Nica Chica: Bluefields Assembly

So next on my cities on the Atlantic Coast was Bluefields. I had heard many mixed reviews about Bluefieds (mostly from people who had not ever visited there themselves). My first thought when I got there was, "Oh my goodness, get me out of here!" After taking a day or so to adjust though, I was fine. The contrast between Pearl Lagoon was extreme on all accounts. Pearl is like a small southern town in the US 50 or 60 years ago. Everyone knows everyone, and helps to raise each others kids. It's really quiet and there are only about 4 cars there. Bluefields put me in the mind of NY or other large cities back home. Really urban and gritty. I think the extreme contrast was a shock to me. It actually took me a day or two to get readjusted to crossing the street and actually having to look for cars! There are lots of nice shops and a good market there. I only took a couple of quick pictures but Christi on the other hand took lots of pictures so most of these are hers. Although unplanned, I was able to attend the circuit pioneer meeting and an assembly while I was there. I was really excited that I was able to understand the pioneer meeting (in Spanish) and even take good notes. As for the assembly I was too hot to concentrate on translating in my head. I deal with heat pretty well but there was no air condition and no fans either. In the States we usually insist on having a seat or two in between each person. Such was not the case here. We were squeezed together in plastic lawn chairs so that we were almost touching. Whenever I stopped fanning myself I got all woozy. Despite the heat it was one of the best assemblies I've been to. There was so much love and excitement. When the family I was staying with packed lunch each night, they packed enough so that anyone who was hungry at the assembly would have something to eat. Everyone seemed to have the same idea. I talked to people who had nothing for themselves or their kids to eat during the intermission who would end up with heaping plates thanks to the generosity of the friends.

It's so hot!

Getting Ready!

I met this teenager back in Pearl Lagoon. He is a bible student who saved enough money to take the boat by himself to Bluefields for the assembly.

The sister here surprised me by buying a second hand dress for me when she bought assembly clothes for her family then altered it to fit. So sweet!

The facility we rented had no bathrooms so we brought our own toilets in! There were makeshift bathrooms set up behind concrete slabs with large plastic garbage bags as the doors. There was a barrel of water and a bucket for the sink. A sister stood guard handing out a handful of toilet tissue to each sister.