ABSTRACT
For many people, a disaster is an event witnessed on the news. For others, the event can have an immediate and unforeseen catastrophic impact on their lives. Disasters are most often natural, like earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornadoes. The agreement was reached through active negotiations between a Nicaraguan psychiatrist who traveled to Managua and established personal linkages with the Somoza government after the terror of the disaster. After a brief training in Washington, we boarded a plane, organized into groups and planned our approach while flying to Central America. The United States and Nicaragua formalized an agreement to fund the efforts of bicultural and bilingual mental health volunteers. Professionals working in Washington who were linked with Nicaragua and National Institute of Mental Health representatives promoted the agreement. The agreement was reached through active negotiations between a Nicaraguan psychiatrist who traveled to Managua and established personal linkages with the Somoza government after the terror of the disaster.
