Thanksgiving in Nicaragua

We have SO much to be thankful for.  I have always been told that – and I have always believed it.  This Thanksgiving it really set in.  As we are walk around Palacagüina, we’re surrounded by poverty.
 
This week, as Thanksgiving approached quickly, my team and the other team with us this month, Team Mates, began planning our Thanksgiving.  One of my squad leaders, KK, asked what traditions everyone had for Thanksgiving at home.  Many were shared including the turkey trot, singing Cotton-Eyed Joe after dinner, eating turkey, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and more.
 
Several of us struggled with how to celebrate an American holiday that has become primarily about food in a place where there are many families struggling to eat at all.  After discussing it in depth with each other, we decided that we could have a modest Thanksgiving dinner that was still within World Race budget.
 
We walked around Palacagüina and found a turkey that would be suitable for all of us to enjoy.  Christopher had the pleasure of processing the turkey for us and getting it ready to cook. 
 

 
 
Several of the girls spent a few hours making us delicious food.  We enjoyed each other’s company, conversation, and good food over Thanksgiving dinner. 
 

 
 
We all went around the table and shared what we were thankful for.  It was awesome to see that despite our arguments over thanksgiving traditions, and how much money should be spent on food, that we all were thankful for the ability to be together and celebrating a holiday where we can acknowledge what we are thankful for in a public way.
 

 
 
We finished up our Thanksgiving Day celebrations by watching a movie together as two teams united.  We watched Elf in preparation for the countdown to Christmas beginning after dinner was over.  We even had popcorn!
 

 
1 Thessalonians says “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”.