Starting to Slowly Say Goodbye

Debes Casarte Aqui

During our vacation I spent a day with friends from the office exploring places around Managua. This is a lagoon (Laguna de Apoyo) which formed within a volcanic crater. 

Sooo.... I officially have 22 days left in this country with which I have fallen in love. I want to clarify- I mean I am in love with Nicaragua; not in love with someone specifically from Nicaragua. I feel like I need to clarify because as people have asked me how much time I have left in Nica and I answer them, many, many people respond  with, "Debes casarte aqui." (You should get married here.) Throughout my time in Nicaragua this has been a constant word of advice given to me, however, the number of times I have heard the joke about getting married has increased dramatically in these past few days. hahaha. Most of the time I respond with either oy! Tengo que buscar a alguien ahorita/ Ah! I have to find someone right now or Si... que lastima, verdad?/Ya.... what a shame, right?

I can only take these silly comments as a form of love and I understand; a large part of me wishes I could stay in Nicaragua, but I am embracing and journeying along with the guidelines of my Mission Intern program with the United Methodist Church. I completed my 1-1/2 years serving in Nicaragua and now it is time to return to serve in my home country for 1-1/2 years, as well.

My new placement site is in Hayesville, North Carolina at the Hinton Center. You can find out more about it here. My official job title is Assistant to Housing Ministries. The Hinton Center acts a retreat space for many churches and groups, but it also has several ministries and outreaches beyond being a place of refuge. The Hinton Center works to empower and support small local congregations, provides fire word to local residents, receives church groups who work with local community members on home repairs and small projects, and much more. A big part of my role will be making connections with community members & visiting people in their homes, working on publicity & social media, and everyday office tasks. 

It sounds like a wonderful job. Truly. I will admit though, the first thing I questioned was "where my Latinos at?" I definitely have a passion for working with Spanish speakers and am interested in many of the issues which face many people in our Spanish speaking populations in the United States. Also, I have some awesome experience regarding those issues....There may be a few connections I can make in Hayesville, but this job will not be working directly with immigrant students or helping to improve problems Latino Americans face everyday. I will work with a people who live in a different kind of poverty than that I have seen in Nicaragua.

However, the point of my Mission Intern program is not for us all to get our dream jobs or exactly what we want to do. The purpose is to serve humbly and willingly wherever we may be called to work. It will be a 1-1/2 living in solidarity with people who live in rural North Carolina, listening to God, and learning more & more about others and myself. The fact I will have my own apartment with air conditioning, carpet, TV, internet, etc... I'm like WHAT?! 

It will be interesting to live not only in North Carolina but in the United States in general again. I will admit I am a little bit scared and anxious. It does make it a little easier when I realize that in February I get to give my family a big giant hug.

May you Experience God's Grace & Peace,

Whit

The RAAN

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The door opened to the small hotel room in Bonanza and I think I almost gasped as I saw a big fluffy mattress, a modest sized room fan, and then turned the corner to see the bathroom with a real toilet and running water. The first thought that jumped into my head is Que lujoso (Wow! This is luxurious.)

I spent the past month traveling to different Acción Médica Cristiana project sites in the RAAN or North Atlantic Autonomous Region. (I talked a little bit about this region in my previous blog post). I visited midwifes, natural medicine doctors, and community health leaders in their homes; I traveled with a mobile medical team to 8 different communities that are located hours from a road or health center; I stayed with a hospitable family for a few days that lives on the Prinzapolka river; I went to a Regional Assembly in Puerto Cabezas with inspiring volunteers; and I talked and met a group of young people who are helping to educate their communities about sexual rights and health.

I want to be able to share the humble living conditions I experienced not for you to feel sorry for the “poor people”, but more to understand the differences in the way you live and the way people live in very remote areas in Nicaragua. I had a brief time to live in solidarity with such wonderful people and I want you to be able to understand the lifestyle, too. Also, I hope to share not just what I “did” and experienced, but more the stories and experiences of the people I encountered. The people who I will carry in my soul… in my view of life forever.

The Mobile Medical Brigade

After spending a week in Rosita, it was nearing the time for me to move on to a new project site and I was helping count medicines for the upcoming mobile medical brigades. Many AMC projects receive funds from AECID() to help execute and organize medical brigades with local doctors and nurses. AMC also receives donated medicines from Farma Mundi and the ministry of Health or MINSA. The brigade travels  7-9 days to remote communities where people live hours from health centers or hospitals.

Sarah, the other Mission Fellow who is stationed in Rosita and Carolina were scheduled to travel with a team of two nurses and two doctors for 8 nights. They would travel on horseback for hours at a time each day, sleep in hammocks, and bath in rivers.  Jokingly I mentioned I wanted to go, too. Doña Cecilia who is the project coordinator for Rosita immediately began thinking aloud about how we could organize and call the big boss lady, Yamilet, in the main office to see if I could go. We could run out and buy a hammock. I already had rubber boots. I didn’t need any money. Wah! For a moment, I was really excited, but then I started thinking about how we would be messing up my original schedule (how North American) and then I started getting worried about sleeping in a hammock and all the other challenges I would encounter. (It was weird because I’m normally such an adventurous person.) However, it was also because I had just found out my Uncle Kent had passed away and it made me sad/worried I would be without a way to connect with my family during his funeral- it would be our first day of traveling. After being able to talk to my family, being able to think and reflect and morn, and lots of positive pressuring from Doña Cecilia, I decided I had to go and I reflected on how many people are actually willing to visit these people. I was willing. And after the trip it felt more like a privilege.  

The first day on our adventure we loaded up the truck with AMC personnel- Sarah, Carolina, Jorge (carolina's boyfriend) and myself and then picked up the nurses and doctor from the local hospital. We rode with 5 in the front and 5 in the truck bed on top of our luggage. Once we arrived to the end of the road took our luggage and put each back inside a plastic bag and then a large sack. The sacks were tied together in twos and then thrown over each horse. One horse was loaded up as a carrier- the large ice box with vaccines was loaded up on the horse along with heavier luggage.

The first day it took us 6 hours to arrive to San Augustin and the horses sloshes and mushed through mud almost the entire time. I just had to relax and stop worrying about my horse or it would have been an even longer ride. The most impactful realization I had was that I was riding my horse on the day of my uncle's funeral and he was a real cowboy- he would be so proud. The whole day I thought about Uncle Kent and his family as I rode. 

I’m not going to lie- the first day was quite a challenge for me, because once we arrived in darkness, I could barely stand up due to tremendous pain in my knees and lack of food during the day. Dinner wasn’t ready by our gracious hosts yet, so a group of us decided to go bath in a nearby waterfall. However, the waterfall was about another 15 walk in pure mud again. We tried our hardest not to drop our clean clothes in the mud and made it to the refreshing waterfall. On the way back we were lead once again by a little girl from the community with a flashlight and managed not to fall over. At that point my body was officially fatigued and I was grateful to receive a warm plate of food; however, I had the smart idea to try and step outside of the house to put on bug spray and immediately slipped out of the door and landed on my butt and head in the mud as a threw my plate of food in the air. At that point, I almost cried and yet all I could think too was there are a lot of people who have to make the hard trip several times a month and they live with mud all during the rainy season.

We were grateful to have a dry place to stay and yummy food in our bellies. Also, we were grateful for Carmelo who walked the 6 hours the day before with the horses and then returned with us to his community the next day. In the 7 communities we visited, there were always volunteers who went over and beyond to help the brigade arrive safely, eat hearty meals, help organize people during the consults, and provide a place for us to sleep. These families did not receive anything in return for their help, yet they still were happy to provide amazing hospitality.

Each day AMC lead the crowd in a devotional, then taught others about the new inclusive health model in Nicaragua. Then, the consults started. The brigades usually only visit a community for one day and sometimes the community members still live 1-2 hours from the consult site. Also, many people pass the entire day waiting to receive vaccines, pap tests, a humble amount of medicines, and a moment to talk to a doctor. One night we arrived late to a community and the consults didn’t start till the afternoon, so some families had to spend the night at the church we were staying in and head home in the morning because it was raining and dark.

Many of the communities we visited do not have schools. The children work at home and help with daily chores once they are old enough. Many of the adults cannot read or write.

However, I met so many community health leaders and midwifes who work hard to help take care of their communities.

Mariluz is the mother of 3 little girls and her and her husband hosted us for two nights. Mariluz recently decided to become a midwife simply because her community does not have anyone who is working as a midwife. She already has a lot of work in the house but decided to attend one of AMC’s workshops in order to learn about being a midwife. Sarah and I also tried to spend some time learning some of her everyday tasks like carrying a bucket of water on my head and milking a cow. Work in the country is no joke, hombre.  Mariluz is such a brave and strong woman.

The most vivid memory I have from the house of Mariluz and her husband Nicolas  is sitting on a bench with their three daughters in front of the house with the moon shining down on us. The 3 little girls were telling me silly things and we were all giggling for the longest time, when earlier that day they would barely even look at me without running and hiding. It was a really spiritual moment. It was hard to leave that family- A family that is always willing to help out their community by hosting the medical brigades and be hospitable, loving hosts.

Don Arsenio is another person whose care and dedication to his community really touched me. Sarah and I did an interview with him because he his a community leader, is always helping with medical teams and is the host to the community pharmacy or botiquin and we discovered he had walked about 13 hours in two days to help out the brigade. He also worked throughout the entire day of consults to make sure all the patients were being helped and were in order.  Also, Don Arsenio has three children who all became blind when they were 2 years old and on top of that responsibility he is in charge of maintaing the community pharamacy.

In final community where we worked, we stayed at Doña Rosa’s house. Her and her sister Berta are famous in the area for their hospitality as well as the efficiency of their house.  The house is still 5 hours from the main road but Rosa has a solar panel which powers the electricity for her house and the family built there own water system with pipes leading down from a waterfall on the nearby hill. The kitchen is enormous at Rosa’s and it is always busy. Rosa is always willing to host medical teams.

I will never forget the long trip with the mobile medical team outside of Rosita and all the generous people and beautiful people I met along the way. I think of how Jesus traveled with his disciples. They were dependent on the hospitality of others during their journey and teachings, yet we often don't think about the people who helped Jesus and the 12 disciples by opening up their homes, providing a warm, dry place to sleep, and gave of their resources so that he could continue his ministry. Lord, thank you for your children who share their gift of hospitality. 

To be continued…

Life in Managua

Sometimes I get to go on wonderful adventures during my time here in Nicaragua. Here are some pictures from a trip to Costa Rica I just took with my fellow Mission Intern, Sarah Fraizer. We went to Montezuma on the Nicoya Peninsula and then visited Scott & Linda McAnnally in San Ramon.

However, most days I have been working in the office just like many of you all do each and everyday. Here's what my average day looks like.

7:30 am I wake up & escape from my mosquito net which snuggly surounds my bed. 

7:32 am I jump into my cold morning shower- I actually really enjoy cold showers now a days. 

7:50am Eat breakfast- for a while I was really obsessed with making smoothies each morning, because fruit is so readily available and cheap. 

8:15 am I leave the house unlocking and then locking behind me the the front door and two gates. 

I walk about a mile to get to my bus route. (If I am running late, feeling lazy or taking my computer to the office I will grab a taxi.)

I've become accustomed to taxis honking in order to try to give me rides, picking up dust on some of the pathways, men making kissing sounds and yelling out "chela!" (white girl), and passing many other people during their commute to work & school. 

8:45 am On Mondays we have morning devotionals but otherwise I greet the "vigilantes" that guard the entrance to AMC and head to my office. 

8:50 am I always greet and catch up with my co-worker Dina & supervisor Dr. Francisco when I get to the office. It is always important to greet one another properly in Nicaragua before getting to work.

9:00 am I start checking emails on my computer and working on a new team budget or logistics.

10:00 am We can turn on the air conditioning in our office. The cost of electricity is horrible here.

12:00 pm I usually immediately stop what I am doing to enjoy a yummy lunch cooked by AMC's cooks. Sometimes I bring my own lunch if Doña Chelita and Doña Maria Eugenia are not cooking or walk down the hill to a nearby gas station to purchase a sandwich.

I spend lunch sitting in the nice eating patio and chatting with other co-workers at my table. Everyone relaxes and spends about an hour chatting and resting. No one sits in the eating area if they need to talk about work.

Not often, but sometimes I join some of the guys in the office to play a quick game of ping pong. I suck compared to everyone else.

1:00pm I head back to my office and continue working.

2:30 pm Stop for a moment to listen to a joke from Dr. Francisco or he tells me about something interesting that is happening in the news/ health care in Nicaragua.

3:00 pm Time for coffee. Sidenote- I never drank coffee until living here. Now, I love it.

I learned how to pick coffee on Josimar's farm with Sarah and Jossimar. 

4:00 pm For a while, I taught English classes to a small group of students twice a week at this time. It was fun to sit on the front porch with the white board and my students- sometimes different people would pass by to observe and try to use their English as well.

4:30pm During rainy season, it begins to rain around this time almost everyday. The skies do not give you me notice, either.

5:00 pm I wrap up class and grab my things to walk down to the bus stop.

5:15 pm The bus arrives, after some waiting, to the bus stop and I hop on with a few of my co-workers.

5:20 pm I get off the bus and wait with the masses to board a new bus.

5:30 pm  I board bus 119 and squeeze towards the back door. When we arrive closer to the stop, I pretty much have to shove my way to the door in order to escape the bus on time.

5:40 pm During my walk home,  I walk in front of one of Managua's shopping malls and say "adios" to several of the guards along the way who I have befriended.

At night, I sometimes go to a dance exercise class with my friend Jessena, I cook for myself or with my roommate, read or watch a show or two on my Netflix.

After a year of living here in Managua, I can say I feel really comfortable and at home. There are other days when I get to participate in birthdays, Nicaraguan holidays, interesting workshops, etc. but for the most part I have accompanied Nicaraguans and AMC through my work in the office.

Next week I depart for the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua and will live in a very rural project site. My new role will be to conduct interviews and document human impact stories. I'm sure I will also have average, everyday moments, yet they will probably be completely different than my time here in the city.

To Be a Missionary

I spent two weekends ago and this weekend with families of different people from my office. I am not currently living with a Nicaraguan family, but with a Nicaraguan roommate instead. I have been trying to reach out more and more to others in my office and in my community due to the fact I do not live with many people. Also, people have been reaching out more and more to me, as well. They have more confianza (trust) with me- in Nicaragua, one definitely has to gain lots of trust from someone in order for them to begin to get to know you more. Don't get me wrong- people are still very friendly and helpful; however, to get past a surface level relationship you need to invest lots of time in getting to know someone.

Last week I was sharing with Violeta & Carolina, wonderful co-workers from my office, that I sometimes miss teaching and definitely miss being around kids and teenagers. They immediately invited me to stay with them in Jinotepe to participate in a children's bible class on Saturday and a special Mother's Day performance at their church on Sunday. Mother's Day in Nicaragua is on May 30. 

This weekend was such a blessing. Although it was a short time, I got to meet Carolina and Violeta's 4 other sisters (their mom has 8 children in total) and SPEND TIME WITH KIDS. I even had a moment where I got to talk to some of the teenagers who lead the church band. (haha- Sometimes I think I get a little too excited to see young people).

However, I think the most powerful moments were when I could sit, listen, pray and laugh with different family members as they told me their thoughts about Nicaraguan culture, their love for Jinotepe, all about the family, and a few stories. At the same time, I got to share a little bit about my own culture, my home, and my family. I got to partake in the sacredness of sharing a meal with different family members as well. As I headed back to Managua on a micro-bus, I couldn't help but smile.

I think to be a missionary is a lot of just what I did this weekend. To be a missionary is to sit down with others and SHARE. To share stories. To share a meal. To share about culture. To share time. To share the moment of just being. It is as simple as that. When I sit around with Nicaraguans, in the common plastic stackable chairs, and just invest in them in that moment and them in me the Holy Spirit is present. To be a missionary is to share.

Fishin'

“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. John 21:3

Here is the "backyard".

Sarah and I were invited by Dr. Francisco, who is our supervisor at AMC, to spend the weekend with him fishing. Dr. Francisco is a fanatic fisherman, but also works so often he doesn't always have the time to go fishing. He's been known to carry his fishing pole along when traveling with AMC to visit the project sites along the Rio Coco.

Dr. Francisco in his element.

One of the family members, from the house where we fished, found this baby "lora".

Last Friday night, we traveled with Dr. Francisco and his wife Alicia to stay with Dr. Francisco's mom in Matagalpa. Her house is located in a neighborhood just outside of the city and sits raised up on a hilltop with an awesome view over the city. We got to meet his mom and some of his siblings.

On Saturday, Dr. Francisco, his brother, brother-in-law, nephew, nephew's friend, Sarah, and I loaded up in the pick-up truck with two in the back with the poles and headed to MuyMuy or very very. The big question is very very what? We fished in a river in the backyard of a friend of Dr. F's. When I say backyard, I mean a breathtaking view of the mountains and rushing river. Their humble home sits in one of the most gorgeous spots in Nicaragua.

Kency and Sarah fishing with Kency's "breakfast" sausage.

I have to note that this is the first fishing trip I've gone on where we actually walked directly through the water while casting. I was very grateful to be in the cold water after a while and not standing on the hot shore.

One of my favorite moments was standing chest height in the river casting my line and simply listening to all the sounds surrounding me. I heard the clicking sound of my reel as I reeled my lure back in, the grunting/yelling sounds of local resident herding his cattle down to the water to get a drink, the sound of water rushing through rocks, and the slapping sound of a women as she swung her clothes to on stone in the river.

Sarah hadn't been fishing since she was 10. She became a casting pro.

One thing I quickly took note of was how little we fit into the scenery around us. We walked with our life vests, hats, fancy fishing gear, the whole package, yet we encountered "cowboys", children bathing and women washing clothes. We did encounter another little boy fishing, but he was using a simple fishing line and hook. Dr. Francisco's brother-in-law, Antonio, said he caught a fish but then noticed a local women was only catching little puny fish, so he gave his fish away. We were fishing for pleasure, while the community members were seeking food to feed their families.

We came across this precious little girl as we walked along the river. She was carry a sack of stones back to her house.

Dr Francisco quickly captured this picture right as my camera battery died. We traveled outside of Mantagalpa to stand at this breathtaking lookout where we could easily spot several of Nicaragua's volcanoes.

Sadly, no one caught any fish in our group, but as every sport fisherman and woman knows- it's not all about the catch- it's more about being in God's creation and being present with others. The whole time I could not stop thinking about how much Keith and my Pa would love to fish in such a location.

After fishing, we enjoying swimming and risking our lives for a thrill.

the 12 months leading up to 2012...