Day 1

13 March 2025

Hello friends and family at home! It is Carly, Julie, and Lyra writing from Nicaragua. Yesterday this wonderful group of 23 students and staff left ACS to embark on our journey. Upon arriving in Seattle, some unnamed students decided to flock to the underground train system in search for the beloved Wendy's. We were faced with trials and tribulations (They didn't have beef patties OR accept cash).

On the plane there are only two words that could possibly describe the 67 hour flight: Muy. Mal. From turbulence to Brendan kicking our chairs, it is safe to say that no one got more than 1.5 hours of sleep. Luckily for us, Jake G the 10/10 flight attendant came strutting down the isle to provide refreshing ginger ales that we did not drink. Fast forward to Miami, we found a secret hiding spot to take a sweet ol' slumber (also probably 1.5 hours). The next flight was superb with exotic views of the Nicaraguan mountains.

After landing in Nicaragua, going through customs, then bag check, we were greeted by our dear friend Nilda who gave every member an embracing hug. Loading our bags into a van that was - thankfully - air conditioned, we were immediately captivated by the new sights in Nicaragua. We arrived at the Nehemiah Center and were almost immediately drawn to the gym for volleyball, even making new friends from the school near by!

Dinner was delicious with rice, plantains, beef, and fresh mangoes. Later that night we were led by Keziah and Eva in devotions. Card games followed.

We are all so excited to see what God has in store for us for the duration of this trip. Stay tuned for daily updates by the Nicaragua team!

We love you all, thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

ps. love you mom and dad - JULIEEEEEEE