Lisa Landis

Greetings from Puerto Cabezas!  I am staying at the Hotel Monter-upstairs from a grocery store and across the street from the baseball stadium.  The town is made of up English, Spanish, Miskito and Sumo speaking people. The majority of the people from the city  are Spanish speaking; however, almost all people from the province speak the Miskito language.

This town is popular for its Miskito Market and seafood restaurants which serve up fresh daily catches to customers.   The Miskito Market is one of the best places to go for fresh vegetables.  Tim is taking us there in the morning.

Today I had the chance to walk through the village of Boom Sirpi where Friends in Action International is helping the Miskito rebuild after Hurricane Felix.  Here are a few pictures from our visit.  Tomorrow I will spend 4-5 hours there interviewing the people, shooting video and pictures and calling in live reports to WJTL.

One of my favorite snapshots from the day was watching a young village boy pump water from the well and then carry the water back to his family.  I thought, “this boy could be someone’s sponsored child!”.  I will upload the video to WJTL.COM as soon as I get a faster connection so you can experience it too!

It’s been a long day with a slow internet connection!  I will talk to you in the morning.

Buenos Noches!

LISA LANDIS-Here are a few pictures from Managua Market Monday:

Market girl selling peanuts

Which hat should I choose?

FIA executive director Tim Johnston & his wife Jan

This is the lady who creates the leather scrolls that Tim uses as a “Thank You” to donors

Market lady selling cacao powder

Flower at The Best Western Managua

Best Western Managua across from the airport

Airport art

lisa@wjtl.com

Buenas Tardes from Managua, Nicaragua!

I arrived in country around 12 noon (2pm Eastern time) today (Monday, March 21).  I had a smooth, uneventful flight (just a bit of turbulence leaving Harrisburg) with Friends in Action Intl. Executive Director Tim Johnston and his wife Jan.  Wow, am I loving this tropical climate!  Not too hot here yet.  We were in the mid to upper 80’s today, but the severe high temps and high humidity haven’t yet hit.  Nicaragua is entering the dry season after an extra wet rainy season.

This week we are getting a closer look (& listen) at Friends In Action Intl. and the amazing work they are doing to bring the Gospel to people groups around the world that have not had the opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ.

We are staying the night at The Best Western in Managua, conveniently located across from the airport.  This is where FIA brings work teams before flying out to “the field”-in this case the village of Boom Sirpi, which is located approximately 12 miles outside of Puerto Cabezas (which is where we will be flying tomorrow) and an island called Rama Cay-a half-hour boat ride from Bluefields, on the Caribbean coastline, where FIA is helping the Rama people build a village among other projects. (I will visit there later this week).

Had a wonderful time today strolling through the Managua open air market stocked with artisan crafts like hammocks, chairs, leather goods, clothing, toys, and my favorite-PINATAS!  Pictures coming soon!

On a personal note, it was 12 years ago this month that my husband and I spent 3 1/2 half weeks in Guatemala finalizing the adoption of our son Alex.  Now my son is several weeks away from turning 13 years old!  Everywhere we went today I was reminded of that sweet time in Central American with my husband and me trying (as new parents) to figure out what to do with this new little baby Alex and to get him to settle down and go to sleep :0)

Speaking of sleep, it’s off to bed for me.  I’m going on 21 hours in my day so it’s time to sign off.

Buenas Noches

Learn more about how FIA is at work in the world at FIAintl.org.

(LISA LANDIS) Wow!  They got me.  The first time I was ever truly surprised.  In case you missed the big surprise live on the radio, Doug Desmond of Alan Manufacturing and Supply Lancaster and Desmond Construction walked into the Get Up & Go Show studio during the 8:50am live radio break.  He was dressed as Santa and between, “Ho Ho Ho’s” he urged me outside the station door where a shiny KCB Cookie Smart Car was waiting! Fred McNaughton, Chris Strayer and the entire gang knew about the donation and kept the BIG secret.  I was impressed they could keep a secret!  The special KCB Smart Car was cleverly designed by Bill Dussinger of Penny Lane Graphics.  Bill, you thought of EVERYTHING-down to the smiling cookies and cookie hubcaps!

Again, I can’t thank Doug Desmond enough.  I’ve known Doug a long time and I always knew he had  a generous, giving spirit and big heart, but I never dreamed he’d donate a car to KCB!  Doug told us that it’s important to him that we reach the kids while they are young, so this is for the kids!!!

We plan to have fun with the KCB Cookie Smart Car and can’t wait for you to see it live and in person.  The next chance to see the car live on location is the KCB Skate at the Castle Roller Rink in Lancaster, Saturday, January 8th, 2011.  The skate runs from 10am-noon.

Here are some fun pictures of the car AND our first KCB Cookie Smart Car assignment-a trip last night to Best Buy Lancaster to award the KCB Picture Taking Contest winner her camera!  Congrats to 12-year old Bethany Wenger of Denver.

lisa@wjtl.com

(LISA LANDIS) Here are  more random KCB Picture Taking Contest Photos in the running for the camera from BEST BUY LANCASTER.  We had SO MANY entries and are not able to post them all.  If you don’t see your pic, no worries, you still might be the winner!  Listen for the big announcement tomorrow morning on KCB!  (sometime between 9 and noon).  And thanks again to the generous folks at Best Buy Lancaster for the camera giveaway! 

The KCB Picture Taking Contest is now underway! This Christmas season KCB wants you to take a picture of Christmas at your house and a cookie (or cookies) has to be featured somewhere in the picture! (You can make it hard to find if you’d like!) We want YOU to take the picture! Get a grownup to help you send it to cookiebreak@wjtl.com by December 18th. Get creative!!! The winner will receive a Canon PowerShot A310 12.1 Megapixel Digital Camera thanks to Best Buy Lancaster! I can’t wait to see your picture! All kids 14 and under are eligible to win!

Here are a few of the pictures we’ve received so far.  See if you can find the cookies!

West End Fellowship Lancaster City was the BIG winner in the WJTL/Grauer’s Paint & Decorating Center “Ugly Side of the Church Contest”.  Kids’ Cookie Break & WJTL was there for the makeover Saturday, June 12th.  Paul from Grauer’s as well as volunteers from the church were on hand for a morning of painting and decorating.  West End Fellowship now has a new nursery AND a new kitchen paint job.  Church volunteers also worked outside the church in the parking lot to put on a mini-carnival for the kids complete with FREE snow cones, games, prizes, & a dunk tank.  Enjoy these pictures from this fun filled day and thanks to everyone who came out for the fun!

2009 – Lisa takes the Kids Cookie Break behind the scenes at the Castle Roller Rink

LISA LANDIS – Gibby Mane of Catel Village, Guinea Bissau shares his testimony with Beryl Forrester. God is doing great things in West Africa through the work of Eastern Mennonite Missions.  Help us share Jesus with the good people of Gambia & Guinea Bissau.  Click here for how you can help! And thanks for doing what you can.

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Congratulations to Kiana Haldeman of Manheim! She is the GRAND PRIZE WINNER in the Draw Your Fave Phredd Song Contest. She wins the Lanahki LU21 soprano ukulele with a lightweight case and songbook.

#1. "Zoo in Space" by Kiana

Congrats to the Top 3 winners-Kiana Haldeman, Anastasia Carroll, & Abby Samuelson!  They all won the entire PHREDD Cd & DVD collection!

Thanks again to everyone who entered.  You all did a fantastic job!!!