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MY REACTIONS TO CHINANDEGA
By Kathy Nodolf
I have watched my friends for the past several years get very involved in Partners and their dedication to the country, people, and projects has been an amazing thing to witness.
In preparing for the trip I read as much as I could about the country. I had heard many stories and seen so many pictures I felt as though I already knew the people and the country. However, nothing prepared me for the warm, friendly and gracious people I met.
What I truly enjoyed was visiting the homes in the neighborhood to hand out information about the library that was to be opened the following week. Seeing the excitement and enthusiasm of the adults and children was the most rewarding – language is no barrier when looking into the eyes of young children who wanted to visit the library right then and there! It has been even more gratifying to hear that the library is up and running and has been very busy.
Nothing could quite prepare me for the visit to the Orphanage Hogar San José. How can a person resist all the smiling and beautiful faces of those girls.
The lesson in life that has been reaffirmed for me is that people have more similarities than differences no matter where we live and that caring and gratitude transcends language. I feel so fortunate that I was able to experience a beautiful country inhabited with beautiful people.
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