Driving down the rutted alleys that pass for streets in the barrios of Managua is a surreal experience. It takes me back to that fundamental question: Who am I and why am I here? And the follow-up question: What in the heck am I doing in Nicaragua.

I’m jolted back to reality by the mission staffer who whispers in my ear, “You are the public face of Project Hope” as we wait for the mayor of this little enclave to appear. In comes a woman. She’s the mayor. No. Wait. She’s the Vice Mayor. No. Wait…….she’s the assistant to the Vice Mayor. OK. Whoever she is, she’s the lady whose son is in jailed on a murder charge and who will either be released tomorrow or sentenced to 30 years in prison. She’s not a believer in Jesus, but she was most happy to pray today!

We toured her little community of 38,000 people called Metaire and she showed me the land that had been set aside for Project Hope to build 60 homes on later this year. We stood where the well would be drilled and I talked with her about why PJH is involved. Did she understand? She kept pointing to the sky. So yes, at some level she understood PJH’s efforts are about our following Jesus, blessing people because we’ve been blessed, about helping them physically in order to gain a hearing for the One who can help them in every way.

So, Kim, today, I was the face of Project Hope in Metaire. I don’t know what the Mayor (or Dogcatcher, or whatever she was) was saying as she and a cluster of people excitingly gestured to accent their staccato Spanish. But I did catch myself nodding my head and saying “Si” occasionally, so who knows what I may have committed you to? At one point I thought maybe I’d agreed that PJH would build a new international airport, but then they assured me I hadn’t committed to anything quite that grand.

Whatever it is, just send the bill to Jay Vigneaux at Greater Springfield Realtors.