October 2, 2001

Hi!

Let the celebration begin! We've inaugurated BwB's 50th school!

After plenty of surprises and challenges during a five-month project, we finally inaugurated the school in Nuevo Belen, reaffirming BwB's mission and our contribution to a more peaceful and tolerant world. Although we all had a great reason for cheering, we had a moment of silence for all those who suffer at the hands of hatred around the world. Villagers--Evangelists and Catholics--took the opportunity to pray together, giving thanks for the blessings of the help that came to them.

The three-room school, BwB's first in Nicaragua, will be home to more than 100 students. Villagers contributed more than 1,200 volunteer work days since April to help build it. Hundreds turned out to inaugurate the village's first school, the latest step in the recovery process after part of the village was swept away in a landslide during Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Kids turned out by the hundreds, all very excited, running and jumping and playing, also making it hard to hear the speeches of PSC members, students and special guests. They were more concerned with a Nicaraguan tradition, the piñata.

The pinata is a colorful paper-maché creation filled with candy. Children take turns trying to break the pinata with a stick. The catch is that the kids are blindfolded, and someone is pulling a string to make the pinata bob and weave. The only indication kids have is from the shouts of the other kids - "It's above you!" or "To the left!" It's a challenge and very good fun for them, and very good reward for us: they are the reason we're here. Watching those kids play so happily in front of the new school and knowing it's theirs reminded us once again of the importance of what we do in spite of all the problems we face while doing it.

The inauguration was also a good chance to see how much the adults care for the school. They worked to decorate the school for a couple of days to make it look even better: they cleaned the whole school and surrounding area a few times; worked for hours on the decoration; prepared a special refreshment for everyone attending; they dressed their kids up in their Sunday best and came to the school for the big day.

And that's what it was: a big day!

We worked a lot before the inauguration, as it was happening and afterwards. Yes, don't let yourselves be fooled. Nuevo Belen is just the beginning of BwB Nicaragua Programs. And while this is school number 50, we've got our work cut out for us to reach 100!

Thanks for everyone supporting us. We truly couldn't make it without you!

Back