Adventures in the Department of Matagalpa (Adventuras en el departemento de Matagalpa)

So, I had my first experience with a mission team at AMC! Let me tell you, it was great! :) ¡Gracias a Dios! There was a team, Medical Teams International (MTI), that were here from Portland, OR (Kathy Apothaker- check them out) . It was a team of 3 doctors, 3 nurses, 1 translator and two other volunteers.

I travel to the department of Matagalpa in a truck with 3 others for 4 hours through beautiful mountains with incredible views. Departments are kind of like a county like we would have in the US, but they each have a capital city.

I did not get car sick, which was a huge blessing and has been a great blessing since my arrival in Nicaragua. Normally that would be a problem for me, but ever since I have been here I have not had any issues. Thank you Jesus!!!!

Photo 1:
The mountains of the Department of Matagalpa.
Los montañas del departemento de Matagalpa.

The team was ¨stellar¨ and a great first team for me to work with. We went to 5 different locations to provide the clinics (San Juaquin, SanBenito, La Ceiba, El Coyolar, La Esperanza Land Bank). We had two Nicaragua doctors with us as partners in this inter-cultural experience. This is one of the many things that I appreciate about AMC, is that it is not just about North American´s coming to Nicaragua to “do”, it is about partnering with locals who provide the vision and the true heart behind the goal.

We stayed in Santa Luz, where AMC has accommodations. It was actually the best I have seem in Nicaragua! I had a mattress, a mosquito net, an indoor shower (with bone chilling water) and a latrine in which I never saw one cockroach (which is quite unusual for an outdoor latrine)! Having to go without any of those comforts seriously would not have bothered me, but it was much better than I was anticipating.

Photo 2:
The AMC lodging in Santa Luz.
Alojamiento de AMC en Santa Luz.

Photo 3:
The coffee farm in Santa Luz. Great coffee!
La granja de café en Santa Luz. ¡Café maravillosa!

We had some really great clinics and I believe we helped over 700 people total. I played with the children one day and translated.... yes, that is right, I said translated the other days. It was interesting and I am definitely lacking. But, I was with a doctor who knew some Spanish and between the two of us we did pretty well. I learned a lot of medical words and phrases to say the least! :)

Photo 4:
Almost 200 people waiting to see the doctors.
Casi 200 personas que estaban esperando para consultar con los doctores.

Photo 5:
An 11 day old baby boy. So precious!
Un niño que tenía 11 días. ¡Que preciousa!

Along with the medical clinics, AMC takes time to educate the volunteers on other projects that are going on through partnerships within AMC: food bank, construction projects, dental hygiene education, HIV/AIDS education. Below are a few photos from these. (Dad- you should think about the construction brigade....).

Photo 6:
A AMC construction project.

Un proyecto de construción de AMC.

Photo 7:
Part of the Land Bank.
Parte del banco de tierra.

Photo 8:
This is a cocoa plant. I ate a seed directly off the plant.
Un plante de cocao. Lo comí directamente del plante.

Photo 9:
Two of the Nicaraguan translators. The rivalry exists even in Nicaragua! :)
Dos traductores nicaragüense. ¡Son contra si mismos también en Nicaragua! :)

I was alos blessed to be able to go with the team to Volcano Masaya (Volcan Masaya). I was able to get way closed to the crater that we would be able to in the US national parks. I was beautiful once you got past the smell of sulfer.

Photo 10:
Volcano Masaya.
Volcan Masaya.

I had an interesting conversation with a cab driver yesterday. He asked if I was from the US (as if it wasn´t obvious) and I replied that yes I was. He then said that he doesn´t like the US. We continued our discussion. He, like a lot of Nicaraguans, dislike the government of the United States, but truly appreciate the people that come from the US to Nicaragua.

Well, as a US citizen living in Nicaragua, I was first relieved to hear that I was liked, even though my government was not. (That would be a little scary!) Why the difference you may ask? Well, during the Reagan administration in the US was the time of the revolution here in Nicaragua. The Reagan administration supported the contras with firearm support and military training against the gorilla movement of the Nicaraguan people. Many Nicaraguans were killed with US financed arms... not just Nicaraguans, but a US citizen Benjamin Linder (http://casabenlinder.org/node). The US government apparenty tried to cover it up saying the Ben was caught in Cross-fire. But the reality was that he and two Nicaraguans were shot at point blank. Nicaraguans here typically view US policy as flawed and in contradition to what would help improve Nicaragua.

I encourage you to look into this a bit more. Not only how US policy affects the United States, but how it affects other countries. Where exactly does our US dollar go when it is stated as "foreign aid"? And to go beyond that, how can we, as US citizen, make a positive impact on our world with the knowledge.

Bendiciones,
Beth Ann