AH, 

 

         I miss fall weather right now, today it was like 6000 degrees and Caleb Spitler dragged me around all day shopping for shorts, shirts, boxers, and shampoo/soap.  It was aweful, I hate shopping and I usually end up laying on the floor out of complete exhaustion.  I swear, I would rather run a 5k than shop all day.  Every place we entered people swarmed us yelling, "Que Buscando," what are you looking for, "Que quieres," what do you want, buy this, buy that, it made me sick.  I survived though, it took some prayer, but i'm alive.

         Comments from everyone pump me up so much, thank you very much for all of the advice and for continued prayer and support, I have like $5000 in my account, leaving only $2000 left!  I thank God every day for everyone back home and in other places, and it makes me feel so empowered in every situation I come across.  These days, we have been doing this foreign concept to me called, ATL, "Ask The Lord."  This means sitting in silence in prayer asking God what he wills us to do.  What a test of faith this is, people get sent everywhere.  At first, I was a little skeptical because it is so deep and it means that God is speaking directly to me.  Who am I to recieve these words?  Anyway, the other day, we split up into groups and people were jetting around every which way, but our group felt a calling to stay back and deal with issues that we may have and pray for the groups going out to minister.  At first, it was a little awkward, we were like, "so, what should we pray about, hmm..." but then, as I was sitting there, I just felt this strong voice saying, "Pray for Natalia."  In my head I was like, huh, ch'noway, she's sitting beside me looking fine.  I closed my eyes again and the same thing happens, "Pray for Natalia," and then, "Pray for Natalia and her boyfriend."  I have never met her boyfriend and all I know about him is that he rides a motorcycle, so again I was skeptical, but this time a little less.  I heard the same words like six times, so I was like, alright, fine I'm just going to step out and say it.  Before I could open my mouth, Natalia, who seemed perfectly fine, bursts out in tears and explains how she wants us to pray for her.  Weird, huh?  In my head I was kinda freaking out and a little awestruck.   We gathered around her and prayed one by one for her, except this time I decided to listen to God.  I prayed with as much confidence as I could for her and her boyfriend and any issues they were having.  It turns out that this was her exact issue, which is wicked cool, I still can't believe that God would speak to me like that.  This is why my title is listen to J-dawg, Jesus in your life, because he will bless every time you choose to step out in faith.

         Whew, I sound like a preacher man, but i'm serious though.  Oh yeah, Wednesday we decided to pick up trash off this shady looking street as part of a year-long plan to change people's attitude towards Nicaragua (most, instead of throwing things in a trash can two feet from them, empty their weeks worth of trash onto the ground) and it was crazy.  After five minutes a few little kids jumped in and were sprinting around and yelling, then everyone came out of there house and watched us like we were putting on a gun show or something, mainly me, but you know.  After a while, more and more people joined us until we had like 30 Nicaraguans, young and old, helping us out.  It was great. 

         Next week us guys are going to do 1000 push ups in 24 hours.  Also, we have many lizards around in our houses and Caleb and I are going to cook one over a fire and eat it.  I got a haircut today, how does $2.50 sound for an amazing haircut?  I'm pretty happy about the situation, it's pretty short though so I look like i'm twelve.  Well, that sums up some of the things that have happened in Nic-c-c-c-caragua.  Please pray against spiritual battles, they happen every day for me.  I hope things are stellar where you are-

 

Adios,

 

-Hose