I like Nicaragua, so do Cait and Emily. It is not like Massachusettes. It is not like the US. It is not like Mongolia. I guess it is like its own little country. I hope I haven’t lost you yet. I don’t want to get too technical this early in a blog.

It was Sunday here today, just like back home. It is supposed to be the day of rest, but that is easier said than done. It kind of started last night with the noise, the party with the music where you recognize the tune but not the words (like rap – I don’t understand any of that either), or the trucks that for some reason honk their horns as they slow down in front of us as they near the intersection, or the cat fights, or the dogs barking all night (they keep them tied up all day then let them loose all night to roam and bark and congregate next to my cabin), or that rooster that thinks he’s supposed to crow for 2 hours straight right next to my cabin (those dogs need to take him out to dinner), or to top it off that woodpecker that likes to peck on the roof of the cabin, and its not even wood, he must not be able to read the labels. So it was not quiet, not like the double dead end road we live on in sleepy quiet Ashburnham, where the only noise is my snoring, but I never hear that anyway. I may need those noise canceling head sets tonight, or maybe I will just snore louder and give them a taste of their own medicine.

We spent the morning helping the kids at their Sunday school classes. There are about 300 kids that meet in 24 homes around Catarina, so we split up and helped out. Or at least Cait and Em did. I tried to help and be good, but when it came to making those paper lions I am afraid I did not do so well. I tried to make them scary looking, but the girls just shook there heads and the boys just laughed and talked very quickly in Spanish all the while glancing at me and smirking; I wish I knew the language so I could straighten them out, kind of like how the bruins teach the rangers a thing or two. Or maybe I will just tell them to behave “or else”, except I still don’t know what that means.

We spent the afternoon going thru the inventory and organizing the drugs and supplies for our work. Then we all went swimming as it was hot and muggy, and the water felt great. We tried to play some volleyball where we just hit the ball around and try to keep it in the air as long as possible, but we are not very good at it. It would have been better on frozen water with a rubber puck, but they don’t have much of that around here. Next time maybe we will just play kill the guy with the ball and keep it simple. In the evening we went to the church for service. Oscar gave the sermon, and Tamy interpreted for us and there was lots of singing and happy faces and an alter call. It is always great to worship God no matter where you are or what language you speak, and thankfully Jesus always understands us.

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, but probably not before that special needs rooster starts yacking, we will be up and out for another adventure. We will be going on a 3 hour journey into the countryside where we will be working for 3 days. We will not have electricity, running water, beds or even food and water ( ok I made that one up), so we really will be roughing it. It will be great, and hopefully my daughters will be ok without those umbilical cords they text on all day, although I am pretty sure they will like it too, although not the part about missing the bruins game.

We also will not have any wifi, so you won’t have to read any of my blogs for a couple of days, but like I said before, don’t blame me for you reading this, it is your fault. But if you want, I will write when I get back, and maybe then there will be some of that gross stuff you’ve been waiting for. I just hope it isn’t me so I will have to remember not to drink the water.

Blessings from Catarina
Dr Mike

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