Horses at night

Before returning home at last night, we wanted to buy beans and rice.  So, we stopped at a little hut that sold just what we needed. Smoke poured out of the roof, and a woman laughed inside, a typical scene in Nicaragua.  There in front of the hut, surrounded by barbwire, were three children playing.  The little boy was just learning to walk.  The little girls called out to him, encouraging him to come to them.  He took one shaky step forward, then another, carefully making his way over the dirt.  When he finally reached them, they cheered loudly and he disappeared into their hugs.

It was a little reminder that we are all the same, regardless of where we grew up, or what language we speak, or the culture that we live in.  The scene that I watched could have played out anywhere in the world.  We are all children of God.  He is excited to watch us take our steps forward.  He encourages us, beckons us on, and desires more than anything for us to fall into His embrace.

The flooding has gotten so bad at camp, that we can no longer drive even a truck down the road.  We have to park the truck and then continue in on horseback.  Last night I climbed onto the saddle and started down the road.  As I left the light of the last house, a new world opened up before me.  I heard crickets and frogs singing into the night.  As my eyes adjusted, the skies revealed splendor that I have never seen.  The entire milky way shimmered brightly.  Stars seemed to pulse and grow larger.  More dots than I could have ever imagined illuminated the way home.  I looked down from the sky and saw thousands of fireflies dancing and twinkling.  I was in a fairy forest.  I was so completely taken by my surroundings that I forgot all about the snakes, the feces, the nasty that was in the flooded water.  It was a moment of magic, that I'm sure was prepared in advance for me to enjoy.

Both of these encounters from the night reminded me to slow down and take time to enjoy Nicaragua.  To be satisfied where I am and not to be frustrated when things don't go as planed.  

The Chanpa project continued...

Today was a very interesting day.  We are still really trying to get the Chanpa Project off the ground.  The situation has gotten quite a bit worse.  At one point, the school was a refuge for 15 families who were flooded.  At the present, there are 34 families living in the school.  If you do the math, that means 19 families that do not have flooded homes have moved to the school.

Why you ask?  The government has decided to provide free food to all the families in need.  The catch though, is that even every family living in the school receives the food.  Even those families that haven't been flooded.  AND even those families that have been flooded are still able to work and purchase their own food.  What seems like a nice gesture on part of the government is actually a much deeper problem.  They are not interested in reopening the school to the children.  In fact, they want to keep the families in the school for as long as possible.  This makes it look like they really care and are trying to help the families.  Their plan keeps all the families, without or without flooding, displaced until January at the earliest.  This means school is closed for at least three months.  There is no value on education.  Without getting to far into it, the Sandinistan government (on the verge of communism) are trying to win the votes of the poor.  After all, it is an election year.

We had a meeting at the school last night.  The mayor was present as well as the Ministry of Education and a Sandinistan Political Activist.  Everyone was all for moving out of the school, all except the Activist.  She stirred the mob bringing all sorts of reasons to the table, why they shouldn't move out of the school.  The crowd realized that this meant they wouldn't receive chanpas, they weren't going for it.  She then changed her tactics claiming that, "ALL families should receive Chanpas, whether they needed them or not!"  (Socialism at it's finest.)  Many people had already abused the system and were trying to abuse our desire to help as well.  We suggested that perhaps it was best if we just stepped out and let the government just deal with the problem.  At that, they all agreed that only people whom were flooded should receive the chanpa.

I don't know what will happen from here, but it seems as though we are finally going to help the families that are really in need.  Will this open the school, only time will tell.

The Chanpa Project

We have been working on this for about a week. We finally launched it last night around 11:00pm.  Check the website for all the details.  

www.thechanpaproject.com

Plans are changing

It's been a long long time since posting.  I like the idea of blogging, keeping a record of all that has happened.  In reality though, I find it very difficult to do.  Often times, the blog slips to the back of my mind and I never think about it.  Perhaps this is selfish of me.  In any case, the entries will come unexpectedly and intermittently.

The more time I spend in Nicaragua, the more I feel that I should return home.  I don't rule out the possibility of living overseas in the future.  I would just prefer to do so with a partner, hopefully a wife.  For the time being though, I think it's back to the states.  I'm not sure what to do or where to go.  I know that my job doesn't really matter.  God has given me gifts and talents, and it would be a shame not to use them.  All I know is that I want to use my gifts, talents, and opportunities to further His kingdom.

I've discovered many important things about myself.  I've discovered that I am pretty bad at communicating when not is close proximity with another.  That is not an excuse for my poor communication, only and understanding of what has happened.  The next step is to figure out how to work on it.  I haven't figured that part out yet.

I've also discovered that I always seem to be looking toward the next thing.  When will I be content with where I'm at?  Reading Proverbs 19:23 "The fear of the Lord leads to life, then one rests content, untouched by trouble."  Fear of the Lord brings a sense of being content.  Sometimes I think I know what this means, other times I'm not so sure.  The creator and master of the universe, who is, was, and ever will be.  That is certainly someone to have a healthy dose of respect for.


Further investigation reveals Philipians 4:10-13 "I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."  Being content in any and all circumstances because I know my place with Christ.  It is He who lifts me up, fills me with joy and life.  When I look at it like that, I am comforted and DO feel content.  I am content to pursue Christ, and to encourage others do the same.  My life to honor Him.  I still haven't figured out the details or which road to walk, but I know my purpose.

Last Computer Course!

Today, was the last day of our computer course in Granada. All of the kids nervously lined up at the door, waiting to present their projects to the entire class. The kids have had several days to work on final projects. Each of them created a story in Etoys, the program that we have been working with for the duration of the program.

All of the chairs were set up in a couple of rows facing the a huge TV. One by one, each of the kids walked to computer in the front of the room to present their project. A few timidly and quietly clicked through their projects. Most however, very excitedly read and shared their stories. Applause and cheers followed each presentation.

The remainder of the day, the kids were free to explore and use the computers however they chose. To wrap things up, we all shared a little bit of ice cream. When the clock read four o'clock, none of the kids were to ready to shutdown and pack up. Some of our top students asked if they could take a computer home with them. Sadly, we could fulfill their request, but this is an indication that they program was a success! We look forward to having the students from the computer course out to camp for a weekend.

Computer Course Nearing Completion

The computer course is wrapping up. Daniel and I come in every day to setup tables and chairs for the course. We are greeted eagerly by smiling faces. The kids are excited to help setup, they want to boot up the computers as soon possible.

I teach for about and hour each day. The kids learn all sorts of things, everything from basic image creation and animation to basic scripting. After the lesson, the kids have a chance to practice their new skills. They have challenges to complete to test their abilities. Some are more difficult than others, but each new challenge builds upon the last. We have a board in the classroom that tracks the completion of the challenges. One small star is awarded for the easier challenges. A large star is awarded for the super challenges. After class the students all huddle around the board to count their own stars and the stars of their friends.

The goal is for the students to eventually create their own projects using everything they have learned through the course. We have several students already adding their own creative twist to the exercises and challenges. I am excited to see how these students apply their own ideas in upcoming projects.

Lack of Posting

There is so much going on that it is easy to become distracted. I have not posted in a about a month. I will try to do so in the next couple of days, hopefully to bring my blogg up to date. Sorry about that!

First Class Success

We finally began the computer course today. It was a huge success! Mothers and kids lined the hallway, waiting anxiously for the clock to read 2pm. We opened up the doors and brought the kids in one by one, taking down all of their information. Nineteen kids sat around the plastic tables. Some excited, others a little nervous.

As I picked up one of the green little laptops eyes grew wide and smiles appeared on all the faces. Nervousness washed away and excitement built. They were quick to learn how to open and turn on the laptops. Most of today was spent building mouse skills, learning how to click, and also how to create new projects and to save them. All of the kids did quite well. By the end of the day one of the kids discovered the games on the computer, and proceeded to teach everyone else. That is exactly what we are hoping to see. Not kids playing games, but kids learning new skills and then sharing those skills with others. All in all, it was a great start to the program. We are excited to continue!

Transporte Publico

Daniel and I decided to take a trip to Managua to visit a family that we know pretty well. Not a big deal, considering we had done so many times before, but never on public transportation. We have a bus station about four blocks east of our apartment. A quick walk down the street and we found ourselves amidst all the bustle. Engines roared, people shouted, and we were quickly ushered in a sixteen passenger van. We were heading to Managua but we didn't know where we where the van would take us exactly.

On the way out of town the van made a few stops to pick up extra passengers. Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty! By the time we left Granada, the van was packed way beyond capacity. No one seemed to take note, except for the two gringos.

Once we entered the city, the skies opened up and poured. We hoped a cab across town. Five dollars for two people and about 10 miles, not a bad fare. With all the rain though, the streets turned into gushing rivers. There were times when the taxi seemed to float through the intersections. We finally splashed and floated right in to our destination.

The family that we were visiting wanted to take us to a parque bonito, beautiful park, so we headed for another bus stop. In Managua, there doesn't seem to be any way to distinguish between the buses. One could be heading to the mall, another to the market, and another straight out of the city. I asked the dad how we would know which bus was ours, but he only laugh and said that he had been living there for a long time. So, we followed along blinding, enjoying every moment of the packed bus. The fare was only two cordoba, about five cents.

The park was indeed beautiful but the rain just kept coming, so we didn't explore much at all. Everyone was soaked to the bone and the day light was fading fast in all the cloud cover. It was time to find our way home. So we hopped the next bus. To our surprise, we barely fit inside the doors. Each seat had at least two people, sometimes three, and the aisles were packed solid from front to back. At one point I felt Daniel literally pushing me over. I turned to see what was causing all the commotion. A lady in her mid forties was forcing her way down the aisle. Daniel was blocking her path, so it was quite obvious that she just had to push right on through him. She initiated a wave that traveled to the back of the bus and then returned to the front. Only after the wave did she side step Daniel, push through me, and shove her way through the rest of the crowd. Our stop arrived soon after. When in Nicaragua... The pushing ensued, and we exited the bus.

The final leg of our journey was back on the microbus. The number of passengers quickly blew our previous record of twenty completely away. Grand total, sitting and standing and hanging out the windows, checked in at 31 one passengers. Thirty-one! We all got to know one another very well.

Final thoughts on public transportation: Cheap and slow, but if you have the time, a really fun way to travel. I look forward to future endeavors.

Lesson Planning

The laptops are finally ready to go! If we work out all the details, Daniel and I will begin teaching our course next week. The days are not yet finalized, probably four classes a week, each class about 2 hours long. I think it will take somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes to teach each new lesson. We will then give the kids several challenges to work on. Once complete, they will have a chance to create some of their own projects.

That is the frame work, but today we will be doing some serious lesson planning. And so we are walking out the door to enjoy the liberty of the Euro Café.

Little Green Monsters

For the past week, Daniel Whitney and I have been working on the XO's, as they are called. Little green computers designed to withstand the harshest of conditions. Feel free to check out the website if you would like more info. Our current goal is to wipe them clean and install the latest operating systems. It is quite a chore. I have had to learn an enormous amount of technical info about these particular systems and the way they work. Little surprises around every turn! After a few days of intense heat and several setbacks, we are almost prepared to teach a computer course. We are trying to combat helplessness with this course. The idea is to show the kids that they don't have to work out in the cane fields or pick coffee to earn a living. We are giving the kids a chance to see that they can develop a new set of skills. The only problem now is that we do not have any children or schools lined up. Such is life in Nicaragua!

Granada!

We have a pretty sweet apartment here in Granada. It is our base for the computer course that we will be teaching. It is the only house on the entire block that has a heavily gated porch. Three locks on the front door, bars on every window, even the courtyard has bars, keeping us locked away from the outside world. Despite all of the security, it is a pretty neat place. I would say that this one of the nicest apartments that I have had in a couple of years.

We also rented bikes for the duration of our stay in Granada. Not of the motor variety, that I would have preferred, but nice enough. Only six speeds, and some brakes that by design do not work. But they make our treks across town virtually painless. Although, I don't think official bike hand signals mean anything to the casual Nicaraguan driver.

Graduation

Graduation was last night. I have been teacher at Chop Point for the same duration that these seniors have been in high school. It was a whole lot of sweet with a touch of bitter. I'm going to miss them. I'm going to miss all of the students and staff. I'm leaving a part of me behind. As I'm wrapping up this chapter of my life, I find myself to be quite reflective. I apologize for being a bit emo. I am seeing how I have an impact on so many of these kids. My presence here has certainly been blessed by God. I know that He has led me here at the right time, if only for a season. And He is now moving me on. I'm glad for my time here. I'm glad for the intertwining of lives. Above all I'm glad that I can remember Chop Point as a place full of love and joy.

Blog Setup

I've finally decided to start blogging! This is the first one of many. Here you can track my journey through this wonderful adventure we call life.