Roscoe

Last week we introduced a new member into the family... puppy Roscoe! He is going to grow up to be an awesome guard dog, but in the meantime, we're happy spoiling the little pup.

Milk Day

Milk Day was one of the most anticipated tasks to complete as a group of new PDs. This is the day that our families involved in our Child Sponsorship program receive a combination of milk, cereal, vitamins, and beans to last them the month. We measure and weigh each child and talk to their mothers to see how everything is going. We never got to see the old group of PDs actually do a Milk Day, but with the help of the MPI staff here Milk Day was a huge success! If you are interested in sponsoring a child in our program, please click here!

Introducing the 2012-2013 PDs!

The last of the old PDs left this morning and us new PDs are officially in the swing of things! We learned a lot from the old PDs in the short time we were together; their stories and achievements were encouraging and inspirational. I hope that we can continue to improve and strengthen MPI's programs just as they did. Last week we had the annual despedida/bienvenida party at El Farito to say celebrate both teams and the community. It was the perfect way to say heartfelt goodbyes and meet new friends. Especially since a piñata and a cake were involved.

Click here to meet the new team!

Our first business cards

Josefa and Martin, two of the business development recipients, have designed their first business cards.  Special thanks to summer volunteers Amanda Sawyer and Alex McCue who worked on the importance of branding and designing these cards.  We are pretty excited to take this to print this week and have them start using them.

Visiting Granada

On Sunday the Summer Interns headed to Granada to tour a coffee plantation! Being that it is winter season, the actual beans are not mature until December, though we did sample some delicious Nicaraguan coffee.

Kid's Camp

Today in El Farito the Summer Interns taught the kids a new craft! We made these awesome little start doorknob hangers.  So proud of how they listened and everyone was excited to take their finished project home! .... such a great day @ MPI Nicaragua.

The sign read, "Welcome Home.."

A Place to Call Home

I'm one of the summer interns who's here in Nicaragua for eight weeks, learning from the program directors and being taught by and serving the Nicaraguans in the local communities.  As we come to the end of my fifth week here, it's amazing to say that this place has become home in a very short time.  A whole new group of summer interns arrived on Sunday, and this week has been spent orienting them to life in Nicaragua and the programs we're all a part of here.  As the program directors, the other eight week interns, and I welcomed the new interns, we all hoped they would see the beauty we've seen and feel as much at home as we do.  We posted a “Welcome Home” sign in the main room of the Manna House, and we set goals for the next four weeks that include making the new summer interns feel comfortable here.  We've been able to walk the new summer interns around Cedro Galan, introducing them to our Nicaraguan friends (who we're friends with after only 5 weeks).  This experience as a summer intern with Manna Project has been incredible so far, as I've gotten to experience the hospitality and openness of Nicaraguans.  In the next three weeks, I hope to see all the new summer interns experience this same hospitality, and hopefully come to call this place home.

Jessica Crandall

Summer 2012 Intern 

MPI Nicaragua