July 21st 2014

It has been a little over two weeks since the funeral I attended in Limay on July, 21^st 2014. Attending a funeral is something I never expected on this 5-week trip.

On July 19^th 2014 after attending the 35^th anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista victory over the Somoza dictatorship,  two women were shot and killed on their way home from the celebration in Managua. Both women lived in Limay. One was young and one was middle aged, I didn’t know them. However, I was shocked and scared by what seemed to be senseless violence on the surface. The attack has since been labeled a terrorist attack used to instill fear in FSLN supporters. There have been many theories about the attack, what the plan was and where the funding was coming from. All I knew was that country that led me down my current life path was in pain.

It didn’t matter how removed I was from the situation, I needed to show my support. This was the first funeral I have been to since my Mother abruptly passed away a little over four years ago. It was hard to be there, seeing the suffering on faces and hearing the agonizing cries of family and friends of the victims was unbearable for me.  I understood how they were feeling oh so well. As hard as it was to be there, it was also easy. I saw a lot of humanity in people that day.
We all gathered, grieved and tried to move on. I came out of the experience ok, but I know there will be people who are forever traumatized. That day people lost mothers, sisters, aunts, and friends. I hope all those suffering find peace, but know eventually the town and people of Limay will move past this tragedy. If I have learned anything from traveling to Nicaragua,  it is that resilience is abundant here.