Day 3: World Vision, Wheelchairs, Pigs and Chihuahuas

First, thanks for reading. We are really happy that you are following us on this incredible journey. We are having an amazing time and continue to feel very grateful to be here.

Our morning started at around 7:30. We began by getting a debrief of the World Vision ADP's (Area Development Projects) that we visited today. These projects are heavily focused on children, their mothers, community health, development and support. Each day we start with a rough agenda but we truly do not know exactly what to expect or what the day will bring. Our first visit was to a Health Outpost. Whenever we roll into a village we are a bit of a spectacle. There are not many Americans here at all so we get lots of looks...but they are all friendly. We walked into the waiting room of the Outpost where six or so mothers sat patiently waiting with their children. The Outpost was comprised of four or five small examination  rooms. On this day there was no power. It seems that they only have power every other day or so, and this day they were expecting power but had none. The attitude of the Medical worker who managed the Outpost was so incredibly positive that most of us never noticed the lack of power. She spoke of how the donations from World Vision provided medical supplies for her facility, and how grateful she was to have them. A trending concern in Nicaragua is the rise in teenage pregnancy. Our team interacted with the patients, took lots of baby pictures then moved on to our next stop.

Tipitapa...love that name...Tip-e-top-a...anyway... In Tipitapa we visited a public school that was simply full of kids. While we were there, the kids were outside...running and playing in a large packed dirt courtyard...most in their white and blue uniforms. We were taken to a back lot where a garden had been planted. In an effort to curb malnutrition, World Vision had gotten permission from the Nicaraguan government to implement a garden on school grounds. The students work the garden and use the produce to make their lunches more nutritious. We stood out in the garden with fifty or so students as they explained how they managed their small crop. They seemed very proud of their efforts, and as we interacted with them they were happy to show us what they can do and how they maintain their crop. Later we would think about our own school system and how teaching and showing our own kids how to source their food would give them so much more perspective. The visit was full of energy. The kids seem to love our Teammate Glenn Nichols. Glenn has been wearing his trademark straw Fedora for most of the trip and today he punched it up with a pink striped shirt. His passion and enthusiasm has been contagious among our team and the people we visit. We spent a great deal of time with the kids asking questions and taking photos. As we were leaving we noticed several kids carrying brooms. The instructor explained to us that the students are responsible for cleaning the school at the end of the day. Some bring their own brooms but if a school mop or broom gets broken, they have to take them home for their parents to make the repairs...yeah...that would go over well back home!

Next was Messiah City. World Vision partners with Free Wheelchair Mission to distribute wheelchairs. One of those recipients was a beautiful five year old girl named Guatalupe. We parked the van on the dirt road and made our way across freshly swept dirt, around chicken coups, past open-air stone ovens and up to meet Guatalupe and her parents. She was very shy as her father explained that she had been born with a muscular disease and has never been able to walk. The wheelchair has provided her with the mobility needed to go to school and she even gets invited to attend Pinata parties. Her parents only spoke of the positive. They were excited and thankful that Guatalupe now has mobility and a chance to live a better life. We were able to pose for a group photo with Guatalupe and Glenn even let her wear his Fedora.

There are some people that you meet in life that you know you will never forget. Isaac will be one of those people. Isaac is 81 years old. At one time he had a wheelchair that he had borrowed, but it was taken away. He was left without a chair until someone in his family had applied to receive one from Free Wheelchair Mission. Isaac greeted us all like we were old friends. His wife frantically pulled out chairs and placed them in a circle in the yard so we would be comfortable as we visited with Isaac. An incredibly handsome man, he has been married to Isabella for 55 years. They were such a beautiful couple and Isabella stood beside him as he sat and explained to us how the new wheelchair has helped him make the three kilometer trip to the Health Outpost. Isaac was full of life...constantly smiling and sharing pieces of his story. We could have sat there for hours, and his energy and cheerful spirit made it hard to leave. Before we left, Isabella asked if we could pray together. We are fortunate to also have Alex Rodriguez on our team. Alex has experience preaching and he was even able to deliver the requested prayer in Spanish.

Our next stop required a fairly long drive into the mountains. The scenery was breathtaking, and I wished we had more time to take photos. We stopped at another school and enjoyed learning about a World Vision program where select students could earn a Carpenters Certificate which will dramatically improve their chances of finding better jobs as well as build more efficient communities. The young carpenters spoke proudly of their work and were very thankful for the support that World Vision provides. 

The last two stops of the day were actually Free Wheelchair deliveries. The first was just off a dirt road back into the jungle. We walked down a narrow path to the secluded home of Steven. Steven sat watching on his front porch as we wheeled the chair toward him. Steven is only six years old. He has severe heart problems and suffered a heart attack at age five. Just recently he fell and broke his leg. Steven needs a wheelchair because he can't walk very far without putting too much strain on his heart. Glenn was given the honor of placing Steven in the chair. The brand new Gen 2 chair fit him well and he smiled when we asked if his girlfriend was going to push him around. He has a beautiful spirit and with the obvious support of his family it was easy to see that he would have a happy life despite his physical limitations. During the visit we met two teenagers that had us all laughing. Both were dressed alike...and both had obviously had exposure to the dreaded Jersey Shore characters Pauly D and the Situation...yes, popped collar, blow-out hairstyle and perfectly trimmed eyebrows...in the middle of the rainforest of Nicaragua. They followed our teammate Jennifer Collison around the entire time we were there. It seems Pauly D really likes her green eyes. They sadly waved goodbye as we shuffled her on the bus for our final visit.

Delivering a wheelchair to someone is an emotional and serious event.  The recipient has typically been in need of a wheelchair for some time.  Our last visit of the day and our last wheelchair delivery in Nicaragua was anything but serious.  At this point in the day we had traveled bumpy, dusty roads and climbed in and out of the bus in sticky humidity.  We were all a little weary but excited about the next delivery.  Our last stop was in the mountains, and the delivery was to a beautiful seventy-eight year old lady named Anna Maria.  Anna Maria had been waiting twenty-six years for a wheelchair.  She wanted more mobility so she could get out of the house and visit and assist others in her community.  Anna suffers from severe arthritis.  Teammates Jenn and Kelly Overton had the honor of delivering the chair to Anna.  We were allowed into her dark hard packed year through a tin gate.  As we approached, a broad smile crossed her face.  Jenn picked her up and placed her in the chair.  As Anna proceeded to tell us how much she appreciated the chair...a pig ran out from the bushes, sniffed the wheelchair and proceeded to scratch itself on a nearby tree.  Anna laughed.  Our team scattered to clear the way as the pig returned and bit the family Chihuahua...(I'm not making this up).  Anna's grandchildren scolded the pig and huffed his way over to a makeshift bed and sat pouting and snorting while we continued our visit.  Finally, as we waved goodbye to Anna Marie...the pig came out for one last pass but was quickly doused into submission by a four year old with a water gun.

And so ends our day in Nicaragua.