ProNica – Nicaragua

Last week went by in a blur. Trying to get the library painted in a week was stressful and exhausting but well worth the effort. Monday we got the estimates done for paint by a friends brother. Then they suggested that their father, Ruben, could help with the painting job. On Tuesday morning Payita, the librarian, and I worked all afternoon to get the walls cleared of dusty posters, drawings, tape, etc. On Wednesday we labored all morning washing the walls and scrubbing them down as best we could so that we could paint on thursday. I found this project a nice way to get to know Payita better, and also to realize the incredible resolve of just a couple who are willing to help in what was quite a ton of work. Ruben and his cousin Chago painted from 7am to 5 in the afternoon on thursday and all morning friday without pay and hardly any breaks. They were like a machine that just kept going it they were INDEFATIGABLE I thought Id never get the chance to use that word. This week I also got much closer to Payita, and though she´s going through some personal difficulties I can´t help but feel an enormous amount of respect and inspiration and the incredible amount of work she does in such horrendous conditions. And by that I mean that I found out she makes an appalling 600 cordobas a month- not even 30 dollars, and the library is an unairconditioned infierno without even a well working fan. She works with patience and resolve and kindness with all the kids who venture into her domain of books and cuentos and offers the little bit of resources she has to give to anyone who sincerely comes to learn. I am figuring out that the most I have to give while I am here is not really the materials afterall, but my time and my concentration and my attention. Really what a lot of the kids look for when they come in I think is not necessarily to draw or paint, but to feel like they are special and appreciated. This is universal of course with children but I think it is at least one thing here that I know I will not run out of, and that is sincere affection for what the kids are and are creating. Even if by the end of the day Im worn out and want to just lay down on the ground and melt. Because the best moments I have had, the most gratifying feeling is knowing that the chavalos look forward to coming to class and having me be there. And there is nothing that makes me feel better than that. The photo is of Ruben and Chago working on the outside of the library, where the before and after difference of their work is remarked. I will post more photos when I return to Achuapa, at the moment Im visiting Molly in Esteli, we went on a hike today to this mountainside southeast of esteli where a humble campesino man carved a sculpture into a cliff using only a blunt machete and a rock. It was an incredible experience and an entirely new post all together. I am behind on writing and struggling to catch up, unfortunately time moves fast here and emotions come and go like the rain. For now I am getting to know people and myself better every day. And am confronted with stories and histories of this people and nation every day that are stacking themselves up like little cuentos in the corner of the room, waiting to be shared and read.

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 4th, 2010 at 12:53 am by Kate Irick ‘13 and is filed under The Latest. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.