Lessons Learned

We made it safely on Friday night, and it's been a blur of activity since then. We were greeted at the airport by our good friends Richard and Shirley, along with local heartthrob Mundo. At the Provadenic (our hostel in Managua) we were met by our translator Esteban and Wilber, the Nicaraguan boy I am in the process of adopting. It was a very special reunion.

On Saturday I learned that Matagalpa is not 1 hour and 15 minutes away from Managua, as was suggested by a friend of mine. What started as an idea to make a quick trek to see some lush coffee growing countryside, turned into a 13 hour mountain marathon adventure. Packing 17 people into a 15 passenger van seemed to be adventurous enough, but to intensify the experience, we found ourselves careening up mountain roads remarkably similar to ones found on the moon. Not great on a full bladder. All this for a chance at some beautiful scenery gazing and a swim in a jungle waterfall. But it was definitely worth the ride. The team has a wonderful way of seeing any potential obstacle as an opportunity to experience something new and enriching. They made the day into something which they'll remember for the rest of their lives. We finished the day with a birthday party for my son. It's a week late, but it was still an amazing experience to give him a birthday he'll never forget.

Today we spent time in Veracruz and became more familiar with the people and the town we will be serving the rest of our time. We begin house construction tomorrow. The team has learned many incredible lessons already, and i am excited to share them with you as the days unfold.

More stories to come. Please check out the pics and leave comments for the team.
Corwin Thiessen3 Comments