Today was our educational day - and last day off!
Our first stop was the vocational program of the Christian school located on the same property as the Nehemiah Centre. This program, which is not usually offered in other Nicaraguan schools, consists of classes teaching the children carpentry, blacksmith, cooking. art, music, and auto mechanics. We were shown how the blacksmith program creates different materials like hammers, and even intricate keychains and metal crosses, by using heat to forge the metal. This program was started by a couple men from the US and some other teachers at the school.
Next, we visited 2 Christian schools supported by EduDeo. The first was a smaller school with 190 students from preschool-grade 6. The second was a larger school with 440 students from preschool to grade 11. The students were not in class again today, and won`t be there at all this week because of the tremors, but the teachers were there. The principal talked about how the schools were founded and how a normal school day is like for Nicaraguan students. Most of the classes have over 30 children in them and the classrooms are about half the size of the ones in Thunder Bay. Typically the school day runs from 7am-12noon. Both schools were located in poorer areas of Managua. The teachers expressed gratitude to EduDeo for assisting with building their schools. They said their communties have been changed in very positive ways directly and indirectly as a result of the presence of the Christian schools.
Both schools also are part of the `compassion`program. In this program, a child is sponsored for $40 per month by someone usually in the US or Canada. They come usually one afternoon a week to the school and are provided health care (90% of costs are covered), spiritual care, interaction with other christians, and much more. This program assists hundreds of additional children at both of the schools we visited.
After the school visits, we had a delicious lunch at a Nicaraguan buffet-style restaurant. Then we went to the market, and bought souvenirs, hammocks, etc.
We just played a game of basketball here at the centre and now showering and getting ready for dinner and some more games.
A couple things to add from yesterday: Devan, Michael, and jessie tried turtle eggs at the beach! Lester said they are commonly eaten here. Also, the gecko continues to haunt the girls`room. Yesterday, it peed on Tessa when she was trying to catch it! It likes to linger by Adena`s bed. A large spider also inhabits the guys` room. We`re still managing to sleep well though! Last night, Tessa also discovered an interesting suprise in her shorts, which were hanging up on the line outside. A bird had begun making a nest in them! There were sticks, leaves, hair, and more in the shorts. She was quite rattled by it!!
Thanks for reading and continuing to pray for us! We continue to be happy and healthy here :)
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