Rotarians Unite For Good: Build Bridges
Spanning the Rio, San Juan between Nicaragua and Costa Rica this bridge a joint project between Japan and Nicaragua greets the sunrise service cohort in 2014. The brick the bridge represents the collaborative work between Sunrise Rotary and Nicaraguan partners to provide vital healthcare resources to the remote area near Sabalos.
Incredible scenery such as this Great Herron reminds us of the undisturbed natural world surrounding undeveloped resources and unmet needs for basic health and medical services.
At this school site in Esperanza in 2014 Residents from miles away come to await Dental and Vision services provided by Rotarian volunteers and Nicaraguan professionals. It was on such a trip that our club befriended Dentist, Xavier Fonseca and his wife Ana Lucia Palacios.
Peering through the metallic windows in this school is Alejandro, a young boy with his parrot, observing the vision clinic volunteers fitting eyeglasses to typically 300 people per day. Due to the tropical climate, windows and enclosure were not part of architecture and construction.
Below to the right, in white shorts, Sunrise coordinator a.k.a. El Jefe John Jones checks on operations in the Vision clinic. To the left is Eloise Tweeten's daughter Kirsten, who helped improve participants' vision with the correct fitting lenses.
Missions to Nicaragua included both vision and dental clinics. Sunriser Ezbon Jen coordinated equipment from Santa Rosa Junior College. Dentists from both Santa Rosa and Nicaragua performed critical oral surgery while volunteers sterilized equipment. Ask Steve Amend about his skin color changes!
Project tours frequently have included family members. Eloise Tweeten's daughter, Steve Zwick's granddaughter and Rich Randolph's son and more recently his daughter have participated.
After a long day on your feet, the gracious hospitality of people served came through abundantly. Homes were opened and savory meals served. Sometimes food was catered, however eating with those served bridged a growing sea of gratitude around both parties.
Togetherness on a crowded bus on a bumpy rutted road all contribute toward uniting a willingness and desire to serve: Making this world a better place.
These two recipients of sight-saving sunglasses will second that, and hopefully continue to build Bridges of better friendship and understanding!
Whether in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Vietnam, Mexico, or even Sonoma County, Rotary International is a great travel adventure to add new stamps in your personal impact passport. In two weeks on June 11, John Jones, Sunrise's International Service director and our Club's recent cohort to El Salvador will provide an update on their most recent mission.
