A drive to Matiguas

Nahum ... on the deck ... ready to phone his father

Gener helps me find geckos to photograph. He's wearing a ponytail so his hair will stand up taller when it's dry. He's a funny guy.

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In Nicaragua, every citizen must have a Cedula (much akin to a national ID card) in order to open a bank account, get a job, attend university, etc. And so it is that Nahum and Gener need Cedulas for their future - including their future to enter the military. They will take an entrance exam in October, but are not able to take the test without a Cedula.
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To get a Cedula, you must present your birth certificate. Both of their birth certificates are rife with mistakes and misspellings (oh so Nicaragua!) ... so many mistakes, in fact, that we had to go to an attorney to get four documents prepared that request changes that will (hopefully) allow their birth certificates to be re-done. Besides their own names typed wrong, their father's name was wrong AND their mother's name was different on each certificate (and incorrect on both). Since their mother is dead, we hope and pray the 'county registrar' can find her death certificate to prove her name, and hope further it was typed correctly at her death so the boys' certificates will have her actual name on them. A small detail, but since we're making corrections we'd like her name to be correct also.

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And so it is that we will drive to Matiguas tomorrow morning EARLY in order to present these documents to the "Registrar." Matiguas is about 3-1/2 to 4 hour drive (North and East) of Managua.
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Tomorrow will be interesting as we see a part of Nicaragua we've not seen yet. Hopefully the trip will be successful for the boys' sake too. Hmmmm...

Costa Rica - "Pura Vida"

Close-up of hand-pained oxcart wheel in Sarchi, Costa Rica (artisan town)

Vilena, Carlos and John in Zarcero, Costa Rica

Every space of land is planted with something edible

We recently drove the Pan American Highway to Costa Rica with our friends Carlos and Vilena … who needed paperwork to become “residents” of Nicaragua. As the new directors of Casa Bernabe, ‘residency’ here is required. For us, the trip afforded an opportunity to see Costa Rica from the ground and see how it differs from Nicaragua. There is more industry, more wealth, and with regards to viewing the land … every spare parcel seems planted with coffee – or bananas – or another crop. We saw farms and we saw small crops planted in between large indigenous trees in order to use space wisely. It all looked very much like a living green quilt.

For three days, we visited our old friend, Maikol, and shared his birthday … cake and ice cream (for dinner)! In July, he will come for two months to help Carlos and Vilena at Casa Bernabe. We also met new friends, Rodrigo and Idee, who opened their home to us – housed and fed us – and told us why we should live in Costa Rica rather than any other place. They even arranged for a tour of a new house across the street to tempt us!

Holly and Melissa stayed home and ‘babysat’ Nahum and Gener (and Louie) … and enjoyed the freedom of a big house and ‘no particular schedule.’ After living at Casa Bernabe for 2-3 months, they’re still reveling in being able to eat whatever they want, whenever they want. Four jars of peanut butter later (hahahaha no kidding - we opened a fifth one last night…) The ‘current thing’ is to spread PB on the whole bananas and on oatmeal cookies, and call it health food. It’s a pleasure to open our home to North Americans and model hospitality and our weird idiosyncracies to Nahum and Gener.

In October, Nahum and Gener will test to enter the military. Gener is totally focused on being a pilot, so much so that though he is taking accounting and doing well, he deems accounting only as a backup plan. Nahum also wants to test into the military, but we’re not sure what he wants to do. It is only months now until they ‘fly the coop.’ Unbelieveable! It’s a year and a half later with a half year to go. Time waits for no man FOR SURE.

In the time that is left here in Nicaragua, we remain dedicated to continue Manantial, and also help other ministries. One day a week we help Carlos and Vilena at the orphanage/school/farm. Also, I have volunteered at a “home” for 60+ prostitutes who are getting ‘out of the trade.’ Some were sold into it – others have equally awful stories. The ministry is ‘Casa Esperanza,’ and is managed and run by April Havlin. To help support this ‘Casa,’ the ladies make greeting cards and now earrings to sell to teams who visit. Some of their crafts are also shipped to the United States for sale. In addition to the 60 residents, an additional 100+ ladies arrive by bus once a week to make the cards and earrings. Holly and Melissa go with me to help communicate and encourage the ladies as they make earrings.

Sometimes John and I look at each other, totally amazed that we’re in Nicaragua (to begin with) and that we’ve traveled a road we never dreamed of traveling. Thank you for your help – for your prayers – for your support of every kind. You are an integral part of the Plan we’re walking.