A little over a month in....

Hey everyone, so sorry that it has been a while since my last update. I have not been able to get onto blogspot.com in Nicaragua for a while, perhaps it is our connection here in the house. Who knows. I can't complain at any rate, as I have access to the internet everyday just by opening my computer. The house I live in is incredible, and we (the Manna group) are so blessed to have it.

I just started my third week of programs, and am still trying to find my niche, but am feeling more comfortable in everything, especially my Spanish. I am currently teaching a Spanish literacy class to four girls between the ages of ten and fourteen at a place called El Farito (the lighthouse) for an hour and half every Monday and Wednesday. They are all very smart and eager to learn, and after visiting one of the public schools this morning, I see the merit in having a four person class with two teachers as opposed to a 30-35 person class with one teacher. We are about to start working on grammar and spelling, as the girls are already able to write creatively (something not taught in the schools, and the objective of their past Manna teacher, Marcela). Therefore, Nikki (the co-teacher) and I think that we should brush up their skills on punctuation, accents, etc.

I also teach a children's beginners English class every Monday and Wednesday at Chiquilistagua for kids between five and ten years old. There is a core group of six kids who come, and I love each one of them. Three of the kids - Fabiola (10), her brother William (5), and Natali (7) - always run up to me when I arrive at the land and hug me then hold my hand the entire way to the classroom. Today Natali brought me some flowers, it was such a lovely gift! Another little girl brought me the equivalent of an Apple for teachers in the United States, three little green fruits that look like long green grapes but are much harder and taste... well... I guess you have to acquire the taste! In any case, the first two weeks we learned vocabulary from the human body and today we began learning vocabulary of the house - furniture etc. And of course we end every day playing either Bingo or Pato, Pato, Ganzo (duck, duck, goose).

I am involved in helping my group members with some other classes - such as Advanced English on Tuesday and Thursday nights, serving food and watching little kids at a feeding program on Tuesdays, and every once in a while helping with the woman's health and exercise class (or rather participating in and offering support to my fellow teammates and instructors Nikki and Mose). My roommate Christina and I will soon be starting a woman's soccer practice twice a week to see the interest in the area, and perhaps have a team in the future. We'll see.

Another thing I am involved in and can't wait to become more heavily invested is the work we do with our Child Sponsorship program in La Chureca. I know that I had written of the terrors of Chureca in my last post/email, but God is showing me that there are also many 'treasures found in hidden places' there - the hug I receive from Jefrey each time we visit his home (the little boy in the picture), the little girls in their little dresses playing hide-and-seek with me during the weekly health talks with their mothers, the smiles, grace, and strength of the mothers as they strive to get the best for their children. I am just beginning to remember a few of the mother's and children's names, which has become much easier now that we (the Child Sponsorship team - Mose, Maddie, Christina, and me) have been visiting the homes. I have been feeling much more comfortable in the area as well, though the smoke still sticks in my throat for hours after leaving and some things we see are so heartbreaking that I feel I will never be the same. Compassion sometimes overwhelms me, though I am still not sure what I should think or feel about everything I see. As the optimistic person that I am - always hoping for the best - I want to see change in the lives of everyone I see. I know this is not realistic (somewhere in the back of my mind I must know this, though I am currently struggling with my right pinky finger, trying to force it to NOT hit the delete key). Perhaps we will see change, perhaps we will save someone's life, perhaps we will make a difference. It is my greatest wish.

In terms of our living situation, it is nice to live slightly outside the city of Managua. We are close enough that we can drive there on the weekends to pass time with our Nicaraguan friends (it is my mission to master the salsa), yet far enough away that our lungs thank us for the fresh air. The tranquil country atmosphere eases the stress of daily events and a crowded house. In our house, I have been appointed "The Veterinarian": that is, I care for our rottweilers (I adore them!) by feeding them, training them, grooming them, taking them to the vet when they are sick, and by disciplining them. In terms of the group living, we've all been getting along pretty well - no big fights yet (I hope we never have one!) - and we all have different interests and passions that I think go well together.

The new thing I learned this past week was to drive a stick-shift car. I love it. I don't think I'll want to go back to an automatic anytime soon...

In any case, I hope to be writing with more frequency in the future, but it depends on the internet connection. With luck, I should have another post up within a week! Hope to hear from y'all soon - just send an email my way :-)