July News from Nicaragua
Life is almost back to normal for me here in Nicaragua. I arrived home on July 3rd and felt like I had been gone for a year rather than three months. Although it was very difficult being at Rivka’s in San Juan Capistrano with Cole gone I am so happy that I had the flexibility to be there. The Bents have some marvelous friends who care a great deal about them. They were very kind and helpful to me too when Rivka, Brian and Esther were gone. I am grateful for all the blessings given to me.
The couple that stayed at my little house in Limón Dos while I was gone took care of the major problems for me, like leaks in the ceiling in several places. Yes, the rainy season finally began and I heard that there were some pretty heavy storms before I arrived. It has rained almost daily for a very short time since I’ve returned but I haven’t encountered any impassible rivers as yet. I haven’t ventured out very much either. I made a Rivas run yesterday but went along with some Rancho Santana friends.
Not much has changed here in the compound except that the bread making cooperative is sold out by afternoon everyday. I have learned to buy my fresh pan dulce before 3:00 pm. They don’t begin making the bread until about 10:00 am.
Some things don’t change though. The pigs are still trying to take over the front yard and there are two hens with chicks that make the rounds of my little yard many times during the day. The little chocoyos (parakeets) have diminished in number since I was away. One of the babies that never was healthy died, two flew on their own and the remaining six are still making a racket and terrorizing the leaves on the small bushes nearby. Dón Juan has built a cage of flotsam and jetsom. It is large, quite efficient and hysterical too. Brian Bent would appreciate the ingenuity and get along well with Dón Juan. This compound seems to be growing in number of people living here. There are at least five people I hadn’t seen before who are now here everyday and appear to be living here.
It is taking me longer to get into gear as I find excuses for being productive at every turn. One of my recent distractions is that the pharmacy student that I had been helping financially through school was eliminated from her work at the Clinic here. I haven’t needed to give her money since March because she was a paid intern while attending school. After writing to the Executive Director of the Clinic to find out why the job elimination, I was told that the labor laws require that interns only can work three months.
It is now thundering so I expect we will have some rain tonight and that is fine with me. Maybe the wells will all be filled to capacity again and I won’t have to worry whether or not to take my cold shower before I flush the toilet or wash the dishes.
Third World mentality is sometimes frustrating. The compound community pili faucet—outdoor sink—where they wash the babies, clothes, dishes, and anything else that requires more than 1 cup of water, leaks gallons of water hourly on to the ground and no one gets the clue that by fixing the faucet leak water will be saved. Maybe I’ll suggest that I fix the leak since I brought all my tools—except my electric drill—with me on this trip.
There are so many good things about this country that I love; I think I must have been an Inca in past lives. People, although lacking knowledge and incentive to change, are still the most friendly, positive, and helpful individuals.
I am including a couple of websites of places that are owned by my friends and whom I have visited on many occasions.
HYPERLINK “http://www.equilibrionicaragua.com”
http://www.equilibrionicaragua.com
HYPERLINK “http://www.aprendernicaragua.com”
http://www.aprendernicaragua.com
HYPERLINK “http://www.surfresortnicaragua.com”
http://www.surfresortnicaragua.com
This Soma couple are from the Bay Area. I met them at the Clinic on my very first trip eight years ago when they first came down here.
Once again, I appreciate all of you my good family and friends in the USA, who support me emotionally and are willing to stay in touch. Take care of yourselves.
Solo el amor prevalence.
The bird cage
Margie Fincham in Nicaragua 