A letter from the SCP President

I knew nothing about baseball until I was about 40. That’s because I grew up with cricket, in England. In the winter, some schools played soccer and others played rugby. But in the summer all the boys played cricket. The really good cricketers went on to play for their college and then their county and even their country. The not-so-good enthusiasts ended up playing for their village, on the village green. There was a break for tea-- and cucumber sandwiches. After the match (read game), everyone moved just a few feet into the village pub to celebrate victory or drown sorrows.

Tortilla cooking on an open fireVillage cricket pitches (read fields) were, and are, notoriously uneven. The bowler (read pitcher) might have a downhill grade in his favor and the visiting team might not know to look out for a fox hole when running for a catch (read fly ball). Life isn’t a level playing field either. The schools in northern Chicago suburbs are likely to have more resources than those on the south side. But, seven years ago, the only two schools in Chacocente, Nicaragua had dirt floors and were as much as a four mile walk from home. Many kids didn’t attend because their folks couldn’t afford school supplies.

Even today, school teachers travel 20 miles in the back of a truck to get to school on Monday and travel back home on Friday, their travel time cutting into their teaching time. In return, they get a salary of less than $100 a month. After Grade 6 there’s no school within reach.

With your unfailing support and the sweat of the villagers, we’ve made the playing field just slightly more level. Together, we’ve built two schools and modernized the original ones. We pay for everybody’s school supplies. We monitor the attendance of both teachers and students, encouraged with a lunchtime snack. The curriculum includes environmental awareness.

But that’s just a start. We’re trying to add some form of secondary education. There are 17 more villages in the area that don’t get any help. Next month, you’ll receive our one-and-only annual
appeal letter. Over 80% of our resources come from you, our friends. Over 95% of what you send us
goes straight to Nicaragua to make the playing field a little more level. You keep surprising us with your generosity. This time, hit us for six (read homer)!

Derrick Gee

Donations to support the work of the Sister City Project are always gratefully accepted. They may be sent to our treasurer Stein Goering, %SCP, PO Box 483, Richland Center, WI 53581.