Megan

Megan Casillas

Dear family and friends, 

I love love love Nicaragua! This trip has already been the biggest blessing and its only Tuesday. We are at the base with another team from Paso Robles and they are all amazing and its been cool getting to know all of them. The site leaders that are part of the SI staff are Nicaraguan citizens that have a passion for God and their country. They truly are some of the most strong incredible people I have met with the most encouraging stories. Our team has really bonded in just the past few days and we all get along really well. I have been working on the Micro Finance site. SI has a program where they give loans out to women to start their own businesses and really encourage them to follow their dreams. On Monday we got to go on home visits and meet some of the women in the program. Its humbling to see women with close to nothing welcome us into their homes and be so generous. We were able to pray over many people. I’m sure you all heard about the earthquake by this point. (Aunt Barbara don't worry I’m okay) I was pretty scared but we’re all fine and doing well. It was actually a cool way of God telling me that I need to put my trust in him no matter the circumstance. Tuesday we went to the Micro Finance base and we spent the morning cleaning the house. In the afternoon some of the women from one of the towns came for their weekly meeting. Coming to the meetings is a requirement for being in the program. We played ice breaker games with them and it was so neat seeing the women get so excited and laugh so hard over the smallest things. They are so happy all the time and its such an encouragement. I had the opportunity to speak and share in front of the women as well. I had my own translator and everything. It was a really cool experience and Im excited to see God continue to give me opportunities to practice my public speaking and begin to get more and more comfortable talking in front of others. In the late afternoons we’re back on the base and its a lot of fun. There’s a pool here and theres a patio with a ton of hammocks (Matthew you would love it! p.s. I miss you Matt) that we can just chill and relax in. In the night we have a planned activity that we do together. Tonight we had a special team debrief and it was so awesome hearing how God is working and shaping every single one of our lives. Continue to pray that God will do amazing things the next few days. I miss you all and can't wait to share with you the experience we’ve had. 

Dad, if you're reading this I have eaten the BEST food ever in the past few days and the avocados here are basically heaven and when I come home we’re going to learn how to make nicaraguan foods. FYI we are going to grow avocado trees when I get back. miss you too momma! Hope Nana is doing well. 

Much love, 

Megan