The front room has been brightened by the new bulletin board that Karla made this week. I don't know if the writing is legible in the photo I've posted, but it lists how rapidly the program has grown in the last few years. I'll copy it here. I was so impressed to see how EI has jumped in size.

    Año 2005: 76 Participantes

    Año 2006: 180 Participantes

    Año 2007: 206 Participantes

Considering the resources that the ground staff here is working with and the obstacles that they are working against, that is nothing short of amazing. There is a growing stack of applications for the 2008 program on top of Anielka's desk too, so who knows how many students EI will be able to fund next year.

There are certainly enough needy children.

When you see boys and girls – 10 or 11 years old – selling gum and cigarettes in the street or peddling sandals and tupperware in the market, you realize what a valuable and important job EI is doing here. Literacy rates, which peaked in the 80s after a massive government campaign, have slowly rolled back into the 70^th percentile. Sending kids to school is an important first step in halting that slide into ignorance and putting to end the poverty that is its bedfellow. Hopefully, with more sponsors, EI will be able to fund even more students in the future.

EI's growth, as impressive as it is, is not much compared to Caña's, the office dog. In just a few months, she has easily quadrupled in size. I tried to take a photo of her for 20 minutes, but she can't stay still for 2 seconds, racing from wall to wall, up to the front door, and then back to the patio. We'll go for a walk in the afternoon and let her burn some of that energy. In any case, I'll spare you my blurred photos, though now, sleek and confident, Caña is very different dog than the cowering terrified puppy that Kathy brought home in July.

The rain has slowed, though only to be replaced by withering heat. In truth, it's nowhere near as hot as it will be come the heart of the dry season in April (I'm told), though it certainly seems caliente enough. I have heard that November and December are beautiful months in Nicaragua, and I'm looking forwarding to watching EI finish out the year strong.

~ Sam Jacoby  

*** UPDATE ***

I managed to snag a photo of Caña in a rare moment of repose. Here she is looking uncharacteristically docile: