Home leave in review in some haiku and pictures

June 16

to tell a story

in seventeen syllables

is imperfect art

June 17

COVID nasal swab

deep and slow into my head

and then there's the twist

June 19

mother and daughter

finally find each other

an airport embrace

June 20

sweet ice cream from Kline's

at Grandma and Grandpa's house

sweeter together

June 21

a room with no lines

and three choices of vaccine

but how can this be?

June 22

it's a good day when

I teach our kids a board game

and then they beat me

June 25

a porch repair job

which we thought might be easy

but we found termites

June 23

on the trail, waiting,

she found an orange ladybug

shows her grandparents

June 30

still without answers

but it's good to talk again

about our questions

July 2

at the big-box stores

with all these products for cheap

here and conflicted

July 4

sometimes rowdy kids

will sit with you on the floor

to hear a story

July 8

the storm rolls northward

the beach campground says they'll close

we must pack our tents

[First Landing State Park, VA]

July 15

proud smiles and cheers

for her first time on two wheels

our youngest pedals

Jul 16

gentle winds today

but enough to fill our sails

on the Chesapeake

[Havre de Grace, MD]

July 18

we look in the lens

smile for future someone

family pictured

July 21

cousins in the stream 

bounding along the boulders

abandon the trail

July 22

on top of the hill

children swing high in the wind 

as if to take flight

July 23

canoe on the pond

rest for a quiet moment

paddle on my knees

July 24

Great-grandma Davis

says, to use all our taste buds, 

ice cream must be licked

July 25

singing, we gather,

remember Grandma Charles

with her hymns of faith

July 27

three pairs of eyes read

from the same book on the couch

cousins at bedtime

July 28

thanks to my brother

who gave all of us a turn

riding his Onewheel

Jul 29

as kids we hiked here

but I didn't remember

the abundant ferns

[Spruce Mtn., Canadensis, PA]

Aug 4

Grammy pulls us close

gives each one a goodbye kiss

I love you, she says

Aug 6

no kitchen matches

to heat water for coffee

I walk to buy some

[back in Managua]

Observing and Haiku

When we first came to Nicaragua we posted a lot on the blog initially since everything was new to us.  Around six years later, there are a lot of things that have become normal, but I thought it would be good for me to try to observe and write down some of these, using Haiku to give me a little structure.  Here are some of Rebekah's fine water coloring paintings as well.

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May 1

ocean before me waves and breaking waves, am I counting or thinking

May 2

the electric's out no fans on a summer night we sit outside: stars!

May 3

hot, dry times; neighbors spray water to keep dust down waiting for May rains

May 4

sidewalk trees are pruned machete-cut, horse cart filled just before the rain

May 5

I think there's a toad in our rain spout. I stoop, look-- big eyes! we both jump!

May 6

a hummingbird peeks in our door, finding just us and walls, disappears

May 7

a man I have judged walks by with a bundled load balanced on his head

May 8

first rains past, and now lilies reach up, open wide, smile for the world

May 9

the children explore rocks above the waterfall parents watch, anxious

May 10

puddles in our street Chamelecón on my mind last year's rain remains

May 11

fresh mangos today brought lots home from the fruit stand and so did my wife

May 12

building old toy sets when we can't find the pieces "it's ok," she says

May 13

night sounds: squeaky swings popping of firecrackers gentle breeze through leaves

May 14

bicycle rider and a friend on the top tube somehow seem at ease

May 15

sunny yellow güis on a tiny lime tree branch suddenly in flight

Struck down, but not destroyed / Derribados, pero no destriudos

After these past months of virtually supporting MCC partners in Honduras, last week Nathan Spiecker (MCC Monitoring and Evaluation) and I had a chance to drive across the border and visit five partners, many of whom have been working with hurricane responses.  There were both inspirational and sobering moments, clear signs of resilience and strength as well as the complex layers of insecurity, corruption, and lack of adequate urban infrastructure.  At the end of the week, we heard in the neighborhood of Seis de Mayo, that they feel they have been "knocked down, but not destroyed" (2 Cor 4:9).

Después de estos últimos meses de apoyar virtualmente a los socios de MCC en Honduras, la semana pasada Nathan Spiecker (MCC Monitoring and Evaluation) y yo tuvimos la oportunidad de conducir a través de la frontera y visitar a cinco socios, muchos de los cuales han estado trabajando con las respuestas del huracán.  Hubo momentos inspiradores y aleccionadores, claros signos de resiliencia y fuerza, así como las complejas capas de inseguridad, corrupción, y falta de infraestructura urbana adecuada.  Al final de la semana, escuchamos en el barrio de Seis de Mayo, que se sienten que han sido "derribados, pero no destruidos" (2 Co 4:9).

Visit 1 / Visita 1 : Comité de Desarollo Social (CODESO) - Orocuina, Choluteca, Honduras

Orocuina is a rugged and hilly area with beautiful landscapes. Farmers grow corn, beans, sorghum, and some vegetables. Water access is a challenge and some people walk long distances to retrieve water.  CODESO has been working with things like savings and loans groups and grain storage, which proved to be helpful with the stored corn harvest when Eta and Iota damaged many of their other crops.  CODESO has carried out two food distributions (mostly rice and beans), supplied materials for roof repair, and distributed water catchment tanks in a community whose water source was affected by a landslide.

Orocuina es una zona escarpada y montañosa con hermosos paisajes. Los agricultores cultivan maíz, frijoles, sorgo y algunas verduras. El acceso al agua es un desafío y algunas personas caminan largas distancias para traer agua.  CODESO ha estado trabajando con temas como grupos de ahorro y préstamos y almacenamiento de granos, lo que resultó ser útil con la cosecha de maíz almacenada cuando Eta e Iota dañaron muchos de sus otros cultivos.  CODESO ha llevado a cabo dos distribuciones de alimentos (principalmente arroz y frijoles), han entregado materiales para la reparación de techos y distribuido tanques para captación de agua en una comunidad cuya fuente de agua se vio afectada por un deslave.

(Photo: CODESO project participants Sandra Montoya, Melvin Sanchez, and their children Isis, Noemi, and Lorena Yaneth. Participantes en proyectos de CODESO: Sandra Montoya, Melvin Sanchez, junto con sus hijas, Isis, Noemi, y Lorena Yaneth.)

Visit 2 / Visita 2: Proyecto Aldea Global (PAG) - Siguatepeque, Comayagua

PAG has a broad range of development work across Honduras, but the focus of the MCC-supported work is around networks and trainings to support survivors of violence.  The team for the 'Deborah Project' is made up of talented young people trained in law, psychology, and communications, working with both local government and civil society.

PAG tiene una amplia gama de trabajo de desarrollo al nivel nacional en Honduras, pero el enfoque del trabajo apoyado por CCM se enfoca en redes y capacitaciones para apoyar a sobrevivientes de la violencia.  El equipo del 'Proyecto Débora' está formado por jóvenes talentosos formados en derecho, psycología y comunicaciones, trabajando tanto con el gobierno local como con la sociedad civil.

(Photo: Rony and Gerardo of the PAG Deborah Team)

Visit 3 / Visita 3: Comisión de Acción Social Menonita (CASM) - San Pedro Sula

"MCC is like a mother to CASM," says director Nelson Lobo.  CASM has grown to an organization of remarkable size and influence today, with 15 offices across Honduras.  After Eta and Iota, MCC has supported CASM's humanitarian responses in shelters in San Pedro Sula and now with home repairs in Choloma. CASM brought in a container of MCC relief and hygiene kits, and we were able to join them in a distribution in the Morales 2 neighborhood in Chamelecón. The conditions in the neighborhood are sobering, as an urban area that lacks a sewage system and where roads still have standing water from the storms.

"MCC es como una madre de CASM", dice el director Nelson Lobo.  CASM ha crecido a una organización de notable tamaño e influencia hoy en día, con 15 oficinas en diferentes regiones de Honduras.  Después de Eta e Iota, MCC ha apoyado las respuestas humanitarias del CASM en albergues en San Pedro Sula y ahora con reparaciones de casas en Choloma. CASM facilitó la llegada de un contenedor de kits de alivio e higiene de CCM, y pudimos unirnos con ellos en una distribución en el barrio Morales 2 en Chamelecón. Las condiciones en el vecindario son aleccionadoras, como un área urbana que carece de un sistema de alcantarillado y donde las calles todavía tienen agua estancada de las tormentas.

 

Visit 4 / Visita 4: Equipos de Reflexión, Investigación, y Comunicación (ERIC) - El Progreso

We were able to meet with ERIC, a Jesuit organization that works with grassroots organizing, particularly with concerns around outside businesses that disrupt or extract local communities' natural resources through mining or hydroelectric projects.  Their work was significantly affected by the pandemic travel and meeting restrictions, but they continue to try to adapt and respond within their circumstances.

Pudimos reunirnos con ERIC, una organización jesuita que trabaja con la organización de base, particularmente con preocupaciones alrededor de negocios externos que interrumpen o extraen los recursos naturales de las comunidades locales a través de proyectos mineros o hidroeléctricos.  Su trabajo se vio significativamente afectado por las restricciones en viajes y reuniones debido a la pandemia, pero continúan tratando de adaptarse y responder dentro de sus circunstancias.

(Photo: Gerónimo and Nátali of the ERIC team)

Visit 5 / Visita 5: Iglesia Evangélica Menonita Hondureña - San Pedro Sula

The Honduran Mennonite churches in the San Pedro Sula were significantly affected by Eta and Iota, and quickly rose to the occasion to provide shelter in churches, food, medical support, and home repairs in the Chamelecón and Seis de Mayo areas.  This has been a volunteer effort in which church members have invested hours of time and their various skills to support people who were and still are affected by the storms.

Las iglesias menonitas hondureñas en San Pedro Sula se vieron significativamente afectadas por Eta e Iota, y rápidamente se respondieron ofreciendo espacio como albergue en iglesias, alimentos, atención médica y reparaciones de casa en las zonas de Chamelecón y Seis de Mayo.  Este ha sido un esfuerzo voluntario en el que los miembros de la iglesia han invertido horas de tiempo y sus diversas habilidades para apoyar a las personas que fueron y todavía se ven afectadas por las tormentas.

(Photo: Porfirio Zelaya, pastor of the Mennonite Church in Seis de Mayo, talks with Melvin Flores and Darling Montoya of the Eta and Iota response committee. Porfirio Zelaya, pastor de la Iglesia Menonita en Seis de Mayo, conversa con Melvin Flores y Darling Montoya, del comité de respuesta de Eta e Iota)

(Photo: a symbolic hand-off of the relief and hygiene kits to IEMH president José Fernandez and other members of the Eta and Iota response committee. Una entrega simbólica de los kits de alivio e higiene al presidente del IEMH, José Fernández, y a otros miembros del comité de respuesta a Eta e Iota. Left to right / De izquierda a derecha: Edgar Vaca, Nathan Spiecker, José, Derrick, X, Belinda Castroright:  Edgar Vaca, Nathan Spiecker, José, Derrick, X, Belinda Castro)

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.

---

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.

Hurricanes Eta and Iota

On November 3, much of the world's attention was on the U.S. election day.  In Central America on the same day, people braced for Hurricane Eta, which entered Nicaragua's northeast coast as a Category 4 hurricane.  People had been fairly successfully evacuated from vulnerable areas and there were very few deaths in Nicaragua, although many crops and roofs were damaged.  The storm then turned north, weakening in its windspeed but continuing to rain extraordinary amounts.  As the storm passed through the mountainous central Honduras and continued north, the water converged around the Sula valley which led to flooding up to people's rooftops. The storm then lead to flooding and landslides in Guatemala, and even continued up north to Cuba and Florida.

José Hernández, a Mennonite pastor who lives in the Chamelecón area, was with church members on the second floor of the church's classroom building, where they waited during two days until the waters receded enough to leave.  (pictured below)

Our area directors, Cesar and Lizette, attend the Iglesia Central Menonita in San Pedro Sula, and their church members quickly organized to offer their church building as a temporary shelter to people affected in the Chamelecón and Rivera Hernandez areas. People were eager to get back and start cleaning up, and MCC offered some initial support with wheelbarrows, shovels, food, and hygiene.  They found homes covered in mud and furniture and appliances had floated around their homes and even out into the neighborhood. At the same time, MCC also began conversations with other partners in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala about responses in other affected areas.

Unfortunately, as the clean-up progressed and NGOs evaluated and prioritized the damages and needs, Central America became anxious again about another storm brewing in the Caribbean.  On November 16, Hurricane Iota entered Nicaragua just south of where Eta had hit, but Iota's epicenter was much wider.  Iota reached category 5 windspeeds at sea, and hit land as category 4. Nicaragua had evaluated some 50,000 people again, but this time there would be more deaths. The storm hit already saturated land, and the flooding and damages were more extensive.  The storm had a more direct path westward than Eta, so areas that had escaped Eta got hit by Iota.  The Sula valley saw the same extraordinary levels of flooding. Across the region, we heard about exhaustion and discouragement among NGO workers and church volunteers who were working with shelters and clean-up from these back-to-back storms.

In Nicaragua, there is a joint committee between three Anabaptist conferences for disaster response, and they had contacts in the northeastern area known as the mining triangle. I made a call to one of the church pastors who was sending pictures through WhatsApp. I learned he was sending the pictures directly from his phone, as he floated around the area on what I would later understand was a simple raft.  (pictures below)

There were homes that withstood the winds, but also ones that were blown over and many lost metal roof sheets.  In many of these areas there are concerns about flooded latrines and contaminated wells. 

As for us here in Managua, we had heavier rains during Iota than Eta, and there were a couple trees down along our street.  The government's disaster monitoring declared a 'yellow' category, which led to our children's school being closed one day. We know of some homes that were damaged nearby, however, in the city itself, the rains weren't so different than other thunderstorms that happen here.

We were encouraged by the financial sharing and encouragement that people offered, even after a challenging year in which resources are limited.  MCC is collaborating on multiple responses with different organizations and church groups across Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala.

Life in Managua during a global pandemic: An update

Five months ago we took cupcakes into school to celebrate Lia's birthday, and the next day school went online.  The rest of the school year finished out that way, at first with emails back and forth and then with a platform called Seesaw.  I had joked that online school should be called on-the-parents school because of the extra work we were doing, but I'm sure everyone was doing more work than normal trying to improvise in these complicated circumstances.

Cases didn't seem to emerge quickly here, and we wondered why.  Could it be the climate and the humidity that causes it to move more slowly? Could it be that there was simply not a very active tourism industry that meant fewer travelers? Could it be that Managua is not so densely populated, with mostly one-story homes?  The neighboring countries all put in place strong public health measures, locking down borders and in-country travel, and still were reporting cases. Here, the Ministry of Health promoted hand-washing, but not much else.  Public school, buses, markets, and such were all operating as normal.

Then in June there was dramatic increase in concern.  There were still few official numbers to go with what people were experiencing but many people we talked to seemed to have a relative or connection of someone who had recently died abruptly.  There were two people from our local church who died, including a man who was in my small Sunday School class.

Our work changed significantly during these months as well.  Our two Nicaraguan staff began to stay home; one of them could do work virtually. We had our babysitter who helps with Miriam during the workday begin to stay home as well. Our three SALTers had left back in March, but our YAMENer from Guatemala didn't even have that option.  Over the following months, we began doing many more meetings virtually and partner organizations were all carefully monitoring the situation and taking precautions of their own.  

The biggest change for our work is that MCC needed to look at adjustments in light of the financial situation.  Among cuts and consolidations was the consolidation of the MCC Honduras office with the MCC Nicaragua office.  This brought staff changes and the country representatives for Honduras and their family left at the end of July. Two staff remained to close the office and pack up, leaving in August.  Everyone worked really hard to make this transition possible, but it is still a sad and challenging transition to go through.  In the new arrangement, the relationship with the Costa Rican Mennonite church is now directly with our Area Directors and our office is responsible for the MCC programming in Nicaragua and Honduras.

At a family level, our kids have been remarkably flexible and resilient.  We have been able to get out to the park or to go together to the office on a regular basis.  Lia has done a lot of reading this summer, especially enjoying any Nancy Drew book she can get her hands on.  We made it through the whole Narnia series at bedtime, alternating between the books in Spanish and English.  Silas has learned how to hula hoop and has spent lots of time with Legos.  Part of the daily routine has been to practice piano (Lia) and recorder (Silas) and read "20 and 20" (minutes in English and Spanish) for a 10-day chart towards family movie nights.  Miriam also had to adjust and learn how to share her living room kingdom with her brother and sister.  She has shifted to talking more in English more during these months.  She enjoys playing with Pollys and playing with her siblings, but she likes when they do things on her terms.

We have been able to do a few weekend city escapes with Nathan and Angelica, the two other MCCers in our neighborhood. We've gone out to hike at the Chocoyero, hike the coffee hills at Las Nubes, and we've gone with one other family who had also been taking precautions to the beach one day and to the Apoyo lagoon.

Recently MCC Nicaragua was able to support the three Anabaptist church conferences in a food assistance response for people who had lost work in these recent months.  Nathan, Angelica, and I were able to go and help at their packing day.

In the recent weeks, there has been a perception that there are fewer cases of COVID in Managua. The few indicators that we have to work with seem to suggest that as well. Two of the private hospitals have had reportedly had very few or no COVID cases in recent weeks.  Our partner organizations and some churches have started to step back into their buildings. Our kids' school was able to use a charter flight for some of their staff out of the country (still no commercial flights here) and they plan to start an adapted in-presence school day with a virtual option on August 31.  At this point, it looks like Lia and Silas will go to school; their classes will be using facemasks and social distancing.

Thanks to all for your prayers and support.  It's certainly been a strange time, but we have felt that support.  Bendiciones, God bless you...