Second on our visit list was Hogar Belen in San Antonio del Sur, a community on the outskirts of Managua where Jonna and Elena work. Hogar Belen is an orphanage serving 19 children with severe developmental disabilities. Jonna and Elena describe their work assignment as “really great…and really difficult.” It includes helping the physical therapist work with the children, monitoring children during meals and snacks, playing and interacting informally with the children, and accompanying them on walks and excursions. Staff members have a daily devotional at 10:00 a.m. in the chapel at the orphanage, just in case Jonna and Elena are missing chapel and convo back on campus!

Although it requires a lot of patience -- Elena says she is “making good use of the command form” [imperative verb tense] -- both Elena and Jonna report that they enjoy the work, especially one-on-one interaction with the children.