Baby Steps

The day started off on a “Nicaraguan” note. I watched two buses pass by my stop without halting. As these buses drove by I figured out why – they were already overflowing with people. I’ve been on some mighty crowded buses here so the fact that the bus driver considered his vehicle full is quite noteworthy. I managed to hop on the third bus, albeit by the slimmest of margins. The bus started to take off while I was still waiting for the person in front of me to board, so I was lucky to grab onto the bar and hop up as it was slowly gaining speed. This, too, was ridiculously crowded and I soon found that I couldn’t advance beyond the first step. Shortly thereafter the bus door proceeded to close, trapping my arm in the process. I wiggled it out but was worried that the previous two minutes would set the tone for the day. Thankfully they didn’t.

Brad and Carlos, the man we hired as the local director for the sponsorship program, joined us for lunch today. We had a great time. The kids love when Brad comes because he is so great about playing with them. They often tell me that he is more fun than I am, which I must agree is a true statement. He kept them entertained by sliding down the slide in the play area (I have no idea how he fit), playing high-five hand games with the girls, and allowing the kids to climb all over him. Now that I am old I can’t keep up with the kids like I once could. Brad was also a big hit because he took turns giving the kids rides on his motorcycle. Lunch was great. The kids had fun playing with Brad and talking with Carlos. He is also wonderful with the kids.

After lunch Carlos and I went to a local coffee shop to talk about the program. We worked out some financial details and discussed our vision for the future. I am beyond excited for this endeavor. I found out today that Carlos did translation work for World Vision for seven years and has an abundance of knowledge about its sponsorship program. We brainstormed some ideas for fundraising and spreading the word about what we are doing.

So, what’s the next step? We have to get the final 3 kids in this initial round signed up for school. Then, the fundraising begins. I plan on putting together a brochure with information and pictures sometime soon. Although all of the details need to be ironed out, it looks like it will cost around $28/month to sponsor a kid. I’ll surely put more information on this blog when it’s official.

Also, I am seriously considering starting a non-profit organization when I return to the States in a few weeks. This will help with fundraising, since I understand why people will likely have reservations about writing checks directly to me. Although it is overkill for the size of the program in its current incipient state, I think it would be prudent to lay the foundations for growth now while we’re still putting everything together. Again, I’ll post more when I can.

I am currently typing this blog while sitting poolside. The sun is setting and I’m enjoying a calm breeze and a temperature around 80. The wireless router I’m borrowing from my dad unbelievably transmits a great signal that reaches here. I hesitate in writing this, as everyone who might have felt a bit of sympathy for me for living in a developing country certainly just lost it, especially those in snowy/windy/cold Baltimore.

Thanks for reading this. I am so honored that you care enough to follow what we’ve been a part of down here. Moving to Nicaragua has really shown me how loved I am back home.