Nicaragua2009 - Day 3

Breakfast the first morning at the Buzbees, with our chef (Maria) in the kitchen.
Yesterday was our "NCA Day". This is a view of the elementary wing of the Nejapa campus, which now has more students than the original!! They have 20 students in this year's graduating class, including the oldest son and daughter of our maid, Aurora, who learned to read and write from Lana!
Here's Tim with her son, Richard...
Nour Sirker is a Nicaraguan physician/ER surgeon who did his residency in NY; He and his wife run "El Samaritano" (The Samaritan) a clinic and surgery center for those who cannot really "afford" medical care at public hospitals (which require patients to provide their own medical supplies & medications). He is also President of the Nica version of "Promise Keepers" (Hombres de Verdad); the purpose of which is to train up men of integrity to lead their families, churches and country.
Dr. Sirker's wife, Carolyn, is one of my wife Lana's dearest friends; she is originally from NY and a nurse by profession; she runs the clinic at "El Samaritano" and this beautiful school out in the country... she spoke excitedly about the joy of seeing children work toward a better future for their families and country!
Some of the 4th-6th graders at Carolyn's school.
Termites are a common menace; our team had fun testing the durability of this nest...
Thanks to the generosity of folks "back home", we were able to make a contribution to Phase 2 of the NCA Fine Arts Center (a project that Lana was involved with from the conceptual stages.)
Our team lent a little hand preparing the steel for the columns and footers for the current construction project on campus...

The "chilamate" in the NCA parking lot is a great shade tree... and though you don't actually have to be in it to appreciate that, our lot chose to see for themselves.
Tim snapped this picture as I passed this farmer & son headed back from selling their produce at one of the markets in Managua...
The guys have been thoroughly captivated by "Camilo" (the white-faced monkey who lives at the entrance to their guest house.)
One of the major perks of staying with the Buzbees is this little oasis on their property... I told the boys I am spoiling them...
The Fab Five ready to roll!
(L2R) Harrison, Austin, Eric & Seth all settled in for the start of the graduation ceremony (Tim was backstage visiting with his former classmates); they look great considering it was 90 degrees, with 90% humidity and a very slight breeze in the open auditorium!
A blurry look at last night's graduation ceremony with keynote speaker Liam Starkenburg (my replacement as Director of NCA) at the podium with his translator (Marcelo Largaespada of the Class of 2010)
Here's Tim at the end of the graduation ceremony last night with his Nicaraguan best friend, Gerson "Harry" Miranda, and his family. Harry's older brother, Dennis (3rd from right) was just awarded the Walton Scholarship to attend Harding University (AK) in the fall, and Harry will be heading to Calvin college on a combination of scholarship, grants and support from an army of people who recognize his call to leadership in his country... our team of 6 will spend next Monday getting to know the ways God is using this family already for His purposes...