One of our tasks here is to document and preserve the local Chacrasecan history. A lot of dramatic history has happened here the last 60 years and very little if any preservation of their stories. Ed and his team have worked diligently interviewing some of the elders of the community. It has been very enlightening and sometimes heartbreaking. The people are very brave and I certainly can liken them to my European and Native American ancestors. Life is very difficult here. There is a lot history of corruption in the government and oppression of the people. If that wasn't enough they had hurricane Mitch to deal with in 1998. Although it demolished the entire nation, Chacraseca bore the brunt. Several thousand were killed across the nation and no one knows how many were killed locally. There is no infrastructure in place to deal with a catastrophic event such as a hurricane. We saw today a large ditch across a road that had previously been flat. It was quite shocking.

We also interviewed a gentleman with two Ph.Ds in Leon who has invented a most remarkable cookstove. The stoves (if you are lucky enough to own one) were extremely physically damaging to the respiratory system. Respiratory problems are very common here. Dry, dry dust blows nearly all the time and the land is poisoned with chemicals. Even while here, when I cough or breathe deeply I can hear wheezing. Anyway, the stoves use 10% of the wood previously used. In addition, you can stand to use it and not bend over...think about it...it is restoring their dignity. This part made me weepy. Particularly, the women of the region have been oppressed and poverty comes with its own indignities. Now, they can stand to cut and chop their food, make tortillas and cook their food. The stoves covered with ceramic tiles that stay cool as well.

Another problem I learned of yesterday...as the community decide who gets new cookstoves...(yes, this is a community undertaking)...it has to be considered...will the receiving family even have food to cook in it...YES, you read it right...will it be worthwhile to provide one...sad but true.  They are not given free. The family is expected to provide labor, a certain number of sand and glass bottles, etc. We visit an area where several people had the stoves. They were what I referred to as "the fun people." They laughed and joked. We had a great time there. We even met a gentleman who cooked on the cookstove as well! That is quite a novelty in this culture.

Another couple of things we observed there...a Singer sewing mating from the turn of the last century...you may remember...the peddle! machine!! The lady used is regularly and had on a skirt that she had made with it! We were all quite shocked. Singer needs to know about it we believe!

Another thing we saw on her property was a poinsettia tree! It was huge and quite shocking. We didn't know poinsettias grew as a tree! Very beautiful and I got a picture.

All for now. I see God moving all over this community and in me, as well. Praise His Holy Name.

Hola amigos, we have internet problems most of the time so it is difficult for me to write daily as I wish I could. Today is the hottest day and we are sweltering. The other days we had cloud cover and that helped tremendously.

New Years Eve was the most fun I ever had on New Years Eve. Many of you may have read Ed's post, but in Nicaragua nearly each family makes a scarecrow type character. They fill it with fireworks and hay. At midnight they set it on fire and you can imagine the noise! It is deafening! The fireworks shoot out in all directions and we were running and ducking for cover. Music is playing all over the city of Leon, where we were. It was a wonderful time of celebration. Everyone is very friendly. I hope we get to return every New Years Eve! Really, really enjoyed it!

We have gone out to the sectors of Chacraseca where we are staying. There are 11. We will not visit all of them. We have been documenting some of the older people of the community to get their stories of revolution, freedom, hurricane Mitch. I hope to write extensively about each, BUT I've just been informed it is lunchtime....

I will try to get back later.

Many blessings to all...hasta pronto!

New Years Eve was quite the cultural experience. Families all celebrate together outside. It is a great celebration. They make a life-sized scarecrow (el viego - translated means the old man, stuff it with hay and FIREWORKS! At midnight he is set no fire and it is dramatic! As he burns, the fireworks explode and are literally chasing you. El viego is EVERYWHERE! The city (Leon) is alight with fireworks and fire. It was thrilling, and Ed and I believe it was the best New Years Eve we ever celebrated. It will be worth the trip to return next year! Another tradition they have is the Big Beautiful Lady. Here is a picture of her. Against the building she is approximately 30' tall. The dancing lady was about 10' feet tall and dancing in the square.

Today was very busy. We had great breakfast and lunch in Chacraseca.

Today we visited several micro-credit loan ladies. They seemed very poor and again, very grateful, as all do in this culture...soooo different than back home. Two of the ladies raised yuca (JEW-kah), the other lady pigs. Pigs are a lucrative business here.

Another interesting sight we saw today were children rummaging through the fallow and raped land of the peanut farms. They go through them to pick up whatever they can to sell. It is very sad.

The last thing we did today was deliver three wheelchairs to very old people who needed them. One of the ladies was 84 and another 72 (she looked 85). The other went to a gentleman. They were all so thankful it was hard not to cry. The 84-year-old lady appeared to have something terribly wrong with her leg or hip. She tried not to cry but was in terrible pain. Leslie is making arrangements to have her X-rayed tomorrow and then go from there. I have seen such compassion as I rarely see.

GREETINGS from Nicaragua! We got here uneventfully! YAY! It was a good trip. I'll upload some photos as soon as I can figure it out!

Arrival in Nicaragua

The Casa de Paz where we stay, is approximately 1 1/2 hours from the airport in Managua. One of the ladies with us has been to France,  England and Scotland and said, "This is nothing like those!" Welcome to the third World! It is very chaotic and hectic at the airport. Made it though customs and immigration without a hitch. Ed's Spanish is sensational as well!

On our way to the Casa de Paz we stopped off for fried chicken, as we were all famished! It was wonderful! French fries and roll too. This vegan loved it!

Once we arrived, they Commite Pastorale met us. I was quite humbled, as it was a hardship for them to be here, but they wanted to welcome us to their community. They are a wonderful bunch. I'll be publishing a picture of them, as well. Wonderful people.

Commite Pastorale

We met up with our friends from Kansas City. It was great seeing them again! We then had sort of an orientation about what we will be accomplishing this week. It was all good. Looking forward to the week.

Tonight at 10 PM we are all piling into a van and heading to Leon for the New Year's festivities. Really looking forward to that, if I'm still awake! Took a short nap and hope that is sufficient. I've been up since 3 AM but had a few catnaps on the planes.

All for now. Tomorrow I will have a lot to say. We believe we are going to meet the poorest family we have ever met again! We hope so. Really admired them. I'll write about that as soon as I know.

Ed & Vicki's Excellent Adventure Continues...

Sunset on the Pacific!

Our last 1/2-nights worth of sleep! We are very excited about our next adventure in Nicaragua. The picture on the left is the sunset on Ponaloya Beach last January when we were there. Looking forward to experiencing that once again. It was a dream. There were millions (literally) of tiny sea shells that rolled up onto the beach...and then out again. We collected a bag full! The ocean was very warm. Good night, Friends. Next post from Nicaragua...

The Catholic Church at Chacraseca

December 29, 2013

We are just over 24 hours before beginning our journey back to Chacraseca, Nicaragua, the farming community we have grown to love. On this trip, three TCC students will be accompanying Ed, one to learn and write about micro-credit loans to women, and the other two to film and document this and visit two media outlets in Leon, Nicaragua. I'm the chaperon/"helper." This will be my third trip this year. This will be Ed's fourth trip in the last 1 1/2 years.

I feel somewhat that our journey has already begun, as we have spent the last two days repacking and repacking down to the infamous 50 pounds United requires. Leslie Penrose, the founder of JustHope, has said many times that this is an opportunity to see what we can live without! Ed thinks I can live without my fan...you'd think he had never traveled with a woman over 50!...my fan is in my suitcase...his is on the futon.

JustHope is the relief organization that TCC and Ed and I partner with to Chacraseca. They have been doing relief work there for at least 15 years, working with the 8,000 people of that community to help them become sustainable. JustHope helps the women of the community with micro-credit loans ranging from $50 to $250, making loans for pig farms (this is a thriving business!), jewelry-making, seed-farming, etc. There is also a group of ladies who were trained and sat up in business sewing. They are Stitching Hope and they make stoles for churches, purses, beautiful painted silk scarves, etc. JustHope also sponsors scholarship programs each year to send four to five young adults to college in Leon. JustHope has built cisterns for water, installed pumps to get it out, and helped families by building them concrete homes to get them out of plastic ones. They have accomplished so much in all these years, it is astounding. I feel very blessed to be apart of that organization helping out in anyway I can.