Julie Marie recently returned from Nicaragua where she traveled with a team of healthcare professionals from the University of Washington. The intention of the trip was to see patients in a new local clinic and assess the health needs of the community. The new clinic did not have any patients as the government neglected to connect the electricity until three weeks after the team had returned to the United States.

Julie Marie says, "Walking down a dirt road with a Peace Corp Volunteer, I crossed the bridge from primarycare nursing to considering how my education might improve the quality of life in a culture where poverty is inherited.

Women and children of Casa Blanca, are learning, through Western influence, how to raise vegetables to supplement their diet of rice, beans and tortillas made with sorghum and ashes. Julie Marie said that,"Seeing the children go out to the field with their mothers was encouraging..watch one, do one, teach one and then many more."

While teaching the children transplanting of carrots, onions and radishes, Julie Marie gave thanks to her Daddy for the gardening he taught her as she was growing up. "To whom much is given, much is required. Our skills and knowledge are always required"

Iglesia Catholica in Pueblo Nuevo. The property served for church and school. There is a need to create a balanced life, inspiration, strong social voice and a strengthening of feminism in the women of the countryside.

Mujerista! (pretty little woman). This beautiful 40 day old girl was not yet named. She was delivered by her mother without assistance from anyone. The cleftlip and palate is believed by the village mid-wife to be caused by the lunar eclipse. Julie Marie and cohorts are exploring options for surgery when the baby is six months old.

Julie Marie pictured with Kate, a new best friend! Kate is a Peace corps Volunteer from Minnesota, strong, stalwart and well liked by the villagers in Pueblo Nuevo and surrounding villages.

Kate pictured with a lovely Nicaraguan woman, Camille, and her brother and son. Camille's mother lives with her and her family. They were honored to have their pictures taken.

Pictured above is the supply cabinet in the 'Clinica de Salud' in Casa Blanca. Supplies are sparse, but kept clean and ready. The clinic also had a bed behind a wall used for female examinations.

Kate and "brigidistas". Men and women of each village are identified as leaders and receive education on topics such as health, sexuality and nutrition. These "brgidistas's" are a great example of how forming partnerships based on trust and respect result in changes in perspective and new skills learned. The "mujere" in this picture contracted mastitis when her baby was six weeks old. She had continued to feel guilty and "less than.."as she was not able to breastfeed her child. The teaching about mastitis, facilitated and translated by Kate, brought understanding and healing to her and improvement in her self-esteem. Children peer through louvres on windowless openings in the classroom. The teaching was interactive, with "brigistas" required to join in the games of learning.

A Waiting room at a hospital in Pueblo Nuevo has only a roof with wooden benches. There are problems with the government funding of the hospitals in the rural villages.

Personnel at a two month old clinic in Pueblo Nuevo. A private grant from supporters in Germany was used to build and staff the clinic. From left to right: physician, nurse and pharmacist. They are looking at polaroid pictures taken minutes before.

Wooden carts pulled with oxen are a common site in the villages. Sometimes they are pulled by horses, donkeys and men or boys. This "hombre" was proud to have his picture taken. He is fording a river without a bridge since Hurricane Hugo in 1998.

"There comes a time when an individual becomes irresistible and his/her action becomes all pervasive in its effects. This comes when he/she) reduces him/herself to zero."

-Mahatma Gandhi

Learning to listen to people tell of their needs rather than me immediately identifying them and inventing 'quick fixes' was the most important lesson I learned. They know their story; we should let them tell it."