Hola Amigos,

 It has been a while since I have written, and there have been a lot of changes here at Hogar Maranatha in Jinotega, Nicaragua.  Lianne, the other young woman who was working here, is moving to Managua to take over other duties there.  I will be staying here as administrator of the orphanage as well as continuing to teach computer and English to the children.  We have hired new Nicaraguan house parents who will start the middle of May.  This will be a great help.  Up till this time I have been doing the jobs of house parents and administrator.  The house parent job involves taking care of the children directly: getting them ready and walking them to school everyday, giving them medicine when they need it, making sure they get to meals on time, making sure they do their chores and homework, and a million other little things.  The administrator takes care of the accounts, shopping for the orphanage, writing up the menu each week, keeping inventory of supplies, supervising the other staff, etc. Either job is enough to keep someone very busy.  Together they are an exhausting combination.

 The increase in staff here has created one problem, a shortage in housing.  I am currently living in the house parent’s quarters, and the new house parents are going to stay in an extra room.  This will work for a while, but it is not the best situation.  I need to find housing nearby so that the house parents will be able to have the quarters inside the orphanage.  There is a house for sale in front of the orphanage, with a back yard that borders the orphanage grounds.  We would be able to put in a back gate that would open into the front yard of the center.  The Nicaraguan administrator for the ministry has made inquiries and believes I could buy it for $15,000.  It needs some repairs, but is a good size house and of course the location is perfect.  I am trusting God to provide for this need.

 I will be returning to the United States on May 22 for five weeks.  I will be using this time to make arrangements to move here on a permanent basis.  I hope to have the opportunity to see all of you and to share with you more about the ministry here in Nicaragua.

In Christ,

Joy Pulsifer

Joy Pulsifer
 
 

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