Monday, July 30, 2007

Sights from the Window


So we've found this great little coffee shop here in Managua - El Coche Cafe. I can get a huge cup of coffee for about $0.75. And it's really good coffee, too.

I spent the morning at El Coche, and here are a few things I saw out the window:
- 2 guys selling Spider Man kites
- a stray dog trotting by
- an old woman tottering off a public bus
- a steady stream of new cars & SUVs pulling into Managua's only bulk retailer (across the parking lot from El Coche)
- a 2-wheeled cart pulled by a scrawny horse laden with lumber
- a hand-me-down ambulance from a European country
- kids with matted hair begging for spare change
- an old man selling paintings
- a bicycle balancing 4 huge baskets

A typical morning in Managua.
--Alan

Friday, July 13, 2007

more pics from Honduras

Here are several photos, taken by our friend Rob Cahill (MCC Guatemala), of the amazing underwater world that we saw while snorkeling. Check it out.






Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Ministry of Presence

We just sent Andrew (my brother) back to the States. We had a great time with him and were encouraged by the presence of a friend/family member who was willing to involve himself in our lives here.

I´ve been reflecting a bit more today about my continuing desire to be involved in the lives of those around me. Sometimes, when there is a language barrier, you feel like you´re just watching people through a window, not really involved in their world or their conversations. But here people don´t watch anything from behind windows. They are in their doorway or on the porch, ready to scoot a chair over to the neighbor´s to hold the baby or jump out into the street to join the conversation, soccer game, or airplane contest (though I haven´t seen too many of the over-20 crowd doing this). When cars pass, people reluctantly move to the side for the brief intrusion, then return to the business of community.

Even though I like my MCC work of connections and education for more adult-ish people, I am loving my afternoon/evening/weekend work of being an involved adult in the lives of the kids in our neighborhood. I think it´s important for people of all ages to have several people around them who are willing to listen to their thoughts, hear them tell/read stories they like, and play games with them.
-Elizabet