Sea to Sea Day 4 – Rosita to Siuna
April put together this great slideshow of pics from the trip. Enjoy!
Day 4 – 46 miles on rocky dirts roads with big hills
This was the most physically challenging day for me, but also the most exhilarating. I know of many people who were praying that we would have the opportunity to share the love of Christ with Nicaraguans as we rode across the country.
This was my day…the day God rocked my world and shattered the neat little box I try to keep Him in.
We were riding along another rocky dirt road and came across another wooden bridge. There were women washing clothes in the river, so one of the riders got off her bike to take a picture. Something dropped out of her bag and fell through a crack in the bridge and landed at the river’s edge, about 20 feet below. So down the earthen path we went, in search of the missing goods.
In the meantime, a few other riders had stopped at the bridge’s end to wait for us and to take a quick drink. Anytime we stopped along our journey, a small crowd of curious Nicaraguans would quickly form near us. This day three Nicaraguan kids caught my attention. Fatima, 11 years old, and her two brothers and I began to talk about life, our journey, and Fatima’s new school year starting in February. One of my follow riders, Brian, came up to us and asked if I would translate for him as he gave the kids $20. What he didn’t know at the time is that I am typically opposed to just handing money out to people on the street. But I listened to Brian as he shared that some friends in Canada had given him money to offer Nicaraguans in need, as he saw fit. We decided that we would suggest that the money could be used to buy school supplies for the three of them. So I began to share Brian’s story with Fatima and her brothers and explained that God was so interested in their lives that He sent Brian to Nicaragua to give them a gift. The door then opened to share how money disappears as soon as it is spent, but that God has already given them a much bigger gift to them in His Son. We talked for about 15 minutes about the good news of Jesus, God’s love for them, and where they could read more about Him (John and Genesis).
I was flying high for the rest of the morning. God had taught me that He chooses how, when, where and through whom He is going to reveal Himself. I just need to be willing and ready to be a tool, even if His methods aren’t in my rule book and He busts out of my box.
The afternoon proved to be very difficult for me. Although the scenery was breathtaking as we rode through the foothills surrounded by thick jungle, as we hit bigger hills in the late afternoon I felt my energy level sink. My chain fell off my bike as I ascended one of the last hills of the day. Thankfully Luis, the team bike mechanic, was right behind me and quickly got me back on the road. Thanks God…and Luis.
