Let’s Go on an Adventure!

   Words cannot express how incredibly proud I am of our top students! These are amazing teenagers who work hard, overcome obstacles, and have a bright future without limits. Cadence and I decided this year that we wanted to take a trip with our top high school students. We took our top 10 high school students volcano boarding at Cerro Negro (pictured below).

   It is 5 a.m. on a Friday morning and I have already been awake for an hour. I don’t normally like to be up this early in the morning, but it was worth it when I saw the excitement and smiles on my kids’ faces. Jose, our guide, came to Chichigalpa to pick us up and we were on our way to Cerro Negro.

   Only one of our students had been to Cerro Negro before and none of them had volcano boarded. The hike up the volcano was challenging. I loved to see our teenagers pushing through, encouraging one another, helping each other when needed and reaching the top together. These are teenagers who are overcomers in their every day lives. Students who have lost parents, have faced difficult family situations, and have struggled against obstacles, but still come out on top. I loved seeing that same attitude come forth as they pushed themselves through a difficult climb and made it to the top. 

   Once at the top of the volcano, we spent some time taking in the views of the volcano chain and Cerro Negro’s crater. Then it was time for them to get dressed in their overalls and goggles and to learn how to volcano board (our guide, Jose, showing some of the boys how to volcano board- pictured above). You could see the nerves and excitement on their faces. Some of them were terrified to board down the volcano. Some of them couldn’t wait to get started. Cadence went with the first group to be there as they finished, and I had volunteered to go last so I was at the top watching each of the youth take off. I saw some of them become more fearful as they waited and watched their friends take off. Despite their nerves, I was so proud to see each of them face their fears and set off on this adventure! 

   One by one they went speeding (and often times tumbling) down the volcano. (Gissell and Ingrid volcano boarding- pictured above) They were brave in spite of their fears. They chose risk and adventure. And they almost all loved it! Several of them were ready to climb back up the volcano for the chance to go again. This was such an incredible experience! We went at the end of October and we are all still talking about it nonstop. After our volcano adventure, we took the youth to see the Cathedral in Leon, to visit our favorite ice cream shop (pictured below at Kiss Me), and to eat pizza. It was such a beautiful day with an amazing group of youth. I am so blessed to work with these teenagers and am unbelievably thankful for this opportunity. 

 

   These teenagers had earned this opportunity. Like I said before, they are incredible! They are overcomers. They are hard workers who want to create a brighter future for themselves. They are helpers who love to serve. They are hilarious, intelligent and kind. Cadence and I are so proud to work with students like these and loved the chance to travel and adventure with them. Moments like these are important because education is so much more than just being in a classroom. Education is also in our experiences and in expanding our horizons. Our hope next year is to take more trips with our sponsored students to get outside of their everyday lives in Chichigalpa and open the door to new experiences within their own beautiful nation.