Baseball and resilience.  This was my day.  I met a man today who proved to me that there are angels on earth.  He came to our site in an electric wheelchair...through the deep crevices in the road, the over the rocks that are scattered everywhere. He sat with a smile on his face that encouraged me to say hello. Much to my delight I did not have to use my butchered Spanish because his English was incredible. But is was not his English that made me stay for a long conversation as my team was sweating in the trenches, it was his smile and his warmth.  As we spoke I found my spirit uplifted and my faith in humanity restored.  His smile made me pause, made me calm, made me so at peace.  He invited me to visit his home if I had time.  I made the time. On a break some of my team took a walk through the community.  We took our kids and found his home.  He was so delighted to see us and introduced us to his little brother, his niece and his Padre.  All of them had the same beauty that he possessed.  He told me of his friendship with a woman in California that helped him learn English, his love of literature and writing and is pride in his family. He thanked me for visiting and for helping him with his English.  Once again, it was hard to leave.  Tomorrow I will visit again, and I know tomorrow I will feel my soul rejuvenated by the angel on earth...Gabriel.
At the end of the day the kids returned from school.  Their uniforms less tidy from the morning commute, but still a sight to behold.  Apparently our kid Carlos (6 years old) had spread the word I had chicklets (gum).  They came to our site and I gave them gum...one each...and they were thrilled.  I found a baseball and decided to round up the boys for a game of catch.  Imagine this Gringa actually KNOWING how to throw a ball.  We played, we laughed, we connected.  Paulie called me the pied piper of children.  The best compliment I could ever imagine.
It was a magical day.  My heart is full.  Thank you Nicaragua.