a year of happy

day to day life in nicaragua: part 2--off the beaten path

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(Note: click on these photos
to see them close-up.
It's a much better view.
And remember--
moving bus equals blurry photos!)
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The rural life in Nicaragua
revealed another amazing side
of this beautiful country.

Look at the oxen
right next to the children playing.
There are so many signs
of family life in this photo.
What a story.






You can always tell
where someone lives
because you can see a line of laundry
hanging in the yard,
even if you can't see the house,
or you think it looks uninhabited.





Nicaragua is lush and green,
with some beautiful landscapes.








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Animals are used for work--
and you never know
when or where you'll run into 
a horse, or a cow, or even an ox.








This herd of cows was right
to the side of the road--
I could have reached out
the bus window and touched them!





One thing we noticed
is how very skinny the animals are.
We learned that one reason is because,
although there is plenty of grass,
it grows so fast it has very few nutrients.








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Fruit is plentiful--and delicious!
Check out this roadside store.
My favorite fruit was the white pineapple.
It was so sweet and juicy.





We also picked our own mangoes,
and ate them standing
right underneath the tree!





Beautiful Nicaragua.
I like the countryside the best.






Check back Friday   
for Part 3 of my series,
Day to Day Life in Nicaragua:
City Streets.

Read more:
Getting Around in Nicaragua
and
Part 1: Women at Work

day to day life in nicaragua: part 1--women at work

I watched with fascination
out the window of our bus
to see the normal
day to day living
of the people in Nicaragua.



I loved seeing the women
carrying their heavy loads
on their heads or shoulders.
Pretty amazing if you ask me.
I know I couldn't do it!









And it seems like the women
are constantly sweeping.





Sweeping the sidewalks
in front of their humble homes,
working to keep their
little corners of the world
clean and bright.






 


 
We even spotted
a broom salesman.
I'll bet he stays busy!







And have you noticed
the women's aprons?
Not everyone wears an apron,
but a lot of them do.
And some are so frilly
and pretty, like this one!

Another thing I noticed
while we were in Nicaragua
was the beautiful colors
they paint their homes.
Even the most humble of buildings
are painted bright, vivid colors.

 
These are the kinds of things
I love to watch for when I travel.
The sights and sounds of everyday life.

Come back tomorrow for part 2!

getting around in nicaragua

It was fascinating
to see all the different ways
that people in Nicaragua
use to get around.

You see horse drawn carts
right next to motorcycles
and buses and pick-up trucks.

There is a lot of poverty.
One local told me that
about 70 percent
of the people do not own a car.

There are lots of colorful buses
that were once U.S. school buses.

They are often jam-packed full of people,
and it's not unusual to see
someone riding on the outside,
clinging to the ladder on the back
or standing in the open doorway.














There are a lot of taxis of all kinds,
including this three-wheeled variety....





and the taxi
pulled by a horse!





This bad shot
through the bus window
gives you a look at the front
of the three-wheelers!





And how about these forms
of mass transportation.

You see huge groups of people
traveling like this all the time.





There are apparently
no laws against
riding in the back of a pick-up!

But this group wins the prize....
it is by far
the largest we saw
in the back of a truck!





Central America can be a
dangerous place to visit.

The group we travel with
goes to great lengths
to keep us safe.

But there have been many incidents
of violence in recent days,
so we were asked
to stay with the group at all times
and only go where our bus takes us.
That meant that we couldn't do
any wandering around alone
looking for the perfect photo-op!

So most of my photos of the city
and the countryside
are taken from the window
of our moving bus.
You'll see a lot of blur,
a fair amount of window glare,
and often the Nicaraguan flag
that sat on the dash of the bus!

But I decided to take my chances.
These photos are definitely not art,
but they will be wonderful memories!











 





  

a photo that needs no words

I'm back!
We spent the last ten days
on a humanitarian expedition
in Managua, Nicaragua.

What an experience!
I almost don't have words.
But over the next few days,
I hope I can find the words
to tell you some of the things
we saw, and felt, and experienced.

I've got to wade through
all the photos I took.
That could take awhile...
I went a little crazy!

So many of my pictures
had to be taken
from the window of a moving bus.
But hopefully even though
they aren't spectacular,
they will tell our story.

We served with a group
on a medical/dental mission.
Because of confidentiality reasons,
I won't be able to share
that aspect of the trip.

But I will be able to
share a few stories
and photos of the country
and the people there.
Here's one that needs no words.





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On another note,
my friend Wendi shared a video
on her blog today
that really touched my heart.

So I decided to pass it on.
I hope you feel it too.

It's about Stephanie Nielson,
who writes a blog called
the NieNie Dialogues.
You may have heard of her.

She is amazing and beautiful
and I wish I could be
more like her in so many ways.

Here's her story:

(If you can't see the full screen,
click here for a popout window.)

what it's all about

What would you consider
a necessity
in your kitchen?

The fridge?
The microwave?

How about the
dishwasher?

After our trip
to Central America,
even running water
seems like a luxury.

We visited the homes
of some sweet people
who are in great need.

Here's where
they get their
water....

and this is their
faucet
and sink.

___________________________

I have struggled
since I came home
getting it all
in perspective.

Why am I
blessed
with so much?

Do I have
too much?

Am I grateful enough?

What should
I do about it?

I can't say
that I've figured
it out.
I'm still struggling.

But a friend who is
serving an LDS mission
in a poverty-stricken area
wrote this, and it helps:

"Serving in this mission,
we have seen people live without.
Without electricity,
running water,
plumbing,
an assortment of
food, cars, and jobs.

"We've wondered aloud,
why we have been
blessed with so much back home?

"Should we feel guilty
for the excess
we have always taken
for granted?

"We don't have the answers...
but we believe we should
enjoy what we have been
blessed with,
share it,
and thank
Heavenly Father
for all that we have
been given."

_______________________


I wrote this post last year,
after our trip to Guatemala.
Since then, we went to El Salvador
on another humanitarian trip.
The same questions filled my mind
as we served and worked with
those wonderful people.

One early morning,
I woke up with these words
ringing in my head,
"You are so blessed
so you can give."

You are so blessed
so you can give.
It makes sense, doesn't it?

I have been given so much,
so I can share it with others.

Not just so I can have more.

It's good to step out
of your comfort zone
once in awhile
to learn life's lessons
that really can change everything.

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el salvador at dawn

As I told you here,
we went to El Salvador
last November
on a humanitarian services trip.

After a week
of really long working days,
we were given
a day of rest and
recuperation
at a beach-side resort.

On our last morning,
our 17-year-old son "A"
got up early, 
and with his little
Coolpix camera,
went for
a nature walk.

I wish I would have
gone with him.
(I, ever-efficient,
was scrambling
to try to fit
everything
in our luggage
to go back to the States.)

In those few
calm peaceful moments,
he was the only one
on the beach.

And this is what he saw.

All of these photos
are straight out of
his Coolpix camera.

I think he did a
really great job, don't you?

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You can read more
about a few of our adventures
in Guatemala and El Salvador
by clicking on these links.


airborn

earthquakes and volcanoes

necessities or luxuries

monkey business

my brother's keeper

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LIFE CHANGING MOMENT #4...

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As a Christian,
I've made covenants
to be my brother's keeper.

But it was on a trip
to Central America last year 
that I think I really began
to understand
what that might mean.

'D' and 'A' and I
joined a medical group last year on a
humanitarian service expedition
to Guatemala,
and then later to El Salvador.

We worked long, long days
treating patients
who did not have the means
to have these treatments
done on their own.

We treated patients
who had never
seen a doctor or dentist
in their lives.

We saw poverty and need
like I've never seen it before.

We met people who have nothing.
They do without cars,
and carpet, and televisions.
They have no refrigerators,
or dishwashers, or even running water.
All the luxuries--and necessities--
that I consider a
basic and normal
part of my life,
they can't even imagine.

They are humble and beautiful
and gracious and kind.

I wrote once before
about how I felt
and what I thought
I should do about it.
Please read that post 
to get the whole story.

As I said before,
I have struggled
since I came home.
I hear that's kind-of normal.

It's hard to reconcile
having so much when you see
those that have so little.

In the past several months,
I've pondered this a lot.
And I think it's changed me
and will continue
to change me
for a long time.

I've also found that
experiences like this
are only life-changing
if you allow them to be.

I certainly came home
changed emotionally.
But it's really easy
to be back here 
and get very used to
my lifestyle and old habits
and ways of doing things.

Nothing will be different
unless I make a
conscious effort
to be different.

I've narrowed it down
to a few things
I'm trying to focus on.
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1. Simplify. I really don't need it all, although I don't need to get rid of it all either. But I can simplify my possessions, and my time, and focus on what's most important.
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2. Service. This quote describes it best for me: "God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs." Spencer W. Kimball.
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3. Stewardship. It was such a great experience to serve and give all day long, every day. That was part of the magic of the trip. And I liked the person I was while I was there. I decided I can bring that feeling home and try to be that person here-- within my responsibilities and relationships at home.  

I guess it boils down to this.

I am different. And I hope
I will never be the same.

___________________________

Have you ever
had an experience
that you knew
could change you
if you just worked hard enough
to make the changes last?

best of 2009

2009
has been a really great year.


Family

As a family, 
we feel so blessed.
We've had some
wonderful additions...

A new
grandchild --
our first!


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And a new
daughter-in-law!

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Humanitarian Trips

We went on
two amazing humanitarian trips
to Central America....
we consider these
experiences
some of our
"lifetime bests"!

Read more here...

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Blogging

In 2009,
I started blogging --
first with my
family history blog,
"Uphill Both Ways:
Tales from the Big Black Book
and other Family Lore,"
and now with
"A Year of Happy." 

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Uphill Both Ways
has been on
an extended hiatus,
but will be back
in 2010.

A Year of Happy
will hopefully
continue with daily posts
through September 2010.

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Other Highlights in Photos

the orphanage

When I was told we'd be visiting
an orphanage
in Central America,
I pictured one of those
horrible places you hear about--
crib after crib
of neglected babies,
and children starved for love.

That's not what we found.

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This is an orphanage
run by the Catholic Church.
It is filled with children of all ages
who are mothered by a sweet little nun
hardly bigger than they are. 

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They are healthy
and happy...
although they don't have much
in the way of possessions.

When we first entered the courtyard,
A was surrounded by
teenage girls
who all wanted their picture
taken with him!

 

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We took little gifts--
fleece blankets, toys, balls, and bracelets.
Small things to us,
but to them
they were treasures.

Best of all was the
gigantic pinata!

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Each child took turn after turn,
trying to be the one
to break it open.
Finally, with a cheer from the crowd,
even the nun
had a turn!
Eventually (with some help
from big American boys)
candy and toys went everywhere!

I was so worried
about the littlest children,
thinking they wouldn't
get a thing.
But when an older girl
spied a tiny one
without a toy,
she quickly shared
from her pile of loot..

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The children were sweet
and unafraid
of these tall American strangers.
They pulled at my
heartstrings...
and I wanted to
take them all home with me. 

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I learned some things
in that special place.

I learned that
even in an orphanage,
children can be taught
values, and generosity,
and love.

And I learned that
there are amazing people
all over the world
who unselfishly care for children.

In this corner of the world,
it's a tiny little nun
with a heart big enough
for all of them.

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spanish 101

 

 

Last time we went to
Central America,
I came home
determined to learn
some Spanish.

I learned a few phrases,
but not enough
to make a difference.

This time while we were there,
I made a cheat sheet
of words and phrases
I needed to use often.
I taped it on the wall
behind me --
our patients thought
it was pretty funny
watching me
try to communicate!

But it made such
a difference
to be able to say
even a few things
that would help
them get through
a tough experience.

I watched many people
communicate
on all levels.
There were some
who were fluent in Spanish --
and they immediately
connected with the people.

There were those who
had some Spanish,
but had to work at it.

And there were a special few
who knew how to
communicate with their hearts.

One person with that special gift
is Cindy.
It didn't matter to her
that she couldn't speak
Spanish.
She has the gift of
reaching out
and touching people
without words.

She was able to
offer comfort,
shed tears,
and connect
heart to heart
with some very special people.

I learned a lot
from watching her.
I hope I can
open my heart
and not be afraid
if I don't have the words.

But just in case,
in preparation for next time,
I am going to learn some Spanish!


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