Dear Friends,
There’s a parable about a man who sat on a box and asked for money from people passing by. One day, a woman stopped and suggested that the man open the box. It was filled with gold.
While in Nicaragua, this story came to mind. Fellow travelers Mike and Dan asked me, “Why are these people are so happy and polite, especially the younger people?” A young woman who received some needed medicine for her child gave a hint of an answer when she said, “Thank you for remembering us.”
It not the medicine or the food that’s the gold. It’s that what moves us to care enough to help, to remember to be available for each other, the impulse that makes God’s love palpable, the currency always have and will never exhaust.
Thank you for all you share!
Chuck
Special Delivery
Although some people in the Philadelphia Airport may have looked at us as if we were “The Beverly Hillbillies”, we made it to Nicaragua with all the suitcases of clothes, computers, and miscellany. Our thanks to everyone who helped us get all of this together to take.
Maycól, Amelia, Marvin, and Jenny send their thanks to our four donors who purchased laptops for them. They are up and running and connected to the new printer…a big improvement just in convenience and logistics in the school!
Our thanks to our kitchen angels, Isabel and Marisol who patiently sorted, sized and distributed each piece of clothing to children and families in our barrio as they arrived to receive food. They also had the unenviable task of deciding who got the suitcases. (Everyone wanted one for storage in their home).
Making Connections
Mike Selvaggio and Dan Finocchiaro came down to paint and repair. When we returned from the hardware store with supplies the first day, our kids were asking what they could do to help. Over the next days of painting, communicating through Dan’s Google translator, laughing, and kidding each other, connections were made. At the end of their trip, Dan and Mike wanted to do something fun with them. Cooking breakfast followed by a pool party turned out to be something fun for all of us.
Update on Our Mid-Year Appeal
(now until September 1st)
Many thanks to all who have contributed to our appeal! Our goal is to raise $20,000. To date, we have raised $9,530. We’re grateful for this gift…with still two weeks remaining to make a donation.
UPDATE ON DELAWARE HOMES’ $2000 MATCHING GRANT OFFER FOR NEIGHBORS TO NICARAGUA
Our deepest thanks to Delaware Homes who has pledge to match donations in August to our mid-year appeal up to $2000.00. We’ve reached $1470.00. Only $530 to go.
Update on Manuela
One of our first visits was with Manuela age 60, who cares for Kelly, her 18 year-old neurologically-challenged granddaughter. We arrived with a basket of essentials (rice, beans, oil, etc). and stayed to visit. Noticing that her mattress was leaning against the wall of the room, we inquired about it. She said, “Oh my bed frame that I had for 45 years, broke in two. I sent for someone to fix it but it was beyond repair. She said no more until we asked where she was sleeping. She said, “On the mattress…on the floor.” So before Mike and Dan left, we sought the guidance of Marvin, and we bought and installed new bed frame.
N-2-N Sponsorship Corner
Last Month’s Student: Valeska del Socorro Martinez Urbina…Not Yet Sponsored…
Our school, Centro de Oportunidad, has 95 students whom attend class and receive a hot meal each day. (Many others come for meals as well). We are privileged to have sponsors for 44 – (46%) – of them.
Each sponsor donates $70 a month. Our student sponsorships are one of the financial cornerstones of our mission. If you would like to become a sponsor for one or more of our students, please let us know.
Each month, we will feature one of our un-sponsored students for consideration in this spot. This month’s student:
Valeska del Socorro Martinez Urbina
Valeska is 12. She is attending a special public school program to catch up to her peers. She has suffered from spotty attendance in traditional school because her family of five need her to help sell tortillas to make enough money to survive. On May 11th of this year, she entered our program, and her teacher, Jenny, has been monitoring her closely while counseling her parents, all to improve Valeska’s abilities to better process and remember information. Valeska loves our school, and since her first day with us, she has not missed a day of class. We are working hard to give her every chance for success, and we’re happy to have her with us.
Mark Your Calendar!
We’ve reserved the Wilmington Elk’s Club for our first Oldies Night since the pandemic! The date is Saturday, October 21st. Plan to come out between 5 and 9, grab a bite to eat (food available 5-6:30 — cash bar), get some exercise, and have some fun.
MOTOWN…BRITISH INVASION…DISCO…ROCK AND ROLL…CLASSIC R&B…and MUCH MORE!
Please share our flier with friends and family! Looking forward to selling out (160 spaces).
