IN THE MANNA HOUSE
Session 1 summer volunteers are here! They arrived on May 12 and will leave next Monday. The house is full of energy… definitely busting at the seams with 20 people! Photo: Summer volunteers at Laguna de Tiscapa.
We lost two PDs in April and May: Josh and Kyle. Josh is working with a camp in Wisconsin. Kyle is back to the books at Virginia Tech. We miss them.
MPI has new t-shirts! Take a look! Light blue and black. Photo: Our sexy summer volunteers model t-shirts.
The Manna house has a new gardener: Angél. And he is an angel. Today we heard shouting from the backyard. I thought it was a neighbor. Turns out it was Angél. The summer volunteers accidentally let the dogs out, and Angél had to run to the pool shower and slam the door to escape them. Hilarious. Poor man.
Vanderbilt Visage is here. This group of eight girls is associated with a series of Vandy classes. They have almost completed their month here and have been working with preschool, at the Land, and in Chureca with Juntos Contigo. They have been living away from the house, led by old PD Jen Foster.
Erin and Geoff, PDs from last year, both came to see us during their spring breaks from med school. Photo: Geoff and Josh put shoes on the dogs.
PROGRAM NEWS
The Manna girls hosted a Mother’s Day brunch on Monday morning. Almost fifty women attended to play people bingo, eat lots of cake, and fight over raffle prizes! Amira got peed on.
Last week, the summer volunteers organized a Birthday Party to celebrate… everyone. Each child that came got a cupcake, we sang Happy Birthday, and there was piñata chaos for all! Almost 100 people came. Who knew that moms are so competitve when it comes to candy?! Photo: Emilito (Olga's son) and his cousin Jose Domingo play during the fiesta.
The girls’ soccer teams from Cedro Galan and Chureca played against one another last weekend, this time at the Augusts’ land. Cedro won! And thankfully there were no fights…
The Chureca English class went to Hertylandia the first week of May as a reward for good attendance and hard work.
The men’s soccer team has been full of ups and downs over the past months. They’ve finally joined a league and gotten uniforms, although PDs Josh and Michael are learning daily how to handle punk Nicaraguan guys…
We took the Child Sponsorship mothers and children to Lake Xiloá a few weeks ago. The families loaded into two huge school buses and played in the lake all morning on Saturday. We provided bag lunches and lifeguards (aka summer volunteers). Photo: Christina and Ana Yuri play in the water.
CEDRO GALÁN & CHIQUILISTAGUA
Evelin (mother of twins Rachel and Marieli) is in the process of moving her family to a home in the center of Managua. Her mother passed away in April. Evelin continues to be in the microfinance program.
The store owned by Juana, Adriana, and family is booming! Its new name is “Mi Comarca.” The girls threw a Mother’s Day Raffle Party on Saturday for all dedicated customers.
Eduardo and Cristian (Eduardo and Elena’s kids) are back in programs! Both are eager (and loud and bossy!) literacy and math students. Elena is growing rounder by the day… She’s having a boy! Photo: Cristian and summer volunteer Patricia hang out outside Farito.
In Kathy August’s 3-week absence last month, Jessenia was in charge of Comedor. Despite occasional tiffs involving Gregoria (the permanent Comedor door monitor), Jessenia ruled the roost and sang “Gracias Señor” almost as well as Kathy.
Elena has a boyfriend! His name is Giovanni. Photo: Elena and PD Maddie.
Axel and Jolis (two of Lidia’s sons) have been living in their uncle’s house outside of Cedro. We miss seeing their little dirty faces! Photo: Jolis
Christina was asked to be the confirmation sponsor for Enrique Trejos, a 15-year-old boy who lives along the carretera at km. 13.5. The ceremony happened on Sunday afternoon.
Karen Bustos, also a member of the 13.5 community, has begun attending English class in La Chureca. She was unable to continue regular beginner’s English in Cedro due to starting university… so she switched to mornings in Chureca and has formed really cool friendships with some of the girls there.
NicAyuda is still going strong!… continuing to raise funding and invest in a couple of Managua’s underserved preschools. Norman and gang recently held a training session for preschool parents at the Augusts’ land. PDs transported the adults to the land. NicAyuda brought in a psychologist to discuss child behavior and the importance of a child-parent-teacher partnership.
AT THE LAND
All concrete has been laid in the huge covered basketball court on the Augusts’ land. It’s almost ready for use… just in time for the rainy season. Photo: Halle August and those strong boy PDs spread cement.
Additionally, the ranchon has a new (taller!) roof. Hopefully we won’t get rained on in women’s exercise now!
IN NICARAGUA
There are new córdoba bills! And new controversy (of course). Check it out:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1900518,00.html.
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