Participants Blog

Its been one of the greatest surprises so far!

Lindsey in Nicaragua shares about the mutuality of relationships.

I identify my community as my host family.  I feel the strongest bond of community within this group of people, no matter how small it may be!  I live with a woman named Yolanda who is 87 years old, a woman who works at the house named Yoma, and at times Yolandas son Marcial comes to stay with us.  Over the past 3 or 4 weeks Ive gotten to know Yoma very well and have had some great chats about a lot of things.  Besides being amazing company, she has helped me a lot with my Spanish as well.  A few days ago, she was just having a rotten day, and needed someone to talk to. When I got home from hanging out with my friends, she was still up so we sat down with some coffee and chocolate and talked it out.  After a few hours, and when the chocolate and coffee ran out, she said that she was so happy to have me there to talk to and that she thought of me as a sister.  She didnt know what she would do when I had to go back home. 

This really pulled on my heartstrings because coming here I never expected to affect anyone.  I just expected the change to be within myself, not the other way around.  Its been one of the greatest surprises so far!