The waters of Wasakín / Las aguas de Wasakín

Wa: water / agua

sa: stream / cañon o quebrada

kin: island / isla

(Español abajo)

After Hurricane Eta in November, the Anabaptist Emergency Committee (CAE) in Nicaragua formed a WhatsApp group to communicate, as reception allowed, with church leaders in affected areas in the Autonomous Region of the Northern Caribbean Coast (RACCN).  This region is a vast rural area, connected by dirt roads and rivers.  It's an area that is home to indigenous communities, such as Mayagna and  Miskito. It's also an area that has great natural resources, leading to the common reference to "the Mining Triangle" and town names like Bonanza and El Tesoro (Treasure). Last year the value of gold exports actually passed beef and coffee as the top export. Yet, most people live in the simplest of conditions and the region is Nicaragua's most vulnerable to hurricanes.

After Eta, we received pictures and short videos through the chat group from Brethren in Christ pastor Ramón García showing crop damages and some standing water.  However, as we were discussing the impact from Eta, an even larger and more powerful hurricane, Iota, was forming in the Caribbean.

Ramón sent pictures and videos again after Hurricane Iota.  This time, the river had overflowed and spread far into the community. He and a friend, Roger, who is Mayagna, rode on a raft around the community taking pictures and sharing from a bag of oranges (a post about this from November). Below is a picture of Ramón's church, about a half mile from the nearest bend in the Bambana river.

CAE members continued to communicate with leaders in the RACCN region where the Convención Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches had connections, and they organized a food assistance response for 450 families in 12 communities in December.  They drove out to the town of Rosita, packaged bags of rice, beans, sugar, and cooking oil, and then the bags were loaded on buses to head out to their destinations.

As the first ration began to run out, CAE communicated again with these communities about a follow-up distribution. The planting and harvesting seasons are somewhat different in the east, since there is a longer rainy season.  Some, but not all, of these communities hoped to get a harvest at the end of April.  This time I had the privilege of joining CAE, travelling 9 hours from our front door to Rosita to help unload and load the bags at the Mennonite church building that served as the distribution hub. CAE was well organized, and I was impressed by the all-hands-on-deck effort.  In terms of preventing COVID spread, CAE members wore facemasks and disposable facemasks were shared during the distribution as possible.

After most of the bags were loaded up, CAE coordinator Fátima Martinez and I rode on the backs of motorcycles around 20 minutes out to the community of Wasakín (the Walanguás side of the Bambana river), where Rámon García showed us the places that appeared in his pictures and videos.  Many of the homes were repaired with the same wood, and the government had helped with roof sheeting.  Some homes were rebuilt in different ways or in slightly different locations. The church roof and walls had also been repaired. 

A group of women and children were gathered in the church when we arrived, and Rámon initiated a time of sharing of introductions and experiences. I learned that there are actually a few Mayagna subgroups, including the Twahka and Panamahka and a young community member translated for us into Spanish. The hurricanes had shaken the community and the food assistance was greatly appreciated.  I shared that I felt humbled and privileged to be a link in a chain of communication with CAE and MCC to be part of this project.

Later, we were given motorcycle rides out to the foot bridge over the Bambana river, maybe not quite a mile away.  From the bridge, we could see the tiny, elevated area in the middle of the river that might have been the island within the convergence of waters referred to in the community's Mayagna name. We saw the height of the banks, which had been overtaken by the floods, and homes that had either been repaired or had withstood the storms up along the banks. We saw women washing clothes and children at play in a dugout canoe.  It was impressive to see the strength, joy, and resilience of Wasakín.  Thanks to Ramón and the members of CAE (and to MCC supporters) who make these connections, learning, and sharing possible.

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Después del huracán Eta en noviembre, el Comité Anabautista de Emergencia (CAE) en Nicaragua formó un grupo de WhatsApp para comunicar, como se permitió la recepción, con líderes de iglesias en las zonas afectadas en la Región Autónoma de la Costa Caribe Norte (RACCN).  Esta región es una enorme zona rural, conectada por carreteras de tierra y ríos.  Es un área que dónde viven varias comunidades indígenas, como Mayagna y Miskito. También es un área que tiene grandes recursos naturales, resultando en la referencia común del "Triángulo Minero" y nombres de lugares como Bonanza y El Tesoro. En el año pasado, el valor de las exportaciones de oro pasó a la carne de res y al café para ser la exportación de más valor. Sin embargo, la mayoría de la gente vive en las condiciones muy simples y la región es la más vulnerable de Nicaragua a los huracanes.

Después de Eta, recibimos fotos y videos cortos a través del grupo de chat del pastor de los Hermanos en Cristo, Ramón García, mostrando daños en los cultivos y algo de agua estancada.  Sin embargo, mientras conversábamos del impacto de Eta, se estaba formando un huracán aún más grande y poderoso, Iota, en el Caribe.

Ramón envió fotos y videos de nuevo después del huracán Iota.  Esta vez, el río se había desbordado y se había extendido bastante por a la comunidad. Él y un amigo, Roger, quien es Mayagna, se navigaron en una balsa alrededor de la comunidad tomando fotos y compartiendo de una bolsa de naranjas (un post sobre esto a partir de noviembre). Arriba se muestra una imagen de la iglesia inundada de Ramón, quizás 800 metros de la curva más cercana en el río Bambana.

Los miembros del CAE continuaron comunicándose con líderes de la región del RACCN, donde las iglesias Convención Menonita y Hermanos en Cristo tenían conexiones, y organizaron una respuesta de asistencia alimentaria para 450 familias en 12 comunidades en diciembre.  Se dirigieron a la ciudad de Rosita, empacaron bolsas de arroz, frijoles, azúcar y aceite de cocina, y luego las bolsas fueron cargadas en buses para dirigirse a sus destinos.

A medida que la primera ración comenzó a agotarse, CAE se comunicó de nuevo con estas comunidades sobre una segunda distribución. Las temporada de siembra y cosecha son algo diferentes en el este, ya que hay una temporada de lluvias más larga.  Algunos, pero no todas estas comunidades, esperaban obtener una cosecha a finales de abril.  Esta vez tuve el privilegio de unirme al CAE, viajando 9 horas desde nuestra casa a Rosita para ayudar a descargar y cargar los sacos en el templo de la iglesia menonita que sirvió como centro de distribución. CAE estaba bien organizado, y me impresionó el esfuerzo de todos con sus manos a la obra.  En cuanto a la prevención de la propagación del COVID, los miembros del CAE llevaban mascarillas y se compartían máscaras faciales desechables cuando era posible.

Después de que la mayoría de los sacos fueron cargados, nos llevaron a la coordinadora del CAE Fátima Martínez y yo por las motocicletas alrededor de 20 minutos hacia la comunidad de Wasakín (el lado Walanguás del río Bambana), donde Rámon García nos mostró los lugares que aparecían en sus fotos y videos.  Muchas de las casas fueron reparadas con la misma madera, y el gobierno había ayudado con láminas de techo.  Algunas casas fueron reconstruidas de diferentes maneras o en lugares un poco diferentes. El techo de la iglesia y las paredes también habían sido reparados. 

Un grupo de mujeres y niños se reunieron en la iglesia cuando llegamos, y Rámon inició un tiempo de intercambio de introducciones y experiencias. Aprendí que en realidad hay algunos subgrupos mayagna, incluyendo el Twahka y Panamahka y un joven miembro de la comunidad tradujo para nosotros al español. Los huracanes habían sacudido a la comunidad y la asistencia alimentaria fue muy apreciada.  Compartí que me sentía humilde y privilegiado de ser un eslabón en una cadena de comunicación con CAE y CCM para formar parte de este proyecto.

Más tarde, nos llevaron en motocicleta hasta el puente peatonal sobre el río Bambana, tal vez a un kilometro de distancia.  Desde el puente, pudimos ver la pequeña área elevada en medio del río que podría haber sido la isla dentro de la convergencia de aguas identificada en el nombre mayagna de la comunidad. Vimos la altura de las orillas, que habían sido superadas por las inundaciones, y casas que habían sido reparadas o habían resistido las tormentas a lo largo de las orillas. Vimos mujeres lavando ropa y niños jugando en una canoa tradicional.  Fue impresionante ver la fuerza, la alegría y la resiliencia de Wasakín.  Gracias a Ramón y a los miembros del CAE (y a la base constituyente de CCM) que hacen posible estas conexiones, aprendizaje, y oportunidad de compartir.

How trámites are like a video game

I've written here before about the legal processes that I've waded through en route to residency or paying a traffic ticket.  Trámites.  These are processes that involve multiple stops, formal letters, lots of and photocopies, and an elusive finish line. 

There are times when I think we're getting better at these.  I've learned where to go for tasks ranging from renewing an organizational ID number to purchasing the official timbre stickers. However, the trámites also evolve over time, so it keeps us on our toes.

Over these last couple months I had a problem with a U.S. trámite.  I needed to renew my driver's license, which was set to expire on my birthday, February 15.  Long story short, the DMV mailed it but the USPS wouldn't deliver it because of an address glitch.  I contacted both agencies to try to sort it out, and supposedly it will be mailed again.  But I decided to take the plunge with getting my driver's license here.  I have a valid driver's license, I have Nicaraguan residency-- how hard could it be?

I started out by going to the Managua Transit office.  I found the appropriate building where I could ask my question and stood in the first of many lines for this trámite. The official told me I still needed to do the health tests at the Red Cross and pay the fees for the driving class, seminar, the test, and the license. She told me to make sure I get started or my driver's license would expire and it would become more complicated.

I plugged the Don Bosco Red Cross into Google maps, and found it not far from the Transit office. It was a small block building, with an open air waiting area.  Several people were in line. I bought some water in a sealed bag from a street  for a few córdobas, bit open the corner and rehydrated (the hot months are getting closer). While I was waiting, one of the staff came out to say they were out of the blood tests.  I could do the vision test and the psychological test, but I may as well do all three at the Belmonte location.  This one was across town, but closer to home, which I thought might be helpful.  I drove there, and as I pulled into the parking lot, a kind parking area guard asked if I already had my receipts.  Ah, right, you pay at the bank first and bring the receipts. I should probably have known this by now.  

After finding an ATM for some cash and a mid-morning bite to eat, I went to BanPro where a long line was standing outside the building awaited me.  I was glad that at least the Red Cross and Transit accounts were at the same bank; I could pay them all at once. As the sugar from my snack hit my brain, it was possible to be optimistic about these run-arounds. I started thinking about how it's like a video game.  We never had a video game console, so the closest I had was Commandeer Keen on our computer during middle school years.  I imagine the objective is often the same: collect some coins or clues to find your way to finish a level (which mostly leads to a new, harder level).  

Receipts in hand from the bank, I went back to the Red Cross, where they had closed for lunch.  I would pick up with this the following day.

On Day 2, I went first to the Red Cross.  After answering questions satisfactorily for a psychological test, reading little letters successfully for a vision test, and getting my finger pricked for a blood type test, I traded three bank receipts for three Red Cross test receipts which I could take back to the Transit office. I drove across town, stood in line, hoping that this might be all I needed to do.  I had collected all the video game coins to advance to the next level, I thought.  

Instead, I was told that I still needed to take the seminar and the written driver's test.  I scheduled for the next morning for the seminar; the test, that afternoon.  On the seminar registration slip, I noticed that I needed to purchase a copy of the transportation law and bring it to the class. I found someone at Transit selling them, who pointed out the practice quiz and the answers at the back. Very helpful.

On Day 3, I sat in a class with a variety of people who were either trying to reclaim a suspended license or applying for a change in license category. I had expected something of a talk about driving laws and practices, but it was more of a chat/lecture that included the inspirational, the comical, and the don't-you-forget-that-driving-is-dangerous-and-a-privilege. Three hours later, my attendance was documented in the system.  

I returned in the afternoon to sit in a computer lab with youths attempting their first driver's license. It was a strange feeling to be back at a computer for a driver's test.  I thought about Grandpa Charles waiting outside for me to pass my test and hand me the keys to his Dodge Shadow.  The proctor gave us instructions and I made my way carefully through the questions.  There were a few that really made me think, and my score was high enough to pass but low enough to make me feel uneasy.  One way or the other, I went to stand in a line where the official told me I could now go back to my local police station.  I tried to ask for clarification about what would happen at that point, incredulous that the end of the process could be in sight.  "Tell them to attend you!" the official said impatiently. 

The District 2 Police Station, just down the street from our house, was basically empty at this point in the afternoon when I arrived.  It was the first place where there was no line.  I was directed right away to the desk where an official took my picture and asked me to verify the information on the license example image on her computer monitor.   Just a few minutes later I was walking down the street to our house, the video game coins collected, and a driver's license in my wallet.  On to the next level.

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On this end of the experience, I can see now that it wasn't really so hard.  In the middle of the trámite, it can be confusing and discouraging.  I realize that sometimes I expect something to be easier than it turns out to be, and I realize I carry a lot of privilege and can be surprised by some of these additional challenges.  

Also, back in the US, my license still hasn't come through yet.  So the trámite in Nicaragua helped me out much faster than my homeland system this time.