First Day in Guadalupe
February 24, 2008
The Mission Team at the CEPAD Nehamias Center.
Refreshed and rejuvenated after a good night’s sleep at CEPAD in Managua, our team journeyed to Guadalupe this morning, arriving shortly after noon. We are joined by three CEPAD coordinators: Harold and Carolina, who are native Nicaraguans, and Kayon, who is from Philadelphia and is spending a year in Nicaragua with CEPAD before going back to the states to pursue a master’s degree in public administration with an emphasis in international development. We are fortunate to be traveling with this worthy team, all of whom speak Spanish. Carolina especially is a tremendous translator with very little accent and a brilliant command of English slang.
A boy in Guadalupe on the first night when we meet with the village leaders. He was very shy, but very curious when I showed him his photo.
The Nicaraguan countryside is exceptionally beautiful. The country is a study in contrast: the rolling mountains are dotted with colorful foliage and bright blooms of various plants. Just as colorful, but not nearly as beautiful, is the trash that lines the roadsides and neighborhoods. Seeing the natural beauty scarred by the refuse is saddening and illustrates the widespread poverty countrywide. We are told there are trucks which collect trash in Managua, but it’s apparent there is little public or governmental waste removal or beautification there, and even less as you travel outside of the city.
Young girls stand in the doorway of the church watching the community elders introduce themselves to us. They too are very curious about us. And Sue poses with the girls.
At a rest stop halfway to Guadalupe, we draw curious stares – 14 gringos de-boarding a big van, accompanied by a truck with dozens of enormous bags! A small boy, recognizing the affluence we represent, follows several of us, shouting, “Dinero! Dinero?” And then lifting up his shirt he points at his tummy, “Por comida!” (For food.) Someone tells him that we don’t speak Spanish, to which he responds, enthusiastically, “One dollar!! One dollar!!”
In Guadalupe, we arrive at CEPAD’s “farm,” the facility where our whole group will stay. This is different from previous years, when the women slept in the church and the men in the community center. Though we are several miles removed from the actual village, from what I can tell, these accommodations are superior to previous years’. We all have actual cots, the latrines are bearable, and there is a makeshift shower with more privacy than previous teams enjoyed. Lance, MacGyver that he is, has even brought along a shower head and hosing system which we think will attach to an existing spigot, providing us with more of a true shower than has been available before. We are welcomed here with a lunch of rice, shredded beef, salad and fried plantains.
This afternoon we drive in to the center of the village to meet with the community leaders and discuss our projects for the week. We meet members of CEPAD’s “committee,” a group which helps coordinate CEPAD’s efforts. New this year is a different committee, one organized by the government agency, the CPC, which may stand Community Progress Committee, or something close to that. The new Nicaraguan government, elected about a year ago, has established the CPC to help communities organize themselves and implement economic development and improvement projects locally. Representatives from each of these groups introduce themselves and welcome us to Nicaragua. They share their concerns and ideas for our visit, which help us plan our projects. Tomorrow, we will see two groups of villagers and conduct a class on good health habits; things like how to brush your teeth, wash your hands correctly, etc. To each of these families – about 100 per day – we’ll distribute home health packets with the kinds of things most of us have in our medicine cabinets: Tylenol, vitamins, antacids, etc.
Lance, Carla and Linda help fill small baggies with medicines to put into the home health kit packets.
The committees will then work with truly sick villagers to create a queue to see the medical team. This process ensures that we can help the people who just want the basic care items, while also making sure the people who really need a doctor see one. A small crowd gathers to watch our interaction with the committees, many of them children. The kids are shy but inquisitive, peeking in and out of windows and around doorways. They realize we are taking their photos, and are excited to see their faces on our digital camera frames. Sue, who speaks Spanish, jokes with them as she takes all of their photos, first as a group, and then, one by one as they excitedly shout, “Yo!” Debbie has brought along a soccer ball and interests two boys in kicking it back and forth – they are thrilled and can’t hide their enthusiasm.
This evening, we are assembling the 400 home health packets, breaking down the dozens of boxes and bottles of pills and vitamins we’ve carried from Kansas City. Nancy is in charge of this process and runs a tight ship! The process is very organized. In fact, I’ve been asked twice now how much longer I might be on the computer, as she wants me helping with the hard work!! Just two more minutes, Nancy!
Our team’s energy level and enthusiasm are high as we come to the end of this second day. I am still struck by the surreal nature of it all. I feel as if I’ve been dropped into a movie set. Much of this is like nothing I’ve ever seen. Yesterday, when we talked with Dr. Pajaron, the founder of CEPAD, he said that despite the poverty, the people of Nicaragua are hopeful about the future. I am hopeful that while we are here, we can help continue to inspire that hope. PS: Carol wants to assure George that she was able to blow up her mattress!
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