Thrush Family Visit

From August 9-16 the entire Thrush family came to visit us in Nicaragua. It was the first time in 2 and a half years since all of us had been together. We had a great time relaxing, laughing, praying, and seeing the Nicaraguan sites together. Here are a few photos from the week. From top to bottom: part of the family in front of the MCC Nicaragua office; the family at the Masaya volcano; visiting a friend in a rural community; the Thrush men (plus our driver Salvador) at a lake in rural Nicaragua); waiting at the hospital for Beth's 4-month check-up; sitting in the rocking chairs at the Quina Shalom, the Mennonite guest house where we stayed.

Family News

We're going to have a baby! The Claassen Thrush family will be expanding from 2 to 3 sometime in early February 2009. Beth just finished her 16th week, and both mom and baby seem to be doing well these days.

The photos are from our recent time with the Thrush family. Grandma Thrush to-be brought some baby clothes and diapers for us, making it seem a bit more real.

Check back for updates as the months progress.

Day of the Revolution

Today, July 19, is a big holiday in Nicaragua, celebrating the 1979 revolution that overthrew the Somoza dictatorship. We are using this day off to update our blog (thus the blitz of posts) and saying goodbye to our one-year SALT volunteers. In the background as we write this, there are lots of fireworks, loud medleys of revolutionary music, and honking as the buses all make their way to the central plaza for a celebration (led by President Daniel Ortega, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, and a few representatives from Cuba).

There are lots of ways to view this situation, and this year it is being used heavily for political purposes; that is, gaining support for the policies of the current FSLN-controlled (Sandinista Front for National Liberation) government. These are a couple examples of murals depicting aspects of the revolution.

This is one depiction of the revolutionary ideal. The partial-statue is what was left of the statue of Somoza when the Sandinista revolutionaries tore it down. The masks of hypocrisy are set aside, and the children play with their Nicaraguan flag kite in the land of lakes and volcanoes.

Fruits and Vegetables

Several times people have asked us the very good question, “What kinds of fruits and vegetables do you have there?” Nicaragua, while exporting primarily coffee and tourism, is home to fertile, volcanic soil that produces a variety of food for export and domestic consumption. The most commonly eaten vegetables are onions and peppers (used in most dishes). Second tier are carrots, beets, tomatoes, and cabbage. Squashes are also commonly used (a pumpkin-like one called ayote, chayote, and pipian). Some of our favorite fruits in season now are mangos, mamones (like large grapes with peels and big pits), and pitahaya (dragon fruit). There are also all kinds of citrus fruits, bananas, and plantains. Alan and Peter (Beth’s brother--here with us for the summer), have been making delicious fruit smoothies every morning with papaya, banana, and orange.

Dancing and painting and stuff

I love this picture because it expresses how I often feel here. Everyone around me is dancing. I like it, and I want to be involved, but I know I don't quite fit in and sometimes I'm a little unsure. So I smile and join in the best I can. As Andy is doing in this picture. :)

This is the group of young people from various cities in Nicaragua together with youth from the New Guilford Brethren in Christ church in Pennsylvania. We learned (dancing, new languages, how to make tortillas, Nicaraguan history/culture, new ways of worship, etc.) and worked (painting and fixing roofs) together. We saw beautiful ways that the churches here are reaching out in their communities, and were inspired to follow this example. For more photos, click here.

Updated MCC Team photo

Here is our relatively new, expanded MCC team. Of course, it will change again soon when three of our SALTers leave tomorrow (:(). Front Row (L-R): David Mercado, Social Commission Coordinator; Angela Opimi, MCC Nicaragua/Costa Rica Representative (big boss); Alan Claassen Thrush, Peace and Conflict Transformation Professor; Kayon Watson, CEPAD Nehemias Connecting Peoples; Paul Manickam, PE teacher at the Christian School for the Deaf. Standing (L-R): Yolanda Cruz, Office Assistant; Emma Richer, Special Education Coordinator at Hogar Belen; Issela Medina, Connecting Peoples/Office Assistant; Beth Claassen Thrush, Connecting Peoples/Office Assistant; Rebecca Janzen, Project Assistant at the Batahola Cultural Center; Sarah and Seth Hays, Agricultural/Health Accompaniment Workers; Steve and Colleen Forry, Agricultural Accompaniment Workers.

Changing Seasons

The past several months have been "verano" (summer). April and May are especially hot. The humidity also rises little by little until it reaches almost unbearable. We find ourselves (and maybe others too) a bit crankier. Water balloons go a long way in improving neighborly relations. These water balloon games we introduced (thanks to our time working at camps) became a favorite pasttime of the neighborhood kids during the hottest weeks.

We are now in the midst of shifting to "invierno," which could be translated "winter," though that seems strange because it is not very much cooler. "Rainy season" is more appropriate. The rains began in mid to late May, taking away drought and water balloons, and bringing impassable streets and the growing season.