March 30, 2016
We completed our part of the outdoor gazebo at the Casa del Niños by leveling the floor, which will remain a dirt floor until they get more funding to pour concrete, and then stamping it down to compact it. The poles that will hold up the ceiling beams we painted were being delivered as we left. Before leaving we reflected on what we have learned with our head, our hands, and our hearts and what the work of solidarity is. We all shared one word that we will take with us and responses included hope, compassion, struggle, perseverance, community, and grace, among others.
We had a nice long siesta in the afternoon, which included some naps, and then went to the Santa Emilia waterfall. The waterfall was a real nature treat. Mrs. Robinson gave us a lesson on the growing of bananas in the forest (always the botany teacher) and then we were off to Matagalpa for a pizza dinner and ice cream. We had an encounter with some street children and reflected on the hardships of being on your own in a city. Some students finished off the day by hiking up to the fire tower and witnessing the total darkness caused by a short power outage. It was a day of renewal and rejuvenation as we begin the last leg of our journey.