Merry Christmas!

May the light of the world fill our hearts with grace and peace and truth.

May this baby who was born in the midst of angels, campesinos, and kings fill us with child-like wonder.

(Special thanks to Grandma Long and Grandma Smith, who provided wonderful materials that have helped us and our neighbors to celebrate).

New Newsletter

To see our newsletter, look under "Newsletters" on the right hand side and click "Fall 2007." These pictures and information are different from what is on the blog. :)

Deck the Halls...

...with plastic pine boughs, fa la la la la, la la la la.

There aren't any real pine trees available to chop down here in Nicaragua (besides, we're worried about deforestation). So instead, we're decorating with some festive plastic that we found at a local market. It lacks the fresh pine smell, but it helps to put us in a Christmas mood. The first picture is Alan stringing garland onto the tree at home. The second photo is Beth's handiwork at the MCC office.

Team Retreat

We spent a few days last week in the COLD (yes, that word actually still exists in our vocabulary!) mountains in Northern Nicaragua. It was our first time together as a team in our new expanded form, and we had a wonderful time getting to know each other, singing, exploring nature, planning for the coming year, and reflecting individually and collectively. Our prayers and conversations were centered around the theme of anticipation: the anticipation in Scripture for the Messiah and our ongoing anticipation for Christ's kingdom in our lives and in the world. For more pictures and captions, click here.

Arriba los pobres del mundo!

Here are a few reflections on the Nicaraguan political scene in 2007, from the perspective of outsiders.

-Toma de poder: last January, Daniel Ortega was inaugurated as president, along with his wife, Rosario Murillo (who has been very involved in all aspects of campaigning and governing). They were surrounded by dignitaries, most notably and loudly from Venezuela and Bolivia. The promises, always in non-threatening hues of yellow and pink, have been for reconciliation and peace. Constant allusions are made to the re-triumph of the 1979 Sandinista revolution. Below is a picture of the National Palace with a large banner dedicated to Carlos Fonseca, the brains behind the Sandinista party, assuring him that they are advancing in the revolution.

-Cooperación internacional: this phrase usually refers to the oil that Nicaragua is getting from Venezuela and whatever else goes along with this partnership.

-"Arriba los pobres del mundo!" is a slogan seen everywhere in government propaganda. It usually also includes some reference to the 1979 Sandinista revolution and a photo of the balding Daniel Ortega (former Sandinista Comandante and current President) holding up his hand in . . . triumph? battle? a political wave? The saying could be translated, "Rise up, poor of the world!" or "The poor of the world are now on top!" Some cynical Nicaraguans insert the word "de" after "arriba," making the slogan imply that Daniel Ortega has lifted himself up from the poor of the world.

-Cero hambre (zero hunger) is a policy implemented by this Sandinista government to give goats/cows/chickens and seed to people in the most rural and impoverished parts of Nicaragua. Plus: this is a great and sustainable idea if people know how to use these gifts (and in many places they are being educated for this). Potential negatives: 1) some people do not have the tools to make these gifts work for them over the long haul. 2) it is unclear if these are being distributed to all people, or only government supporters.

-CPCs are the Citizen Power Councils that were set up by the Sandinista government in each community. There is now a controversy over the administration's attempt to make the CPCs part of the executive branch. Plus: in many communities people have been empowered, are organized, and feel they have a voice in the government. Controversy: some people have accused the councils of being set up to monitor communities (especially opposition).

-Government restructuring (politically): There has been some push to change the constitution to a more parliamentary system, with a prime minister and direct geographic representation (instead of the current system of the National Assembly being selected based on percentage of votes that the party receives in the presidential election).

-Government restructuring (physically): In the 1990s, the liberal government of Arnoldo Aleman decided to put a fountain and garden outside the National Palace and old cathedral, where the Plaza de la Revolución used to be. This year, the new government tore out the fountain and garden, spending thousands of government dollars to repave the Plaza so that it could be like it was in the time of the revolution.

-Aborto terapeutico/therapeutic abortion: this has been a political issue for the last 2 years or more here. Currently, the law criminalizes therapeutic abortion, meaning that the penalty for abortion to save the life of the woman is 3 years in prison for the woman and doctor. This has been in the news especially with the pregancies of young girls (at least one case of a 9 year old). Nicaragua is one of the only countries in the world with a law like this, and there are many protests against it. Many would say that it was passed before the last election to gain support from the Catholic church. Catholics and Evangelicals, normally at odds, have joined together to defend the law.

Nicaragua, Nicaragüita! A country of contrasts . . .

La Purísima (updated - 12/19)

Friday marked the celebration of the Purisima, or the immaculate conception of Mary (We earlier wrote that la Purísima was the conception of Mary with Jesus. The Immaculate Conception is the conception of Mary's mother with Mary. For more information about the origins of La Purísima, click here). This uniquely Nicaraguan holiday starts at noon on the 7th and continues until noon on the 8th. Here are a few highlights...

- fireworks. Lots of fireworks. The most spectacular display is at midnight, and it sounds like the city is exploding.

- yelling. Well, that's the Spanish word, but it's more like 'caroling.' Groups of people go from house to house singing/yelling carols in honor of Mary.

- altars. Lots of Catholic families set up little altars in honor of Mary, and the groups of carolers sing in front of these.

- yummy treats. Houses that have altars are expected to give away gifts to the carolers (kind of like Halloween). Our neighbors passed out lots of toys to the kids, but also small bags of rice, sugar, and a traditional Nicaraguan breakfast food called nacatamal.

Here are a few pictures from our neighborhood. One is of our neighbor's altar, and another is of the people lined up to sing. The third is of two teenagers who saw me in the street with our camera. They asked me to take their picture, and in honor of them, I'm posting it online.

Claassen Family Visit

We thoroughly enjoyed our week with Beth's family (all 7 who came). We wore them out, traveling to various Nicaraguan must-see sites. But the most meaningful was just sitting around and being with the whole family for the first time in more than a year. It was very life-giving for us, even as we stayed up way past our bedtime every night to talk. This is a sibling photo taken on an abandoned castle that overlooks Lake Nicaragua.

Neighbors

I know we've posted some pictures of neighbors before, but we have a lot of neighbors. Here are the four ladies who live across the street--baby, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. They have welcomed us with warmth and the occasional tasty Nicaraguan morsel.

The second photo is of a birthday party at another house across the street. Britany, the little girl with the red party hat, celebrated her 2nd birthday. The Winnie the Pooh piñata was larger than many of the kids in attendance, but they loved it and whacked off Pooh's legs in no time.

follow-up to our banana post

In light of our recent post describing our visit to a banana plantation in Honduras, we thought you might be interested in this article from yesterday (Thurs., Nov. 8) in the LA Times. Click here to read it.

An Average Evening

The rainy season departed last weekend, dropping buckets in one last attempt to soak Nicaragua. But it's now given way to (relatively) balmy weather with breezes that are drying things out (including our clothes). One result of the rain that hasn't left, however, is the mosquito. Their numbers have swelled at our house in recent weeks, and neither the lower temps nor the drier air have discouraged them.

The mosquitos are particularly annoying in the evenings. So a typical evening for us involves Beth washing dishes and Alan slapping at the walls with his trusty fly/mosquito swatter.

Even with our mosquito eradication program, we still manage to get quite a few bites. A friend from Pasadena told us that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on a bite helps the itch to go away. She's right. Our only trouble is after so many itchy bites, we just can't bring ourselves to eat another banana.

Mud and Hot Water

Going back a little earlier in October, we hosted a group of MCC Human Resources people. Here they trek through the mud on the way through Patastule to visit the Mennonite church and income generation project. In the photo below, our team and the HR people share a Nicaraguan meal (note the "gallo pinto"--the Nica staple food--being passed in the foreground).
After the week of traveling, sharing, and translating, we took some time for unwinding as a team at the Aguas Termales (hot springs) in the central region of Nicaragua. See more pictures (from this and our time in Honduras) here.

Connecting and Re-connecting

We spent October 18-29 in Honduras. Most of the time was meetings on short-term (Connecting Peoples) groups coming to Central America. One highlight was talking with Kurt Ver Beek (Calvin College prof) about his super-interesting work in this area. Click here to see some of this research. Another highlight was brainstorming with the other Connecting Peoples Coordinators and the MCC Policy Analyst about advocacy and education. The photo at left is this group in the MCC Honduras office.

In the midst of these Connecting Peoples meetings, we also found other connections. We enjoyed spending time with the BIC folk (Nate and Cathy Bert, Rachel Bowman, Mike Holland, and others) and MCC friends from Honduras (especially some from the Guatemala trip we took last month).

We also really enjoyed re-connecting with each other, with cooler climates, and with nature on our vacation to the Western highlands of Honduras. The other 3 photos are from Gracias & La Esperanza.

Where bananas come from

We had the opportunity to visit a banana plantation in Honduras this past week. We went with our "activist" sensors on high alert, knowing of the injustices that happen when transnational companies come to Central America to exploit cheap labor, tax-free zones, and fewer labor rights. In Nicaragua, currently there are hundreds of banana farmers protesting outside the National Assembly because their children are being born with deformities due to the pesticides used on the plantations and the refusal or inability of the government to place restrictions on the transnational companies.

Actually, this plantation wasn't the squalid, slave-exploiting, pesticide-infested kind of environment we might have pictured. But the tour raised several questions for us. What does dignified work mean? Does it depend on culture and economic class? When I eat a banana that I don't need from across the world, am I exploiting a Central American, or giving them work?

On a related topic, we have some friends who work in maquilas (sometimes known as factories or sweatshops). Though there are some terrible situations of people not being allowed to go to the bathroom, working long hours without compensation, or layoffs for trying to organize, this is not always the case. Our friends are thankful for the opportunity to work and feel a sense of loyalty to their companies.
So here we are, continuing to find the gray areas. We can't fight for the shutting down of all maquilas, the boycotting of bananas, or the complete repealment of CAFTA. But we want to stand in solidarity with people here as they organize and work for justice, live simply to break harmful cycles of consumerism, and keep listening to those around us.

1 Year Anniversary

Today, Nov. 2, marks one year that we've been in Nicaragua! Wow. This year has gone by quickly. We're now ready for year #2. This photo is from a 3-day vacation in Honduras...we're standing on the wall of an old Spanish fort-turned local love shack, overlooking the town of Gracias.

Emocionante!

We are excited! :) We just got our camera back (it has been in the camera hospital for the last 4 months). So now, in addition to the photos we are stealing from the internet and from other people, we can share with you our very own.

We are also happy about our growing MCC team. It is fun to get to know the new people. We just finished our first team meeting together, and tomorrow we are heading to some hot springs for a "fun day." In the front are Steve and Colleen Forry, along with their son Zachariah (sitting with Lydell). Not pictured is their almost-one-year-old Nathaniel (it is a change having little ones on the team!). In the back are the 4 SALTers, us, and Angela. From left, the SALTers are: Paul Manickam, Emma Richer, Rebecca Janzen, and Kayon Watson.

Cool Weather!!!

We've been having lots of rain the last few days, and with the rain has come surprisingly cool air. Last night was probably in the low 70s(!), a rarity for Managua. October is the last month of the rainy season, so this amazing weather probably won't last much longer. But we'll take coolness any time we can get it!

My walk to work

Most days I (Alan) go to the Baptist Theological Seminary here in Managua. From our house I walk 2 blocks to catch a bus, then a 15 minute bus ride, and then a 6-block walk to the Seminary. Here are a few things I typically see on my way to work:
- several women selling fruit salads and fruit drinks
- a teenager who, it seems, sniffs glue
- an abandoned lot with graffitti along the walls
- houses that were severely damaged in an earthquake 35 years ago but which some families still call 'home'
- a Baptist primary/secondary school with a well-kept soccer field
- a woman selling bananas & other fruit (I can buy 12 bananas for about $0.50)
- a public park where the weeds typically cover the bottoms of the playground equipment
I then pass through the green gates of the Seminary, and I'm at work.

The photo above shows the governmental heart of Managua - the tall white building is the National Assembly headquarters. The seminary, while not visible, is about 4 blocks east (to the right, just beyond the scope of the photo). Lake Managua can be seen in the background.

Guatemala Work and Learn Trip

I (Beth) just returned from 10 days in Guatemala with a group of 5 Nicaraguans and 4 Hondurans. We went to work on the 4th floor of the Anabaptist Seminary Semilla and participate in various dialogues and learning experiences with Anabaptist young people in the 3 Central American countries. I was taken back to my middle school wood shop class as I helped to fashion beds from wood with my bare hands. I tried to keep up with all the conversations, ranging from the serious (how the Central American church can be active in areas of disaster response, HIV/AIDS, and migration) to the ridiculous (with which animal cracker you relate best). I was inspired again by the network of relationships around the world in which MCC works, and watched my Nicaraguan friends experience this inspiration. I was reminded how much opportunities for travel, service, and leadership shape us. This is a privilege and an opportunity that should be available to young leaders all over the world. If you want to see more pictures/captions from the trip, you can click here.

Hurricane Felix update (with new link)

It's now been 2 weeks since Hurricane Felix slammed into the northeastern coast of Nicaragua. Due to the remote landscape (there are no roads from the pacific coast to the northeast coast...all travel is by boat or helicopter), information has been slow in coming. According to the latest news, it seems like the situation is much worse than originally thought. As many as 70,000 people (unofficial number) have been affected in some way. There are still also some extremely rural areas have yet to be surveyed. The most urgent needs right now are food and water. Virtually all sources of fresh water in the region were contaminated by the hurricane. In addition, virtually the entire crop was destroyed, meaning that there is little natural food available for people in the forests and surrounding lands. Food stored in houses was either blown away by wind or ruined by flooding and rains. The situation for many families is extremely dire.

Last week, the director of a community development organization (he's also a Mennonite pastor and worked w/ MCC in Mexico 6 years ago) here in Managua was invited by the Nicaraguan Army to survey some of the affected region. He flew by helicopter with several other relief organization leaders and took these photos. They show several scenes of damage (note the absence of roads, power lines, etc.). One photo shows people gathered under the helicopter for food & water that was dropped. He reports that the conditions for many people are very difficult.

MCC is coordinating with this organization (CIEETS) and others to provide immediate financial assistance which will be used to purchase food and water. It is clear, however, that the relief and recovery efforts will extend for many months, and MCC is also working on these long-term plans.

You can click here for an updated report on MCC's response in the region.

Thanks for your continued prayers.

Christmas in September

Last night I was sitting at the table, chowing down on gallopinto (rice & beans mixed together, not to be mistaken with rice & beans separate on your plate...in this case it's simply called 'rice & beans'), when suddenly the sounds of Christmas music wafted to my ears. 'Deck the Halls' & 'Hark, the Herald Angels Sing', complete with words in English, clear as a bell in our kitchen. What was this? I wasn't playing a random selection from our computer, nor was I breaking the cultural taboo about not playing Christmas music before Thanksgiving. So where was this music coming from?

I listened a little longer, and then I realized...one of our neighbors across the street was watching the movie 'Home Alone', and I was hearing the soundtrack. I listened a little longer and discovered that the movie was dubbed.

This brings up a little point about cultural difference that we've learned. Nicaraguans like things LOUD: televisions, radios, music, worship services, etc. If there's a volume button, you can expect that it will be turned to the max. This, coupled with the open-air feel of many houses, means that when one person listens to something, so does the whole neighborhood.

This has taken some adjustment, learning to share in other people's music & movie tastes. But it does give us a window into the cultural expressions (or in this case, borrowed cultural elements) appreciated by those around us. And to be honest, last night as I sat eating, I didn't mind hearing North American Christmas music. Even if it is before Thanksgiving.

Independence Day

Yesterday and today Nicaragua is celebrating its independence. Sept. 15 (today) is independence from Spain in 1821. Sept. 14 (yesterday) Nicaragua celebrated its independence from William Walker, the American who took over Nicaragua by force in the 1850s and tried to create a new 'slave state' for his southern cronies. It failed, with his departure occurring on Sept. 14, 1856. This little bit of American history never made it into the American history class I had in high school. How embarrassing.
At any rate, most people have had off from work, making a nice 3-day weekend. It's been kind of rainy, w/ very pleasant temperatures for a change. Nicaraguan flags adorn many of the houses and cars in Managua, and many people are hanging out w/ families this weekend. Not many fireworks for these celebrations, which is a bit surprising. Generally if there's a special day, Nicaraguans will celebrate it with fireworks.

Summer Newsletter

Our Summer newsletter, with news and notes from the last 3 months, is now available by clicking the link on the right. You'll be directed to a mediafire.com page, and then you can click 'download' to read the newsletter (it may take a few minutes, depending on your internet speed). Enjoy!

Hurricane Felix

Dear Friends and Family,
Many of you have written notes in the past couple days, asking about the hurricane and sending along thoughts and prayers. Thank you! We are fine--not even very wet. However, there has been significant damage and loss on the north-eastern side of Nicaragua. We wanted to let you know how you can support Nicaragua during this time. The East Coast of Nicaragua (see map at the bottom of the page) is separated from the West Coast by mountains, rivers, rain forest, and a network of impassable roads. In other words, it's difficult to get there even in the best of situations. Communication systems and infrastructure have been hit hard, especially in the communities in and around Puerto Cabezas. For example, even after three days, no one has been able to have any communication with the Brethren in Christ churches on the Atlantic Coast to see what their needs are. Currently, the only ways of getting relief aid into the region are by air and boat, which is expensive. What $100 of relief and development money would do on the Pacific Coast, takes $500 on the Carribean side. MCC and other NGOs down here (especially Acción Medica Cristiana, our primary partner in this situation) have a good network for collecting and distributing funds. If you or your churches would like to donate to the Hurricane Relief effort, you can do so through MCC online, by phone, or by mail. This information, as well as a brief article, is at http://www.mcc.org/news/news/article.html?id=239.
Also, you can read an article from the LA Times here: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-felix7sep07,1,5407673.story?coll=la-headlines-world

Thanks for your support! Love, Beth and Alan

Church

Church . . . it is simultaneously one of the most enriching and frustrating parts of our time here. It is like a cacophony of melodies (I'm speaking literally and figuratively) that can give one a splitting headache, but every once in awhile you catch part of one that is new and beautiful, so you can't just tune it all out. Our understanding of both music and the Holy Spirit and how they work is stretching to new limits. Why is the music SO loud and unintelligible? Why are there no printed words to any songs? Why do people go to church every night of the week? Why are people shaking and falling down? Why doesn't anyone invite us to anything? (see the spring newsletter for more on that) Why are they so hostile to Catholics (and even other churches in their own denomination)? Why aren't they more concerned about being involved in service to the community? Why are there so few men? Why are we so critical, anyway? Can't we just participate and learn?

But then, in the midst of the noise and questions, we have a lovely conversation with someone from church and feel God's presence. The Spanish words to a song hit us in a new and powerful way. Someone prays for us, not with shouting or shaking, but with gentleness and blessings. We participate in a conversation about a passage of Scripture that is refreshing. We watch how people care for one another, visiting those who are sick or providing food. We see generations interacting together in touching ways.

The question "What is the Church?" is not going anywhere. We'll keep asking it of ourselves and those around us. In the mean time, we'll keep trying to pick out a few new words and melodies each time.

In the picture are some of our friends from church, with Lindsy Glick (volunteer from Goshen) in the middle and Sarah and Erin at right.

Comings and Goings

We've had lots of people coming through this summer. My brother Andrew Claassen visited at the end of June. Around the same time, we received a short-term volunteer from Goshen College, Lindsy Glick. At the beginning of July, Don and Deo (from MCC Canada) came for a visit to see MCC Nicaragua programs that receive funding through the Canadian government. Keith Zehr, fellow Kansan, also arrived in July to be with MCC for about 6 weeks. July 21st, we said our very fond farewells to the SALTers (1 year volunteers) Erin Wilson and Sarah Klassen (pictured). But we hardly had time to breathe before the group from California came and went (see post below).

This morning we took the first IVEPer, Cecibel (in the center of the left-hand photo below), to the airport to head to the States for a year of service and learning. The other IVEPer, David (shown below), leaves for Canada next Saturday. Then we will just wait at the airport for our new group of 4 SALTers. Though sometimes sad and sometimes tiring to have so many people coming and going, it is invigorating to be in the midst of so many connections between people and the Church all over the world.

Nagarote Adventure

Just wanted to give you a little window into my (Beth's) past couple weeks.

Ingredients:
-4 Californians from Youth for Christ
-4 Nicaraguans from the Santa Rosa Brethren in Christ church in Managua
-1 Connecting Peoples Coordinator/translator/cheerleader/etc.
-2 Nicaraguan drivers
-1 microbus with lots of character
-1 volcano
-a few monkeys
-9 generous host families in Nagarote
-a bunch of songs in English and Spanish
-18 delicious filetes a la plancha
-around 300 kids
-3 colors of paint
-insect repellent (used liberally)
















We spent the first couple days in Managua--getting to know each other, planning for the week, learning/teaching about Nicaragua, and trying to figure out how to communicate when each group knew only a little of the other's language. Then we headed about 70 kilometers up the coast to Nagarote, where we were warmly embraced by our host families. We spent a few days working with the kids on music, art, and drama. We also painted and did some work on part of the roof. The Holy Spirit worked in us. We listened to each other and worked together, and beautiful relationships emerged. I like my job.