Tiny tank given to Samosa from Mussolini

Bright and early on November 8, this group of 10 embarked on our long voyage to Nicaragua. After 3 hours to Houston, our final leg of 3 hours took us to Managua. Upon our decent from the sky, we were thrilled to see several volcanoes standing majestically over the terrain. Then, as we got closer to landing, the mountains and volcanoes gave way to a patchwork of tin roofs of many colors – red, rust, black, silver…one right next to the other, so the ground looked like a giant quilt made of earth tones. The bright sun shone down on the roofs, some gleaming brilliantly in reflection. Upon leaving the airport, we were welcomed with a blast of hot, humid air. The warmth was welcomed after the past few cold days in Cleveland…but after awhile, all I could think about was how much I wanted to take a cold shower! The had a tour of several spots in Managua and learned quite a bit of the history of Samoa, Sandista, Samoa Jr., and Ortega. The true history of what happened in this country and their “conflict” with the United States was remarkably different from what we heard on the news at home. Hmmm… The road from Managua to Chacraseca was filled with sights of multi-colored homes and businesses, and people on the street selling whatever they could to make a few dollars for the day. They were selling anything from shirts to baked goods to tap water in bags. There were horse drawn carts and mini-three wheeled taxi cabs; horses and massive cows grazing right on the side of the road…everywhere we looked was something else interesting to behold. After a quick pit stop for gas and to load up on cerveca, we took the bumpy, mostly washed out road into Chacraseca. We arrived in the village to our friends greeting us with cheers and hugs. It was a reuniting of friends made from past trips, and introductions for those who are new to the group. Their hospitality was wonderful…dinner had been prepared by Nimia nd Estella. Homemade tortillas, vegetable salad, chicken, rice and beans. We are all thankful to have arrived safely and to have been welcomed so warmly. We are settled into our rooms at the Casa de Paz (Peace House) and ready to get some shut eye before we begin another day bright and early tomorrow. We have much to be grateful for, and much to look forward to in Day #2. Buenos noches, amigos!

It was a very early morning for all…but we made it to the airport and are all checked in and ready to go! Not the best photo of the group…but we are (back row) Carolyn R., Jim, Brenda, Bob, Don, Gay; (front row) Carolyn, Diane, Susie. David is here too, but we missed him in this picture.

Plenty more to come…!

One morning, around the first of September, 2014, I was driving south on Lear Road and as I approached the I-90 overpass in Avon, I was astounded to see a long, thick line of sunflowers that magically appeared and stretched along I-90 further than I could see. “This wasn’t here yesterday,” I thought. I made an effort to drive home the same way to get a better look. The sunflower patch stretched all the way from Lear Road to Jaycox Road in an impressive expanse of brilliant yellow and green.

A day or two later, I decided to see this beautiful sunflower patch up close. I had to drive along a bumpy dirt road alongside a field of soybeans to get to the flowers, and I was worried that I might be trespassing. When I arrived at the flowers, I was amazed and delighted and the scene before me. Rows and rows of gorgeous sunflowers, raising their faces to the sun with a bright blue sky to enhance their contrast of yellow petals. Almost all of the sunflowers had bumblebees in their center, seeking nectar. It was a glorious sight to behold.

I had no idea who planted this astounding display of flowers, or why. All I knew was that one day in early September, all of these beautiful flowers bloomed at the same time. It turns out that I was not the only one to be transfixed. I started seeing other cars trekking off road to see the sunflowers. Finally, the mystery was unveiled, a sign was posted that these sunflowers were planted by the Prayers From Maria Foundation. Maria McNamara was diagnosed with a diffused intrinsic pontine glioma when she was 6 years old, and passed away at age 7. The flowers planted symbolize hope for all children battling deadly glioma brain tumors.

What an amazing, beautiful way to inspire hope in the name of one very strong, special little girl. In the end of her life, Maria was not praying for herself anymore…she was praying for others who were – and will be – fighting the same illness, and wishing for a cure for them.

These flowers will bloom for years and years to come. They will delight those passing by on I-90 every September. They will remind those who know the story of Maria, and the prayers that she is still praying for others. They will bring a smile to the faces of all who see the beauty of Maria’s Miracle Mile.

What better legacy can a person leave behind on this earth than Beauty, Hope and a Mile of Smiles.

God is good, indeed!