Today was our first day in the community. We all woke up excited and ready to go. The plan was to have breakfast at 7:00, load the truck and be on the road by 8:00. Believe it or not, we were ready to go at 7:35…so we went. The community, Canas Blancas, is a short 30 minute drive from Jinotepe. The good thing about these trips is every day you pack less and less to the community. The bus was tight this morning. When we arrived we were greeted by members of the community along with a couple of recent grads from Holland. They are in Nicaragua spending some time with CEPAD, so we took advantage of having a couple extra interpreters.
So the construction crew found something to dig.
We are working on project to add additional water supply to the school. This involved another hole. But not like the hole last year. This one was just meter deep, but it was a little wider than the previous hole. We were apprehensive when we took our first turn digging, but we were calling the soil “black gold.” It was actually soil and not dirt, and the digging went pretty well. Mostly because we had a lot of local help and picks with handles. We completed the hole shortly after lunch and then the mason showed up. It got technical then. The mason is really an artist. He brought his tools with him, rudimentary as they were, and began his art. He lined out the foundation and we just handed down the large rocks and he put them in their place and he would check the level and alignment over and over. It was a joy to watch him work. We got the base of the foundation complete, and called it a day. After a good meal, and some group time….and an ice cream trip, we call Day 3 complete.
An interesting thing about where we are staying is a parrot. There is this really nice parrot at the Nehemiah Center in Managua. I bring him sunflower seeds every year and hand feed him. The parrot here doesn’t want sunflower seeds…pretty sure he wants your fingers. He lures you in by saying “Hola” or “Hello,” and when you get close he lunges at the cage. I can see it in his eyes….he’s a biter.
“Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8
From the Clinic: God has definitely been with us and is using us here in Nicaragua. Today we opened the health clinic and saw a total of 95 patients. It was a little bit hectic getting started, but we all worked together and had a very successful day. We made new friends today from Holland who were able to help us interpret in the clinic and for the health classes. We also made friends with the physician and the nurse in the local clinic, who have partnered with us and helped us see more patients. Frank from CEPAD has joined us today.
