I think we knew this was going to be a
difficult day when sweat was rolling off our foreheads before 7am.
The power went out sometime over night which meant that the fans
which make sleeping here somewhat bearable, stopped spinning and the
heat just rose and rose.
Today was our last day working at the
construction site. Luckily, things worked out which allowed us to
finish the foundation on one side of the clinic. But, it wasn't easy.
Finishing the task meant setting up an assembly line of concrete.
Some of us helped by preparing the concrete in the mixer. Four
ingredients, each of which is heavy in their own right having to be
lifted up above shoulder level and poured into the mixer was no light
task. Then we had three wheelbarrows they would be filled with
concrete and pushed the whole way across the yard to where we were
laying the foundation. Each wheelbarrow then had to be emptied shovel
by shovel. When empty the wheelbarrows were taken back to the mixer
to get another load. One bag of cement mix was enough to fill about 4
wheelbarrows or so and we went through 13 bags of cement. Because of
the necessity to get the job done, there was really no time for a
water break so those of us who were able had to plow through the
morning and this evening we are feeling the pain.
After lunch, we piled into the van to
take a tour of the capital city, Managua. The city is an interesting
place full of history. The earthquake that hit the city in 1972 and
caused thousands of deaths and a quarter of a million homeless still
has left its mark on the capital. In the earthquake most of the
downtown area was totally destroyed and due to corruption and the
difficult history of the country, it was never really rebuilt.
However, there have been some changes made and the difference is
notable. We first went to an overlook at the edge of the city where,
during the dictatorship, those who were believed to be Sandinistas
were taken and thrown off a cliff. Families of those who disappeared
would often come there looking for their bodies. It is difficult
thing to envision, but what makes it all the more difficult is that
it really happened.
We then went to the American Embassy.
We did not go in, but we parked across the street to recap what the
United States' involvement has been throughout Nicaraguan history.
Some of the involvement was positive, but much was not. Again, some
truths are hard to swallow, but we also know that change can only
come when people allow themselves to understand the facts and make
their own decisions and once people are informed, true change can be
the result. Next we went into the center of the city to the main
square. Traditionally in Latin American cities, there is a particular
layout in the main square. There is the cathedral. In this case the
original cathedral is condemned. It received quite a bit of damage
during the 1972 earthquake and was never really fixed. Then, during
the revolution and the counter-revolution it received quite a bit of
damage from impacting bullets. That said, it still stands but is
closed to visitors. Across from the old cathedral is a newer
monument, marked by three eternal flames. Under each flame lies the
body of one of the central figures in the revolution. First is the
body of Carlos Fonseca, the founder of the Sandinista movement. Next
to him are two bodies of members of the Sandinista government that
served in different capacities. Fonseca was murdered by the
dictatorship before the revolution took power in 1979, but the other
two played a role in the government and died much later. This coming
Saturday is the fourth anniversary of the death of Tomas Borge, whose
body lies at the center and was central to much of what the
Sandinista government was able to do during their 11 year hold on
power.
The square also houses the National
Palace. The building used to be where the congress would meet, but
now houses the national museum. We were given a tour where we were
able to see some of the natural wonders of Nicaragua, the history of
human presence in the country which dates back at least 7000 years.
Also, we learned about quite a bit of the pre-Colombian history of
the people who lived here long before Europeans arrived.
After leaving the National Palace we
stopped for some ice-cream, which was great in the hot weather. From
there we went to the new National Cathedral. It is a unique place. It
was built with the help of the founder of Dominos Pizza. There is a
lot of symbolism inside and it is definitely a place to see, but it
looks like something you would expect to see in Baghdad or Riyadh,
and not Managua. We took some time to pray and to see some of the
artwork which included an amazing mural focusing on Jesus' Baptism
but also included a scene of a young King David tending his sheep, as
well as the fishermen who would leave their nets to follow Jesus and
Moses being found in the River Nile.
Following that we were taken to a
cultural center in a neighborhood called Batahalo Norte. We were
there on Sunday night when we went to the Catholic Mass. However,
right around the corner is a neighborhood school of the arts. There
are classes for all age groups. There are scholarship for those who
can't afford to study. We heard three kids practicing some amazing
music with a flute, a keyboard and an amazing violin. We then were
given a tour of the artwork by an individual who painted some of the
murals. We also went to his house and were able to hear his amazing
story, meet his family, and had the opportunity purchase some of his
works. It was an amazing way to end the day.
Our time in Nicaragua is almost over,
but we also have a full day planned tomorrow with quite an exciting
excursion.
From all of us here in Nicaragua,
Buenas Noches!
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