My latest outreach to Nicaragua: August 21-September 5, 2009

Hello folks,

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to write an update about my latest outreach to Nicaragua. I've been really busy with various different things. Anyways, here it is....

On August 20th, around 2:00 PM, I hopped on the six hour train ride from Pismo Beach to Los Angeles, to catch another 30 minute bus ride to the Los Angeles International Airport, to catch my 12:30 AM flight to Managua, Nicaragua. After roughly 24 hours of traveling, I arrived in beautiful Nicaragua. I used the public transportation to make my way down to Ticuantepe, where we stayed the first week.

As I was walking down the cobblestone road, with a huge backpack on my back, full of kids toys, coloring books, markers, English flash cards, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc. and a smaller backpack on my chest in the 100 degree humid heat, friends and families that I met a couple months before ran out in the street to hug and greet me. It was really fun and encouraging to see everyone again. I threw my backpack(s) off and played with the kiddo's. At last, I made it to the house we would be staying at!

The first few days I was by myself in Nicaragua because we couldn't all get the same flight due to high prices. So, I made the best of my time! I went grocery shopping for the week. I bought rice, beans, garlic, avocados, bananas, plantains, mango's and a more for under $7! I also went around to different families houses to visit them and let them know that I'd be back with more friends later on in the week. They were thrilled!

At last, everyone arrived! We jumped right into ministry. We went around, introducing Rachael, Katy (From my hometown in Grand Marais, Minnesota) and Natasha (On staff with YWAM Pismo Beach). It was fun for them to get to know everyone, pray for people and fellowship with them.

One day, we stopped at my friend Juan's house to pray for their family. Juan's wife said to me, "The last time you were here, I was sick and you prayed for me. I didn't tell you, but God healed me that day of my sickness! I am all better now!" It was really cool to hear that God healed her. The smile she had on her face was incredible! That day we prayed for her daughter because she had kidney stones. Keep praying for her as she just went through surgery a couple days ago.

During our time in Ticuantepe, we took two afternoons to go down to Masaya (A town about 20 minutes south). There are kids (Anywhere from 8-20 years old) living on the streets who sniff glue to get their fix. We hung out with the "glue kids", played music with them, talked and prayed with them. We also were able to buy a bunch of bananas and mango's! Please be praying for these kids as they (sometimes) like living on the streets because they have no responsibilities and can do what they want and also for their addiction to sniffing glue (shoe glue).

After our stay in Ticuantepe, we spent two days in San Juan Del Sur (Southern Nicaragua) then headed up to Diriamba, where the YWAM base is, to stay with them the remainder of the trip. It was super fun to see friends at the YWAM base and also in the barrio (neighborhood). In the mornings, we worked with the school (k-6) that the YWAM base runs which is also on their base. It was fun to be with the kids and play with them. In the afternoons, we went into the barrio to do evangelism, pray for people and just trying to be a light amongst the spiritual darkness. We also helped out with their Children's Ministry, which is on Friday afternoons. During that, they do worship, skits/dramas and small groups with nearly 130 kids! Throughout the course of the year, they act out stories throughout the whole Bible.

One day when we were in the barrio in Diriamba, we went to a friends house to pray for them. Two months earlier I went to the same house. Three weeks before, her husband was shot and killed. The family was going through a very difficult time with it but God was revealing His love for them in incredible ways. The lady told us she was pregnant as well. She is still pregnant today, but the baby isn't growing properly. The baby is very, very under weight and turned upside down and is due just one month away, in October. Please keep her in your prayers as this is a difficult time for her and the family.

Like I said before, it was very fun to be back at the YWAM base in Nicaragua. Thank you to everyone at YWAM Nicaragua for your friendship and hospitality.

Then came Saturday...the morning we had to fly back to the States. We woke up early to catch our 4:00 AM taxi ride to the airport where we all had the same flight to Houston, Texas. After that, Rachael & Katy flew back to Minneapolis and Natasha and myself flew back to Los Angeles.

We were all able to get together and debrief our trip, to talk about the good things that happened and the not so good things that happened (Don't worry, there weren't too many bad things! HaHa). Everyone really enjoyed there time in Nicaragua and would like to go back someday. We all saw God move in amazing ways and we all learned a lot from Him and each other. I encourage you, if you know Katy, Rachael or Natasha and you see them, ask them about the trip and hear some stories from them.

I want to thank you for helping me, in prayer and financially. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you! I received multiple emails from friends who set up specific times daily to pray for our team or got a prayer team together to pray for us throughout the outreach...so...THANK YOU! I truly appreciate it!

I do have some new prayer requests as well. Since being in Nicaragua, I've seemed to have caught a stomach parasite (possibly from the water) and also I have a toe infection (from cutting my toe). I've been really busy trying to take care of all this medical stuff, spending quite a bit of time at the doctor, soaking my foot and what not. Please be praying that I heal up quickly and don't have to spend more time at the doctors office. Also pray that my toe stops hurting so bad so I can walk properly and sleep good!

Once again, thank you for all of your prayers. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

God Bless,

-Tyler Dean