DAY 17.

Our last day in these tropical temperatures of Nicaragua. And such a sunny, hot and humid day it was, with the most gorgeous clear blue skies.

This morning we paid the local hospital a visit, to hand out layette packages which had come from Canada, and also delivered other hygiene packs in the various wards. These were handed out with Seed Sower bags, and Nubia recorded names and contact information for follow up. We began in the maternity section, where Alana and Kayleigh asked the mothers if the baby was a "muher" or "baron" to identify whether to hand over girl or boy loot. The new moms were quite humoured by these little white girls giving them free stuff, and were pleased as punch to have their pictures taken with them! The hospital staff were quite enthralled with the girls too, calling them "benitas".. loving their strawberry blonde hair and pale skin color.

But me, I was oohing and aahing over all the little Latino babies, their dark skin and full heads of jet black hair. I wish I could take one home to Canada with me. But I can't. Because you have to live in Nicaragua for a whole year before you can adopt. And I know for sure I wouldn't last a month, never mind a year.

The hospital dynamics were interesting. One six-bed ward housed up to 12 mothers (most of them husbandless teenagers) with their newborns. Beds are shared in these muggy rooms with paint-peeled walls. No special incubators or baby cribs. And no-one complains. In the C-section ward, allocation of space was slightly better. Only one patient per bed, but still five or six beds in one tiny, little room. Oh, and on these beds, the babies are born. You can easily tell, too, because the birthing blood stains on the "bring-your-own" linens (if you'd call them that) tell all.

But to observe these new mothers, so grateful to receive a Seed Sowers text and thrilled with a little package of baby necessities, I was almost reduced to tears. Lord teach me that, "in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Because I complain way too much sometimes. These people have nothing, absolutely NOTHING compared to me, and are SO content.

Ate lunch at Papa Johns (yet again) with all the Clingen crew...

...then back to El Valle for a little afternoon siesta. Also managed to catch the ice cream man who ding-a-lings by Kyle's place every day at 2 o'clock.

Cheap ice cream bars, too. Five cords is about 25 cents.

Had supper last night at Mark and Brenda's place. Good food, gorgeous view, and lots of interesting conversation.

Tomorrow we head home. Unreal.