It’s been an amazing journey.

Thank you for sharing it with us…and making it possible through your prayers and support. We thank our God for all the memories we have of you.

Que Dios le bendiga! (God bless you.)

Click here to read our last “Field Notes” newsletter.

• Drink as much cocao as humanly possible.
• Get my fill of Central American cuisine…especially quesillos, pescosones, and pupusas.
• Visit the Nicaraguan families who’ve hosted me — and called me “son” and “brother” — over the last two years.
• Have a yard sale!
• Sleep in a hammock…ummm, maybe not. I’ve tried that before: the novelty wears off after a few hours!
• Visit Joseph, Tito, and the Los Cedros children one more time. Give “horseback rides”, play chase, and push kids around in their “Jeep” until I keel over!
• Write our last “Field Notes” newsletter.
• Celebrate two years with our CFCI-Nicaragua ministry family.
• Say goodbye to dear friends.
• Say THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us and encouraged us to take this amazing journey in cross-cultural missions!

This is bittersweet. Some of these tasks will be really fun…others not so much (i.e. saying goodbye). What else do we need to add to our Nicaragua “Bucket List”?

It’s hard to believe that our time in Nicaragua is almost finished. Our two years in this country – and three and a half total years on the mission field – have been incredible. At no other time in our lives have we learned so much about God, our faith, or…rice and beans! I know we say this often, but we’re always compelled to repeat it: Thanks for supporting us on this amazing journey.

Read about our plans for 2010, the most exciting “Baby Babcock” news yet, numerous praise reports from the Nueva Imagen ministry, and more in this Christmas, New Year’s, and second-to-last edition of Field Notes.

Thank you for reading –- and thank you for supporting the ministry! Que Dios le bendiga.

We are now officially — after two years of waiting — “in line” to receive the referral of a child!

We still have a long way to go — we hear that the average wait for a referral is one year — but we’re prayerfully optimistic that we won’t have to wait that long. And even if we do, we know that this is all in God’s hands…

His perfect timing will prevail…

And He has already picked out THE perfect child for us.

Again, thank you for all of your prayers over the last two years.  And please keep them up for just a little while longer!  “Baby Babcock” will be here before we know it!  Praise our gracious, faithful Heavenly Father.

And beg you to keep praying!

I alluded to some problems we’re having with the “red tape” of the adoption process — problems that could grind everything to a halt.  (And things weren’t moving that quickly in the first place!)  I’d love to give you some more details — and I promise you that you would be outraged at our government if I did — but in the best interests of our little guy or girl out there, and in the hopes that hearts will be softened and minds changed within the government bureaucracy, all I can say is this…

Please continue praying fervently for “Baby Babcock” — especially over the next few weeks!

Specifically, pray for us to have favor with the U.S. and Nicaraguan governments; for our dossier to be approved; and for our child to remain safe, protected, and cared for until we bring him or her home.

God gives us comfort in the promise that “…where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

Thank you for being our two or three — or three thousand — gathered from North Carolina to Nicaragua, praying for God to intervene. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.  Your love, prayers, and support mean more to us than you know.

First they ministered to women from Nueva Imagen, a ministry that works to see women who are working on the streets transformed by Jesus Christ and equipped with new skills and abilities.. The women from Nueva Imagen and the Seacoast team shared testimonies of God’s grace and transforming power and encouraged each other. Then, Constance shared about shame and contempt that comes as a result of sexual abuse since the majority of the women have a history of sexual abuse and/or rape. Many women expressed afterward that they could relate and had those same reactions/experiences. Other things that was on God’s agenda that we didn’t know about was a baby dedication and one of the women’s daughters, Reynita accepted Christ into her heart and was baptized. This little girl has been coming to the program every week for a year and we’ve been able to see God working in her heart, her child like faith. So to see her make a profession faith filled us with so much thankfulness and joy.

The next day they taught the women how to make a special kind of jewelry. Chris and Linda who are supporters and leaders of our link team had the idea and made it all happen! Seacoast paid for the materials, lots of materials! I was blown away by how Seacoast and Seacoasters invested into these women’s lives in a way that will help make their future better by giving them a new skill and a means to make money. The women have already made about 25 pairs of earrings that will be for sale while we’re in the U.S.  We are still learning for sure and I can’t wait to see Linda and Chris to ask them how to make certain styles that we can’t master yet.

Next, the Seacoast team had a retreat for pastor’s wives from Villa El Carmen, Rivas, and Managua. They pampered them, played games, worship, and testimonies. One of my favorite times was when we split into groups to talk about different struggles, victories, and prayer requests. I loved seeing the pastor’s wives relaxed, open up, and put their wall down which is something they aren’t able to do since they have to be “the pastor’s wife” who is supposed to have it all together and not have any weaknesses. In my opinion the 2 most important results of the retreat was to give them a safe place to share, laugh, and cry and to encourage them and show them that they can meet together to share experiences and prayer requests after the retreat. At the end when they were all sharing they said that the team made them feel like queens. Mission accomplished!!

On a personal note, I was blessed more than I could’ve imagined with all of the girl time. I laughed so hard until my stomach hurt and was so encouraged by them. Thank you Maria, Jill, Chris, Libby, Mari, Angela, and Constance. You were such a blessing to many women including us!

Thank you for reading –- and thank you for supporting the ministry! Que Dios le bendiga.

[Note: If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter via email, please email me to let me know.]

Are we friends again?

Okay, good!  Now here’s a run-down of all of the latest news from the Babcock household:

• As you know, August wrapped up our summer tsunami of short-term mission teams. Between us, Amber and I served with three mission teams in July and August (Amber with two medical teams, me with one of the medical teams and one you team). You can read all about these short-term teams in our last “Field Notes” newsletter.
• September was supposed to be a recovery month, but it turned out to be just as busy as the summer slam! My aunt (Dawn) and uncle (Keith) called us to let us know that they were flying to China to adopt their new daughter (Sarah). The news was not unexpected, but sudden (the Chinese government sent word that Sarah was ready and that they should come and get her…now!). They were in a bind to find someone to watch their three boys (ages 13, 11, and 9) for the two weeks while they were away. We decided it would be good practice for us; we hopped on a plane and flew to Northwest Florida! For two weeks we were acting mom and dad…and teachers (they home school)…and chauffeurs (to piano lessons, soccer, and football).  And we were honored to be the welcoming committee when Keith, Dawn, and Sarah arrived!
• During and after our two weeks in Florida, Amber worked diligently on researching and applying for grants for the Nueva Imagen ministry.  She’s been doing an incredible job — along with Hellen Castro — at caring for the women and working on their behalf. The goal is to see that all of the women in the Nueva Imagen program have the resources they need to leave “the life” and become self-sufficient, fully devoted followers of Christ. We’re praying and believing that God will provide for the needs of the women and for Hellen as she serves in the ministry full-time.
• Last week the CFCI-Nicaragua team participated in two days of 2009 evaluating and 2010 planning. It was a productive time of looking back at what God accomplished — through us and in spite of us! — and looking forward to mission teams and ministry opportunities in the upcoming year.
• This weekend we will be serving in a national medical outreach in a rural area of Nicaragua. While I’ve been on numerous medical mission teams, this will be my first national outreach. I’m looking forward to working in the pharmacy and seeing patients get the medicine they need. Please join us in praying for a fruitful outreach, with many Nicaraguans receiving medical attention and hearing the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Now you’re caught up!  I promise to be more diligent in posting blog updates; be on the look-out for October’s e-newsletter, coming up in the next couple of weeks. As always, thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Que Dios les bendiga.

Upcoming: trips to Florida in September, the Carolinas and Tennessee in November; Nueva Imagen/Seacoast Women’s Mission Team in October.

Read about the mission team trio in July and August, plus what’s on the horizon for us this fall in this edition of Field Notes.

Thank you for reading –- and thank you for supporting the ministry! Que Dios le bendiga.

[Note: If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter via email, please email me to let me know.]

• Day 1 - Monday, July 27 - The team arrives. Tip Top for dinner. Nicaragua’s fast food chicken place is a hit. (It always is!)
• Day 2 - Tuesday, July 28 - Orientation to Nica culture, quick tour of Managua, 2-hour bus ride to Rivas to meet our host families from La Iglesia Lluvias de Gracia.
• Day 3 - Wednesday, July 29 - VBS for an orphanage across the street from Lluvias de Gracia. The kids have a blast. We do too. Soccer night w/ the youth group. Fun day!!!
• Day 4 - Thursday, July 30 - Singing and visiting w/ the sweet folks at a nursing home. Training workshop for youth group leaders. Nica+Chele worship service = amazing.
• Day 5 - Friday, July 31 - Host families treat us to a San Juan Del Sur beach day. We say our goodbyes and head to a weekend youth retreat on the shores of Lake Nica.
• Day 6 - Saturday, August 1 - Sleep? Who needs sleep?! Operating on adrenaline, the Holy Spirit, & fumes, we sing, praise, play, and laugh all day & night w/ 38 campers.
• Day 7 - Sunday, August 2 - We close the camp w/ a rousing “Mega Relay Race”. Great connections, friendships formed during the weekend. We’re off to Ometepe Island.
• Day 8 - Monday, August 3 - “Debrief Day” on Ometepe. Re-lax-a-tion. Some ride horses. Some nap in hammocks. I opt for reading/floating on the lake. Back to Managua.
• Day 9 - Tuesday, August 4 - After a nice farewell dinner, sharing time, and all-night games for *some* team members (not me!), we’re off to the airport at 5 a.m.!

I hope this gives you a nice snapshot of the mission trip! If you’re a member of the Seacoast team, the Lluvias de Gracia host families, or the youth retreat campers and would like to share your thoughts on the week in 140 characters or less, please comment here!