Olmstead aides hurricane victims in Nicaragua

by Nick Levandusky

rector for the Stella Maris Province of the share our time, energy and emotional design editor

Imagine the sight of a huge mudslide flowing and washing away your home. Imagine in that flow seeing all of your belongings and the dead bodies of those you have come to call friends.

This is only one of the horrifying images Sister Diane Olmstead, vocation di- support."

Missionary Sisters of the Scared Heart of Jesus, witnessed while staying in Nicaragua aiding the relief efforts of Hurricane Mitch.

Along with Sister Barbara Staley from the city of Chicago, Olmstead traveled to four different sites in Nicaragua.

"Both of us speak Spanish," said Olmstead, "and we were both on a mission in the early '90s, hence we know the sisters from that area and some of the reality."

The two stayed with a community of sisters in Diriamba from December 1-13, 1998. This is a town located outside the city of Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. The town provided a sufficient source of food and clothing, which the sisters bought, packaged and distributed to the people. This was in addition to the thousands of dollars worth of medication the sisters brought with them in their suitcases. All of their clothing was stuffed into knapsacks, which they took on the plane.

During their stay, the duo helped to deliver food, clothing, hygiene products and medicine to four different areas: Posoltega, Esteli, Somotillo and Vida Nueva.

In a place where most of the people were wearing only underwear or, at best; underwear with a T-shirt, Olmstead was full of amazement, not by what she saw, but how the people reacted to their presence.

"When faced with such adversity, you come face to face with your limitations," Olmstead said.

The trip to Nicaragua was not the first trip for Olmstead to Latin America. She has traveled to Guatemala as well in the early '90s. The difference between the two was a fine line.

Tears began to form in the comers of her eyes and a shade of red became apparent on her face as Olmstead recalled the difference between the trips.

"What was so different about this experience is that, when I was in Guatemala I went with the idea that I had some knowledge and skills that I could share, and I went more with an attitude of 'the giver.'

Sister Diane Olmstead administers help to the victims of Hurricane Mitch in a town in Nicaragua.

Diane gives food, clothing, hygiene products and medication to those devastated by Hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua.

"Money and materials are vital to the efforts," Olmstead said, "but we also wanted to express our solidarity in a very personal way-by our willingness to