Our Little Brothers and Sisters in Life and Death

From Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos International

Dear NPH Family,
It is with deep anguish that NPH is confirming the deaths in Haiti of international volunteer Molly Hightower, 22, of Port Orchard, Washington, and Ryan Kloos, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, who is the brother of NPFS volunteer Erin Kloos, 26, also of Phoenix.

Ryan Kloos, a 2008 graduate of the University of California-San Diego, was recovered from the Fr. Wasson Center in Petionville on the afternoon of January 13. Erin Kloos was rescued from the Fr. Wasson Center on January 13 and is currently in stable condition in a south Florida hospital’s intensive care unit. Her prognosis is good.

After an extensive search, Molly’s body was recovered from the same location at approximately 4:30am ET Friday, January 15.

A friend of Molly’s visiting Haiti, 22-year old Rachel Prusynski, a University of Portland graduate and resident of Boise, Idaho, was also rescued from the Fr. Wasson Center on January 13. After medical treatment for a broken arm and severe cuts, she has been reunited with her family in the U.S.

Both Erin, a University of Washington graduate, and Molly, who graduated from the University of Portland, worked as international volunteers for Nos Petit Freres et Soeurs in Haiti. Molly assisted in the physical therapy program, and had begun her service in June 2009.

Erin’s initial volunteer service spanned September 2007 to October 2008. She had recently returned to NPFS and served in many capacities. While at NPFS, she helped in the lab at the hospital, assisted with visitors and volunteers, translated for visiting doctors and was the Home Correspondent.

Both volunteers spent their evenings and weekends caring for and playing with the children in the hospital and those with special needs.

The Fr. Wasson Center in Petionville served as a guest house, volunteer residence, administrative offices and a day school for children with disabilities, and completely collapsed during the 7.0 magnitude Haitian earthquake.

Our NPH Family extends our prayers and deepest condolences to the Hightower and Kloos families during this extremely difficult time.

There will be a prayer service TONIGHT for victims and their families of the Haitian earthquake, including 22-year-old Molly Hightower of Port Washington who died during the disaster, and University of Washington graduate Erin Kloos, 26, who was rescued and is in stable condition in the ICU of a south Florida hospital.

When: Friday, January 15, 7:00pm Pacific Time
Where: St. Louise Church
141 156th Avenue, NW
Bellevue, Wash.
Directions can be found at http://www.facebook.com/l/9c147;www.stlouise.org

Additional Information:
Please RSVP to Katie Hultquist at 425-646-3935 or khultquist@friendsus.org and join friends and supporters in offering prayers to those affected by the Haitian earthquake tragedy.

Monica Gery
Information Officer
NPH International

The Dimming of the Day

Today is my last day of work with Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos International. And so my natural instinct is to reflect on these past two years.

When I left the US, I had no real idea what I was in for, and I knew that. Now, I'm pretty sure I know what happened (although I'll know even better with some distance), and I wouldn't change that choice for anything.

I have learned, experienced and seen things I never imagined and it will shape the rest of my life.

Here's some highlights - (there are a few errors and typos which I'm not changing in the interest of an honest representation of what was said originally)

The Opening Act

Arrival in Nicaragua

Learning about the Culture

The Ball Starts Rolling (Because We're Pushing)

The Plot Thickens

Interruption of Service

House Beginnings!

Eruptions

Christmas at Casa Asis!

Construction,

Construction,

And More Construction!

A New Place

Lights

Water

A Change

A New Future

Starting the Next Group of Houses

So I guess it's a good thing I'm leaving.

As I've indicated in past posts, the direction that NPH Nicaragua seems to be going is both forward and back at the same time (I use the word 'seems' because as construction coordinator hired by NPHI to manage the construction, I'm not actually informed of construction decisions, meetings or directions by NPHI).

Since I began, I have always fielded the question 'Why doesn't NPH have a standard home that it builds in all countries?' And it's a good question. It's a question I asked too. And it's a question NPHI seems to be starting to address.

First the reasons why a standard home hasn't existed until now -

When I first began, NPHI couldn't provide me with plans of homes for 16 children it had already built in other countries. This was because either a particular country didn't have a home like that, it had lost the drawings, the drawings never existed in an official form or the leaders in that country never responded.

Also, there is desire to recognize that each country has a distinct culture, climate and history. When I began to work with the design that had been used in Bolivia to make it work well for Nicaragua, I was told we needed to find our own architect and design by NPH leadership even though with proper planning, all local factors can be taken into account with a standard building with modifications.

So, even though it isn't NPH's tradition, many of us believe the idea of standardization is still good, so why not start now?


And that's what NPHI is working on. Yay! Good forward thinking step for NPHI! (We won't mention that thousands of people already thought of it right off).

Next step? What will this standard design consist of? Well, here's model of the current idea -

Model provided by NPHI to visiting donors during the International Meeting

I'm not sure if that's the final version or not. I had been given this in plan, but then received subsequent versions. None of the revisions were translated into this new model which was brought last week by NPHI.

I'm not sure if things went backwards, or there were just more communication problems.

This design is not bad. It's actually extremely close to the modified design we had done last October from the original houses built.

Nicaragua design modification from houses at Casa Padre Wasson. While directed to make the design with architects and engineers (and already paid for), this design will not be used.

The main differences are that in the new model: there is no storage room, the caregivers' room gets lot's of natural light (even though they're supposed to be taking care of the kids, not in their room during the day), but the kids' study area doesn't and the windows area is so small that electricity will be used more for both light and fans for ventilation.

And there are probably other good ideas as well, one coworker at the office stopped by this morning and made other observances that would make him (as someone who had grown up in the home) possibly be okay with the design.

While these items can be changed to better the design, it doesn't make sense to me that we're throwing out the design we already have with these changes in order to use a design that still needs them.

I must admit, I am glad to be leaving the grid paper final drawing world of NPHI. It's fine to start with, but for a place that will house children, I really believe local licensed engineers are necessary as we had with the first four homes.

Standardized design from Honduras and the latest version I received. My guess is that this will be the next phase of home to be built. You can click on the picture to see a larger version.

For example, when we received the 'standardized' plan from NPHI, we consulted with a local engineer to get his read on it. He thought it was fine in general, but the foundation needed to be changed as the one drawn was illegal according to Nicaraguan building codes (they do have a few). None of those contracted by NPHI to built this next group of homes knew that.

Not that the detail doesn't function in general or would cause certain mayhem here (apparently it's been used in NPH homes in other countries that don't have as many earthquakes), but it's an unnecessary risk.

It may all be a moot point, however, because the last great reason for me to leave now (that happened after I gave notice), is that the word on the street (which is what I have since Marlon hasn't met with me or informed me of anything relating to construction in over a month) is that we are halting progress on the new property.

The gossip is that we will not be starting major new construction projects at Casa Padre Wasson until an understanding is reached with the national government with regards to 'Programa Amor'.

I hear that they are trying to hammer it out this week, but who knows when it will be completed, and then, even more unknown is when the next phase of construction would actually start (and if it should be started this year since we are just a few months away from the start of the rainy season).

I truly and sincerely wish the best to all the donors and the caring, hard-working people within NPHI.

It's clear that I have had my fill of frustrations in this particular locale, but the NPH mission is important.

And I believe that with enough loud and reasonable voices (many of which I have had the fortune to meet), NPHI can start to take baby steps forward without any major steps back.

The New Way

We have a new road! With the pressure from having 200 NPH staff and supporters from North, Central, South America and Europe coming to visit, we finally got approval to put in a durable, travel-able (even in bad weather!) road!

We used heavy equipment including a rolling vibration compactor! Which is not necessarily something to take for granted. Marlon had previously wanted the teenage boys to do the work by hand.

One area of the road crosses a large runoff area, so long concrete tubes have been installed so that the water can drain underneath. How professional!

It means that this road will last a long, long time. And that getting in and out of the property will not be and question. (And the International Meeting with everyone went well too from what I hear!)

Water Tower Re-Do

Here in Nicaragua, liability doesn't exist in the same way it does elsewhere. I've mentioned before that due to the legal system (or lack thereof) and a lack of clear communication about businesses (such as a Better Business Bureau), some people can screw you royally with very little consequence.

One example would be our topographer. He delivered drawings and plans that were incorrect, but the NPH lawyer (who wrote the contract) said we had no recourse. We couldn't get that kind of money from him personally and he didn't have a company backing him up to go after either. So we lost $3,000 for pretty much nothing.

Another potential mess happened more recently. But this situation has resolved in a vastly different way, however, because we used a company that we knew and they want to keep us as clients.

The water recycling system is fairly straightforward and includes a (relatively) small elevated tank to gravity feed water to the toilets.

We happened to be on the jobsite when the platform of the tank began to fold and broke the pipes containing the water. The structure didn't completely collapse because the legs were stronger than the platform and because the breaking of the pipes released water which reduced the weight.

Sumerinsa, the company responsible, just happened to be there as well and immediately began calling for new materials to replace the original. While I assume they're taking the funds out of the project profit, I know that they had been hoping to use that profit to shore up other jobs they still haven't been paid for (getting worked over can go either direction).

So this story has a happy ending (for NPH). All was taken care of, and now we have a really strong tank platform!

Move in day!

So it's been a little while in coming, with many false starts and many temporary visitors, but there are finally NPH pequenos living in the homes on the new property!

They're in their last years of high school and going to the public schools in the area. They're clearly still in move-in mode, but it's good to see kids using the homes!

Announcement

The old audaciousness blog header from a lifetime ago. Photo taken during my first trip to Ometepe at the beginning of 2007.

February 27th will be my last day with Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos International.

This is a long considered decision.

My time here has been a worthwhile sacrifice. Any choice we make involves a sacrifice of the alternatives, but we make those choices because we believe they are the best for our lives.

And it was.

But the sacrifice is no longer worth it. I am tired.

Inefficiencies, frustrations and low professional standards in certain areas existed within NPHI since my first day. But I dealt with them because I saw them as cultural differences, normal non-profit difficulties and the challenges of growing into a multi million international organization.

The difficulties, however, have grown over the last several months and worn me out with the constant struggle.

The lack of response by those who authorize the projects over the last several months has left me unable to my job.

The lack of communication from those who have decided to do my job for me has left my work of the last few months with little worth.

The lack of consistency when the need for saving is preached, but the action of spending, giving steep raises and hiring unnecessary staff is taken.

The lack of professionalism where the value of donors is extolled, but donations are lost in the system.

Don't get me wrong.

NPHI is an organization with a wonderful mission. My struggles were not 100% of the time, nor with all of NPHI. That it has flaws is to be expected as it, along with all other organizations, is made up of human beings.

While two years feels like a long time to me right now, trustworthy others who have been here many more say that over the long view, NPHI really is improving, and I believe that.

But it is time for me to move on to another audacious project.

I have another month and a half here, so I'll let you know what this new project (a.k.a. job) is when I figure it out. If you have any ideas, suggestions or contacts, feel free to let me know.

I hope you stick with me for my last posts from Nicaragua and beyond.

Programa Amor

Approximately 50 kids visited the property for a few days. Here they are completing homework at one of the tables in the living room.

A little over two years ago, Daniel Ortega was elected president and brought with him the FSLN party. Some things have changed, some have not.

Medical care is now free to all, including most medicines. This is a huge gain for the very poor and the very sick who couldn't afford the attention they needed before. Small wounds no longer necesarily become amputations. Less women will die of cervical cancer because of late diagnosis.

On the other hand, I have a friend who broke his leg badly almost a year ago. The surgeries were free, but the doctors didn't install the screws very well. He is 24 years old an will walk with a cane for the rest of his life.

School is and always has been technically free to all. But with the new Sandinista government, school supplies, uniforms and other costs that had previously kept the poorest children from attending are free.

However, schools still lack quality teachers. Teachers who not only show up every day, but also understand their subject matter enough to teach it. Nicaragua has won a great battle against basic illiteracy, but do the people have enough knowledge to leverage themselves out of poverty?

The government started a program last October called "Programa Amor", the Love Program. One of it's aim is to get more children living in families, off the streets and out of orphanages.

It's a wonderful idea that children who are not able to be raised by their own parents due to death, addictions, abuse, mental illness and extreme poverty can be raised by others who can give them the love, attention, education and support they would otherwise be lacking.

Girls hanging out on the porch of their home.

However, in returning 17 children from Casa Asis in December to their original families that had been previously deemed incapable, and the lacking evidence that other substitute families (more or less foster families) who are paid to take in the children are really providing for the children better than NPH, I question if in the reality of Nicaragua, this program of love is really more loving.

In the meantime, rumors have been running rampant since October when this portion of the program was initiated that NPH Nicaragua would be shut down. While the national director has been assured by the Family Services department (Mi Familia) that this is not the case, the rumor still persists in the community the house is based in.

And due to the particular interest the program has in children 15 and under, when the new school year starts in February, the new property will have approximately 50 kids 16 and over living in the first four homes.

The kids keeping occupied in one of the new homes.

What do Hurricanes Ike, Hanna, Gustav and Faye Have in Common?

There are times I feel very lucky to been in a country as relatively well off as Nicaragua (no extremely catastrophic natural disasters to affect every corner of the country in almost 10 years!).

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

The Dominican Republic isn't far behind.

They both occupy the island of Hispaniola and they both have been hit by successive hurricanes Faye, Gustav, Hanna and Ike in the space of a few weeks.


They also both have NPH homes for orphaned and abandoned children and those homes are struggling to meet the needs of the children and their surrounding communities in the wake of such disaster.

For more information and ways you can help, go to www.nph.org. Following is a letter about the desperate situation from Father Rick in Haiti.

The NPH truck of water and supplies.

"Hello to all,

With much difficulty and facing raging nature in the form of winds and rains and flash floods we were able to get to Gonaives to help the sisters of Mother Teresa who are friends of ours as of 20 years they have sent many children to our orphanage over the years and we have helped them with many medical cases.

Some of their patients drowned in their house and the sisters were on the roof for 3 days unable to come down.

In any case we made it to Gonaives with 5 truckloads of help.

(We supplied) Mostly drinking water which is rare we went with 21,000 servings of water it is prepared like a glass of water in a small plastic bag.


We brought a ton of food and dry clothes and a pump, generator and gas to pump the water out of the compound.


We left last night but got caught between 2 raging rivers and spent the night in the trucks wondering what would happen to us and how we would cross but we fought our way through mud and waters today and made it to Port-au-Prince where all the bridges around our hospital are destroyed and there is massive flooding in parts of Port-au-Prince, and cabaret it is a very tragic situation.

As you know our orphanage had extensive damage but no one was harmed we will be without electricity for a few months I am sure.

As you know we had the effects of hurricane Ike last night so even though we left Gonaives it is flooded again to 3 meters as i write and by cell phone we know the sisters are back on the roof.

Tropical storms Faye, Gustav, Hanna and Hurricane Ike have displaced about 1,000,000 people in Haiti due to floods from a government source I heard today.

Best regards your prayers are appreciated.

fr rick"

Boys are Amazing

So we had a visitor at the new home site the other day.

Believe me, he didn't want to be there.


A group of boys from the home in Managua were sleeping in one of the new houses at night during their school vacation (just a week long in July, 'summer' vacation is December and January) to give us feedback on how it feels to live there. And true to their reputation as, well, boys, they managed to come across and collect things I had never seen on the property before.


They also, in their infinite boy wisdom, decided that the best environment for the snake was Managua and so they tied it's mouth shut with string (although it wasn't poisonous, it kills prey by compression, it still did bite), put it in a bucket and hopped the bus for home.

Unfortunately, they didn't manage to remember to take the snake off the bus.

I actually only know what happened because the nightly news reported that the snake (left by persons unknown to the news) caused quite a disruption when discovered by some very surprised passengers and was taken by MARENA, the environmental agency of the government, to the local zoo.

I think he's a happier camper now than he was last week. But it just goes to show, experiences with NPH will never leave you the same!

Oh, and I think the boys let the bunny go free at the property, at least that's what I'm going to choose to believe.

Electric Avenue II

Looking from the beginnings of our elevated water tank, you can still see the temporary electrical line to the right stretching to the homes in the distance

As you may remember from the original "Electric Avenue'' post, our electrical network left a lot to be desired, but functioned (most of the time). BUT... it was still time to get another system going.

Crane installing one of the several 9 meter concrete light poles trucked in from El Salvador (apparently the place to go for quality light poles)

So we've gone and gotten ourselves a primary network which will actually support the whole home of 500 kids and even more staff someday!

Permanent medium tension electrical on the left, temporary electrical pinned to the palm tree on the right.

The final pieces are being put together with a visit from Union Fenosa in the works before it will be energized. But we're excited to be on the cusp of having electricity in the home like normal people!

Isn't it beautiful? Ok, honestly, yes, underground system would have been better. But if we'd gone with that, we couldn't afford to build houses, so.... it's worth it.

And the gardens have been started as well. These are flowers in front of the concrete wall of a house.

Losing Money Every Moment

I have a little 401(k) from where I worked before I came to NPH. Like everyone else's in the last year, it hasn't done so hot. But, I have the advantage that I won't be using it for over thirty more years. So I can afford to let it sit and hopefully someday that compound interest magic that is so heavily touted will kick in.

"Inflacion llega al 5% en tres meses"

"Inflation reaches 5% in three months"

Here in Nicaragua, when you put your money in the bank, or keep it in your hand, or watch your salary on paper, it's buying power does something different. It goes down. And not just a little.

Granted Nicaragua isn't experiencing those soaring interest rates of 36,000% that it experienced during the war with the US during the 1980's. But they shouldn't be, Nicaragua isn't a war torn ravaged country, at the moment, and they've worked hard not to be.

So every month we watch prices of food, gasoline, rebar, concrete, all the same items citizens of the US are worried about tick up in price too, but at a rate about 4% faster annually than in the US (using the rate that the cordoba has fallen against the dollar).

As you can imagine, it's hitting us a little hard on the construction. Between that and the minimum wage hike of 20% in February by the government, it's not easy.

We've talked through several changes in the house plan that wouldn't affect functionality with the contractor who built the last four. But even with these changes, his hope is to not have to charge us any more on the next group than he did on the last. And unfortunately he's not the only contractor telling us so.

But we're not giving up. We're simplifying. Being creative. As the Nicaraguan people have done for a long long time.

Here Comes the Neighborhood!

The first home, nearly complete. It is missing only it's doors and after that, toilets and faucets (things that can be stolen if installed before the doors). Porch and living room on the left, kitchen in the middle and bathrooms on the right.

It's a beautiful sight! The first four homes are nearing completion! It's only the fine details left, which are slowly, but surely being taken care of. And thanks to some wonderful recent contributions, we're starting to negotiate for the next group.

A view of the first home from the entrance road (with a fair amount of zoom).

There are some changes we are making to the houses in an effort to maintain or decrease costs as prices continue to rise around the world with the cost of oil. Decreasing the amount of rebar used, simplifying the roof structure and decreasing the size of some of the rooms are all good candidates in the conversation right now. One of our highest priorities, however, is still to maintain a good quality home.

An area that recieves a lot of rain runoff gets a layer of gravel.

In the meantime, we are also working on the elevated water tank, potable water distribution system, roads (hopefully before the rain gets really bad!!!), septic system and bringing electricity from the highway into the housing area.

An unzoomed look at the first two of the homes. The other two that have been built are a bit downhill behind these.

Thanks for Everything Everyone!

So we've made it back safely, amazingly without problems from immigration either direction! I just wanted to send one last thank you to everyone who made our trip not only possible, but absolutely wonderful!

We had an incredible experience that all the kids and I will always remember. One last moment exemplifying our time in the States, here are the kids singing on the bus one night after a performance.

And We Received

The view from Nadia's apartment!

We were all welcomed with open arms and donated winter coats by families we stayed with.

Ana and I had the fortune of staying with Nadia (and frequently being accompanied by her fiance Greg) at her apartment in Minneapolis. Dentists by profession (we were sweetly greeted with toothbrushes and floss!), Nadia is originally from Honduras and Greg from the Minnesota area.

They were so fun to visit, especially with the delicious breakfasts every morning, I admit it, they spoiled me well! As we all gathered on the bus in the mornings, a competitive game of "My family...." would always begin with lists of who we stayed with, their accomplishments, the comforts of their homes and their generous natures.

Marlon looks out the bus window at downtown Chicago; the kids stand in front of The Gap; a cake frosted with the national flag of Nicaragua; Ana, Greg, Nadia, Jayden and I at Father Ron's dinner; Ana eating with chopsticks!

The cities of Minneapolis and Chicago were awe striking to the kids who had never seen skyscrapers, let alone this quantity of highrises together! There were many firsts on the trip as well, Ana ate with chopsticks for the first time, many of the kids went to amusement parks for the first time and I got to see my country through new eyes for the first time.


We were also welcomed by the churches and schools we visited. Sometimes they would have a song or a little gift, or we would share a game of soccer or a visit to the animals in the science lab.

The Baha'i House of Worship in Chicago (sightseeing trip, we didn't perform there)

"The Bean" in downtown Chicago

The kids walking through Millennium Park in Chicago

As much as we came to give and as much as the kids worked for the benefit of all the homes, it was a wonderful trip we all gained much friendship and better understanding from.

We Gave Our All

We came, we danced, we played the marimbas. Of course, I mean 'we' as in the kids did all that and gave it their all. They danced hour long presentations and sang at masses, often two times a day.

It was how they paid their way, and they did a great job. The audiences varied, but they always loved the kids!

The skill of Edison and Calef who play the marimbas always amazes me!

The group would dance a practice set, then a full performance almost twenty times in our two weeks there!

The Waiting

Hurry up and wait. Often the M.O. in Nicaragua, but it was a huge part of our trip to the States too. Because we had such a large group (19 kids, 3 adults) and traffic could be such an unknown factor (especially in Chicago), lots of space was given for the potential to be late and preparation time so there was always a fair amount of waiting.

Sometimes entertainment was provided, sometimes it was self-constructed. One church had a playstation video game player which transfixed the kids. One of the men from the church seemed surprised when I explained that the kids didn't have video games at the orphanage, but he seemed even more stupefied when I told him that it was a good thing.


Jayden, one of the chaperons who lives on the island with the kids was always good for distraction and if nothing else, the kids would always find something to hold their attention (sometimes good, sometimes bad!).

El Espejo (the mirror) kind of like Simon Says, but without the thinking.

Bringing Home the Dough (For a VERY Good Cause)

Money.

That is the reason we went to the US. Every year a group of dancers and musicians travels from an orphanage in order to raise money for all the homes.

This year went phenomenally! At the church pictured above, the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, we received the collection for the day from all five services. And the second service raised a record breaking high for the church at $21,000!

Another night there was a dinner gala with live and silent auction at which approximately $480,000 was raised! And close to my heart, the 'donation auction' was specifically designated for construction at the new site and raised $240,000! Enough for two dormitories, an elevated water tank and part of the potable water distribution piping!

Except for designated funds, all the money goes to a general fund to help support the 3,500 children in our care. As you can imagine, the money goes pretty quickly when you've got a family of that size.

It certainly wouldn't begin to be possible, however, without the generous people we met, the hard working, incredibly professional staff in the fundraising offices and of course, the inspiriational children we all work for.

And the Snow Goes On

A chilly view of winter from the bus

The kids asked beforehand if there would be snow, we were heading to the wintry far north after all. We assured them that it was much to late in the season for them to have that hope. Of course, we were wrong!

While it didn't gather on the ground, the kids loved to run outside to watch it fall from above and then run back inside out of the freezing weather. They also managed to have a small snowball fight until one of them got hurt, not badly, just like a normal snowball fight!

I know, you can hardly see it, but I swear snow is falling!

Bus Moments

I'm in the middle of several projects at the moment, not the least of which is catching up at work! But I thought you all might like something a little different than the last post when you come back to visit, so I'm getting this first photo up of our trip to the States. More will follow!

We spend a lot of time on the bus together since we usually had both a morning and evening event. On this bus in Minneapolis there was a lot of getting things done as we went, but the bus in Chicago was a school bus, so the kids quickly learned there was no moving forward if they weren't sitting down. They didn't always do it of course!