The morning after we arrived we all packed up for a trip to dedicate one of the medical clinics built by Mano a Mano. Our three jeep caravan drove further down the mountain valleys to Santa Rosa, a small village reached by a cobblestone road. The dedication was for the next morning, and under the direction of Jose and the other staff, we swept, drilled, lifted, hung, unpacked, washed and sweated to prepare the clinic for it's grand opening in the am. Opening a new clinic or school is a big deal for these small villages where families live in poor conditions. The whole village turns out, decorations are made, school children and elders gather, a formal program with the national anthem, speeches, thank you's, traditional dances, ribbon cutting, plaque unveiling, and confetti showering of the guests is joyously conducted. A large meal prepared by the villagers sent us off filled with food and appreciation for being part of a great event.
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