Trevor and I had the chance to go to Managua, Nicaragua on a mission trip with 10 other people from LCS. We were gone December 8th-13th. The purpose of the trip was to expose us to the extreme poverty in Nicaragua, the poorest spanish speaking country in the world. We had a chance to visit La Chureca, a community that lives in the trash dump. The Buzbee's, a missionary family living in Nicaragua, run a Christian school for kids preschool through 6th grade. The school is located in the dump and provides the kids with one hot meal a day, which sadly may be the only meal they receive that day.
Day 1: We had a chance to walk around the dump and see first hand how these people live. They make their living by sorting through the garbage in hopes of finding recyclable items. They usually make up to $1.50/day doing this. Some of the people living in the dump are 3rd generation and have literally never stepped outside the dump. Can you imagine? What we saw inside the dump was eye opening. We saw animals of all kinds roaming around (i.e. dogs, pigs, chickens, etc.). We also saw some of the poorest homes I have ever witnessed. Some were made out of plywood, others were made of tarps or plastic, and others were made out of metal pieced together. The homes had dirt floors. We were told that the people had running water and electricity. They bathe via buckets and use latrines for toileting needs. We saw some kids running around naked, others with underwear on, and other fully dressed. Apparently, 99% of the kids living in the dump have been abused. Some sniff turpentine to help alleviate hunger pains, which later causes brain damage. It was extremely difficult seeing such poverty.
Before we left for Nicaragua, students at LCS were asked to provide gallon-sized ziplock bags full of hygiene products and toys for the kids at the school in the dump. We transported these bags via our suitcases and checked luggage. Once in Nicaragua, we had the opportunity to throw a Christmas party for the ~300 kids attending this school. Part of our group included four high school students, three of whom are on the LCS dance team, plus their dance coach, Barb. They were able to perform their dance routine for the kids. The amazing thing was that they chose the song back in August, way before anyone even knew a group would be going to Nicaragua. The song they chose was the Waka Waka song, which was one of the songs sung at the 2010 World Cup Soccer Tournament. The kids at the school in the dump actually knew the song and were singing the lyrics. We thought that was pretty cool and was a God thing.
We had a nice time handing out the gifts to the kids. Santa Clause even made an appearance and spoke spanish. The kids surprised us by how they handled the gifts they were given. We expected them to tear into the bags, but instead they took time to read the cards our spanish students back home had prepared for them. Then instead of dumping everything out of the bags, they held them up in the air and tried to see what was inside. A few of the kids took out some of their gifts, but mostly they just held tightly to their packages. We aren't exactly sure, why they reacted this way. But we were told that theft is rampant, so maybe they were afraid someone would steal their new stuff if they took it out of their bags? As we toured the dump after the party, it was fun to see some of the same kids enjoying the gifts we had given them. We saw one child with a sticker stuck to the middle of his forehead.
Another neat thing that happened while we were at the school in the dump was the sheer number of gifts we were able to provide. We had prepared ~286 bags, however, once there we were told that the other group which had committed to providing the preschoolers with gifts was no longer able to come to the Christmas party. We had brought a couple of duffle bags full of the extra stuff. Using these items we were able to fill another 40 bags to provide gifts for the preschoolers. It felt like the story in the bible where the lady's oil never runs out. God provided the gifts each time we needed more. Pretty cool!
Day 2: We were able to help decorate Verbo Christian Church for the preschool and 6th grade graduation ceremony. It was fun to see some of the same kids from yesterday all dressed up. Some of the girls had their hair beautifully curled. We were told they wrapped their wet hair around straws to get the gorgeous curls. The church is located in Managua outside of the dump. The students and families were asked to find their own transportation. They were also told the ceremony started at noon, however, being as the latin american culture is not very punctual the actual ceremony did not get started until 1:45 PM. That would never fly in the states! Apparently, graduating from the 6th grade is quite an accomplishment. After graduating from the 6th grade, the kids have the chance to go to public school for grades 7th-11th outside of the dump. However, even though it is a public school, many of the kids in La Chureca still cannot afford the ~$1o0 fees needed to buy school uniforms and school supplies. The Buzbees (missionary family) are trying to provide these kids with scholarships so they can continue their education and hopefully break the cycle of poverty.
Day 3: We had a chance to be tourists for the day. We toured the historic portion of Managua, which we discovered was very unsafe. We had to hire three police officers, who made sure we paid them all, in order to view the two remaining structures that survived the earthquake of 1976. We also went up on a hill to get a good view of the city of Managua. On top of the hill, we had a chance to zipline across a lake, which was a lot of fun. From there we went to the Massaya Volcano, which was one of the coolest volcanoes we have seen. We were able to look down into the smoking crater, which was quite impressive. Another highlight of our day, was visiting the Massaya market. Unfortunately, we were only given 25 minutes to do some power shopping. Trevor and I still managed to buy two vases and some gifts for the kids, so we made out okay in the end.
Day 4: We attended Verbo Christian Church for one amazing church service. Trevor and I loved seeing the enthusiasm with which these impoverished people worship God. A few of the older women brought their own tambourines to church. The tambourines were decorated with streamers. They were awesome. Several men were dancing through the aisles. I felt like we got a glimpse of heaven. These people weren't afraid to worship God. It felt like we were at a concert. One of our hosts made the comment, "I used to think it was just a charismatic church, but then I realized these people are poor. In the states we have many ways to worship God, but in Nicaragua all these people have to give to God is their worship. I have never looked at them the same."
Later that day, we visited Casa Bernabe, one of the 13 orphanages in Nicaragua. Compared to La Chureca the orphanage was in great condition. They even had a computer lab that was just completed. Trevor was shocked when one of the orphan boys came up to him and asked him if he was on Facebook. Ha! The kids are encouraged to use the computers to help them learn english. The orphanage had a large dining hall. The boys and girls rooms were on opposite sides, adjacent to the dining hall. Their rooms were in good condition. The thing that stood out to me was the size of the kids' lockers and how empty they were. I imagined all of their belongings fitting into one small locker and how different that is from the life we live back in the states. We are so blessed!
A few of the kids were celebrating their birthdays, so we brought them birthday cakes. After handing out gifts at the school in La Chureca, we realized we still had a lot leftover. We decided to hand out the rest of the gifts to the kids at the orphanage. Again God provided the stuff needed to fill another~58 bags. The kids at the orphanage were a lot more enthusiastic about their gifts and dug right into them. In addition to the bags, we brought them two soccer balls, which they were really excited about. In fact, they got a soccer game going right away. Trevor had fun playing with them. We also brought some embroidering string. Quite a few of the kids were interested in learning how to make bracelets. I had fun painting nails, although it didn't go quite as I had expected. I had imagined sitting around painting some of the little girls or older girls' nails. However, when I brought out the nail polish, one of the house moms excitedly came over for a manicure and behind her was another house mom. After I was finished painting their nails they gave me a super fancy manicure which put the manicure I had given them to shame. It was kind of funny.
A highlight of the night for me was seeing the enthusiasm of the little orphan girl who received the bag Kaylee had purchased with her own money. Initially Kaylee had struggled with the idea of spending her own money to purchase gifts. However, once we started shopping she insisted on spending more of her money to buy some charms to go with the beads she had already picked out. She insisted the kids in Nicaragua "needed" those charms. How precious it was for me to see my little girl overcome her own selfishness and learn how good it felt to give to others less fortunate. You can imagine how special it was to see the little orphan girl grab the charms out of her bag and lean across the table to show them to the kids sitting across from her. I struggled to hold back tears as I asked the interpreter to tell the little orphan girl that my 6-year-old daughter had bought those charms and beads for her with her own money. The little orphan girl said to "tell her thank you so much".
If we ever return to Nicaragua I would enjoy staying at the orphanage and just loving on the kids the whole time. While at the orphanage, it was easy to think of it as a school. However, upon leaving the orphanage I had to hold back tears as it hit me that those kids had to stay there without a Mommy or Daddy to hug and cherish them. It was tough to leave them. Our trip to Nicaragua was an emotional one. It is very difficult seeing such extreme poverty and interacting with the people who live in the midst of it. We aren't exactly sure what we are supposed to do with the insight that we gained, but pray that God will show us. Part of our job is to share what we learned with others and for this reason I wrote such a lengthy entry.
