Last summer my daughter Maud helped build a school in La Cruz, Nicaragua, an effort sponsored by BuildOn, the organization she runs at Columbia. You should hear the stories she came back with. The tiny house she stayed at, bigger than the rest of the houses in the village, yet they all slept in the same room. The unvarying meals of rice and beans (delicious! she said). The ankle-deep mud where they poured the foundation for the school. How they worked side by side with the townspeople on the construction of the building. The town had had only a one-room schoolhouse before, unadorned. The immense friendliness of her hosts, who tolerated her lack of Spanish with patience and charm. The excitement of the little kids about the education that they knew was coming their way.
They were thankful. And the members of BuildOn will be thankful for your support this year.
This May the college students of BuildOn plan to travel to Malawi to build a primary school that boys and girls will attend in equal numbers. That’s important, as you may know, because getting an education is a difficulty faced by disadvantaged girls in many places around the globe. By December 20th Maud needs to personally raise $1700 out of $4700 total or the trip won’t happen. Please give what you can by clicking the red “donate now” button on Maud’s BuildOn page. Thank you! And please pass this appeal on to anyone you know who might support Maud’s effort.
Maud and Oneida in Nicaragua
Jean Zimmerman 
Yes, it’s her way of giving back, appreciating all she’s been given. Pass that appeal along if you can think of anyone looking for a place to donate to this year. Thanks!
What a wonderful thing to be doing! She is blessing not only the children she helps, but herself. Her memories of this time will be a treasure she’ll have for the rest of her life!