Esperanza

A little girl at Sacred Heart of Mary with her crown.

I am leaving for Leon, Nicaragua, Saturday. I went to Nicaragua for the first time a year ago and hope to make the journey every year as long as I am able. I go with a group to a  child protection center called El Ayudante or The Helper. The only thing is, now Nicaragua’s dictator, Daniel Ortega is systematically shutting down all the child protection centers across the country and throwing the children back into the harsh streets of the barrios. Just in Leon alone, out of the 6 centers, there are only 2 left. El Ayudante being one  of them. You see, Ortega believes that it makes his country look bad to have so many orphans, so rather than have documented orphans in these child protection centers, he’d rather have undocumented orphans roaming the streets.

At El Ayudante out of the 31 children who lived there, only 5 are left.

It’s just so devastating knowing that Nicaraguan children all across the country are being forced out of protection centers and back to their families. Families who have sold their children into prostitution, have physically or sexually abused them and are drug abusers or alcoholics, or worse.

One school/orphanage I visited last year, The Sacred Heart of Mary, housed about 130 girls, all  of whom came out of unspeakable horrors to live under the care of a nun. These girls were taught, fed, housed, and loved.  On our visit to Sacred heart we brought them popsicles and sandwiches. We played games, painted fingernails, and made them each a crown to make them feel like princesses. I have never seen so much life and grace. And gratitude. One girl, who I discovered shared my name, Hanna, never left my side. She held my hand the entire time, and before we left hugged me tightly. Needless to say, it was hard to leave. They sang us songs thanking us for what we did for them. Now, thanks to Ortega, there are only 35 girls left. The other 100 are gone.  Who knows where? I try not to think about it.

Hanna and me at The Sacred Heart of Mary. She just ate a blue popsicle.

But all hope is not lost. El Ayudante is finding ways to serve these children despite the corrupt government. They are building homes for their children close to center so that they can still come for school and eat two solid meals a day. They are working with the local government to reach out to other children in the barrios and to  rebuild schools and medical centers. They are running electricity to different communities throughout Leon and providing drinking water and food. Despite unbelievable odds and a Nicaraguan government bent on repressing their people, and destroying their children, at least in the city of Leon, El Ayudante is making a difference.

And I am lucky enough to be a very small part of that. Once a year. For one week. For that I am eternally humbled and grateful.

A little boy on the street trying to sell us postcards.

A little boy at La Majada, one of the best schools around Leon.

Children at La Majada lining up to watch us tell a story.

These children were so proud of their art work and that they could use REAL crayons.

America the Jabberwock (At least that’s how the Government sees us)

Twas greastly and the slimzy change

Did Obama make along the way.

America will never be the same

The Constitution, headed for decay.

“Beware the Tea Partiers, dear Nan

The racist brutes, the blastful swarms

Beware the American people and shun

Their sckreeking halts to our ‘reforms'”

 

Nan took her ghallid gavel in hand

Long time the irksome people she fought

So confident she by her briberies

 She knew whom she had bought.

And as in nobelite thought she stood

The Tea Partiers with eyes of flame

Came droveling through the DC hood.

“Don’t tread on me!” They sang.

 

One, two! and through and through

That ghallid gavel went snicker-snack

Nan left us dead and with our heads

She went harumphing back.

“And hast thou slain democracy?

Come to arms my botoxicated Nan!

Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”

Obama snortled at his plan.

 

Twas greastly and the slimzy change

Did Obama make along the way

America will never be the same

The Constitution, headed for decay.

-Johanna

 PS: All apologies to Lewis Carroll.

“Slaughter Solution” is a Go: Slayed by Tanner

The Republicans tried to prevent Pelosi and the Dems from using the “Slaughter Solution” to essentially pass socialized healthcare without even a vote. However that Republican resolution was voted down today 222-203. It’s no surprise that our very own rep, John Tanner, was once again on the side of Nancy Pelosi and the other liberal socialists  democrats and against his constituents.   I wonder if  that little bribe is doing the trick.  Dan Collins has the entire roll call here.  Funny every time  libs in Washington open their  mouths, this is all I hear.

It’s really grating on my nerves.

-Johanna

PS: Here’s what Hot Air has to say about it.

Everywhere I Go, Damn There I Am

Golly there’s a lot going on in Washington right now. We got healthcare going down. Plus, Obama signed another jobs bill today that is being overshadowed by all the healthcare talk. Of course I don’t need to remind you that we have lost well over 4 million jobs in 2009 since Obama took office and passed that huge stimulus (you remember, right?).  But we can all sleep better knowing the government is stepping in to save us again! Thank God for The Barack Obama. In honor of the passage of this bill today, I thought I would play one of my favorite little tunes. Enjoy.

-Johanna

A St. Patrick’s Day Post

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to ya. I learned something new today. Apparently our commander and chief, our fearless leader, our great all-knowing, all-seeing transformational one has Irish roots! I really had no idea. But it seems to be old news. Anyway, here’s what O’bama said today:

“few nations so small have had such an enormous impact on another” country: in the United States 36 million people claim Irish ancestry.

Including the president, apparently. Obama informed Cowen of his own Irish bona fides. He said that he could trace his ancestry on his mother’s side to County Offaly, Ireland, which happens to be taoiseach’s home turf.

“I believe it was my great-great-great-great-great grandfather,” Obama said to good-natured laughter. “This is true. He was a bootmaker, if I’m not mistaken.”

A bootmaker! Really?!  How fitting.  Just think, who knew that O’bama would now be using those boots to walk all over you and me. I’d like to take one of those boots and give him a solid kick in the… well you know where.

-Johanna

PS: I feel compelled to mention that my parents got married on St. Patrick’s Day (happy anniversary Mom and Dad!), so for obvious reasons, they were not wearing green that day, a trend I have continued my entire life. Oddly enough, I am wearing a pink sweater today…

Also, Jim Treacher, I hope you get some much needed rest.

My Friend Mike Slater Made Shuster Roll His Eyes

It was awesome. Local radio talk show host and  good friend, Mike Slater,  has a new gig on MSNBC of all places. He is blessed with the opportunity to put up with total douche-bag, David Shuster once a week. Yep, every Monday, Slater  goes on Shuster’s “Showdown” and debates various issues. It’s a tough job, but I guess someone has got to do it.

Here is the video of yesterday’s debate on healthcare.

Given the circumstances you were under, Slater, you were awesome. Kudos! And keep it up. I now have a reason to watch Shuster’s show, at least once a week for about 5 minutes.

-Johanna

Skeevy Perverted Politicians

With all the latest news of the John Edward’s sex tape scandal, I wonder why it is that so many of our political figures are such sexual perverts. I understand that it’s not a new thing, but it’s really starting to get on my nerves.

The list of modern American political perverts is long and getting longer. From Bill Clinton to Barney Frank and Eliot Spitzer to Larry Craig, the perversion crosses party lines and sexual preferences. And these are all just the scandals we know about. Yet no matter what, these guys continue to get elected. We get rid of one guy, finding ourselves replaced with another even worse. Every day I turn on the TV and it seems like there is yet another scandal involving tickle fights, or hookers, or extra-marital affairs, hell even child pornography. So to me that begs the question, are these politicians deviant from the beginning, or does their perversion escalate with their power? Is there anyone out there left in American politics who is monogamous? I mean is that too much to ask?

As conservatives we talk about cleaning house and electing men and women who will truly represent us. We call for smaller government, less spending, strong defense, protection of our god-given rights under the constitution. But along with all those things, is it possible to elect men and women with morals? Or does it even matter? I would like to believe that it still does. If we are truly electing politicians to represent us, then I would hope they would do so both politically and morally. I think that for John Edwards and the rest of them, a career in the porn industry may be a better place, although, when you think about, I guess politics isn’t really that far off these days.

-Johanna

Cross-posted at POWIP

Botoxicated Nancy Speaks Again

And it’s all eloquant and lovely, of course.  I hope you’re calling your Blue Dogs in the House, because the healthcare vote is about to do down even as early as Monday. Nancy P. is holding house members captive until the socialist monstrosity is passed. After all, as Rush pointed out today, it’s imperitave that all the photographer’s, writers, artists, etc. be able to explore their passions without having to hold down a real job to pay for their healthcare.

Anyway, they are invoking what is aptly called “The Slaughter Solution” which you can read all about here.  But don’t you worry your pretty little heads because it’s all very virtuous and upright and everything.  I mean, this is the “most ethical congress” EVAH!  Remember?!

-Johanna

PS: Serr8d has a great post on this topic. He makes an interesting point to his rep, Bart Gordon, about the health care vote. It’s the same one I made to John Tanner when I called his office as well. We can’t hold these guys accountable at this point  because they are quitting, but what kind of legacy do they want to leave office with?

Also read Michelle Malkin, she’s brilliant.

For Eric Massa

Just a little something to make your tickle fights  more fun:

You can thank me later.

-Johanna

What’s Love Got to Do with It?

I’ve been thinking a lot about love lately.  As I’ve thought and read about this topic over the past couple of months, I have begun to realize how much our culture plays a huge role in defining what love is. It’s downright scary when you think about it.  Our culture throws not just the word love around, but the meaning too, so flippantly and so often that I believe it causes confusion. Various TV shows, songs, movies, etc do much to water down the true meaning of love, leaving us scratching our heads in disappointment and frustration. I mean, why can’t my husband be just like the guy from The Notebook? Is that too much to ask? Gees. 

 I just Googled  how many songs have the word love in them. I got 10, 500,000 as the answer. Incredible. Love Shack, Love Me Do, Endless Love,  Your Love Don’t Take a Backseat to Nothin, All I Wanna Do is Make Love to You, are just a few of the examples that come to mind. But what does it all mean? Love can be sex, love can be forever or just one night, love is first, love is last. There’s  love of self, money, strippers, jewelry, shoes, and cars. I mean nothing is off the table. And if you watch shows like The Bachelor or Rock of Love (with Brett Michaels btw), you know what I mean.

But even beyond the irreverent way our culture tosses love around, I’m just as guilty of it too. For example, just the other night as J and I were driving to a movie, I was discussing this very thing with him, and complaining about it. Not two minutes after, I asked him for some chapstick. He pulled it out and immediately I said, “I LOVE this kind.” AAAAHHHH! And I do it all the time. I love this song, or I love reading that blog. I love the Yankees. I love Tag-Along Girl Scout cookies. But do I really? Love? Those? Things?  Just call me Brick. Seriously.

I don’t know. I guess I’m at a point in my life where I’m tired of assigning love to things that really have no value. And I’m sick and tired of allowing culture to define what love is. When I say the words “I love you” I want to mean it with all my heart. I think the Greeks had it right, or at least better than we do. Four different words for love that express four different meanings is better than one word to express them all. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of saying I Love my husband and I love chapstick in the same breath. I’m going to try and stop. Starting….now.

-Johanna

Crossposted at POWIP