Trinity Church, a partner out of Cheney, KS, supported the building of a new water cistern as part of their education partner-project.
It will mean that the 250 kids in this school have potable water to drink. Members from another partner, Partridge Community Church of Partridge, KS, also joined in this effort as a part of their annual PartnerTrip. St. Andrew's college students (Champaign, IL) spent their spring break deepening their partnerships in Santa Emilia and La Flor. One of the participants had this to say of the experience, "One thing I learned a lot about over the Nicaragua trip was strength. As we heard the stories of the women in the microcredit project, I was struck by how difficult it was just to make a living. These women were fully aware of the struggles they faced, yet they all told their stories with smiles on their faces, joking with us, and overall expressing great joy in their lives. Even beyond the microcredit projects, I saw joy and compassion in almost everyone we talked to, which surprised me. I learned that it might take work to make a living, but it takes real strength to stay positive when the circumstances are working against you." Ktizo UCC out of Phoenix, AZ, spent a week with their partners in La Flor building latrines. 12 latrines were built in that time AND now there are plans in place for the beginning of a microcredit bank! The small community store (tienda) is flourishing and has expanded to sell more everyday necessities like beans and rice. Tulsa Community College continues to serve and learn in Santa Emilia, La Flor, and Chacraseca! Just last week the nursing program and the dental hygiene program took students to these three communities where they were able to see hundreds of patients and learn from Nicaraguan professionals, as well as experience practicing in a whole new context!
Our Partners and their Trips are in the midst of another excellent year! |