Nicaragua is Our Home: A Sense of Being in the Right Place
We have been residents of Nicaragua for almost a year. Our job here is to act as a bridge between our communities. In the process we have fallen in love with the people of Nicaragua. The Nicas have returned our love and opened us in new and wonderful ways. The children have helped us to unveil this truth. A constant stream of blessings has been poured on us. Our journey has taught us that the unexpected gifts we receive are often the ones that lead to transformation.
Twenty years ago Kathleen Deignan of the Benedictine Grange announced a meeting of Connecticut Quest for Peace. This chance gathering impacted our lives. The central theme of that day was to find ways to preference the poor. The message has remained our imperative ever since. The “Quest for Peace” is what called us then and continues to call us today.
The goal of the Quest remains the same: feed and educate the poor of Nicaragua. The Quest strives to build and support schools, to build homes, to provide medicine and support medical clinics, to engage in micro-financing banks for women, to increase access to potable water, to give scholarships to worthy and needy students and, most importantly, to teach those we work with that they have value and worth.
We are proud to share with you two special qualities of the Quest community. The staff and all the dedicated members are non-paid volunteers. Less that 3% of our total budget is spent on administrative costs. 97% of your donations go directly to serve the poor and new volunteers are welcomed. Our partners in Nicaragua are highly committed and skilled in their service. They include Maryknoll missioners, John XXIII, Fe y Alegria, Catholic Medical Mission Board, Teresiana Sisters, Sisters of Zion and many more who have been mentors and models of caring and selflessness. Margaret Mead tells us, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world, indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Blessings and Peace,
Randy & Linda Klein