Archive for the 'Burgess' Category

Touched before the mission

Published by Vineyard Missions on April 11, 2008 in Burgess. 0 Comments

Hi everyone. I am leaving in the am for Boca Raton on the way to Nicaragua.

I wanted to share something with my Vineyard family about Susan, a homeless woman I have met. I have shared with many of you my attitude about the homeless that I would get angry just seeing them down on the square and sitting in the Library, etc. I started going down to help feed the homeless Thanksgiving. Since then the Lord has opened my eyes to look at people with His eyes. Not mine, mine just judged and critized. Susan, I did not know her name at the time, always sat over to the side always by herself. Not talking and keeping her head down. She had a soft hat pulled down to her eyebrows, and she wore a coat. Still does even as warm as it is now. She had bags and bags she carried every where with her. I started going over to her and just chatting a little She never spoke a sentence. I asked her name. Then I got bolder and asked her did she live by herself and outside. Another time I asked what she had done for a living at one time. She was a Carnie. For you young people that might not know, she worked in the Carnival. I do not know what her job was, but she was waiting for a carnival to come to town. One night I said she needed a cart for all her bags, and she said it cost money. I told her I would look around to see if I could find one. I was at Rene’s and Gina’s helping them move and would you believe it, there it sat, waiting for me to take it to Susan with their generous blessing. I think Susan was really pleased when I gave it to her, because she had all her bags in it before I got back to the serving table.

I know this is long, but you needed to know her background. Yesterday I was in the library getting some books and CD’s. Susan was at one of the computers and I stopped and spoke to her. I said I had to go and get the CD’s. She kept following me up and own each isle and waiting at the end. She never spoke, I thought she was looking for one too. Soon she said, I am going outside and I will wait for you. When I got out, she was sitting on the sidewalk waiting. She got up and I told her that I was going to Managua and would not see her for a few weeks. As I was leaving she put her arms around me and hugged me and I put my arms around her and hugged her. Who knows how long it had been since someone hugged her. Cliff, you would have been proud of me. She followed me to my car and the security guard was coming over to keep her from harressing me. I told the guard that she was a friend of mine. As I drove out onto the street in front of the library, she kept waving to me. You just don’t know how full my heart is just in telling you. Jesus said to look at people with His eyes.

Love and I will see you in a few weeks with our own Andrea. Kathy

Easter Greetings from Los Cedros

Published by Vineyard Missions on April 3, 2008 in Burgess. 1 Comment

Happy Easter Greetings, from Andrea G Burgess, Casa de Nueva Esperanza, Los Cedros, Nicaragua.

I had fun this Easter being Easter Bunny delivering and hiding eggs for our older children to hunt here on property at Los Cedros. The children were so eggsited to find the candy filled eggs on their first Easter Egg Hunt ever! Lots of smiles, Praise God!

We took baby Gabriel to the doctors again a few days ago, and his condition continues to be stable. His doctor, (a volunteer heart specialist from USA here for 2 years) is still facing many problems working at the hospitals here. She plans to have a team of Cardiac Specialists come out for two weeks at the end of April. However, they are running into “problems” with constantly changing paperwork requirements. Please pray for this team , that nothing will stand in their way of being able to come over here to do the Lord’s will. They plan to work with families who have children with serious heart defects. We are praying it will be possible for them to actually perform much needed surgeries while they are here. They want to examine Gabriel and decide as a team what will be the best course of action for him. Of course, he is already our star miracle baby, since doctors told us back in September he only had a week left to live! He continues to gain weight, and successfully achieve his developmental goals, and his 1st birthday is coming up soon, May 9th 2008! God is so good.

Apologies (again) for the delay in writing. We have had several power cuts and multiple problems with Internet access. Also, we had to let some of our workers go, as well as giving the remaining staff their 4 days Easter Break, so things got a little crazy around here Easter week! Lianne , her mother and I decided to take ALL the children to church for Easter Sunday! We were up until midnight the night before, getting their clothes ready, and packing a mammoth diaper bag for all the babies. Then up again at 5am to be ready for an 8 am service. It was well worth it though, and once we arrived at church, there were many hands offering to hug our angels. Some of the ladies also volunteered to come out to work with us one day, which was very much appreciated. (God always provides, thank you Lord.) We have been interviewing and training some new staff, but so far, we have not filled the positions needed to complete our team. Please pray that God will send us the people He has already chosen to work with our Los Cedros family.

The weather continues to be hot, dry and windy. We made the most of it yesterday by making our own kites and flying them high in the sky!

I plan to take a trip to our other orphanage in Jinotega this Sunday, and stay for a couple of days. This home is for children ages 6-12 and we currently have 19 children living there. The drive is about 4 hours, on rough roads but the scenery is beautiful. It is much cooler there, up in the mountains of northern Nicaragua, I am looking forward to the change.

Xochilt had been doing well with her school work until yesterday, when we had a negative report from the teacher. Please lift her up in prayer. She will be having exams next Tuesday, and if she does well she can stay in 1st grade, if not, she will have to go back into preschool with 3 year olds. (There is no in between class, and Xochilt is almost 6 years old.)

Good news and bad news: I finally got a light installed in my room this afternoon! (I only had candle light until today, or a small, broken lamp.) Bad news is here in Nicaragua the light attracts bugs. Within 5 minutes I had bugs of every shape and size imaginable in here, no kidding. Some were large, but easy to catch, others were teeny ones that were hard to get! Where did they all come from? I just spent about 30 minutes chasing them all away, (OK, and swatting them.) So now I am sitting here by candle light once again, sometimes the basics are the best!!

Oh, and I also have HOT running water in my room now, what a luxury!

Well, Faith, my youngest Granddaughter is here with me and loving every minute. I will try to send photos of her, (our youngest missionary), to you! Faith, Kathy and I will be returning to the States at the end of April. I plan to return within a few days, God willing, to be with Gabriel for his next doctor’s appointment.

My heartfelt thanks to all, for your continued support. You are in my prayers and I would love to hear from you to keep up to date with your news: AndreaGBurgess @ Hotmail.com

Kathy Bolton leaves Gainesville to join me April 12th for 2 weeks. Please keep her in your prayers for safe travel and victory in all the Lord has for her to accomplish during her stay.

“May the Lord work out His plans for our lives.” Psalm 138 v.8,

And “May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” 2 Thes 3 v.16

Love and blessings galore, more than you could ever ask or imagine,

Andrea XXX

Celebrating Easter with our older children, L to R: Yelkin, Walter, Faith, Joseling, Xochilt, Jose and Joseph on Bunnys’ lap.
Celebrating Easter with our older children, L to R: Yelkin, Walter, Faith, Joseling, Xochilt, Jose and Joseph on Bunnys’ lap

Faith, our youngest Missionary here, feeding baby Gabriel.
Faith, our youngest Missionary here, feeding baby Gabriel

Children act out the Easter Story on Good Friday at a local Nican church
Children act out the Easter Story on Good Friday at a local Nican church

Xochilt outside her classroom on her first day in 1st Grade.
Xochilt outside her classroom on her first day in 1st Grade

News from Los Cedros, Nicaragua

Published by Vineyard Missions on February 29, 2008 in Burgess. 0 Comments

Good evening to family and friends:

It has been so hot here, and dusty and windy, and BUSY!!! No more fires close to home, but plenty in the surrounding neighborhoods.

A quick update on baby Gabriel: his condition is stable, and he is still scheduled to have a check up every month. We have been taking him to see a Volunteer American Cardiologist at a local public hospital , however, she is no longer able to practice there. She is at a private hospital now, but has only a table and chair in her office so far. She had to borrow equipment to check Gabriel’s oxygen level. We would like to help her get re-established, by donating equipment and writing letters to the authorities on her behalf.

We have had a lot going on here in Los Cedros over the past couple of weeks. We had a medical team here this week and we held a free clinic here yesterday for all our staff and their families. It was a huge success and I thank God for making it all possible.

We have had a few health problems with our babies too, respiratory and ear infections, so that has kept us busy also. (sleepless nights!) Praise God for having the medical team here to help us with the medicines and so on.

Our five year old Xochilt graduated from pre-school last year, cap and gown, the whole works, yet she was put back in the same grade when school went back at the beginning of the month. We went to speak with the Directora of the school and she did not feel that Xochilt was ready to move up. We had 2 of our three year olds just starting in pre school and I couldn’t bear to see Xochilt still in the same class with the beginners, so I offered to work with Xochilt to do whatever it takes to move her up to 1st grade. The Directora agreed, with a promise that I would be at the school every day to meet with the teacher and discuss Xochilt’s progress. So much of my time has been spent working with her at home and at school, (add on about 1 and 1/2 hours in travel time every day!)

All in all, the children are doing well, they are making rapid progress, thank you Lord!

I have to return to USA for a family emergency, but hope to come back to Los Cedros as soon as possible. I will keep you updated on the progress.

Please keep the children of Los Cedros in your prayers, as well as my angels back in Florida.

Thank you from my heart,

more soon,
abundant blessings, peace and joy,

Andrea, Mum, Grandma XX