Hola, hola familia y amigos!
How are all of you state-side? I hope well. I write to you all tonight watching the last bits of sunlight sink behind the westward mountains in Sabana Grande. Our time in the comunity of La Concha has come to an end, and while it was difficult for all of us to say goodbye to our newly found friends and family, we are excited to be here in this beautiful place.
We´ve been here almost a week already! Other than a little bit of typìcal traveler´s sickness that a few folks are enduring, our time in Sabana Grande has been wonderful. We´re now working with a new organization called Grupo Fenix, another amazing example of sustainable development at work. We spent our first couple of days simply getting to know the organization and larger community as well as the new trends and pace at which life occurs here. For most of us this introduction also include time rambling around the mountains that hug the valley. This new entertainment and the beauty it embodies has definitely made the transition easier. The smell of the pine trees that spread across the mountains provide a comfortable reminder of home.
Our first project with the community included the installation of a photovoltaic system in a local home, a new and exciting experience for most of us. Grupo Fenix and another local organization, Las Mujeres Solar, have been doing work with renewable energy in Sabana Grande for awhile and we were happy to witness and experience first-hand the positive outcomes of the groups´efforts. Similar to La Mariposa, we have been blown away by the breadth of the initiatives that Grupo Fenix and other local organizations take. Thus far we have been nothing less than amazed and inspired.
Other than our introdcution and first service work, our transition to Sabana Grande has also entailed diving into new course work for CELL. Believe it or not, we´re all excited to be getting into this new ascademic work. It adds a whole new dynamic and level of engagement with each other, as well as the communities we visit. Simply spending time in these places allows us to connect with them in one way or another. But as we begin to connect more intentionally, our understanding of and connection to each place will only become deeper, stronger, and ultimately, more meaningful.
While I know I could continue on with so many more things to share with you all, it is now completely dark out and becoming rather hard to write. So I´ll take this natural transition of the day as my opportunity to say adios to all of you. I hope that all is well with each and every one of you!
With love from Nicaragua – Evan