I send an App message to Ana Julia (on the back row in the picture) on Tuesday evening to remind her of our outing planned for the next day. At 10am the next morning she drives up to our front door to take us to the swimming pool.
At first our outings were once a fortnight, but of late they have become weekly, 
because Ana Julia has more time. Swimming is an activity that we now have been doing regularly for nearly a year, and it includes a break for a much enjoyed glass of coca cola, courtesy of a monthly donation from my mother.
Swimming pools in Juigalpa There used to be four swimming pools in and around Juigalpa. Initially we used Las Peñitas swimming pool a short distance outside Juigalpa which we were able to use free of charge. But when the political situation in Nicaragua deteriorated and roadblocks were raised near bigger cities to pressurize the Government, we were no longer able to get to this pool. Two other restaurants had to close down their business (and their swimming pool) due to loss of clientele because of the economic recession and political turmoil. Fortunately the owner of the fourth restaurant was positively inclined to give us free access to her swimming pool near her restaurant. She herself has a brother with Down Syndrom, so she appreciates Ruach’s work.
Results
We think that before our swimming programme started Daniel and Loyda had never been 
in a swimming pool before. Loyda enjoyed floating on the water from ‘day 1’: she looked very natural helped by her arm bands Her brother Daniel did not take to the water in the same way, but has made great strides! At first his instinct was to get out of the water as soon as possible, maybe he found the water too cold. But since last month he has stopped doing that. We’ve helped him to feel more relaxed in the water. Initially he clung to me very tightly when I pulled him through the water with him lying on his back; gradually he loosened his grip and bit by bit he lay calmly on the water when I held his feet to pull him through the water. And now he has caught up with his sister: he also is able to feel very relaxed lying on his back on the water with floats around his arms!
Heartwarming
Tomorrow we go again, and rest assured that we will all enjoy the outing, not only because being in the pool offers a different kind of stimulant, but also because it is so heartwarming that these trips to the pool are made possible free of charge by several people: Ana Julia and doña Maria, we’d like to say thank you also via this blog!