Well, hello again. I guess I have been awol again for a while. Here is a bit of what I have been up to. August 6th saw me start a new job. I went to another daycare called Cuddles Infant Centre. There I work directly with the children. I work on the infant floor which is for children ages 3 months to one year. Our children move upstairs, which is for one-year-olds, when they are able to walk. I am in charge of three babies. Right now I have two and they are trying to fill the other spot. I like my job but question what I am doing there a lot. I don't always feel like this is where I should be. But for now, here I am. I have enjoyed bringing a new dynamic to the work environment. Most of the staff have been there for a long time. New ideas are always good. One of my co-workers, Sonia, is from Nicaragua. I enjoy taking to her in Spanish about Nicaragua. She tells me what is going on there with the up coming elections and such. I am really glad I met her at Cuddles. Anyway, I should get ready for church. Talk to you soon.

Hello everyone

I have had a very busy summer so far and would like to let you know what I am up to these days. After getting back to Canada, I spent some time at my parent's farm. A few weeks later I got offered my old job back at the daycare. I have been busy here doing everything under the sun and then some. I also took on the task of taking care of my friends lawn and flower beds. Another job I have is respite for 2-year-old twins. They are in foster care and are the sweetest little girls. I have them a couple weekends a month. Recently, I have accepted a job at another daycare. I will be working with infants under one year of age. I will be responsible for three. I really look forward to starting right after the August long weekend. Now you are wondering when I will get back to Nicaragua. I have been thinking about that as well. I wanted to go this year around Christmas, but won't be able to because of the new job. After one year I will get two weeks vacation and will be able to take three extra weeks so I can spend five weeks in Nicaragua. It is a long time but I need to think of my future here as well. I have been in contact with friends and family in Nicaragua and they keep me up to date on everything. Before I knew about this new job, I booked a trip to Atlanta. I will be there for one week, September 6th-13th. There are six children from the orphanage who have been adopted to families in Atlanta. I hope to see them all as well as two volunteers who live there. I am really looking forward to my time there. This is a bit about what I will be up to. I would love to hear what you are doing as well. Talk to you soon and take care. Katherine

I forgot to mention how Jennifer is doing. She spent three or four months in Oklahoma having her surgery and treatments. She came back to Nicaragua near the end of March. She was very tired from treatments and the long trip back but she looked great. She had lost some hair at the back but not that much. She wanted to share all of her toys and movies. I can't remember how many times we watched 'High School Musical'. Jennifer is still taking some medications at times. She has to build up her immune system again. Due to several factors in the orphanage, Jennifer was put into my room and I kept an eye/ear on her at night. It was fun having a roommate for a while. We had to pray before going to bed and boy did she like to talk! She told me all kinds of stories. One problem which has come up is that she was really spoiled in the US. It was only her and now she is in a house with 23 girls. She has a bit of a road ahead realizing that she can't have her way all of the time. Jennifer has started school again. They allowed her to go into second grade even though she didn't quite finish first. I think that she wants to be normal again and do everything. She still has to be careful that she doesn't hit her head or injure herself in other ways. She really is a tough, resilient little girl. I will post some updated pictures of her soon.

God bless you, Dios te bendiga.
Katherine

Hello everyone,

I know that it has been a while since I have posted anything on here. I am back in Canada as of April 4th. I had quite the trip back and ended up getting picked up in Minneapolis by my mom, brother and aunt. We drove all night and that is why I got home on the 4th and not the 3rd. I have spent the last two weeks at my parents helping out there. I got to spend some time with my nephews and the rest of the family. The boys always change so much while I am gone. Jesse still gets my name mixed up with his other aunt and calls me Susie sometimes. Kole is now copying him. I have been considering changing my name to make things easier for them, just kidding. I just have lots of patience and correct them.

I came back into Winnipeg and my lovely house on Friday. I had to be there so that Roto-Rooter could come and cut roots out of the main drain of my house. That was fun. The problem is fixed and all is well that ends with writing a $206.03 cheque. Yesterday, I went outside and started raking, sweeping and pruning. I was having fun but didn't get the front done yet. I plan on moving some plants around and planting a small garden this year. It is really small so I should be able to keep on top of it.

I was able to get my old job back at Assiniboine Children's Centre. I will be washing dishes again and other tasks. You may be wondering, 'when will she go back to Nicaragua?'. I have an idea that I may head down there near the end of the year. My host sister, Nesdy, is planning on getting married. It is kind of a big thing because she is 35 years old and most people in Nicaragua marry younger.

I had a really good time in Nicaragua, met a lot more people and children and really want to go back. Well, as I have been learning lately, patience and prayer are the keys to many things. For now, I plan on reconnecting with church, friends, family, work, etc. It is really good to be back. I hope to see all of you soon.

Dios te bendiga, God Bless you.
Katherine

Hello everyone,

Here is a little update on the happenings in Nicaragua and my life.  First, my return to Canada is coming up very soon.  I come home on the 3rd of April.  I am looking forward to being home and seeing everyone again.  Second, I have been thinking about adopting a little boy from here in Nicaragua.  Recently, I have found out that the process is even more difficult for Canadians than for Americans.  The immigration process alone can take up to a year and the adoption up to two years.  I don´t think that I am up to that kind of fight on my own.  At this time, I think that I am not going to pursue the adoption.  I am sad about this but I know that God has a plan and a time for everything.  I will continue to help Moises in ways that I can.  He will always be in my heart and my prayers.  That is it for now.  Take care and I hope to see you all soon.

Katherine

 

Hello everyone,

 

It is time for another update.  A lot has happened in the last month.  Let me start with the new centre which I was working at.  It is called Hogar Amiguitos, little friends.  It is in Jinotega, four hours north of Managua.  The temperature there is fresher and quite cool at night.  We were up in the mountains.  The first few days I was there, I couldn’t get warm.  I had on all the warm clothes that I had and still was shivering.  After a few days, I got used to the temperature and even wore shorts a couple of days!

 

What did I do while I was there, you ask.   Good question.  I became a part of the staff.  I helped get the younger children up and through the morning routine, make their bed, organize their stuff, shower, etc.  I was also teaching English for a while.  That was interesting but I was getting into it.  I spent the rest of my time with the children, helping where I was needed and keeping the peace.  There are 18 children in this centre from the age of 6 to 17, 11 boys and 7 girls.  They all had a way of being sweet and helpful and some of them had a way of causing headaches.  I did have a few frustrating days but most of the time was good.  I met some very nice people there.  The most important person I met was another Canadian named Vicki.  We had some good times laughing and baking.  We made cinnamon buns and white buns.  One time we were sure it was going to be a disaster but it turned out.  On Sunday, Marta, the cook, has a day off.  People there take turns cooking lunch.  I took over that duty twice.  I made meatballs in a tomato sauce and the other day I made a variation on baked macaroni.  (Spaghetti with ground beef, carrots, corn, and a tomato sauce baked.)  It turned out okay, at least everyone ate it without pushing it around in their plate.  I took that as a good sign.

 

On Sunday, the 10^th, I came back to Ticuantepe with my sister, Yelba.  She is the psychologist there at the centre.  I came back with a temperature, headache, diarrhea, and a stomach ache.  It is now Thursday and I almost feel normal.  I didn’t have all of these symptoms together but spread out over the last few days.  It seems that the worst is over, but I still don’t feel normal.

 

Here in the house, they are preparing for a wedding.  A granddaughter is getting married on the 15^th of Dec.  The reception is going to be here in the house.  When I got back on Monday, the kitchen floor had been cemented; it had cement before but was in bad shape.  Papito, my host dad, is painting everywhere which stinks badly.  Everything is the kitchen is still out of order and it is hard to do anything.  Oh well, things will come together.

 

For the rest of the month, I plan to do some visiting and relaxing.  At this point, I am not sure what I will be doing in January.  I have ideas but nothing secure.  I have decided that I will come home on April 3^rd.  I think of everyone often and miss all of you.  I hope that you have a great Christmas.  Enjoy the winter months for me, because I hope to miss the most of it.

 

Take care,

Katherine

Hello everyone,

I have added a bunch of new pictures.  Please check them out.  Most are in new albums, but I have also added new ones in the file called Moises.

Katherine

Once again, it has been a long time since I have updated my journal.  A lot has happened in the last month or so.  First of all, here is an update on Jenifer.  The director at Los Niños del Rey, Erick Garcia, was able to get her an emergency visa and passport.  About a week ago she flew to the US.  There are some doctors there who think that they can operate.  She has a tumor at the base of her skull.  It may be cancer, because they said that they may have to do chemo therapy as well.  When Jenifer got to the US she was happy to see the people she knew there but was like a fish out of water.  Not many people there spoke Spanish and many people she didn`t know.  She was able to have a play date with a child who is from a Spanish speaking country.  They had fun.  Please continue to pray for Jenifer.  Soon they will be operating and starting the treatments that she needs.  Jenifer needs to come home to her brother and all of her friends healthy and happy.

Now here is an update on where I am right now.  At the beginning of November, I had two weeks to relax.  I spent some time at the special needs orphanage, Hogar Belen.  I also spent some time with friends.  November 16th, I went with my host sister, Yelba, up north to the children`s home where she works.  This home, Amigitos, is just outside of Jinotega.  Jinotega is four hours north of the capital, Managua.  To get here we took three buses and a taxi.  I was quite tired when I finally got here.  Amigitos has 18 children from the age of 6 to 17.  Some of the children warmed up to me right away and others are still a little distant.  One thing that they are used to is North Americans who can`t speak Spanish.  Well, I can and some times they expect me not to understand and I do.  They don`t get away with things with me.  That is one reason some don`t have warm fuzzy feelings towards me.  Another is sometimes children who don`t have constant people in their lives have trouble trusting new people.  They want to guard their heart against emotional hurt.  I just have to be patient with all of them.

The centre does not have a lot of children but the building is very large.  This is because they have a lot of groups that come in on medical missions, construction missions, and to evangelize.  They have extra rooms for them.  There is also a court yard or gym in the middle of the centre.  This is really nice because the children can play even if it is raining or cold outside.  I will try to post some pictures of this.  I´m sure that it is hard to visualize.  The grounds are also beautiful.  They have a soccer field, a basketball court and a garden which they children are working in.  There is a river that passes through the back of the property and the garden get water from that.  They have planted carrots, lettuce and a few other things.  They also have chickens and pigs.  The chickens produce almost enough to feed the children.  The pigs are being sold and instead they will buy a couple of cows.  The pigs are costing too much in feed.

So here I am.  Helping keep 18 children in line.  Some of them are fine and very self sufficient.  Others need reminding about organizing their clothes, not fighting, not wrapping clothes in the bicycle wheels, you know the normal things.  Every day brings normal adventures.  As does every day working with children.

I will go now because, it is time for breakfast.  I hope that everyone`s furnace is working and you have found your warm fuzzy clothes (those who are living in the cold climate zone).

Take care,
Katherine

I received this e-mail today.  Jenifer is one of the girls that is in the centre in Jinotepe.  I noticed that she was carrying one arm funny and one leg as well.  I pointed it out to the doctor/director.  No one had realized it.  They just took Jenifer to have some tests done and it turns out that she has a brain tumor.  Read the letter below.  Please pray for this little girl.  She is six years old and full of life.  She has an eight year old brother, Kenneth and three other siblings at home.  Her parents are working in Costa Rica.
 
Katherine

 
Katherine,
 
You need to know that Jenifer had a ct can and MRI that shows that she has a brain tumor.
I am sorry that I have to tell you this by email.  We spent wed. and thurs.
with Jenifer, Eric and Eveling in managua getting all the tests done. THey put her in the public hospital yesterday. Dale and I stayed with her yesterday while Eric and Eveling made arrangements . We left Nica this morning and now we are home in Oklahoma. We really wished we were still there to help.
 
The hospital is a difficult place to see for us. Jenifer needs someone with her there. I think Eric
found a nurse to stay with her at night. You might want to call Eric and see if they need you in someway.( I know that you are going to Jenotaga soon.)  Eric and Eveling are very upset with this news as we all are. We are praying for God to use His mighty hand to intervene. Please pray for Jenifer.
 
Love, Gail