Big political changes were occurring during the year Christine Marinoni spent teaching English in Altagracia. Impoverished by years of the US-backed Contra War and trade embargo and facing disillusionment of campesinos who opposed the draft, the Sandinista government was forced to agree to elections in late 1990. Timed so that delegation members could observe the election, a contingent of 19 people, including a
Padre Juan Cuadra during his visit to Bainbridge. Padre Juan entertains Bainbridge Islanders during his visit. Bainbridge hosted its first delegate from Ometepe: Padre Juan Cuadra. Padre Juan had instilled his philosophy in the first delegation of Bainbridge Islanders who went to Ometepe. He said to always expect and accept what Ometepinos can give
Traveling round-about through Mexico City to circumvent the trade embargo and stopping first in Managua to participate in the Sister Cities Conference, the “Delegation of Eight” (in ’88) hauled 16 suitcases of medical and school supplies. They also brought funds to team up with Arlen Siu preschool families to fulfill Maria Elena’s dream – an actual preschool classroom with four walls and a roof.
How do new Sister Islands get to know each other when there is a war going on and an embargo against trade? One way is to send messages of friendship in the hands of travelers passing through. Mary Gleysteen relayed a suitcase of school supplies destined for Ometepe. Melissa Young and Mark Dworkin packed their video equipment to Ometepe after a visit elsewhere in Nicaragua.
Bainbridge Island peace activists were frustrated and enraged by the U.S. government’s backing of the Contra war against Nicaragua’s Sandinista government. In hopes of circumventing governments and creating a different relationship with people from the embattled nation, 90 Islanders held a pot-luck dinner fund-raiser and sent Kim Esterberg off to Managua with the Seattle Sister Cities delegation in search of a sister island.
