Honduras

  It’s only been three weeks since the rancho boy was murdered on the bus in Tegucigalpa.  Yesterday, another tragedy happened.  The older brother of two of the boys in our hogar jumped in the posa to save a drowning younger boy.  He brought the boy to the side and then disappeared underwater, apparently from exhaustion.  (One of the problems with the posa is that the water is very murky.  Visibility is about 2 inches.  In fact we have often talked about how dangerous it is, because unless you see someone go under, you would have no idea.) Some kids who saw the event ran to tell a tio.  The tio apparently didn’t believe them.  It wasn’t until many hours later when the older boy didn’t show up to a meeting that he was expected at, did they begin the search.  By the time they found him at the spot where he disappeared, he was long ago dead. He was seventeen. 

  No, Nicaragua is not dangerous!  In fact, the director here thinks it’s the safest country in Central America.  We found it to be cleaner than Honduras, and it seemed to be a bit wealthier..there is much more arable land.  The landscape was much different than Honduras..lots of jungle, flat cultivated land, and numerous volcanos popping up everywhere.Some highlights:

We visited “Selva Negro” (Black forest) which is a rainforest reserve/ coffee plantation.  On an early morning hike in the rainforest we spotted numerous howler monkeys who made quite a racket, and then a toucan..it was just like the one on the Fruit Loops box!  See video  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8433A18w4oc Later in the day we rented horses to tour the huge coffee plantation…just a gorgeous place.

Boys on their horses strolling through the coffee plantation 

We also visited an active volcano much to Henry’s dismay. He was certain it was going to erupt and kill us all.  We were offered gas masks to alleviate the noxious fumes pouring out of the crater.  We were too tough to take the ranger up on it.  A cross on the edge of the caldera marked where priests used to sacrifice young maidens into the volcano to appease the spirits. See video of maidens being sacrificed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciO1ofTLerE

We spent two nights on the island in Lake Nicaragua where NPH-Nicaragua is located sitting below an active volcano.  The other pequeños loved hearing about their compañeros in Honduras.  We felt they had a better life in Nicaragua…way more food and less work, BUT it was damn hot!

Island where NPH Nicaragua is located.

Henry and Lucas visit with the pequenos at NPH-Nicargua 

There is still evidence of a lot of political strife.  When you entered a town you would see numerous Sandanista flags dotting the landscape or PLP flags (the other major party) depending on the town. Ortega was recently elected by only 30% because there were numerous parties being represented.  There seems to be uncertainty about the future.

Painting in cultural center, Leon, Nicaragua