Orientation

(Posted late because it didn't go through last night)

This morning, after an incredible breakfast spread, we had an orientation with the other teams in country, which included some excellent data. For instance, 48% of the people working in Nicaragua are underemployed. And the poverty line sits at $250/month!

Habitat Nicaragua does work that goes deeper than just building houses. They provide financial and economic training, and even participate in a micro-lending program for construction improvements. The benefit of these loans is that the recipients get assistance from engineers and architects to ensure that the improvements are quality.

From there we headed out to Estelí, stopping at the Revolution Plaza to hear about some political history and see the cathedral that was practically destroyed in the 1972 earthquake.

The drive was long, but featured some beautiful scenery as we traveled across the country.

Out hotel is beautiful and wonderfully calming. The sign declares that this is a stress-free zone, and that seems to be the case!

We had the opportunity to meet Marta, whose house we are helping to build. She has served as a soldier for the government, and had her daughter murdered in Guatemala and lost a grandchild to leukemia. She works for the local hospital as a phone operator and announcement-maker. But her health requires that her son and daughter-in-law live with her in her 24 sq-meter house. It was nice to meet her ahead of a workday.

We are actually building within the confines of her current wooden, ad-hoc structure. The family is crowded into what little space is left until construction is finished. But she owns a great deal of land to add on rooms as she can afford it.