Nicaragua 2018

We had our last clinic day today. Pastor Walter transported an elderly community to the school. We usually go out to them but we were taking precautions and stayed at the school. There was not anything going on politically but we are being extra cautious. We are seeing people selling Nicaragua flags on the street. These people want freedom for their country. It seems in order for the President to make changes, they have shown their presence in the streets to make a point for change. The country is 80% extreme poverty.  The people are so loving, hugs and kissed from most people. They express their appreciation that we care about them. "God Bless You" is a phrase used naturally in conversation here. Something we do not see in the United States as often. We see people being content with their life but there are always some who come to the clinic trying to get food or baby products. One man said he only has pila soap for his clothes so he washes himself with water only. We

Day 4 (Tuesday) Welcome to day 4! Today was our 2nd clinic day. We were very busy and saw 120 patients. We are really seeing what poverty really looks like. We had a 7month old who weighed 12 pounds. The mom had been feeding the baby sugar water for her entire life. The hospital also told mom that she was diabetic and not allowed to breastfeed. She was also told to be on bedrest. We ended up going to the home and realized she was not diabetic after all. She should have been up walking months ago and breastfeeding. So we bought mom some formula, rice, beans, sugar, oatmeal, and cooking oil. This is just one example of the many issues we saw today. All of us are tired today and heading to bed early. The pictures of the people around a bucket is the oral rehydration project. The people really liked making it but many did not like the taste. So, the important part of teaching is how important it is to make and drink it when they are having diarrhea. We taught a mom yesterday how to

Nicaragua Day 3 (Monday) We had our first medical clinic today. We saw a variety of patients ranging from skin issues to chronic diseases (diabetes and hypertension). We also taught some of the community oral rehydration. Diarrhea is one of the top causes of death in Nicaragua. Teaching them how to make a solution of water, salt, and sugar is an effective method to help save lives from dehydration. We found most people can read but loved the pictures. They taught other members of the community and picked up the method very quick. We are learning a lot of the political issues here in Nicaragua although you would never know are issues because we have been far away from the "hot spots" of any violence. It is very peaceful and a beautiful country with a lot of poverty. The meals are fantastic also. Tonight we had beef stew. There is always rice and beans with the meal. We are not going hungry that's for sure! Tomorrow is med clinic day 2. Most everyone is able to

Today was a busy day unpacking, sorting, and getting to know each other. We have a team from all over the country. Everyone is getting along well and having a great time. We left the hotel this morning and were able to see some of the protesting damage. The streets were very quiet driving through so there were not any issues. We then went to the school and had a chance to walk through the neighborhood slums. It is very eye-opening. We will all show you pictures when the internet is working better. We sorted all of the medications and other important items for our community projects. We are learning about what short-term mission trips mean and how to impact the community. We are not here long enough to change everything but we are one important piece of the puzzle. We are learning about what "poor" and "poverty" means. After we left the school, we stocked up on snacks and drinks at the grocery store, went to the mission house to relax. Tonight we will be

We made it! God was with us today! Everything went virtually flawless. We had nice flights today and made it to our hotel. Weather is nice and humid, people are friendly, and we are all ready for some food and sleep. We are all safe and sound. Tomorrow we will be preparing for the week (three days of medical camps, one day of projects, and one day of fun)! Stay tuned! Here is a picture of Nicaragua at dusk.

Welcome to our travel blog, we look forward to sharing our stories and adventures with all of you.  We will be spending 7 days in Nicaragua. Hope Without Borders has been working in Nicaragua since 2013.  We would like to thank all the families for allowing their loved ones to come with us.  We aren't going to try and change Nicaragua but we are going to let Nicaragua change us. We work with amazing people in Nicaragua who have dedicated their lives to helping others. Thank you for being part of that work.