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Volunteers rewarded with smiles

KENSINGTON ? St. Paul?s UMC sent 21 members and friends to Ciudad Sandino, a small refugee town near Manaqua, Nicaragua, where families, displaced by Hurricane Mitch in 1997, still live in makeshift corrugated shelters.

The team painted a public school inside and out, and helped with construction in a church for a pre-school program while they were there July 9-14.

Public education within the past year is now free and the schools are overcrowded, even with split sessions, said the Rev. Ed DeLong. School supplies are limited and classrooms overflowing.

The team also learned much from discussions with conference missionaries Nan McCurdy and Miguel Mairena, now back at their 'home' base.

For many of the volunteers, the most memorable part of the trip was being hosted in the homes of residents of Ciudad Sandino.