In 2007, when I was on a LEAMIS trip to Bolivia, I stayed in the home of Freddy Mamani. I didn’t speak much Spanish and Freddy didn’t speak much English, but we tried to teach each other words at the breakfast table.

As it happened, July 4 fell during that trip, and when Freddy greeted me that morning he had a big smile on his face.

“¡Happy Estados Unidos!”, he exclaimed. That’s my greeting for all of you on this Independence Day.