This One For The Ryans

After a whirlwind of planning, packing, and tying up lose ends at home, it only really sunk in that I was moving to Nicaragua for the summer when my plane took off from the Indianapolis airport.  And then it hit me again several times before I actually got to Nicaragua.  Even though I woke up in a bed in Nicaragua this morning, it still seems unreal.

Regardless, I have arrived safely after two uneventful plane rides.  I am staying with a woman named Elizabeth*, and her mother, Amelia.  Or as I call them “mi madre nica” and “mi abuela nica” (my Nicaraguan mother and grandmother).   They’ve both already won over my heart, particularly Amelia who showed me each drawer and hanger in my room and then every inch of the house.  My room is lime green and large, with a huge wooden closet.  It’s gorgeous and bigger than my room in the States.

 

I’m safe, happy, and surrounded by amazing people, which is really all I could ask for.  I haven’t done much besides sleep but I’m sure I will have many stories to follow.

But I want to take a moment to thank all of the Ryans in my life.

To be clear, even if you have a different given name, you may still be a Ryan.

There were two Ryans that were particularly instrumental in this trip to Nicaragua.  The first was the Ryan who persistently put this International Teams internship on my radar, even when I thought it was only a pipe dream.  The second Ryan is a friend from college who gave me a “friendship bracelet” before I left college.  Before you roll your eyes and call it middle school, you should know that each of these bracelets was made to model an Indian tradition where brothers swear to protect their sisters.  I wear it on my ankle to remind me of all the people praying for me when times get tough.

So more than an update, this post is a thank you letter.  First, thank you to each and every one of you that has ever pushed me to pursue a dream, even when I never imagined it would become a concrete possibility.  Thank you for believing in me, and for reminding me that God often has bigger plans for us than we imagine possible. 

Second, thank you to all those who have supported me in coming here.  If you gave financially, I most definitely appreciate that.  But I mean so much more when I say “supported me.”  I mean thanks to my mom for forcing me to pack so I was actually ready on time.  Thank you to my professor last year who taught me how to deal with suddenly being in another culture.  Thank you to the family of a friend that prayed specifically for easy travels when they learned about my fear of complications there.  Thank you to the gentleman who happened to be visiting my church when I talked about this trip and walked up to me after and asked to donate.  And thank you to the countless others who didn’t ever realize how their actions encouraged me.

You guys are my Ryans.  God placed you each in my life, and because of your devotion to Him, I am able to write this from Nicaragua.  So thanks for joining me on this crazy adventure.  I cannot wait to tell you about everything God does here.

*Names are changed for privacy reasons.