Happy Birthday Ella


Just returned home from delivering a birthday cake to Laguna Apoyo.  Outside my job description I know, but these things come up from time to time.

A student group from Derby High, UK, has been painting the school at Pablo Antonio Cuadra.  At the end of a week of hot hard work, they were spending today cooling off at the Laguna.  Today was Ella’s 17th birthday and as a surprise for her, her friends arranged a birthday cake which I offered to pick up and deliver for them.  A vividly colored work of art with ‘Felicidades Ella’ in bright pink.  (The local bakery may have thought it a little strange to be inscribing the cake with what literally translates as ‘congratulations she’.)

I had three bonuses from the trip.  That of helping a young lady, far from home, feel special on her birthday. (in later years she is going to forget the homesickness, and just love telling people she spent her 17th swimming in a volcanic crater lake in Nicaragua).

I had the joy of watching Nico swim for his ball in the Laguna – no effort at all as there are always local children wanting to do the throwing for him.  With his tail wagging as doggedly paddles back, ball in mouth, it is treat to see.

And while driving down to the lake, in a green archway formed by the trees, a guardabarranco  flitted across in front of me. (Guardabarrancos are Nicaragua’s brilliant national bird)  In the dappled sunlight it was like a cascade of glittering colored gems fluttering past. 

What a blessing to count the treasures of an ordinary day volunteering. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Power of Technology: Computers in the Centers

Image
Over the years, La Esperanza Granada has endeavored to provide children living in the barrios of Granda with access to computers and tablets. Now, we are pleased to announce that a recent donation means that we have been able to purchase a collection of tablets for our Learning Centers, allowing the children greater opportunities to gain experience of such technology. For the children at our Learning Centers, tablets provide an interesting new way to progress their studies. The educational games available on the tablets turn learning into an exciting challenge where problem-solving skills and creativity are tested to the limit. It is wonderful to see the children thrive whilst using the tablets, some focusing on tasks with looks of intense concentration, others working through a game collaboratively, chatting with smiles and laughter. Furthermore, by allowing access to tablets, we are able to offer the children at our Learning Centers more than an interesting new way
Read more

Project brings water to Nueva Esperanza

Image
This month, La Esperanza had the pleasure of partnering with Canadian technology company iQmetrix for an intensive, four day water project in the community of Nueva Esperanza, Granada. Among a total of 200 employees sent to Nicaragua, iQmetrix provided 93 people for a week-long project laying water pipes directly to 200 homes – an unprecedented undertaking in the community. Previously, family members (often young children) had to fill heavy buckets of water at the outlet nearest their house, which was usually a tap at the end of their street, and carry them home. Despite being hit by a huge difference in climate between Canada and Granada – for some, a climb of up to 60 degrees Celsius – the “iQers” arrived on Monday morning enthusiastic and ready to get to work digging trenches in the hot sun. The group worked in 8 teams, with each team coordinated by a La Esperanza volunteer and an ayudante. During the project, iQers were able to interact and work alongside community member
Read more

Why we left the classrooms: by Pauline

Image
One of the hazards of being here and involved in all that is happening is the tendency to forget that not everybody knows, and how important it is to effectively communicate what is going on to our supporters.  I guess there have been bits and pieces in the newsletter, but not a full explanation, and especially not sufficient for someone like yourself who is out there gathering more supporters for La Esperanza Granada.  So I will try and explain in a concise fashion, and hopefully this will help both update your 'spiel' and offer answers to any questions that anyone may have. Our move to the learning centers from the primary schools was planned, however it progressed more rapidly than we had expected as we had groups who came and built our third and fourth centers.  The first small center in fact we were running for a couple of years, and had taken it over from another group called Amped who were unable to continue.  We later, through Amped, received the funding to bui
Read more