Blog Topic #13

The governor of Matagalpa, Nicaragua has been involved and has helped Sister Rebecca's projects. One event that the governor supported was the 5K run. Sister Rebecca does have interaction and contact with the governor, in fact she decided to have a 5k run to help  raise money and awareness in the community and she received help and support from the governor. Sister Rebecca told us that the run was held around the same time that NDNU had its NicaArgo 5k run. I am proud to have been  a part of that run. The governor supported this, we were told that the governor personally ensured that the streets were cleared to make way for the runners.This act just this shows that there is support for the disabled and leads to even more acceptance from the community. In this way the governor has authority to make an impact on Sister Rebecca's projects.

Blog Topic #12

In Nicaragua there is not a long history of rights for the disabled. Today there are legislations that exist in Nicaragua that outline and protect the rights and dignity of the disabled in Nicaragua. With these legislations being passed, there are now schools and other programs for the disabled. Because of the legislations passed the disabled have opportunities that were never made possible to ten before. There are schools for the blind, centers that teach sign language to the deaf as well as to their family so that they are finally able to communicate with the ones they love. Because of the legislations, Sister Rebecca's programs to help educate the disabled, and to help make them a working part of the community, would not exist and would not have the same support it has now. In this way, the program is protected and supported by the government. By creating awareness in the government, disabled people got to finally have a voice and are now given the opportunities they deserve.

Blog topic #11

Like any business, the restaurant and other projects set up by sister Rebecca are taxed. Sister Rebecca has found ways to raise funds for example, in order to keep the park that she created clean and get to get a little something from it as well they charge the rest of the communities who are not a part of the special program to go in the park. Sister Rebecca has also found a way to make the learning center even more of a success. Since the country has certain restrictions on what a school for special needs must have, Sister Rebecca has maintained it  a learning center. She does this so that they could offer more programs and therapies for the children who attend the learning center. Also, they would be highly taxed if they he'd the full title as a school and they would not afford to do many of the wonderful things that the learning center offers for not just the children, but their mothers as well.

Blog topic #10

The sisters rely on both money and services provided by a public entity. While working with sister Rebecca, I met a number of volunteers who were working at the learning center with the children. Sister Rebecca appreciated having them and us there to help her. She also appreciated the school supplies that we donated to the school. She informed us that the recycling center relies on donations and services. Industries and local businesses provide the recycling center with the material they use to create many beautiful things from brown bags of all sizes, to piñatas, envelopes, purses, blankets and even paintings. Without those services the recycling center would struggle to get all of the materials that they need. This service of the recycling is consistent, there is an understanding between the center and the businesses. The rest of the projects started by sister Rebecca are given support but it mostly runs because of the work that the moms of the special children work them and this is how they continue to support their families as well as new families that join her projects. Without this support many of the families would not be able to give their children the special care that they need and the support that keeps them going.

Call to Action Day

This year Call to Action Action Day was a very fun experience. This year I helped chaperone a field trip of the children in the after school program of Fair Oaks Elementary school to the Hiller Aviation Museum. This was special for me because I went on a field trip to the same museum when I was about the age of the children and I still remember to this day. I was happy to be able to relive the experience while also seeing the kids enjoy themselves while also learning. We divided the kids so that each NDNU student had their own group of students. I had  group of five girls who made the day very fun. I found that they were very smart and actually read about the history of aviation before going there so that could know what they would be seeing at the museum. I talked to the girls about college, and I also found that they were very interested in college and each one of them already had a university in mind. this was a great experience because I got to see what the children in my community were learning in school, what they knew already, and how dedicated they already were to attending college.

Blog topic #9 Judicial process

The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur are familiar with the judicial process and the importance of it. In order for great social changes to occur, there must be legal changes done. They help make changes by using the judicial process. They have recourse  to the judicial processes as a way of resolving problems, for example sister Dorothy Stang used records to show that the people had rights to the land that they were living on. She helped fight against the big logging companies who exploited the resources of the region and destroyed the homes of many people who were located in villages within the Amazon. The sisters work hard to help those in need in any way that they possibly can. I have seen that in order to help them, they educate themselves in the issues of the region and on the process they need to help better the situation. By educating and familiarizing themselves with the judicial process and other method of helping, they can then show the people how to further help themselves in the future if they are ever faced with more issues.

Blog topic #8

When dealing with the local government, the sisters know how to go about it so that there is as little conflict as possible. Sister Rebecca, who is working with the disabled in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, poke to us about how she has been able to create everything she has worked on in Matagalpa. She told us how the government highly respects the Catholic religion, especially in Matagalpa. She told us how she was given the task to help the disabled after the archbishop of Nicaragua asked her to help. With her great skill and with the help of the mothers of the disabled children in the community, Sister Rebecca created a park, an education center, a nutrition center, a recycling center and even a restaurant to help the disabled in the region. She has gotten the support from the local government. The mayor of Matagalpa even helped sponsor the 5K run that Sister Rebecca planned to help raise money for the disabled and their families.  The local government of Matagalpa, Nicaragua has been for the most part supportive in helping further sister Rebecca's work, without support it would have been very difficult for the disabled in Matagalpa to have as many resources as they have now because of sister Rebecca.