The Call to Nicaragua
I have been extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to spend the past three months serving in Nicaragua. I had been praying for a chance to serve in a Latin American country for several years and studied Spanish in high school and college and had been saving money in the process of waiting. Last December, I heard about the Taellor’s House internship through Denise Meyer, and after she interviewed me and told me about what we would be involved with as interns, I felt God’s confirmation specifically in three areas I had been praying for: 1) Wanting to spend time dedicated to serving others besides myself. 2) Wanting to learn how to speak Spanish fluently. 3) Wanting to explore teaching to see if I should pursue that further as a possible career option. Denise explained that I would be able to pursue all three of these things during my time here, and she was right.
The Beautiful Nicaraguan People
I had never been to Nicaragua before, and upon arriving on February 4th, I was immediately taken back on how beautiful the country was. However, that pales in comparison to how beautiful the people are. I have fallen in love with the warm and selfless hearts of the Nicaraguan people, and they have taught me and shown me the beauty of putting the needs and interests of others above your own. The other two girls interning with me at Taellor’s House have become two of my best friends, and we loved getting to serve together as a team.
Daily Life at Taellor’s House
My weekly schedule involved teaching English at Taellor’s House on Tuesday’s, Music/Dance on Thursdays, and serving with Aida and the Project Hope medical team once a week going to different villages to provide treatment to those in need. When teams were on base, I enjoyed getting to interact with them as well and was able to help build houses a couple of times! There were several good things to be involved in, but God almost immediately showed me where my heart would be most invested at: Taellor’s House. The kids won my heart over in no time at all, and God has allowed me to develop deep relationships with several of them. Words cannot describe how much I have been impacted by their love and how quick they are to trust and love on the people around them. One of my favorite parts of the day at Taellor’s House is when the gates open in the morning and they all come running in with big smiles on their faces to come up and hug you. I get sad every day when school is over and they have to go home. It’s like a part of me goes home with them and won’t come back until the next morning. The kids are always excited to learn something new and we had so much fun learning new songs and line dancing! One of my favorite memories is watching each of their faces explode with excitement as they played my ukulele and violin for the first time! They absolutely loved taking turns and singing while each of their classmates played the chords behind them. Each morning and afternoon before classes started we would have a devotional time where we sang through all of the songs we had learned followed by one of the teachers or the principle teaching from a Bible passage. The staff and teachers at Taellor’s House are some of my favorite people and closest friends I developed while in Nicaragua. They all have hearts for the Lord and genuinely cared about how I was doing every day. I felt like I had a family working alongside me each day I was there. I learned most of my Spanish just by interacting with them at mealtimes and having conversations throughout the day.
Katie playing music with children at Taellor’s House
Challenges and Blessings
Through all the wonderful experiences I had here, there were also a lot of difficult circumstances to work through as well as unexpected situations that I had not encountered before, but I have found them to be very strong reminders for me that we live in a sinful world where nothing is perfect, and there is only one place that is. One day we will have complete perfection living in the presence of our Lord where there will be no more pain, no more injustice, and no more goodbyes. I have been praying that God would allow me to see with his eyes, listen with his ears, work with his hands, and break my heart for the things that break his, and he has been faithful to do that over and over again during my time here. I have also found that when I seem to be challenged the most in my own life, I draw nearer to God than ever before. It ends up being a sweet blessing resulting in a closer relationship with Jesus. God greatly impacted my life through living in Nicaragua for this very short period of time, and the Katie going back home is a different girl than the one that got here on February 4th.
Dios le bendiga,
~Katie Petersen
Katie with children at Taellor’s House
I am very thankful that my daughter has you as a role model. The world is better place because of you…!
Bravissima!
Katie, this was touching. You are a gifted and inspired person, trying your best to do God’s will. May God protect and keep you, sister.
I was very pleased and excited to read this account of your time in Nicaragua. I’d heard you had spent time there and wondered about the experience. Thank you for sharing this part of your life, it sounds like God was able to use it as a growth opportunity both in your life and the lives of those you met.
Como é bonito seu testemunho Katie …é difícil hoje em dia encontrar uma garota como você, comprometida com a obra de Deus…venha nos visitar aqui em São Luís/Maranhão/Brasil.
What a special time and experience. So great to be able to do this
Ever since our Canadian friend first introduced me to the Petersens, not only have I been hooked, but completely taken by the joy that emanates from each of you. It is clearly a spiritual presence that is conveyed through your music and wonderful deeds. Your own experience in Nicaragua touched me in a profound way because of my own roots. I’ve been there several times to visit family, and I too was captivated by the beauty of the country and in the people. I love your singing and fiddling Katie. The Petersens bring a much needed lift to a troubled world. I hope to see you all in person some day. May God continue to bless you all.
I spent a year in Ecuador, it changed my life forever.
It made me a better person, the local people showed me a better way to live.
I will always love my Ecuador
Katie you have a really open mind for learning and helping others in this harsh world.I by chance watched you and your family on u tube and now am a huge fan .please carry on singing to make everyone smile when your ready to travel you can come to london England and help with my charity work Stay Safe
Love your genuineness and honesty. You express your heart so openly. “Delight yourself in the Lotd and He will give you the desires of your heart ” he will plant His desires for you. In your heart You were born on purpose for a purpose and He will reveal that as you Love and serve Him Loving you and lifting you to Jesus in my prayets
Katie-You are amazing and live by the principles you so strongly support. I have watched your show many times and have seen your entire family influence an audience with your Christian values and beliefs. All of you possess a special gift granted to you by the Lord. The Petersens will always be number 1 with me. rt
I absolutely love listening to you sing Shenandoah. So natural and real. I wish I was your age again, your dad would need to wield that gun. You’re really lovely. And teach the good people of Nicaragua too. Wow.
Gracias por enseñar tus habilidades a personas que realmente lo necesitan. Saludos y bendiciones from Colombia
Dios te bendiga Katie.
Te mando un fuerte abrazo desde España.
Katie, I just found you and your band on Youtube and I fell in love with all the hard work you have all put together and I thank your parents giving me this gift. Your song “California” is a great piece as great as Jolene and I think your family should reproduce this song on Youtube. California is just too precious not to reproduce. California has touched my heart. It is filled with compassion and I can’t stop hearing the tune in my head. I thank you again for all the hard loving efforts that you and your family have given to me in Florida and I am sure you have given to a great many. Sending you and your family wishes for a most healthy and successful year filled with love.
Katie – I’m sure you get this a lot and it will probably be lost amongst the many comments, but your smile brings joy into my otherwise dark life and you give me hope of a better future. Thank you
Katie, in addition to being an incredible musician, lyricist & songwriter, what you expressed about your time in Nicaragua demonstrates you are also quite a remarkable young lady in your own right. I happened to learn one of your songs on guitar recently (“Finally Going Home”), and though the guitar itself is certainly beautiful, I was especially blown away by both the lyrics & vocal delivery. I know it’s one of your older songs, but for what it’s worth, I strongly believe you should showcase this one. Although your family has recorded plenty of wonderful music (I think I downloaded everything on iTunes by now), I firmly believe this is your band’s best song (and that’s saying something considering the company it holds).
I’d like to say what a blessing it has been “getting to know ” your family over these past few weeks as I have discovered you all through your music. You are all a wonderful encouragement to me and my faith as you seek to serve our great God and Savior Jesus Christ by using your talents and abilities. As my kids near the end of their schooling I look forward to them launching out and doing the same.
On a side note, my wife and I spent some time in Oxford a while back and I had to go see one of the places my favorite author frequented. I got to sit in his place at The Eagle & Child! Truly a great time for me!
Keep up the great work of sharing His love and your music! You and your family are loved!
I completely agree with the comments by John. your singing on Shenandoah is absolutely beautiful. its like fresh water on my soul. I listen to it all the time. seriously it has ministered to my soul in some strange way, I feel more at peace and contented after hearing you sing. oh you are such a gift from the Lord to the world, your whole family is ! I also love California, I think thats Katie singing to ? i hope to see the band live some time, I will make it happen. Katie I wish you all the best in this world ! you are a beautiful soul .thanks again
Very encouraging 🙂
Katie, Please allow me to introduce you to my son!
Desde España Katie te envio mis mejores deseos. Personas como tu hacen que este mundo sea un lugar mejor.
Gran cantante, gran musica y con un gran corazon. Mucha suerte y felicidad para ti y tu familia en el futuro Katie, esperamos seguir disfrutando de tus maravillosas voz y musica
Praise God for the wonderful trip you had! I’m sure the children you ministered to were impacted as much as you were.
I was interested to see that the place you went to, or the name of the ministry is similar to the one my sister went to about a year ago. She went to minister to “at risk” girls at Villa Esparanza.
It was great to read your story! I would love for someone with gift like yours to visit my refugee friends here on the border of Thailand and Burma! 🙂 Come on over! haha I’m currently working toward doing Bible translation work with them and I love how musical they are, always, and I mean always!, singing and playing music throughout the day. And violin is one of the common instruments of choice!
I included my website/blog in the info below, but I actually haven’t written anything on it for ages! I’ll have to get back to that! 😛
I trust God will continue blessing you and your family as you all continue to walk in the path he has set out for you to walk in! God bless you.
The Holy Spirit shines bright in all the Petersons but especially in you, Katie. Blessings
Great service with un conditional love. This is how Jesus explained what real love is: “to lay down one’s life for others…”.
Though I’m originally from Sri Lanka, living in italy since 1998. I can understand your great mission in Nicaragua.
I am from Brazil and I met the band recently and I am simply in love with the music that this family makes. The greatest pleasure I would have was to see this band here in Brazil !!!
I am a native of the mountains of North Carolina and a member of two bands here at
the Center (Senior) in Charlottesville, VA. My daughter introduced me to your family
band this week. I am blown away with your talent and presentation. I have been to
Branson twice, but hope to go again to see your show. My wife and I have traveled to
over 70 countries during our 23 years of retirement. We haven’t traveled in mission,
but still have enjoyed seeing God’s beautiful world and his people. Thank you and your
family for the pleasure you have given me.
Hi From Costa Rica,
I hope that you and your family are good and safe in this pandemic.
I listen your music since 2019, and enjoy all the songs.
And I thinking, how about this interesting group, and finding your page, and reading, y saw that you had come to Nicaragua, my neibour country, its really beautiful too, I visited 5 times.
Do you had visited Costa Rica?
when this crisis pass away, you are wellcome to visit my little country and if you want to talk with me, and share experiences, this is my email, vicentsandovcr@gmail.com
Muchas bendiciones Katie.
Tienes muchas cualidades y las más hermosa es un corazón que anhela servir a Dios.
Te mando bendiciones desde la ciudad de México
I may be a little late in reading about your family’s adventures into bluegrass music, but I have learned of you through YOUTUBE during the Coronavirus pandemic. I do believe good things can shine and be revealed during challenging times. I was most touched by your sharing your experience in serving in Nicaragua. I have lead three mission teams to Matagalpa, Nicaragua and it’s surrounding region. My heart was touched by the loving people we served, especially the children. I have developed wonderful relationships with many people there and these relationships continue flourishing today. God is good. Thank you to you and your family for sharing your gifts from God.
Hi katie. I’m a Christian in Japan. I love your music so much. Everyday I watch “The Pertersens” through YouTube, and I get a great joy from them. I believe your family is the most beautiful family in the world. Indeed I can feel the great blessing of our Lord from your beautiful music, charming figure and the perfect combination. This time I read the article about your heartwarming experience in Nicaragua. I was so impressed on and encouraged by it. Thank you so much, katie. Please enjoy your great journey of the beautiful life. From Yoshi (58yo,m) in Nara Japan.
Hi Katie. Just a big, “Thank you” for sharing your life with us. You are amazing and your love for Jesus really shows through your works. I read somewhere that you like coffee? I did a taste test a few years ago where I tried every brand of coffee Super Target had to offer. The winner was: freshly ground beans by Peet’s Coffee called, Major Dickasons. Try it. You can thank me later. Being a 2nd grade teacher, I live off of my morning coffee. Have a great day!
What’s your favorite coffee? I was a 12 cup a day man till the doctor told me to stop…?
You and your family make truly beautiful music. Keep up the good work, you reach more people than you realize.
God did a great job when he created you, Katie.
Keep on letting your light shine.
Kind Regards from Germany.
Wow… and it all started with a song in youtube… Country roads take me home… I don’t even know where to start… you are truly an angel sent from above and Im pretty sure God himself is proud of you. I felt your kind words as genuine as they can be and I wished you courage to keep walking by faith and do what you were called to do.
Estoy realmente impresionado… hoy vi tu video del cover de country roads… sentí tanta paz en mi interior y a su vez la necesidad de saber mas de ustedes como banda… y termine aquí… si algún día te cruzas por mi camino te invito a tomarte el mejor cafe del mundo… hehe Dios te bendiga.
-Cristian
Desde España Katie te envio mis mejores deseos. Personas como tu hacen que este mundo sea un lugar mejor.
Gran cantante, gran musica y con un gran corazon. Mucha suerte y felicidad para ti y tu familia en el futuro Katie, esperamos seguir disfrutando de tus maravillosas voz y musica
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”
“You don’t have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.”
— CS Lewis
Katie, you are authentic, kind, inspirational and truly very gifted. I am a reference librarian and I live ensconced by books, knowledge and wisdom (we share an affinity for the works of Clive Staples). I believe you are the perfect embodiment of empathy, intellect and music. Your humility is profound given your amazing talent, as your music is so down to earth yet transcendent at the same time. Just like you make that fiddle feel like it’s a violin, you make all of us hearing your music feel like your best friend. I am certain you have deeply touched the lives of these children in Nicaragua. Such a lovely family, the Petersens, and y’all will always have a grateful audience. Thank you for sharing your journey with us…
By the way, California is a superb song, please keep writing/singing/playing your original compositions! Dios te bendiga a ti tambien.
As Nicaraguan, as Latin American, as humanity citizen I feel very thankful to Kattie for having shared her precious time with children, taking her time to take care of others, especially children. I am your very new and cheerful follower and so of The Petersens.
God bless you, your families, and any enterprise that you go on.
Hey Katie , I just wanted to say how Amazing you and the entire Family / band is, I like many others, just happened to stumble upon your music on you tube ! You are very inspiring, to see how energetic you are in your beliefs of the Lord , and to see how you are always helping other people etc. As soon as I heard your music , I had to buy 3 of your cd’s ! Like a few of the other comments , I totally love Your version of the song Shenandoah, the best I have ever heard !! Also I would love to see you guys live sometime, please come to Woodstown NJ bluegrass festival sometime, or back to Gettysburg again sometime !! All the best to you guys !!
Tu amor divino Katie, tu dulcísima ternura espiritual.., me ha hecho llorar.
Otra vez…
Gracias por existir, y por Ser como eres.
Ciao, Katie non conoscevo il tuo gruppo, ma solo ieri navigando sul computer sono inciampato nella vostra musica. Nonostante l’età ( potrei essere vostro nonno ) mi sono innamorato della vostra vocazione sia musicale che vocale. Soprattutto nei tuoi occhi ho notato una tale gioia di suonare e seguire gli altri da rimanere sbalordito. Continuate così
con la vostra semplicità non vi fate travolgere dal successo, rimanere se stessi è l’alternativa
migliore per continuare a fare buona musica. Peccato che vivo in Italia e non conosco l’inglese. UN abbraccio a tutti voi.