30-DEC-2007
I'm Glad I Don't Have to Pay Your Electric Bill!
I pass this house every evening, and let me tell you, it's pretty amazing. I was only able to get a fraction of the decorations in my photo. There is everything from Mickey Mouse to Pooh and Tigger, a choir, angels, and even a helicopter on the roof. It really makes you smile.
19-DEC-2007
My Boys
This is why I go to Nicaragua. I sponsor Javier, the boy behind me. He and his friends are teenagers living on their own in Nindiri, Nicaragua. I send money to him every month to help him with school, food, and living expenses. He is learning English and I am giving him hope and encouragement to make something of his life. He and his friends living in a concrete block house with a tin roof and a dirt floor. His toilet is a hole in the back yard with a toilet seat on it, and his shower is a primitive pipe in the yard. Their only furniture is a bed for each of them. They keep their clothes in suitcases we gave them. They cook over a propane 2 burner stove. They don't have a refrigerator, so they can't keep any food that will spoil. Compared to me, they have nothing. But these boys are always happy to see us, they joke and laugh with each other, and are thoughtful and polite. Javier will graduate from high school next year, something that most Nicaraguans don't do. I am so proud of him for what he has already accomplished against such enormous odds.
You know, it is only by luck of the draw that I wasn't born into one of the poorest countries in the world. I can't help everyone, but I can help this one. And maybe by knowing Javier, I will learn to appreciate everything I have, including the roof over my head and the food that I eat. And I thank God I have the opportunity to help others.
18-DEC-2007
Mushrooms
A little business on the side of the road. These lawn ornaments were made and painted here. A little gaudy for my taste, but they are really cheerful. Wish I could have brought one home in my suitcase, but I think it would have made my bag overweight!
17-DEC-2007
Rice and Beans
Not a particularly artistic photo, but very important. I helped organize a cookbook at my church this past summer, and the money we raised was to feed people in Nicaragua. We were able to buy 700 pounds of rice, and 400 pounds of beans. Our mission team bagged them into gallon and quart size bags to hand out in the community. This will last an average family one week. It is truly humbling to see how much something simple like this means to a poor family.
15-DEC-2007
Playground
One day we stopped at a Mexican restaurant (yes, Mexican in Nicaragua) for lunch. The outdoor seating looked over this huge tree with a simple metal playground. The breeze was lovely and it was such a peaceful place.
14-DEC-2007
Rule the Roost
One of the most interesting things about Nicaragua is all the animals running around the streets. This rooster was strutting his stuff, chasing his hens back and forth. I took this shot while waiting outside the "ferrateria" or hardware store.
13-DEC-2007
Roof
One of our projects while in Nicaragua was to replace the roof of the home our sponsored boys live in. The homes are just built of concrete block and tin roofs, but the special ventilating blocks come in different decorative designs.
12-DEC-2007
Sunrise
This is Day 1 of my trip to Nicaragua. We left at 3:30 am for the airport. This was the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen from a plane. There were layers of color one on top of the other. A truly awesome way to start the day.