Organized Chaos

"Organized chaos" is pretty much the perfect term to describe the past 24 hours.

I could've placed my Friday Fiesta grocery list here, and believe me, if you know me, I did start to jot everything down, but what's the point? (so I erased it all) What's more important is that I recognize Alex, our superhero taxi driver, because this man, a former Nicaraguan policeman, was literally a God-send, as he stood on the roof of the van loading bags of oil & milk, melons & pineapples, chicken legs, you name it, enough to feed 130 people. And upon arrival to Hotel Hamacas, our students, like well-oiled machines, unloaded without complaint, because they knew these precious items would serve the greater good the following day.

To the outsider, at Thursday evening's bag & clothing pack sessions, we must have appeared as worker ants, the kind you see here in Nicaragua carrying 100 times their weight, moving to and fro, designating outfits and goodie bags for students amidst the volcanic piles of beans, rice, soap, toothbrushes and and underwear. No matter what the opinion of the other occupants on the premises, we got the job done, and done well, and I must admit, we have a phenomenal assembly line team! (and "The Help") It was our longest day yet, and our student volunteers stuck it out to the end with smiles on their faces-granted, we were all a bit delirious, but this time allowed our sarcasm & fun personalities to shine. I am grateful for this group of student volunteers, as they each have something special to contribute on a daily basis, and we couldn't have done it without them.

I am incredibly proud of my 11 new children. They have surpassed our expectations and have been "good sports" through it all this week-the heat, the disheartening home visits, the bug bites, the sweltering cooking sessions, the emotional breakthroughs, and spending quality time with the students at Escuela Especial. So even in our organized chaos, our students have shown integrity, perseverance, love, and patience-I love them all.

Much love & gratitude...

Blog Links for our 2013 Student Volunteers

NICARAGUA

http://avanicaragua.blogspot.com/

http://maxbnicaragua.blogspot.com/

http://nicaragua13.blogspot.com/   Nathaniel

http://morgannicaragua2013.blogspot.com/

http://ajdaviesnicaragua.blogspot.com/

http://harrynicaragua.blogspot.com

http://nicaragua-sammiehaase.blogspot.com/

http://tyranicaragua.blogspot.com

Genawachendorfer.blogspot.com

http://ansleynicaragua.blogspot.com/

nicolecga.blogspot.com

Yes, they can!

As I sit here, 30 hours after landing in Nicaragua, my mind swirling with new knowledge and experiences, I am literally speechless. I have spent 100s of hours on the preparatory work leading up to our departure, and this is it, we are here, our student volunteers have been hard at work, and the love beams from the hearts of those special individuals at Escuela Especial.

My role with Children's Global Alliance is active and requires ample critical thinking, the ability to multi-task, and yes, the beauty of motherhood, even with its challenges. We have such a beautiful group of student volunteers, all contributing their special talents, yet all exhibiting areas for growth, which excites me, because it's what I'm passionate about-empowering students rather than enabling them. Strange as it sounds, I love this age group, I love what they have to offer the world, even with the typical adolescent quirks, and to witness them in action is truly a blessing. Our 11 student volunteers are making an impact, they are thinking critically and analyzing the world around them, they are making connections, physically and emotionally, and who would've thought? (besides us) They ARE capable of changing the world, making a difference in others' lives, and I'm so impressed with how they've stepped up to the plate. They, too, are empowered, a little more each day, from organizing our "family" dinners to making home visits with a social worker, where their emotions are rattled beyond one's wildest imagination. It's my job to know when to hold their hand and when to let them go, and when I say "let go," I simply mean "let them go out into the world and live up to their potential."

Okay, so I'm not speechless, but this short & sweet post was from my heart. I encourage you, yes you the reader, to do something extraordinary today, and again tomorrow, and continue this trend forever and always. Strive to be a better person than you were the day before. It's possible.

Much love & gratitude,
Jen