturday, July 15,2006

Same morning routine and everybody back to the site. We had done our best to get things completely finished, but it was not to be. The block work was just about done, but there wasn't a roof or cement floor yet. We had a look at our finances and it was decided that we had enough money to pay local labour to finish the job. At 3:00 p. m, we had a closing service involving everybody including the Xiloa congregation. The Knox Sunday School quilts were presented and gift bibles were distributed. There were lots of goodbyes, some tearful I am sure. It was a very emotional time. "Home" again to a well earned rest.

Sunday, July 16,2006

A day of rest and recreation after a hard week's work!! We spent the day at Montelimar, a resort that caters to tourists in the area.

Monday, July 17,2006

All aboard our plane at 12:05 p. m. local time and arrived at Pearson at 11:24 p. m., right on time. Shirley was there to meet us and we were back to Knox and home by 2:00 a. m.