Couldn't Wait to Share...

Is he not the most precious boy, you've ever seen!?! Stevens enjoying an ice cream at the mall
Rock Star!!!
Roxana & Elton with sons
Isaac (3) and Stevens (6)

One of the greatest experiences that happened in Nicaragua actually occurred on our last day there. Doug and I talked several times over the phone about sponsoring a child through NRN. Sponsorship includes providing them with tuition to attend school until they graduate from high school and on into their college years. We had visited 3 different schools sponsored by NRN during our trip. I couldn't help but feel a sense of obligation for our family to become a part of ensuring a child was provided with a good education. I kept going back to the same little photo and description, day after day in the booklet filled with children who were still in need of sponsorship for their education... I just knew this little boy in the photo was going to become part of our family.

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Sunday we were hosting our last Women's Ministry event at a church in the Red-Zone of the Oriental Market. I delivered my talk and during our small group discussion I was informed that Pastor Oscar Cruz and Cecil Campbell, along with Steve and Glen from the construction team had gone to find where the family lived so that I could meet our sponsor child, Stevens Jarquin Rocha. I felt a sense of being overwhelmed with this unbelievably kind gesture... what a surprise!

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Stevens family is unbelievable! His mother Roxana went with us to the mall for ice cream. She informed us that she is a lawyer, 1 year out of law school. Her mother had worked in the home of lawyer, who is now a judge. She always looked up to him and he has helped her with her education and finding a job within the legal system. His father, Elton has an evangelical heart of gold. He understands that they live within the most crime-ridden part of Managua (capital of Nicaragua). He sets up tents with chairs and plays music and preaches of hope to people who have none. He is very involved with their church ministries. Stevens' younger brother, Isaac, is a typical 3 year old and a little stinker.

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Stevens is in first grade and just turned 6 in June. He loves math and is good at reading. He performs in the children's choir at church and at school (And yes, he sang for me and it was sooo sweet... no clue what he was singing, but sooo sweet.) He is very proud of his mother and father. He is so good with his younger brother and very well mannered. We had the chance to visit at their home and play outside together. His mother showed me baby pictures and preschool graduation pictures... complete with cap and gown! I also got to meet his aunt, uncle, baby cousin and grandmother.

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Stevens is very lucky to come from a 2 parent household. It is obvious that he is loved and valued by his family and that they take good care of him and his brother. His father walks him to and from school each day. This is not the norm in Nicaragua for the majority of children living within the Oriental Market District.

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Stevens attends Oscar Cruz's school, Rey Salomon (King Solomon). We had the chance to visit the school earlier that week and had a blast playing soccer and volleyball with the kids for about 2 hours before taking some of them on an outing to Pizza Hut and a local peer/beach. The pictures below are from Stevens' school.

Pastor Oscar with some of the girls
The courtyard

Gabriella and Aaron
Jasmine, Katie and I with some of the kiddos
2nd Grade Classroom

So I am officially in love with this little angel! I feel that we have a son to love and care for as if he were our own. Addie is aware of Stevens and Isaac from Nicaragua. We look at their pictures and include them and their family in our prayers at bedtime. She and I have already gone shopping and are sending the boys a care package later this week! Doug and I have also decided that we are going to learn to speak Spanish so I don't have to rely so heavily on a translator next time we visit.