Hi Ya Papaya

¡Feliz Días Patrios!

2011-09-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

September 14th & 15th are a big deal here in Nicaragua. The 14th celebrates Nicaraguan Independence, marking the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto and the 15th celebrates Central American Independence from Spain.

In a celebration of patriotism, Alison's school put on a dance presentation in which each grade/class represented one of the regions of Nicaragua with dance and an introduction about their region.

Alison's class represented Managua, current capital of Nicaragua and danced to the folklore song, ¡Managua, Linda Managua! The presentations from each class were great -- but Ali's was our favorite! :)

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/megaknits/sets/72157627546604891/

Video: http://www.vimeo.com/29018071

All is full of love

2011-09-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

Man! It's been a little while since we posted some news, but that's only because we've been slammed with blessing after blessing. It's crazy, really. For efficiency's sake, lets break them down.

We hosted a trip from New York

So... It wasn't exactly a trip. It was more of a family reunion. We had family come down from New York to "vacation with a purpose" with us. It was really amazing to hang out and just enjoy time. I know we already blogged about it, but it was cool and deserves another mention.

We hosted a trip from St. Petersburg

Pinellas Community Church has been a huge blessing to us for a couple of years now. On this trip we had the joy of meeting new friends, reconnecting with old friends, and enjoying time together. They also took on the task of completely painting the new building!

As if that wasn't enough, they also held a carnival for our students!

And then had some personal family ministry time!

These guys did an amazing job and we were sad to see them go. We can't wait until they come back next year!

We hosted a group from Orlando

Orlando baby! That's our hometown. We love that place and everything from it, so we were really excited to host Church in the Son! This team blew our socks off! First, they poured the sidewalk on our new school building!

Then, they did visits to services at two churches that we work with in the community. They prayed and blessed those services with hearts like servants.

These churches are very close to our hearts, and it was moving to see CITS giving themselves fully to the ministry. But that's not all! They also wanted to bless our classrooms with new acrylic boards!

And finally we were blessed with Pastor Dave's acrostic, A.S.A.P, always stop and pray. I have personally implemented this in my life. It essentially means that there is no waiting. If there is a prayer need, we handle it then. It takes priority. We stop, pray about what needs it, and then get back to what we were doing. I love this principle. It forces you to make God a focus of your day to day life instead of letting Him get lost in the shuffle.

We've moved!

The house we were in was a blessing when we moved into it. We were originally living in a small apartment, 2 bedroom, 1 bath, tiny kitchen. We loved it while we were getting our bearings in a new country, but we were glad to leave it when we did.

Our next place was a 3 bedroom one bath, slightly larger kitchen, $300 a month. We we're amazed to find a place that fit our needs and our budget so well. We lived there for over a year and praise God for providing.

Then, just a few weeks ago, another house on our street came up for rent. At this point, we were ready to move. The things that were minor inconveniences in our old house were starting to wear us down. We stopped by to see it on a whim, and we were amazed. Everything about it was an upgrade from our current place.

It's bigger. We were tired of constantly bumping into each other. The new house is 6 bedroom, 4 full bath.
It's nicer. There's real tile on the floors, it had been recently painted. There's even a huge balcony out front.
It's safer. The house comes with an alarm system, secure garage, and an electric fence.
It has 4 bathrooms. I know I already said it. It's worth repeating.
It has a ceiling in the entire house. The old house had an entire room that had just the tin roof. We thought it wasn't a big deal at first, but turned out to be pretty tough to live with.
It's better. I know that's a vague statement, but the feeling you have when you come in to the new house is just better than the old.

Needless to say, our first experience with the new place blew us away. We we're only 4 houses down the street, but it felt completely different. Just looking at it we felt like it was probably out of our price range, but maybe in the future we could look again. Megan suggested we at least call the landlord and ask.

It was only $30 more a month.

I know! I called our old landlord and terminated our agreement (no penalties). I signed a contract with the new landlord, and a week later we're in a new place experiencing Gods provision. Here's a couple of pics.

Gods hands in our lives has truly been amazing. Thanks everyone so much for keeping us in your prayers and your hearts!

Wayne

Triller Invasion

2011-08-15T18:53:00.000-07:00

The last bit of July and first bit of August were really exciting for us -- two of my favorite uncles on my Dad's side and three of my cousins came to visit!

We took them to all our favorite fun spots: the beach, Volcano Masaya, Mercado Huembes, Tip Top, etc; played Rummikub and generally joked around; and got to spend some time introducing them to our work here with LifeLink International and our amazing students!

By the end of the week our love tanks were FULL and our cheeks hurt from smiling! We're looking forward to the great things God has in store as they go back and tell their friends, churches and families about Nica.

2 Years!

2011-08-13T09:12:00.001-07:00

Two years ago today, with all our personal belongings packed into 13 black trunks we'll probably have forever, we embarked on a great adventure. Saying goodbye to family and friends, we followed our hearts and God's will for us and moved here to Nicaragua.

In the last two years we've learned new languages, dances, songs, trials, ways to be homesick, joys, met new people/friends/family, learned that radical obedience isn't always easy, but it is always blessed.

In the last two years we've lived lives of purpose, humbly serving a people that we love.

In the last two years God has given us greater vision for what He has for the ministry of LifeLink International. He has whispered His plan, His dreams.

In the last two years we've come to know God as Jehovah Jireh, our Provider. Through your faithful giving, He is glorified and magnified.

Two years doesn't seem like a long time, in fact we still consider ourselves pretty new at this, but it has been amazing and we can't wait to see what's in store for the future!

HiYa Papaya: June 2011 Newsletter

2011-07-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

June 2011 Newsletter

Everybody's working for the weekend...

2011-06-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

Progress is being made!

Thanks to everyone who is making this dream possible. Someday, a future president of Nicaragua is going to thank you for it.

Wayne

More than a feeling

2011-05-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Hope and opportunity. It's no longer a dream. It's a reality.

First grade class at Centro Escolar Lifelink

When I look back to when we first started this thing, I'm amazed at our progress. This kind of progress is only possible with a big god, and ours is a big God.

Wayne

We built this city...

2011-05-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's not a city, but when we first started this blog, we wanted to always use song parts for the titles. It's kind of fun, so I'm trying to get back to that.

Anyway construction is going awesome! Here's a quick update picture.

What you're looking at is the block phase almost finished. We have about 300 more blocks to lay then we start on the headers. It's come a long way in a short amount of time.

Wayne

PCC May 14-21, 2011

2011-05-21T10:47:00.001-07:00

PCC May 14-21, 2011, a set on Flickr.

This week has been a whirlwind of love, fun and lots of hardwork! We hosted a Men's Mission trip from Pinellas Community Church in St. Pete, FL.

These guys rocked it out, hauling block, mixing cement, sprucing up our kitchen screen doors and lots of other helpful jobs around the base!

We spent time playing with the students, helping them in class and attending chapel with them. After dancing the Tooty Tot with the kids, a PCC tradition, the guys gifted over 200 toys to the students!

On Sunday and Tuesday nights, we worshipped at local churches where the team was warmly welcomed. Purchasing over 470lbs of food, we blessed 20 families with gift baskets of staple items.

God really blessed the week and we will cherish the memories we made while we look forward to seeing these seeds grow!

Te Doy Gloria

2011-05-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

I love watching the kids in church every Friday. They get to sing, learn, love, and listen to the word. It kind of sums up the whole reason we're here. To grow kids in Christ, so when they're older they won't depart from him.

Wayne

Excellence

2011-05-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

They were completely amazed and said again and again, "Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak."

Mark 7:37

We have to make excellence a priority. We have to think about it, feel it, and see the results of it in our actions. It needs to be a way of life. Jesus did everything with excellence. He never walked away saying "Man, I really could have done that better", or "I sure wished I'd have worked a little harder".


	When you act in excellence, it always impacts others. Challenge yourself to excellence. God will respond in kind. Wayne

I'm lovin' it

2011-05-06T12:38:00.000-07:00

Woot! I feel amazing today. We got a ton of work done on the new school building, the classrooms are full of kids, and we're super excited to have Pinellis Community Church visiting us next week.

I can't find an appropriate picture for this post, so here's a rare one of me being funny.

Happy Friday!

Wayne

Heavy Metal

2011-04-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

We've started construction on School Building 2! Because of soil conditions and earthquakes, the footers are one of the largest phases of construction.

When I look at how we're using the first building it's super encouraging. 155 kids are being taught every day, being loved every day, being shaped every day. As we continue to grow and impact more lives, we can't help but see construction as a metaphor for how we're changing the face of Nicaragua. We're starting with firm foundation, building a solid structure over time, and in the end we have something completely different than when we started.

Wayne

HiYa Papaya March 2011 Newsletter

2011-03-28T05:30:00.000-07:00

March 2011 Newsletter

Byron & David

2011-03-17T17:10:00.000-07:00

Late last week, we determined that we had one spot available in our first grade class and I was thinking and rethinking the best way to find just one student and not cause an onslaught of interest.

On Monday, we got our answer when a mother came by the school with her two boys, Byron & David. She explained that she had just started renting a small home within walking distance of the school and wanted her sons to study in our school. She went on to explain that 8 months ago, her husband died in an work-related accident in Costa Rica.

The boys are very handsome and mild-mannered. They were both polite when I asked them questions are really impressed me with their behavior.

She explained that the children's education was the most important thing she could give them, but that the cost was getting to be too much. Her need was great, as buying books and uniforms for 2 kids can be really expensive and she is currently unemployed. Add to that, she has a 14-year-old daughter who is also attending school.

I was able to call her later that day and accept both boys int

o the school. She was very excited and told me the next morning as she dropped them off that she was headed out to look for work. Her daughter could pick up David at 11:45 and when Byron got home at 2:30, she'd be able to make it to her evening classes, allowing mom a full-day to work.

My heart was touched by how much providing an education to these two precious boys was going to help their family. But today, that feeling went even deeper.

Profesora Esther, our first grade teacher, told me that she thinks that Byron was a blessing from God. She said that he not only completes his work quickly and correctly, but when he's finished, he helps the other students at his table. She said that several of our less disciplined students were starting to look up to him and model his behavior!

His mom was beaming when I gave her this great report! :)

P.E. Day

2011-03-16T04:51:00.000-07:00

Today I was working on some paperwork when I glanced out the window and saw a line of happy 4-year-olds walk by on the sidewalk. A few minutes later, I saw them turn, stepping into the grass and walk further out into the field. They were headed to PE class and after a few minutes of stretching, they formed two lines and started racing each other.

Profesora Maria Eugenia was the finish line, while her assistant Priscila got everyone to the starting line. It was completely adorable to watch them run, each with their own gait and speed, but full of joy!

Here's a little of what it looked like -- Amanda vs. Jose Alberto. She totally won! :)

Tenderhearted

2011-02-27T10:44:00.000-08:00

Last Monday we started our second school year at Centro Escolar LifeLink and it has been a great week! In addition to over 50 new students, we also welcomed new staff members to our family and they are completely exceeding my expectations! I wanted to share a special moment from this week that involved one of our new assistants, Priscila.

With our first grade class starting at 7:30AM, we have a handful of younger siblings who arrive a half an hour early for our preschool's 8:00AM start time. On Tuesday, Jennifer, one of our Level 2 students, arrived early with her older brother Jose Luis. Their older sister asked if Jennifer could come in early because she had to leave.

We've shared before about how the area around the school is very impoverished. Jose Luis and Jennifer may come from our most impoverished family. They live with their mother who sells tortillas for 1 cordoba a piece, just under $.05, to provide food for them. Their home is a tin shack with a dirt floor and houses their whole family of seven in a 6'x6' space.

Jennifer went into class and sat down at the table, greeting Profesora Maria Eugenia and Priscila as she entered. Priscila went over to greet her and give her a hug. When she got closer, she noticed that Jennifer's ears were very dirty inside. She immediately went and got a soft cloth and some water. A few minutes later, she was lovingly cleaning Jennifer's ears. Gently wiping away the dust and dirt that had built up over the last few days.

This simple act of service brought tears to my eyes. That just a day after meeting her, Priscila would be so loving with one of her students was such a blessing to me, and Jennifer. Thank you God for providing us such a great teaching team!

Believe it.

2011-02-11T05:23:00.000-08:00

We have a massive vision. We believe it will be accomplished. We believe people like you are standing in the gap, praying and meditating on us. We believe we are neck deep in answering the call that God put on our lives.

We believe that this kid could someday be president.

Proverbs 29:18 - Without vision, the people perish.

Wayne

We're getting pumped

2011-02-02T06:01:00.000-08:00

School starts on Feb 25th. Teachers start on the 14th getting classes ready. We're all feeling excited. We're trying to repress it a little so we don't look like kids in line for Disney, jumping up and down at the opportunity to see Mickey, but we're slowly losing the battle.

It's a new year, new students, new staff, new opportunities for excellence and impact. We're meditating and talking big picture reasons that we're here. Changing lives, enriching community, wins for the home team, and the future impact that these kids will have on their country.

This is world changing stuff we're talking about. All those motivational posters you see on office walls, like a rowing team with the word PERSEVERANCE underneath or a bunch of gears with the word TEAMWORK underneath, that's what's happening here. It happens in measurable increments. Each one of these kids is different than they were the day before.

It reminds me of Roy Scheider in "Jaws", when he finally sees how big the shark is.

"We're gonna need a bigger boat."

Wayne

Sidewalk update

2011-01-30T12:52:00.000-08:00

We're almost done with the sidewalk for the new building! We have poured the concrete and now it's just curing. Starting monday I'll be stucco-ing the stemwall to give it that nice, finished look. I'll take some more pics, but right now here's what I got.

Pretty cool huh?

Wayne

Where the sidewalk ends, and begins.

2011-01-26T15:52:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are pictures of the sidewalk project for the new school building.

What you see here is a stem wall, or a retaining wall. We build it up like this due to flooding. Tomorrow we'll backfill and compact the dirt, and hopefully pour on concrete on monday. Yay!

Wayne

Look at this guy...

2011-01-25T17:48:00.000-08:00

His name is Ezequiel. Feb 15 is his first day of kindergarten. This kid's life is changed forever thanks to a great education and people that love him.

Wayne

Super excited

2011-01-24T14:01:00.000-08:00

Today we started laying out the sidewalk in front of the school. It's looking good so far, and I should be able to post some pics tomorrow.

While I was leaving, I saw Lino and his sister walking down the road in front of the school. I asked them where they were going, and they said to their aunts house. They each had a green mango that they were chomping on and juicing all over their faces and clothes.

They immediately asked for a ride in the truck. I briefly considered saying no due to how sticky the were, but in the end I let them in.

I asked how their vacations were, and once I got them to empty their mouths before talking, I learned that their time was tranquilo, or relaxing.

Then I turned on the A/C.

I had it off because I had the window down a few moments talking to a worker. When I cranked it up, both kids started smiling broadly. They leaned to the vents until the noses were almost touching the plastic. They yelled things like Que frio! (how cold!) and mas fuerte! (stronger!)

I always tend to forget that these kids possibly have never experienced basic things. As a kid growing up in south and central Florida, I can't remember a time without A/C in a car. This could possibly be the very first time Lino has been in a car, much less one with a/c.

It's pretty amazing that I got to be a part of that experience.

Wayne

Home is where the conticos are.

2011-01-18T12:06:00.000-08:00

Conticos are trunks you can buy at walmart. They're in the automotive section, and the cost about 17 dollars. They're all plastic, and you can lock them, making them 100 percent secure unless someone has a knife or the strength of an 8 year old girl.

That being said, we use those things for everything. When we moved to Nicaragua, we had all our worldly possessions in 13 conticos. They're the correct size to be counted as checked baggage without being charged extra for oversize, so we made it happen.

Once we had a a home and a place for our stuff, the conticos served nicely as an entertainment center and a couple of nightstands. We let the kids keep a couple to put toys in, and still had two to spare to fill with water on a hot day for Alison and Emily to play in.

Now we've returned from the states again, and once more we're hauling these plastic trunks. We have added 3 more to our collection. Our house has become sort of a contico graveyard, where old conticos go to live their lives to the fullest, before being relegated storage duty in an unnoticeable corner.

Any suggestions? I'm thinking contico atamans, doghouses, and non see-through aquariums.

On another note, we just returned from a 3 week work-cation in the states. We had an amazing time catching up and meeting new friends. We needed to decompress a little, to enjoy American culture, and raise awareness for the cause of LifeLink International. We count ourselves victorious on all three.

But it's still nice to come home to my house full of conticos and prepare for a new school year.

Wayne

Or is it twitting...?

2011-01-17T07:40:00.000-08:00

We're on twitter! Megan makes fun if me because I don't use the correct jargon for the twitworld.

One of my New years resolutions is to maintain our media stuff better, so I started a twitter account to keep up with the day to day awesomeness that occurs.

You can search hellopapaya.

Wayne

It's All So Beautiful

2011-01-12T19:34:00.000-08:00

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of driving, visiting, praying, hugging, talking, hugging some more and seeing everyone we've missed so much in the last year and a half that we've been in Nicaragua. Our love tanks are over-flowing and we're excited to hear about what God is doing in the lives of our family and friends!

We've still got a little while longer Stateside, but we're also craving gallo pinto and every time I show someone a photo of one of our students or the school, my heart gets a little more homesick for them.

God has blessed our socks off in Nica and it's so exciting to get together and share all our stories, photos and adventures. Thank you to everyone who has opened or offered their home/car/jacket/etc to us, you guys are a great group of givers. Thank you to our amazing supporters -- a list which keeps growing with our vision, praise God!

Our next update will be from the field as we prepare for our second year of classes at Centro Escolar LifeLink and our first, first grade class!

Wayne & Megan Tingle :: missionaries to Nicaragua

2011-01-01T14:19:00.000-08:00

Feliz Navidad

2010-12-24T14:18:00.000-08:00

Centro Escolar LifeLink Christmas Party!!

2010-12-18T15:10:00.000-08:00

Last Friday we celebrated Christmas with our students and their families at the school. After being out of class for almost two weeks, it was great to see everyone again. The students arrived with big smiles and lots of hugs!

We had a chapel service where we did the Tooty Tot dance, sang lots of songs and heard a great message from Jaime about Christ's birth. That last bit was super important because many Nicaraguans don't associate Christ with Christmas, it's just another holiday. We want our students to know their Saviour and the life He lived and sacrificed for them.

Two days before the party, Elisa, Profesora Raquel and I headed to Mercado Oriental, the largest market in all of Central America to do some shopping. We had a lot of fun, got some great deals, found the BEST place to buy toys in bulk and left the market with a truck full of sacks of rice, beans, cooking oil and toys. In a joint, full-family initiative, we bagged up all the food in packs for each family and wrapped the gifts.

The teachers helped assemble everything on Friday morning and after our service we were able to bless each child and family with a gift. The words of gratitude were plentiful and several moms embraced me while thanking me, not just for the food, but for the blessing the school is to their family.

Thank you for making all of this a possibility. Thank you to those who gave a little extra to make the party a success. Thank you for your prayers of blessing and prosperity over LifeLink International and Wayne and I. And on behalf of each of our now 155 students whose lives are being changed, thank you.

Super Proud & Excited!

2010-12-07T05:40:00.000-08:00

The last two weeks have been a busy blur of end of the year evaluations, parent-teacher meetings, cleaning, decorating and so much more. But then it was Saturday.

The diplomas were signed.

The gowns were pressed and ready.

It was time to Centro Escolar LifeLink to have its very first graduation, an event 8 years in the making! We were honored to have LifeLink President Mike Turner in attendance and when he addressed the parents and graduates, you could feel his passion in his words. Dry eyes were hard to come by after he shared his heart for the future of our students and the opportunities we want them to have.

I presented certificates to our 3 students who had perfect attendance this past year, as well as our best student in Level 3 and most improved student.

I thanked the parents for their support, the students for their hard work and dedication and reminded them of God's words in Jeremiah 29:11. A simple verse that drives me on, even on the hardest of days. A verse that I hope will inspire our students as well.

We handed out snazzy diplomas, Elisa took millions of photos, there were lots of smiles, some tears, a lot of hugs.

God blessed us with an amazing day to celebrate the end of an amazing year -- thank you for being a part of it! Thank you for sponsoring a child, supporting the ministry, supporting us, praying for us, everything! Praise God for our first amazing school year!

HiYa Papaya: November 2010 Newsletter

2010-11-27T09:17:00.001-08:00

Nov 2010 Newsletter

¡Estamos Agradecidos!

2010-11-26T13:11:00.000-08:00

Or, we're thankful for our English-speaking audience. :)

God has blessed us abundantly -- maybe not in the eyes of the world, but that's not how we count our blessings.

We're thankful for our lovely, ever-growing family (plus two this year!).

We're thankful for our amazing supporters who pray for us and faithfully give toward our work.

We're thankful for LifeLink International and the opportunity to serve God with our lives.

We're thankful for our amazing students, whose open hearts and bright minds inspire us daily.

Thank you for being a part of our journey. Thank you for your prayers.

Survivor: Nicaragua - HiYa Papaya Edition: 100 Hug Challenge

2010-11-13T09:52:00.000-08:00

One of the best, most amazing, daily happiness parts of my day is our students and their love!

A long time ago I learned that you need 4 hugs a day for survival and 8 for maintenance. God blessed us with two lovable girls who have been exceeding that quotient for the last 8 years.

But at school, I can receive upwards to 50 hugs in a single day. I have students who hug me everyday, like Valeska. I have students that hug me by surprise, like Stephanie. And others who hug me every time I walk into the room, like Marcela.

But this past week, I challenged myself to get 100 hugs in one day and it turned out that it wasn't too difficult. :)

---

We've been really busy the last few weeks with registration for the new school year and I'm thrilled with how successful it's been. Please forgive our lack of posting these last two weeks, but we're hoping to be back on track for the next couple weeks. :)

Survivor: Nicaragua - HiYa Papaya Edition: Week 5 Street Vendors

2010-10-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

The average Nicaraguan doesn't own a car. While we'll be discussing how they get around in a coming week, this week we're talking about all the things that brings right to your door.

Residential neighborhoods are covered in corner stores or "ventas". We have three within 6 houses of us, carrying everything from candies to medicines, vegetables to soda. Some ventas only sell three or four things, but others are like mini-supermarkets. We've enjoyed getting to know the ladies at the venta across the street and as the Tingle who is home the most, Emily seems to always have someone at the venta to strike up a conversation with.

Even more specialized stores are available. We also have a bakery about 2 blocks away -- and their bread is so good, you're glad you walked there just to burn off a few calories. :)

In addition to brick and mortar joints, there is a never-ending supply of people walking by offering all sorts of things. We've got an ice cream guy (pictured below), veggie vendors (also pictured), a fellow who repairs shoes for a dime, a plumber, a gardener, people selling remote controls, other people who sell brooms, you name it, someone probably walks by selling it.

One of our favorites are the tortilla girls. They come around everyday at lunch and dinner time with fresh, hot corn tortillas. The girls love to yell with them. :)

This very special way of life offers us lots of opportunity to meet the people in our neighborhood, show them Christ's love in practical ways and practice our Spanish. :)

Survivor: Nicaragua - Hiya Papaya Edition Week 4: Queens of León

2010-10-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday we packed some snacks, extra clothes and a lot of water then headed out on an adventure! Destination: León & San Jacinto.

León is a state in the Northwest region of Nicaragua, its capital city bears the same name. The city of León is the second largest city in Nicaragua. It was founded by the Spaniards as Santiago de los Caballeros de León and rivals Granada, Nicaragua, in the number of historic Spanish colonial homes and churches. The city is also very close to three of Nica's amazing volcanoes: Telica, Mombotombo, Cerro Negra.

We had the opportunity to visit the Cathedral of the Assumption and the City Plaza, plus the Calvary Church. Wayne was the only one brave enough to go down into catacombs at the Cathedral, crossing the rope, but not getting in trouble. :)

After a totally tasty lunch at a little restaurant attached to a Pool Hall, we found a great collection of local street art at a basketball court.

Our next stop was to head North out of the city to the town of San Jacinto. This was the furthest north we'd ever been in Nicaragua! After following some not-so-specific directions, that included things like "after about 10 miles" and "left at the second palm tree", we arrived at Los Hervidores de San Jacinto, or The Mudpits of San Jacinto.

Near the base of the Telican Volcano, these mud springs are home to boiling mud!! Boiling!! And you get to walk around near the pits. It was super hot and you could feel the heat coming up through the soles of your shoes (or flip flops).

We were greeted by a throng of kids who offered to give us a guided tour around the pits. They all spoke a handful of English phrases, my favorite was "be careful lady". The girls enjoyed chatting with them and they enjoyed mimicking our new English phrases. In the end, we gifted them with snacks and juice boxes, plus a few cords for the wonderful tour.

The girls caught a little nap in the truck on the way home, while Wayne and I talked about the amazing scenery. (That's Volcano Mombotombo in the background.)

Survivor: Nicaragua - Hiya Papaya Edition Week 3: The National Theater

2010-10-07T05:20:00.000-07:00

On two occasions in the last few weeks, we've had the opportunity to visit the Ruben Dario National Theater here in Managua. The facility is a large, beautiful building that looks out over Lake Xolotlan.

Built in late-60s, the building mercifully survived the earthquake of 1972, unlike many buildings in the surrounding area.

We attended two concerts by our fellow LifeLink staff member, Elisa, and the choir from her university. On one night, they presented a program of their own and on the second night, all of the choirs participating in the Festival of Choral Music sang, accompanied by the National Orchestra.

It was a real treat!

October is Music Appreciation Month at Centro Escolar LifeLink and we were able to snap lots of photos of the individual orchestra instruments and the theater to bring back to the school. I love that these photos aren't just images from google, but instead, proof of a life that is available for our students.

While many of their parents would probably never imagine attending an event in the National Theater, we want our students to dream big -- to picture themselves sitting in the lush, velvety interior, enjoying a concert while rubbing elbows with the Nicaraguan elite.

Come on Jesus!

Survivor: Nicaragua - Hiya Papaya Edition Week 2: Education

2010-09-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

When we made our plans to come to Nicaragua, one of the things that was most important to us was where the girls would go to school. God blessed us with two great schools where they are receiving a Christian education in a loving environment and improving their language skills because everything is in Spanish!

Emily's preschool, which is within walking distance of our home, has been a great source of ideas and inspiration for Centro Escolar LifeLink.

With Hurricane/Tropical Storm Matthew making himself very well-known this week, Emily's school was closed and she accepted the challenge of showing us Centro Escolar LifeLink from a 4-year-old's perspective.

On Monday she joined in on some cut and paste work and became fast friends with Anahi. They later shared some princess toys during free play time.

She fit right in on line, but really liked to be first. :)

At dance class, Emily got to learn The Tooty Tot -- a great dance that the kids learned from the group that was here from Pinellas Community Church in August.

And she totally loved her lunch -- she ate all of her rice, beans and plantains with her new friends.

On Tuesday night, Emily declared that she'd spoken with her teacher and she didn't need Emily to come to school anymore so she was just going to come to our school from now on. :)

Challenge win!

Happy Hearts

2010-09-27T14:00:00.001-07:00

We've got lots of great friends and supporters who lift us up in prayer, send us funny emails and lots of other virtual hugs that make living far away a bit easier. Today, we received that special sort of "hug" courtesy of some dear friends in Orlando.

You can read about it here:

http://growinglittlehearts.blogspot.com/2010/09/prayer-board.html

p.s. This blog is also totally great if you're homeschooling. :)

Survivor: Nicaragua - Hiya Papaya Edition Week 1: Gallo Pinto

2010-09-23T04:49:00.001-07:00

Gallo Pinto is a yummy rice and bean dish that is eaten by most Nicaraguans twice a day. I've loved it since the first time I tasted it, but have never been able to cook it on my own. This week, as a kick off to our Survivor challenges, I gave it another go and thought you might like to at home -- here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

white rice

black or red beans

cooking oil

carrots

onion

salt to taste

1. Cook beans in water until they're tender. Do not drain. Refrigerate.

2. Put a tablespoon of oil in your arrocera* and heat.

3. Add rice and stir until rice is evenly coated with oil. Let toast while stirring occasionally until all the rice is fried. <-- This step is totally subjective in my opinion and I can't figure out how you know it's ready. :)

4. Add water and salt to taste. Use the waterline in the photo as a guide, there is no set amount. :) You also want to stir it just a little at this point to make sure nothing is sticking. Then cover with lid.

5. Dice carrots. In another small pot, boil them until tender. Drain and set aside.

6. When rice is fluffy and has absorbed all the water, remove from heat.

7. Put another teaspoon of oil to heat in your empty arrocera. Once it's hot, add a bit of onion.

8. Slowly add pre-cooked beans plus water from the beans. Fry the beans for 8ish minutes.

9. Stir in the rice and carrots and cook a pinch longer.

10. Serve with something yummy!

*An arrocera is an aluminum pan, not too unlike a wok, but thicker, used to cooking rice here in Nicaragua. You could use any wok-shaped, non-stick pan and it should do the job.

Music Appreciation Month Poll

2010-09-19T11:26:00.001-07:00

Hello friends! Next month we will be celebrating Music Appreciation Month at the school and I need your help. I'm creating a CD of music from around the world and Wayne and I are in a bit of a debate about how to represent the USA. Can you help us out by voting on the following poll?

Which of the following songs would best represent "American" music on our CD?

1. Amazing Grace, sung by a choir

2. Beat It, by Michael Jackson

3. Born in the USA, by Bruce Springsteen

4. National Anthem, played by Jimi Hendrix

5. 1812 Overture, played by orchestra

6. All Shook Up, by Elvis Presley

You can leave your vote in the comments section here or on facebook. I'll tally them all up on Tuesday night and let you know who won. :)

Thanks!

¡Feliz Cumpleaños Alison!

2010-09-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

Our baby is 8 today!! She is a tremendous blessing to us and we're enjoying the ride as she continues to grow and mature.

Love you Alison!

Survivor: Nicaragua - Hi Ya Papaya Edition

2010-09-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Today marks the beginning of the latest season of Survivor and as many have known for weeks, it was filmed right here in Nicaragua. Now, we didn't see Jeff Probst anywhere and from what we heard, the majority of the filming took place down in San Juan del Sur, but that doesn't mean we have to miss out on the fun.

The Game:

Over the next 15ish weeks (every Wednesday that an episode airs) we're going to share a little about our life and ministry here in Nicaragua! We've built in some challenges for ourselves and hope to use this time to learn even more about this beautiful country.

The Contestants:

Wayne: willing to eat most anything, Wayne will be a formidable opponent if any food challenges come up. He's also the most accomplished builder, meaning he'll be super helpful when it comes to constructing school buildings or shelter.

Megan: easily the leader in hugs given in a day, Megan is ready to keep her tribe organized an on task. She's hoping to show her language learning prowess in the Language Challenges.

Alison: having recently received straight A's in her classes, Alison exhibits the mental capacity to embrace her new culture and problem solve on the fly.

Emily: even though she's our youngest contestant, Emily is a force to be reckoned with -- her accent is perfect! She's been training for the dance and cultural challenges.

Generosidad: Generosity

2010-09-08T16:17:00.000-07:00

Last week our students learned about generosity and how God feels about giving. Each day, in their Christian Education class, they studied what they Bible has to say about giving.

Their verse for the week was 2 Corinthians 9:7: So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Across the street from our school is a public primary school. A few weeks ago, I spoke with one of their first grade teachers about any supply needs they might have. She explained that the three things they really needed were dry erase markers for teaching and construction paper and crayons so the kids could do classwork. Many of our students have older brothers and sisters who attend the public school. I've gotten to know them as they come to get their younger siblings from school each day.

As part of our lesson on generosity, we prepared gift bags full of school supplies from our school for them. The kids made a banner with the Bible verse on it and were really excited about giving their gifts. At chapel on Friday we placed the gifts and banner on the stage so the kids could see their giving in action.

Wayne, Jaime, Elisa and I led a delegation of students over to the school on Friday after chapel to deliver the bags. We gave the first, second and third grade classes bags of crayons, construction paper and other school materials. Plus, we blessed the teachers with new dry-erase markers, post-its and handy, teacher-y things. In addition to having a bag for each of the six classrooms, we made a bag of supplies for the older kids, 4th-6th grade, to present to the Sub-Director.

I'm so honored to be a part of raising up a generation of givers! For His glory!

August 2010 Newsletter

2010-08-30T13:52:00.001-07:00

August 2010 Newsletter

Happy 100th Day!

2010-08-26T15:43:00.001-07:00

Today, Centro Escolar LifeLink had our very first 100th day celebration -- complete with yummy treats, a 100 link chain decorated by our students, a balloon drop and lots of fun! We are totally honored to be able to celebrate this occasion and serve our beautiful students.

More photos to follow. :)

A Gift

2010-08-20T18:52:00.000-07:00

Each day, I greet all of our students by name at the gate. I wish them a good morning. I extend greetings to their parents and siblings as well and have started to remember many of their names too.

Some mornings I'll receive a fist-full of flowers picked on the walk to school. Other days, I'll get a bag of mango slices or an avocado from someone's tree.

I receive each gift with thanks and a hug.

Last week, I received a very different gift.

Elisa came to find me in the auditorium to let me know that two of our students had just arrived a bit late and their mother had a gift for me. A smile played at the corners of her mouth while she said she could not wait to see how I reacted. I didn't know what to expect as I headed down the sidewalk. The students are two of the most impoverished students in our school and I knew that anything they could give would be a treasure to them.

I approached their mother who had her back to me and when she turned around, she handed me a bunny. A real, live bunny rabbit.

She immediately started giving me instructions about how often he needs to be bathed, what he eats, etc. I was shocked that I was holding a bunny, not-to-mention that I was now the proud owner of one.

That afternoon we brought Pelusa the bunny home and the girl's immediately fell in love with him. Emily has plans to take him to school when we get him a travel cage and we'd also like to take him to visit our students periodically. He eats a lot of carrots and celery, but is much quieter than the dog. :)

An excellent gift!

A glimpse at the week

2010-08-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

Last week we hosted our very first group -- in the last year we've helped and participated with groups, but on this one we were in charge! Good training and God made it an amazing week that we'll remember for a lifetime. Here are just a few photos, more to follow.

A picture says...

2010-08-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

In every home we've visited here in Nicaragua, of friends, of our students, etc, there has been a collection of photos hung on a wall. It doesn't matter if the wall is made of brick, metal sheeting or plastic, the photos are there. They are of wedding days, birthdays and other special days.

Many times these 4-5 photos are all the photos they have. They are cherished.

While our most recent group was here, we took family photos of our students. Over the course of 3 afternoons, we set appointments and invited each family to come.

When each family received their freshly printed photo and frame, they beamed! They'd pass the photo back and forth, commenting on how beautiful it was. It was such a treat to bless each family in this way.

Growing, Planning, Dreaming

2010-07-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

After returning from our short break, the school has been busy this month! Mike & Deborah Turner hosted a group of teachers and construction workers from Missouri who really rocked our socks.

The construction team ran all of the electric for our primary school building PLUS poured all the concrete floors PLUS a million other side projects. Their acts of service and amazing work are propelling the school forward by leaps and bounds!

The teacher team blessed the heck out of the school by bringing school supplies and over 400 books in Spanish to start our library! With the help of friends and colleagues in the States, they were able to provide amazing gifts to the school. PLUS share their time, thoughts and talents with us.

All of this activity has provided us many opportunities to grow, to plan ahead and to dream about what God has for Centro Escolar LifeLink, our students, our community and the country of Nicaragua! Thank you for your prayers and financial support! Thank you for running this race with us -- God is doing an amazing work!

Happy Birthday Emily

2010-07-05T16:52:00.000-07:00

Our school break is winding up this week, but not before we celebrate our littlest princess and her 4th birthday.

And since our little firecracker was born on the 4th of July -- we also lit up some Independence Day/birthday fireworks. :)

Constructacular!!

2010-06-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

Work on the Primary School building is going great -- in July we'll have two teams coming to install the electric, pour the floor and paint! The roof is set to be finished by the end of next week! Come on Jesus!

¡feliz dia de las madres!

2010-06-03T16:23:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 30th was Mother's Day here in Nicaragua! We had a lovely day full of family time and yummy food! :)

The students at the school spent the month of May preparing a singing and dancing presentation for their mothers, as well as crafts. On Tuesday, we had over 100 of our students Moms and grandmothers in attendance for our First Annual Mother's Day Event.

Each class presented a song about their mother -- singing about the love of a mother and how lucky they were to have such great mothers. It was adorable!

At the end of the presentation, our dance troop -- consisting of students from each level -- presented two folklore dances. They stole the show! :)

Skype It Up!

2010-05-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

Skype has been an amazing Godsend to our family. We used it while attending our training in Mexico and can currently be found sneaking in a weekly call to my parents and Wayne's grandmother.

Recently we've seen more of our friends downloading the program and friending us. We'd love to talk to everyone -- our sign-on is: hiyapapaya. :)

Hope to talk to you soon!

¡Hola!

2010-05-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

Each day I (wo)man the gate while our students enter. It's one of my favorite times of the day.

When we registered our students, we snapped a photo of each of them for the sponsorship program. As I worked on the publications for that and organized the photos, I'd try my hardest to memorize each student's name.

On the first day of school, I greeted by name a little over half of the students. Now, I can greet all of them and most of their parent's too!

I consciously want to notice each child.

To show them in a practical way that they are special and that God, and I, love them very much!

**L->R: William Jose, Stephanie, Eduardo, Judith, Andy, Hellen, Eddy, Jassury, Lenin. :)

March 2010 Newsletter

2010-03-31T16:38:00.001-07:00

March 2010 Newsletter

Mujeres Cautivantes

2010-03-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we hosted 110 church leaders at a conference at the LifeLink base. But this wasn't any conference and these weren't any leaders.

In a mostly male-dominated culture, we decided to bless the women from the churches in our area. We invited pastor's wives and delegates from over 30 churches to come and hear Pastor Colleen Rouse of Victory World Church in Atlanta, Georgia teach about John & Stasi Elredge's book, Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul.

It was a truly amazing day, full of blessings and opportunities to minister. Pastor Colleen brought a word of encouragement from the Lord that the attendees were thirsty to hear. Our team rocked out two snacks and a beautiful lunch service, plus registration, certificates for attendees and much more.

We received many compliments and words of gratitude, but it was us who were truly blessed. At the end of the conference, our men handed out beautiful roses to each attendee -- truly the icing on the cake. :)

Two Amazing Weeks

2010-03-08T04:28:00.000-08:00

The last two weeks have been amazing! We opened the school to our 121 new preschool students and have been spending the last few weeks getting to know them, educating them and showing them the love of God in a practical way.

I've given out countless hugs, had ample opportunity to practice my Spanish (especially things like "please stay in the line" and "please sit down") and have almost learned all of the student's names.

God has been so faithful to our little school -- we've had grace with criers, no medical emergencies and instead we've seen amazing things start to happen. Children who have never used a toilet are learning how to use the bathroom and then wash their hands. Children who rarely eat are enjoying nutrient rich meals from our kitchen. Children who've had little expected of them are expressing their dreams.

Thank you for being a part of this ministry. All for His glory!

First Day of Preschool!

2010-02-22T15:57:00.000-08:00

It looked a lot like this:

It was a busy day and we're excited to see what tomorrow has to offer! More pics too! :)

Visas de Cortesias

2010-02-18T18:00:00.000-08:00

Excellent, excellent news!!

Yesterday we received our one-year visas!! We're so excited that God made a way for us to avoid having to cross the border every 90 days, staying out for at least 72 hours.

I can't wait to see what the next year brings!! School starts Monday!!

Construction-mania!

2010-02-10T06:01:00.001-08:00

Wow!

The school is looking great! So many projects have been going on to finish, add or improve to the existing buildings on the base.

The new bathroom building is ready for tile, paint and toilets! It is an amazing blessing to have these new bathrooms so close to the preschool and flushing toilets! :)

The iron work on the well house is almost finished -- the well has over 12 meters of fresh water in it!

And yesterday we spent the day painting the kitchen -- the colors are happy and fun! I can hardly wait to share photos of the kitchen providing food to our students!

Classes start in 12 days -- if you're interested in sponsoring a child, we still have some available, just visit www.lifelinkint.org and click 'Sponsorship Page'.

Sponsor a child is here!

2010-01-20T05:26:00.000-08:00

After months of planning and preparing, the LifeLink International Child Sponsorship Program has arrived! We currently have 100 kids in the LifeLink school, and we need sponsors for all of them.

A $35 a month sponsorship links you directly to a child. You will be aiding the child in purchasing supplies, clothes, a daily nutritional meal, and getting a christian education. You can get more information at http://www.lifelinkint.org . If you have any questions you can use the contact page or feel free to email me directly at wtingle@lifelinkint.org .

Let's review...

2009-12-26T05:52:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! Megan made a "year in review" video. Check it out, it's really good!

¡Feliz Navidad de los Tingles! from meg tingle on Vimeo.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T18:35:00.000-08:00

Shoes!

2009-12-19T11:08:00.000-08:00

Nearly 500,000 children in Nicaragua do not attend school and one of the biggest reasons is that their family cannot afford to send them. There are public schools where the education is free, but each student must purchase and wear a uniform and purchase books and materials. These costs are often overwhelming since many families live on less than US$2 a day.

Earlier this month we had the opportunity to make the lives of 88 potential students a little bit brighter. As part of the LifeLink team and with your support, together we were able to buy 88 pairs of excellent-quality, black leather school shoes!

We distributed the shoes at a children's Christmas event in a local church with Mike & Deborah Turner, the National Minister of Education for the country of Nicaragua and my parents. It was a great day full of smiles and hope for a better future!

Thanks for being part of our team!

Family Fun Night

2009-12-04T05:37:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago Wayne had a great idea -- he wanted to hold a movie night out at the base for the families that live near by. We started planning what we would need, who we would invite and all the little logistical things that it's responsible to plan for in advance.

We picked a night, printed tickets and bought popcorn. We figured that with number of workers and volunteers we would have helping us we could accommodate 80 people.

Lilliam, Mirena and I hit the streets and began passing out tickets. It quickly became clear that 80 tickets weren't going to go very far. So we decided to invite all the families on one nearby street and next time we'd invite another street and rotate around the base.

As we passed one house were we always see small children playing out front, I asked Lilliam why we weren't stopping. She explained that she always invites that family to events and they never participate and in light of the fact that we only had some many tickets, they may be a good family to skip. But my heart said something different. My heart said invite them.

So we did.

Friday night, I met Yurassenia and her three boys. She told me how grateful they were to be invited and when the movie was over and they walked out with smiles, I was really glad I listened to my heart.

November 2009 Newsletter

2009-11-29T07:31:00.000-08:00

November 2009 Newsletter

International House of Pancakes

2009-11-23T17:04:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning I woke up and made pancakes for breakfast. We really like pancakes and I usually only have time to make them on the weekends. But instead of making half a box, I made the whole thing.

Why?

Because most morning we have some very special guests for breakfast. And Saturday was not different.

Meet Lester, Angelica, Ablan and Lehan:

They live a few blocks away from us, closer to the lake and the nearby landfill. Our first few days in our new house, they and other children like them, would pass by with wheelbarrows offering to take our trash.

As we talked to them and heard more of their story we learned that after collecting trash they would go through it for items that could be reused and for food. Lester and his siblings were the most diligent in coming by and eventually we fell into a cadence with them.

Every morning we have breakfast available for them to come and eat on our front patio. Most days they're here, sometimes we don't see them for a few days. Lester recently got a job selling apples in one of the local markets, but he doesn't get paid, he just gets a few apples each week.

This past Saturday we sat around eating pancakes and chatting in the cool of the morning. I can't imagine a better way to enjoy a yummy breakfast.

Missionary Training Intern Group - Oct 2009

2009-11-04T05:08:00.000-08:00

Last week we had the honor of hosting the newest group of interns attending the same training we went to last year in Mexico.

We held two days of preschool classes on the base. The children moved from station to station through a series of learning activities. We saw lots of smiles and were able to try out some of the curriculum we have planned for the preschool opening in Feb.

The interns hosted a large children's ministry program on Wednesday afternoon. We were able to minister to over 100 kids! After the dancing and skits, the kids got to hear the Gospel, preached in a way they could understand.

After the program we continued to minister to the children through play, hair washing and fingernail painting. Such simple acts of service became amazing opportunities to connect and show our love, and God's love, in a practical way.

We're excited about the wonderful things these interns will go on to do in the countries they go to work in. We're excited to host more groups in the future.

If you're interested in visiting, please let us know. We have several trips coming in 2010 and can get you a place in one. :)

Hello!

2009-10-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since our last post! Good things, great things, God things!

We’ve successfully moved in to our home. No more cramped spaces and living out of conticos for us. The girls have lots of space to play. We have an office. Our neighborhood is quiet and safe.
In the apartment, we’d trip over each other all the time and remark about how we had way too much stuff, but in the house things are different. For the first time in 2 months, it’s 100% clear just how much we sold/gave away/left behind. We’ve got a lot of “blank space” in the new house.

Last weekend Wayne and I hung our photos from the house in Florida that were in frames small enough to bring. It was instantly cheering to my heart. Those familiar faces, smiles and memories.

Ali started school at a local Christian school that's all in Spanish!! She wears the most adorable uniform and we're hoping that complete immersion will speed her language learning.

We got a dog! Her name is Roxy and she’s a German Shepherd. And in the long-standing plague to “Triller” men, she was supposed to be a boy and is in fact very much a girl. Poor Wayne.

And the best news of all -- we’ve been working!! Our new house is a lot closer to Ciudad Sandino and we’ve been able to modify our school schedule to accommodate more work time. Wayne’s been overseeing some projects to get the Auditorium finished for possible use as a preschool as soon as Feb 2010!

I’ve been zooming through my online Teaching English as a Second Language course and organizing supplies for the preschool. Plus I’ve been giving out hugs like it’s my job. :)

Next week we have a group coming for a week so we’ll have more stories and photos to share. :)

God is good! Wayne and I talk a lot about what we’re struggling with or finding victory in and lately, by the world’s standards, there has been a lot to struggle with. But what I’ve found is God’s amazing peace. He has made me for this purpose. Each struggle is an opportunity to show His glory!

Movin' on up.... to the east side...

2009-10-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

Well, the west side actually. On the west side of Managua is a small neighborhood called Las Brisas. We found a little house in a safe neighborhood for rent and we signed the contract on it this past thursday. It's close to the LifeLink Project and also close to downtown Managua.

We also found a school for Alison to attend. It's a safe place where she can learn and make friends. It's very secure, with a curriculum very close to the US.

That's 2 large tasks down.

We're doing well in language school, with the ability to move about the country with relative ease. We can have conversation with most people and read the newspaper. It's a definite improvement from when we arrived.

My truck is still in customs. Please pray for it.

Wayne

Happy Birthday Alison!

2009-09-17T14:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a great 7 years!

¡Felíz Cumpleaños Alison!

Que bueno.

2009-08-31T07:40:00.005-07:00

You know the word "fail" is being tossed around? Like when you do something dumb and someone is there to comment on it and they say "fail". Megan hates that phrase and has started her own phrase - "win". Whenever someone does something good she says "Win!". Kind of charming in a Megan sort of way.

Language school is going well. As it turns out, 4 hours of intensive grammar and vocabulary, followed by 4 hours of conversation can be pretty exhausting. We doing good, and we're able to have basic conversations in spanish that we weren't able to have before, so it seems to be working. At night we like to play cards with some of the locals. We learned a game called Desmoche and taught them how to play Uno. A good time was had by all.

The kids are adjusting nicely. Emily and Alison are picking up the language like kids do, faster and better than their parents. They've each made friends and seem to have no problem playing together. Apparently, the international language is playing. I tried to play with my spanish teacher and he just told me to get back in my seat and write a paragraph in spanish about why I was acting loco.

All in all I feel like we're being successful. We've made a lot of Nicaraguan friends, the language is starting to come easier, the kids are enjoying their new environment, and we're pretty much adjusted to the heat.

Win!

Wayne

You gotta be a giver.

2009-08-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

This morning, as I stepped outside and stretched the soreness from neck due to a new pillow, I saw this on our little metal table.

It made me stop for a moment. My mind instantly went to the realization that someone had to get up earlier than me, make coffee, move all this stuff from their room to ours, and do it without waking anyone up.

Then I recalled an evening in our training where we sat down with Mike and Deborah Turner and discussed matters of the heart. It all comes down to loving people. That's why Christ came, and that's why we're here.

Setting up coffee for us my not seem like a huge deal, but it echos the nucleus of a lesson that hammers itself home over and over again.

You gotta be a giver.

Wayne

Hugs

2009-08-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

We've been hugging a lot of people lately. Long, heartfelt hugs. Hugs I hope we'll be able to remember and feel when things are going so great or we're feeling lonesome and homesick.

Last night we got another great hug. A special hug that only happens when God's there with His arms wrapped around you too.

Due to a bunch of little things, last week was the last week Next Level Church Orlando, formerly Fusion Church, met and worshipped together. We were sad to see the end of a season, but rejoiced in all the great things God accomplished through an amazing group of believers that we love. As one of their last acts, our church family surrounded us in prayer and sent us out. Even amidst the celebration, it was a heavy day.

That afternoon, Wayne and I tried to figure out what to do with less than 2 weeks left in the States and no home church.

After discussing a few churches as options, we contacted my dear friend Julie, who just a few weeks earlier had been sharing about a new church she was attending. As I recounted to Wayne the things she'd told me, I felt my spirit get a little lighter, a little happier.

That night, Julie spoke with her Pastor about our situation. He eagerly agreed to meet with us to see what we needed. Friday morning Wayne had breakfast with Pastor Rob Duford of Orlando North Community Church.

Last night we visited them on our final Sunday in the States.

At our first visit, and last for a bit, the welcomed us warmly. They prayed for us as a congregation. They started to get to know us.

Last night, we got one of those great, big God hugs from our new church family.

T-minus 14 and counting.

2009-07-30T04:38:00.000-07:00

14 days. It's a little difficult for us to fully accept. In 14 days we're leaving this home, this country, this circle of friends that we hold so close to our hearts, and exchanging it for new, exciting, strange, and possibly a little dangerous. Our prayer requests are numerous. Prayers for strength, discipline, warm welcomes, and large hearts are coveted by us in this new chapter.

We have our tickets. We have most of our stuff either packed, sold, or given away. Tomorrow I drive to Miami to ship my truck to Nicaragua. We're looking forward to getting on Spirit Airlines flight 110077310, eating a free bag of peanuts, and getting off in Central America, with Mike and Deborah Turner's smiling faces waiting to greet us.

Only 2 weeks left.

Happy Independence Day!!

2009-07-04T19:18:00.001-07:00

It's been busy in these parts, but today was a day for celebrating with friends and welcoming our little Emily officially into the world of big-girldom. :)

That's right, our little Emily is 3 years old!! Happy Birthday Lovey!!

8:20

2009-06-20T06:09:00.000-07:00

Exciting news: we have set a departure date!!!

That's right, after months of planning and fundraising, we're down to the final bit before we depart for Managua, Nicaragua!!

Our plan is to board a flight on Thursday, August 20th to begin our mission in Nicaragua!!

August 20, 8/20.

Can you do something for us?

Twice a day you have the opportunity to look at a clock and see that it's 8:20 -- when you do, in that moment, could you stretch your faith and pray for us?

Can you ask God to continue to bless our fundraising? Can you ask Him to soften the hearts of the people of Ciudad Sandino and Nueva Jerusalem? Can you ask Him to give us patience and strength in the midst of so much change?

We're so encouraged to know that you're with us and for us -- at 8:20, let's link together to lift up the people of Nicaragua.

Hola de Mexico!

2009-05-23T15:40:00.000-07:00

That's right, we're back in Mexico!

We were invited to come down and meet this session's batch of interns. We flew in last night and will be back in the States on Monday, but we're having a great time sharing our experiences from the last few months, meeting possible future team members and enjoying the Latin culture.

We're really encouraged by the team here and hope that this weekend will be a springboard for great things in their ministries and ours.

LifeLink Golf Tournament a Success!!

2009-05-11T06:41:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Wayne and I drove up to Atlanta to visit friends, raise money and help out with the 2nd Annual LifeLink International Golf Tournament. Our time in the ATL was blessed!

We met with a staggering number of people, snuck in a date or two and watched as over 100 golfers sewed into LifeLink International and the lives of the people of Nicarauga.

It was a long, fun day that raised $26,000!! C'mon Jesus that's exciting!!

We are excited to see how God continues to prepare us to leave for Nicaragua. Thank you for your prayers and continued support.

The Good Life

2009-05-05T19:32:00.001-07:00

If you missed the broadcast, you can see our video here: http://www.tv45.org/videos.html

We're the third or fourth video down on the right. :)

My Stupid Mouth

2009-04-27T04:13:00.000-07:00

I just read my pastors blog. Right now my church is in the transition between meeting places. We have been a portable church so far, and we're anxious to put down some roots. In his blog he writes,
"I think the power of the tongue is so under-rated! People joke about things all the time, and with a goal of "sarcasism" they speak DEATH over what God is trying to give LIFE to in their lives. As for me...I am going to speak LIFE over my dream!"
This is a lesson that seems to have to be relearned over and over again. James wrote that life and death are in the power of the tongue. How many times have we met somebody who is constantly reinforcing a bad situation by complaining about it? It's all about how horrible things are in their lives. This is not to be confused with people looking for council or some form of healing. What I'm talking about is people who can't stop reinforcing the negative. We call this speaking death, and I have to admit, I sometimes fall into this as well. At this point in our lives, I need to be more guarded against what I say.

Here is the core of the problem. What you say reflects what is inside you. It reflects your attitude. When I read the book of James and think about the power of the tongue, It makes me reflect the condition of my heart. Why am I saying these things? Where are they coming from? I don't have a clear and decisive answer for that. What I do know is that they aren't from faith. They aren't from God.

So today I'm going to stand with my pastor and speak life. God is going to provide for our church. We will have a totally cool building, with lots of parking and rooms for offices and children's church. It will be a blessing to the community and everyone who attends will find peace and love and joy in underneath its roof.

That's my attitude today, and it's what I choose to speak.

Make Your Swing Count - Register Today for the 2nd Annual LifeLink Charity Golf Tournament May 2nd at the beautiful Château Élan Resort

2009-04-24T05:11:00.000-07:00

Play golf for a cause and make your swing count at the 2nd Annual LifeLink International Charity Golf Tournament on Saturday, May 2nd at the beautiful Château Élan Resort in Braselton, GA.

All proceeds will go to benefit the efforts of LifeLink International. LifeLink is a registered nonprofit organization in the USA and in the country of Nicarauga.

LifeLink works tirelessly to bring education, clean water, health care, and hope to children in Nicaragua, the 2nd poorest nation in the western hemisphere, according to the UN reports.

Your participation in this event will assist LifeLink International in creating dreams. Won't you consider playing for a cause and helping children along the way?

Golf Tournament Details:

- When: Saturday May 2nd
- Time: 2pm shotgun start
- Where: Château Élan– Braselton, GA
- Benefit: LifeLink International: non-profit mission organization
- Cost: $125 per person

Naturally all gifts are tax deductible.

Thank you - we look forward to seeing you on the links!

To register, click on our 'support us' LifeLink logo and designate your funds for a single player, foursome or if you can't make the golf tournament but would still like to make a donation to help us educate the children in Nicaragua, you can donate to our general fund.

For more info contact:

brian@sunbeltofficeproducts.com

jlrossi@cwatlantatv.com

Channel 45: The Good Life

2009-04-23T05:16:00.000-07:00

We recently had a wonderful opportunity presented to us -- we were invited to appear on Channel 45's The Good Life program! The day of shooting the show was a roller coaster of nerves and excitement to share our call with such a large audience.

Our conversation with Mike & Barbara was so easy though! It's amazing how speaking about the one thing you're most passionate about comes so naturally.

If you'd like to see us, and learn more about what we're doing in Nicaragua, our program is airing the following dates & times:

Monday, April 27: 7:30AM, 12PM, 3PM, 8PM

Thursday, April 30: 7:30AM, 12PM, 3PM, 8PM

We'll be receiving a digital copy in the next few days and will post it for those of you who can't catch it live. :)

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

I was really struck by the service at Fusion this morning. God spoke so eloquently through Pastor Nathan's words.

Why are you seeking the Living God among the dead?

He is Risen!! He is Alive!! What a glorious God!!

Happy Easter!!

Forever? Forever-ever?

2009-04-11T05:19:00.000-07:00

I don't share a lot of cute stories, but this one is amazing. I like to get up early in the morning and check my email, get some coffee etc... I try to be as quiet as possible when I get up. Sometimes, my youngest daughter Emily will already be awake and waiting for sound of my door squeaking. On those days, I'll turn around from quietly pulling the door to and see her moppy, curly hair, and hear her whisper "hi daddy." Then I'll bend down and give her a hug and we'll walk out to the office together. This was one of those days. I was trying to be as quiet as possible, but she was already waiting for me. I bent down to give her a hug, and I heard her whisper,

"You're a good daddy. I'm gonna love you forever."

This was one of those "wow" moments in my life. A wow moment is defined by something full of impact or memorable enough to be life changing. Not necessarily "alter the path of your life" changing, but more like "smooth out the path for your life" changing. It was an immense reminder that my God and Saviour loves me and thinks I'm a good Wayne, that his love is overflowing for a reason, and forever means for-ever.

Wow.

BTW - the new LifeLink site is up. http://www.lifelinkint.org . Millions of thanks to Linda Baldwin who designed and built it. You're a good Linda, and we're gonna love you forever.

30 Years!

2009-03-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to the most amazing husband, daddy, guitar player, scorpion killer, Mario Kart-er, man of God and friend I have ever known. I can't wait to see the amazing things your next 30 years will bring. :)

Love, Megan

Electricity!!

2009-03-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

We're happy to share that the LifeLink base in Nicaragua now has electricity!!! It's not only a blessing to those of us who will be working there, but also to the people of Ciudad Sandino and Nueva Jerusalem.

Thanks for your continued prayers!

Good News!

2009-02-23T16:54:00.001-08:00

Hey! We have great news! We are about 1/3 of the way to raising the necessary amount to move to Nicaragua! Woo Hoo! I wanted to take a second and thank all the people that have decided to partner with us in building the community in Sandino, Nicaragua. It really does take all of us working together to make a difference. So from the bottom of our hearts, thanks!

Wayne

Toughie McTougherson

2009-02-09T12:42:00.000-08:00

I was reading the last post my beautiful wife put up and I felt a little moved. I don't want to toot my own horn, but through no fault of my own I'm just about as tough as they come. My dad was incredibly strong, and I always strive to be as strong as him. Years of backbreaking construction work has gotten my body accumulated to higher than average pain tolerance. Along with construction work comes a degree of emotional steel that now allows my feeling to regenerate at twice that of a normal man. I can think in a clear direction in just about any circumstance, and can camp out by myself with just the bare essentials. Again, I'm not looking for accolades, this is just how I am.

So when I see a picture of Nicaraguan children at the LifeLink International base and feel moved, it means something more than it usually would. It means that there is something inside of me that is triggered by nothing short than a call from God. It means that when God said, "Before you were born I set you apart" (Jeremiah 1:5) he was talking to me. It means my life is not my own.

That's why I'm a missionary.

Great News from Nicaragua

2009-02-09T12:27:00.000-08:00

The 2009 school year kicked off last week with the addition of the 3, 4 & 5 year-old pre-school at the LifeLink Ministry Base! Pictured above are the teachers with the new 33 students.

Please pray for the children and teachers and the ministry of LifeLink International.

Seriousamente

2009-02-02T03:39:00.000-08:00

We are raising money like it's it's our job. Well, I guess it is our job. What I guess I wasn't totally prepared for was the season of busyness we would get thrust in. Our Palm Centro's are alleviating it a bit, as is Megan's scheduling personality.

Which kind of brings me to a new word I want to share. Seriousamente. It sounds Spanish, I know, but it's not. It's also not Portuguese, Russian, mandarin, or any other stretch of language you may possibly have heard of. It's purely made up (or just wrong) and it means seriously. Not seriously like two mature adults would use it in a conversation, but seriously like two pre-teens would use it to describe something that is totally normal to most people but earth shattering to them.

Pre-teen 1 said, "Oh my gosh! Can you believe that you can just mix chocolate and milk and make chocolate milk?!"

Pre-teen 2 - "Seriousamente?!"

It's also used between two adults who are aware of Gods goodness and blessing, but are still amazed by it when it happens.

Adult 1 says, "Oh my gosh! Can you believe God is making a way for us to move to Nicaragua and be missionaries?!

Adult 2 - "Seriousamente?!"

So here's the deal . We are raising money and prayer to go to Nicaragua. If you're a friend of ours and we somehow have your number, email, facebook friend status or Mario Kart Wii license number, we'll be getting a hold of you to see how you want to be involved. God has shown us that we need to give everyone the opportunity, so that's what we're doing.

Seriousamente.

New Year's Vision

2009-01-20T10:39:00.000-08:00

It's a little late and some of you may have read this as a comment on Pastor Nathan's blog, but here's my vision for 2009.

---

In Joshua 10:13 God stopped the sun and the moon to allow Israel to defeat a massive army. Joshua 10:14 says "There was no day like that before it or after it, when the LORD listened to the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel."

My vision is a vision of obedience and growth.

In Japan there's a business term called the "Pokie Okie". It's the 20% of preparation you do that sustains the 80% of work. I believe that God has put me in a season of growth.

I have a vision of raising all the funds needed for our first year in Nicaragua, and mastering the Spanish language once we're there.

I have a vision of poverty being lessened, men being influenced for good, and souls being saved.

If I can believe in a God that stops time for a battle, how can I not believe that he'll prepare me and provide for me?

I have a vision of the Lord listening to the voice of a man, and the Lord fighting for me.

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-01T08:22:00.000-08:00

May the Lord bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you and give you peace and joy in the coming year!!

Contact Us

2009-01-01T06:37:00.000-08:00

In America, correspondence & support can be sent to:

LifeLink International

attn: Wayne & Megan Tingle
PO Box 354150
Palm Coast, FL 32135

In Nicaragua, correspondence & packages can be sent to:

Wayne & Megan Tingle
Apartado Postal No. P-119
Managua
Nicaragua

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T13:46:00.001-08:00

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’”
Luke 2:1-14
Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!!

Lovers in a dangerous time...

2008-12-23T14:36:00.000-08:00

Megan has a bad appendix. I tried to write it off in my super manly way, and assumed it was gas. When it persisted, I assumed it was still gas, but the kind that sticks around. When Megan googled her symptoms, she said she had appendicitis. I said she thought that BECAUSE she googled it, not the other way around. We went to sleep. She woke up with the same symptoms. I finally relinquished and she went to the hospital. Turns out she has appendicitis. She was right, I was wrong. She's in surgery now, and I'm in the waiting room.

Score one for Megan.

Favor

2008-12-09T07:03:00.000-08:00

I've recently landed a job as a knitting instructor at a local enrichment center. I'm really excited to share something I'm passionate about and earn some money, but it's only 3 hours a week, so I'm looking for a little something else.

Today I have another job interview. This job could possibly be the perfect job for our particular set of circumstances. I'm interviewing at a local language school to teach English as a second language. Almost exactly what I'll be doing in Nicaragua! And they'll pay for me to get certified! And all of the hours are while Ali is at school! And it actually pays pretty well!

I'm excited for the opportunity to wow them today! Would you pray for favor if this is what God would have for me to do??

There's not enough time - Waterdeep

2008-12-04T06:23:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in a while, and I promise it's not because nothing interesting has been happening. As it turns out, a family of returning missionaries that just finished training and are on their way out to the field that are also celebrating holidays and looking for part time jobs while re-integrating into their church and potty training a 2 year old don't get a lot of spare time. We are really happy, and excited to keep moving in the direction God has for us.

I feel like I'm relatively tough. I've been in construction most of my life, I'm pretty strong, when I speak I like to think people listen, I can drive stick, and take a punch. I can butcher poultry, work long hours, eat really spicy stuff, and take ridiculously hot showers.
So, that being said, we are experiencing a kind of role reversal. You see, in the seven years we've been married, I've always worked a job while Megan worked the house. At this moment, Megan is out a job interview while I am home potty training Emily. Now some might see this as the softening of hardened man, but I submit that it is not! Nothing is more manly than taking care of your kids, cleaning a house, cooking a meal, and keeping your wife happy. It's tough work keeping floors clean, kids fed, and small DIY's getting done.
I wish I could say I'm doing all these things. The reality is Emily's watching Clifford while I blog about being manly. Nothing else is getting done.

Here's a photo of when Megan and I were young, roles were clear, and we were very innocent. Oh young Wayne, I have so much to warn you about. But tragically, I cannot.

I want to - thank you thank you...

2008-11-27T08:48:00.000-08:00

a king size bed
screen doors
floridas year round green
90 degree weather with 90 percent humidity - just what this florida boy ordered
cool clothes
religious freedom (seriously)
playing music
my awesome church
my beautiful wife
kids that are just the right age
no scorpions here
hair conditioner
good family
tickle spiders
knitted socks
tasty food
kleenex
my patient wife
slammin praise and worship music
multicultural experiences
a passport with a bunch of stamps
my stylish wife

I am Iron Man....

2008-11-20T06:57:00.000-08:00

Sooo, in the beginning of our trip we were a little scared of all the scorpions. It turns out that Cuarnavaca Mexico is the scorpion capitol of the world, with some of the deadliest scorpions around. This picture was taken day one.

After spending time with these critters, we began to feel a little more comfortable with our new friends. We talked to Mike Turner, Central American resident extraordinaire, and we found that we were a little hyper-aware of the dangers, and no-one in Mexico even pays the scorpions any mind. Upon hearing that, I decided to be less like a little girl and more like a grown man. From that day forward, the kids were allowed to play outside, we stopped checking around every corner, and stopped jumping at every piece of lint on the floor. I would say our growth was astounding.

Just kidding, this scorpion was dead when I found it.

We come home Saturday! Yeah!