Day 10 - The End and The Beginning

On Sunday and after a week of building relationships and community within Los Medranos and the team, we awent to San Juan Del Sur for the day! This was a bonus day for all of us.
Before the arriving at the Pacific coast, we dropped off some of the team members for them to on a canopy tour. The rest of us went to the coastline for the remainder of the day. The End.

The Beginning
After our day trip, we met as a group and were challenged with two questions:
     1. From this experience, what was your main highlight or something that was unexpected?
     2. What changes are you going to make going back home?

We all shared and continue to process our way through this experience!

The last pictures:

Day 9 - Finishing some tasks and spending time together

Today in Nicaragua we continued with our painting and constructions projects. Some of the team completed their tasks and some were unable to since we only worked in the morning. We chatted about why we feel the need to complete a project while we are here. We continue to process our way through this topic.

In the afternoon, the team had the opportunity to go to Masaya Market and pick up souvenirs and experience a local market. It was interesting to here the feedback from those team members who have never set foot in a local market.

Today's pictures and some from previous days!

 Quilt donated to Best Start in Christ program

 Young moms receiving their 9 month gift

Team photo with our new friends

Twins

 Masaya Market

Day 8 - Community and ice cream!

Buenos noches!

The team continued with our construction projects. My group painted some bathrooms and walls at the Skylark Centre. It was a good day to build community and see team work in action.

Last night, Alma, taught me a Spanish song and she told me that I should learn it overnight and sing it to her in the morning. I tried my best and we had a good laugh together :-)

After our construction projects, some of the team members went to the community square to hang out with the kids and play futbol. On the way, to the square we purchased candies to hand out to the kids. ($1.00 US bought us 60 candies). While the team played futbol, I had the chance to connect with the kids and give them candy. Once the kids new I had candy they brought their friends! I also had the chance to connect with my friend, Jessica, while we hung out with the kids :-)

As a bonus today, the team had the chance to indulge in some ice cream tonight in the town of San Marcos.

Today's pictures:

Day 7 - Teamwork!

Today in Nicaragua, the team continued to do construction projects around the Skylark Centre. One group created a railing for the pre-school class, another group continued creating and hanging eaves-troughs and my group painted the dormitorios.

The attitudes and sense of team work was real! Each person worked hard and then part of the group went into the community and played futbol with the community kids. I had the opportunity to creating a drawing that will add colour, shapes and numbers for a pre-school class. While I was creating the drawing, Alma, my Spanish friend, walked by and we had a chance to chat about her family and life.

In the evening, the team went down the street to Pastor William's church and attended a service. We were warmly welcomed and one again I had the opportunity to connect with those in the community. A blessing indeed!

Painting before...

Painting after.

Railing for pre-school class!

Working together!

Soaking up the sun after a long day of work!

Mi amgia Jessica en la iglesia

Day 6 - Working and spending time together

Today in Nicaragua was a work day for the team in the morning. It was a good time to work as a team to accomplish numerous tasks together. The team was split off into 3 separate groups. One group raked fresh gravel on the Skylark's Centre parking lot, the second group began to make holders for eaves-troughs and the third group painted some of the dormitorios.

In the afternoon, the team had the opportunity to visit an orphanage. This orphanage is a run by Nuns and has some private funding. During the day, classes run between 7am and 1pm and approximately 150 children attend. Today, only 22 children were there. A good size for our team to interact with.

When we arrived all of the children greeted has warmly with a hug. Then we did some crafts, games and story time with them. One girl asked me if I was coming back tomorrow! It was definitely an awesome way to spend an afternoon.

Today's pictures:

 Early morning walk and run at 6am Nicaraguan time

Working together! 

Having fun!

Day 5 - Learning

Today in Nicaragua, I attended a prenatal workshop where young moms between the ages of 13-27 attend throughout their entire pregnancy. When it's time to have the baby, the mom can contact the Skylark Centre for a ride to the hospital and it doesn't matter what time it is.

They learn about the development of the baby throughout the 9 months, nutrition guidelines for themselves and their baby, and build community with one another. For those moms who are in their 8th or 9th month, they are provided with a plastic baby tub filled with, clothing, baby clippers, baby shampoo/soap and receiving blanket.

The young moms participated in the class and each mom was asked what she ate for breakfast and lunch to ensure she was getting the proper nutrition. They were also encouraged to drink more water at specific times in the day instead of coffee or coke. Within the community, water is rationed and is only available to get at certain times of the day.

A group of us sorted baby clothes and other items that are used to give to new moms. Our hostess, Elise was very thankful for this donation as she is now able to provide these items throughout the year to all moms who attend. One much needed item though is cloth baby diapers (the old fashion kind), a cloth with safety pins.

Today was a day of learning about this program, building more relationships and speaking Spanish most of the time!

Today's pictures:

Before:

After:

Found a snake at 6:00AM Nicaraguan time

I had lunch with our translators, they provided me with some good tips on how to learn a second language and we spoke Spanish over our time together!

Sweet Carol

Cecil & Carol

Day 4 - Cute Children

Today in Nicaragua I had the opportunity to observe and participate in a Preschool class (ages 0-2 years old) and a new mom's class with their babies :-)

In the preschool class the children have the opportunity to play, make a craft, listen to a story, have a snack and brush their teeth.

In the new mom's class, the mom's learn about how to take care of their babies and improve their development. The teacher, Martha, shows them how to check for eye movement, reflexes, massage and hearing with each of their babies. She is really gentle and patient with each young mom.

Each program is vital to the development of the child as these babies and children do not regular doctor checkups like we do in Canada. Both programs run Monday, Wednesday and Friday as there isn't enough funding to run the program all week.

In the late afternoon, the group walked through the local community and one girl I know, Bethel, came running to me and gave me a big hug. She told me that her older sister, Jessica, lives a over there. So, she took my hand and we walked to see Jessica. It was great to reconnect with her after two years :-) We were both happy to see each other today. What a blessing!

Today's pictures, enjoy!

 5:45AM Nicaraguan time

 Teacher, Martha

In 2012, I went to Nicaragua with another youth team and together with local Nicaraguans we built an addition on this local church.

Bethel (left) and Jessica (right)

T-shirts the Parry Sound team painted with Nicaraguan children today!