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-I invite you to listen March 21-28th as I travel to Nicaragua with Friends in Action Intl.

Friends in Action (FIA) is a “Friend to Missionaries”…Equipping, Sending, Drilling, Building, Assisting, Accelerating the work of reaching the unreached around the globe.

Since 2004, FIA has worked alongside two indigenous people groups-the Rama and Miskito peoples who live on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua. Projects there include helping to rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Felix in 2007, as well as helping to move 40 of 220 families living on Rama Cay (an overcrowded island) to the nearby mainland and develop an environmentally stable and self-supporting community.

FIA takes a holistic approach by working to help the people in all areas of their life including education, training and helping to establish the church.

I travel early Monday, March 21 and return late Monday, March 28th.  Listen to WJTL FM 90.3 for reports throughout the week live from Nicaragua and visit WJTL.COM for pictures, videos, and blog entries updated daily.

And please be in prayer for my trip.  Pray for safety and that the people of Nicaragua will have the opportunity to tell their stories of faith including their joys and trials.  I’m looking forward to helping you witness FIA at work in Nicaragua!

(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!

LISA LANDIS-WJTL’s 9 O’clock Coffee Break is giving you the chance to program a full-hour of music on the 9 O’clock Coffee Break and win not one, not two, but THREE prizes from WJTL!  Email, or send me a list of 15 of your favorite Christian songs.  Feel free to comment on the songs and share why they are meaningful to you, but you don’t have to.  Just listing your 15 Fave’s is fine!  We pick a winner at random every Wednesday and then play the songs back on Thursday’s 9 O’clock Coffee Break. 

Email your list to lisa@wjtl.com, or send your list to WJTL PO Box 1614 Lancaster, PA 17608. 

I thought it was only fair that I jot down my 15 Fave list.  Of course this may change next week, but for now here are some of my favorites on WJTL:

Rich Mullins “Creed”

Kirk Franklin “Stomp”

Switchfoot “Stars”

Sixpence none the richer “Breathe Your Name”

Lost Dogs “Imagine That”

Toby Mac “Love is in the House”

Phredd “If Coffee Smells so Good, why Does It Taste So Bad?”

Second Chapter of Acts “He Loves Me”

Vigilantes of Love “Double Cure”

Rick Elias & the Ragamuffins “Make Me An Instrument”

Newsboys “Shine”

Jars of Clay “Liquid”

DC Talk “My Friend So Long”

77’s “Do It For Love”

Brandon Heath “Wait And See”

LISA LANDIS-It’s been almost one year since KCB celebrated 10 years on the radio with a birthday party at Sight & Sound Theatre in Strasburg, PA.  It was the largest KCB live turnout ever and Sight & Sound Theatre went all out with special shows, giveaways, live animals, & tons of fun.

KCB returns to Sight & Sound Theatre this Saturday 9am-noon. To answer my most often asked question, “Yes, KCB live at Sight & Sound is a FREE event!  And NO registration required.  Just show up!”

Sight & Sound is performing two “interactive” performances of Joseph for the kids at 9:30am and 11am.  Look for the KCB table in the “marketplace” lobby featuring  live animals, & actors.  Jump in on mini-acting classes for the kids, request songs, eat cookies, and free KCB gear.  And we now have KCB ADULT sized T-shirts!!!  The new T-shirts just arrived and are ready to go for Saturday.

Here is a video from our KCB Field Trip to Sight & Sound last year.  I got to experience what it’s like to make a quick change just like the S&S actors!

Click here to visit the kidscookiebreak.com website and click on the KCB Calendar for information on Saturday’s live remote at Sight & Sound Theater.

And here is the link to the Sight & Sound Theatres website.

Hope to see you Saturday!

lisa@wjtl.com

Let me first say thank you for believing in WJTL and supporting this radio ministry. I was reminded this past week how quickly a ministry like WJTL can be swept away in these tough economic times.

Whenever I’m on vacation-like last week in Sarasota, Florida-I like to scan the lower end of the radio dial where I always find the most creativity. That includes public radio stations, college radio, and Christian radio. Sarasota radio listening includes a number of Christian radio stations including Joy FM, Spirit FM and Life 89.1. While listening to Life on Friday the general manager made an announcement that took me by surprise. What I thought was going to be a “please send in your support” ad was instead, “as of this Wednesday Life 89.1 is being sold and will no longer be bringing Christian music to your radio”.
Here is why according to the WSMR Life 89.1 website:
1. Despite a great deal of support from listeners like you and our best efforts to contain costs, LIFE 89.1 has never been able to be fully self-supported in this market. Year after year we have relied upon the help of other Northwestern stations to cover our deficits.
2. Due to the economic crunch we have lost many major donors and business sponsors.
Even those giving lesser amounts are not able to give at this time due to unemployment and/or relocation.

Wow. I was not expecting that!

While scanning the Christian radio stations I was also reminded of the musical variety WJTL offers. I kept hearing the same songs again and again. Where were the request shows, classics, praise & worship, kids cookie break? Where were the DJ’s for that matter?  It was a reminder to me that I can’t take radio like WJTL for granted.

The announcement that Life 89.1 is going off the air this Wednesday also made me want to send a big THANK YOU out to all of you who are faithful WJTL supporters and continue to find a way to support this radio ministry despite this season of financial instability. AND to those of you who keep WJTL in your daily prayers. Thank you for your support! Together let’s aim to celebrate many many more WJTL birthdays in the years to come!

One of my favorite KCB shows happens tomorrow-Saturday, July 24th from 9am-noon.  The KCB “Radio Beach Party”.  It’s an early 60’s style party with Dean-O & the Dynamos, Steven Courtney, Uncle Stonehill, Veggie Tales, Apologetix, Jump 5, Phredd, Relient K & more!  Plus, the 30 Second Quiz returns tomorrow and lots of chances to win! 

Speaking of winning, I am very excited to give-away the new project from Veggie Tales creator Phil Vischer called, “What’s In The Bible?”.  Phil & his boatload of new friends take you on a ground-breaking journey throught the world’s most amazing book!  Click here to visit Phil Vischer’s new website and listen tomorrow morning to KCB to win! 

KCB officially declaring tomorrow- “Take Your Radio (KCB) to the Swimming Pool Day”!  Catch you on the flip side 🙂

KCB is looking forward to being a part of the first ever Bethany Christian Services of Central PA benefit concert. The benefit show is tomorrow, July 17th from 9am-9pm at The Family Center of Gap at 835 Houston Run Drive. Live music from The Steven Courtney Band, Hiram Ring, Brett Rush, Matt Monticchio & Friends and many more! PLUS a silent auction, prize drawings, games, food, balloon animals, fun activities, & speakers sharing adoption stories! KCB LOVES to be live on location promoting the many ministries in our region as well as important causes like the Worldwide Orphan Crisis, but this event is extra special as Bethany Christian Services helped us bring home our son Alex from Guatemala!  KCB live tomorrow, July 17th 9am-noon.  Stop by to request a song, win prizes, and pick up free KCB gear.  $10 admission includes a hot dog, soda, & chips.  Kids 12 and under are FREE!  Hope to see you at the big event tomorrow (July 17, 2010).  Click here for more information at kidscookiebreak.com then click on the KCB LIVE on LOCATION banner.