Wednesday 26 July 2017

Despedida Oficial…

The time has finally come. The time to say good-bye. It was with a smile on our face and tears in our eyes that we began the process of saying good-bye to our friends and community that have become very important to us over the past 2 years. What a mix of emotions! There is no better way to describe the good-byes other than BitterSweet. We are so thankful for the last 2 years, and are also looking forward to whatever comes next. But good-byes are always difficult and saying good-bye never gets easier.

I remember the week we did orientation with Davey and Sarah in San Nicolas, we attended their good-bye party in La Garnacha, and I remember tearing up hearing the workers say their good-byes and thanks to Davie and Sarah. At that point, I could not even imagine the relationships we were yet to build and the tears that would come at our own good-byes. These two years have gone so fast!

We did many things during the week we labeled “despedida” week. We stay overnight in La Garnacha to eat a final meal with everyone at the farm, we visited families in the communities, we baked with friends, we planned and hosted our own despedida for the many people in our lives, and we attended a final misa (or mass)…Pictures to come of all of that…but at this final mass the Padre focused on 1 specific bible verse, and appropriately it was a verse that I had taped onto my mirror and reflected on every morning these past 2 years. It was my focal point when I needed to be reminded that I could do hard things. During our first few months in Nicaragua, I was really struggling to adjust to all the changes. It was a difficult time, as I don’t really like change, and I really missed our community from home. I wasn’t sure who would become our new community, and how we would ever be able to make friends when we could barely speak Spanish….ha! But this verse helped me to see that I wasn’t doing this alone, and that there is a place to find “rest for my soul”…

Mateo 11:28-30

28 “Vengan a mí todos ustedes que están cansados y agobiados, y yo les daré descanso. 29 Carguen con mi yugo y aprendan de mí, pues yo soy apacible y humilde de corazón, y encontrarán descanso para su alma. 30 Porque mi yugo es suave y mi carga es liviana.”

Matthew 11:28-30

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

It was very appropriate that this was the last verse we heard during the final San Nicolas mass, as we move onto to the next transition in life.

After misa, we hosted a large lunch for about 60 people. We ate fritanga (grilled and fried EVERYTHING! :) ) and had many conversations about our plans and many tearful good-byes. While it was a sad event, it was also a very lighthearted and celebrative event. We felt like we were surround by family and we talked about many memories of the last 2 years.

Here are a few pictures from our last few days in San Nicolas…

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We made 150 cupcakes for the despedida at the school. Each student got a cupcake, it was a small way to say thank you for their friendship and their hard work in English classes.

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The high school teachers

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Lots of baby snuggles from Maria’s baby, Domanic

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The last Thursday cleaning veggies

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Last Friday at the market

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Last adult English class

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Some homegrown decorations for our Despedida party

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We had a table to for a photo slideshow and a place where people could write a note to us or draw a picture or write down some memories.

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The line for food! (fritanga!!)

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Last picture in the empty house…so sad to see it empty.

There really are NO words to describe what this experience, these people, have meant to us. We will miss them dearly. But we also KNOW that this is not good-bye. It is just see you soon!!

Love.

Sunday 2 July 2017

The Final Countdown

We are doing so many “lasts” these days it sometimes feels overwhelming to keep track of and document it all, but we are trying. As we head into our final week here, we have already had a few despedidas and many “lasts”. But this week we will say good-bye to our high school students (Last day of school for semester 1 is on Monday) and we will have a special lunch in La Garnacha and then our personal despedida in town will be on Sunday. We will pack up and clean house the following Monday and Tuesday and we will be moved out by Tuesday afternoon, July 11. Hard to believe how fast time is going. We are writing good-bye notes, and trying to put into words what these people have meant to us over the past 2 years. Good-byes are hard!

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I spent a morning making rosquillas (corn based cookies) with my good friend, Albertina. These are always the best fresh out of the oven. Yum! I also taught her how to make baked oatmeal and we baked in their outdoor, barrel oven. Delicious.

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Last week the school in Quebrada de Agua did a special event for us. They danced and read poems and there were lots of hugs to go around. I hope to see these students 1 more time this week.

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“Desde Indiana hasta San Nicolas. Una pareja vimos llegar, un alto y una baja que nos venimos a ensenar. Ya se ingles, no se si me puedan entender ahora digo ‘oh yes!’. Gracis doy a dios mio de conocer a esta pareja que es una bendicion and hoy se quedan en nuestro corazon.”

From  Indiana to San Nicolas. We saw a couple arrive, one tall and one short who came to teach us. Now I know English, I don’t know if you can understand me. Now I say “Oh yes!”. I give thanks to my God that I met this couple, who is a blessing. And today they stay in our hearts.

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With profe maria. Love her!

So last week felt like week 1 of good-byes and now this week will bring more good-byes, and probably more tears. But as we keep saying. This isn’t good-bye it’s just see you later! No es adios, es hasta luego!