Mother's Day Phone Call

Message from Sandra:
Carly & I got home from Utah, on Mother's Day, Sunday around 6 p.m. We got to talk to McCoy for about an hour that night. He is doing good, happy and in good spirits. He loves what he is doing but is shocked daily by Nicaragua's poverty. He said he is so grateful for what he has back at home in the states. We were able to ask him more questions about his daily life. He has seen a lot of the same type of bugs and lizards that Arizona has. The streets are littered with garbage so it attracts flies, ants and rats or the natives burn their garbage which adds to the smells. It is HOT HOT HOT and HUMID HUMID HUMID and RAINS RAINS RAINS this time of year.

A sister in their branch cooks all the meals for McCoy and his companion, they go to her house to eat their meals. For breakfast she makes a drink made from different kinds of fresh fruits, they eat a banana and some kind of roll, sometimes she makes scrambled eggs, and there is always rice and beans. For lunch it is rice and beans and a peeled fresh fruit. For dinner it is rice and beans with a fried meat, usually chicken. She has served a fried ground meat but McCoy could not identify it so he couldn't bring himself to eat it. She also washes their clothes, she is considered well off because she has a washing machine, the poor wash in the rivers , rubbing their clothing on rocks. They pay her a fee for her services. It is good for her too or she would have no income.

McCoy & Elder Garcia are teaching a man who speaks English and wants the lessons in English so McCoy is able to do the talking and teaching. He is happy for that opportunity because he still hasn't fully picked up the local spanish dialect yet and finds it difficult to speak spanish the natives will completely understand. He is learning quickly from his native companion and makes an effort to shake hands and speak in spanish to everyone in the ward on Sunday's. The Bishop speaks a little English so McCoy is able to talk with him and to have questions answered.