Daniel Bain Article

I got to talk with Daniel Bain, who works at La Chureca, last week and wrote this article about him. Hope you enjoy - he is an incredible guy.

Daniel Bain stands out in Nicaragua. His 6’5” frame and white skin do not lead many to mistake him for being Nicaraguan. However, he stands out for more than just his physical characteristics. Daniel works for Light, Live, and Melody – a non-profit organization which is, according to its website, “dedicated to battling the physical, emotional, and spiritual affects of extreme poverty found” in what’s known as “La Chureca;” the city of Managua’s trash dump. Close to 800 people reside there, sifting through garbage for a living.

Daniel became involved in Nicaragua in July of 2005 as a volunteer with Manna Project International after graduating that year from the University of Southern California. Living and working in a community of recent college grads from the US, Daniel built relationships with Nicaraguans, primarily children, through educational and literacy programs. During this time Daniel became familiar with La Chureca and began to establish friendships with many of its children and families. After working with Manna for two years Daniel knew that he wanted to continue his work in Nicaragua, reflecting, “I knew that God wasn’t done with me yet.”

His road to working with Light, Love, and Melody started when he met Brad Corrigan, the drummer from the band Dispatch, last fall. Brad fell in love with the people of La Chureca when, while in Managua visiting an orphanage he helped raise funds for, he ended up there after asking his cab driver to take him to a poor neighborhood. Once exposed to the horrors of La Chureca, Brad decided to help.

He started a girls’ home in September, 2006, giving some of the children a break from living in what many have described as “hell.” Daniel visited the home multiple times and found it to be a, “place of joy.” “It was crazy how much I began to love those girls. God taught me about His love, particularly that however much I loved them, He loved them, and me, even more,” he recalled.

Following his two years with Manna, Daniel felt called to remain in Nicaragua, specifically in La Chureca. While most Nicaraguans purposely avoid the area, Daniel does not want to be anywhere else.

Working with Love, Light, and Melody gives Daniel opportunities to practice a true ministry of presence. Currently he is focused on three or four families, with whom he strives to simply share life. While building relationships with these families Daniel attempts to offer love, hope for a better future, and possibly a way out of the dump.

Many of La Chureca’s families are in turmoil, not surprisingly considering their living conditions. Child prostitution, drug and alcohol abuse, and domestic violence are rampant. Although basic in principle, Daniel’s work is far from simple in reality. “I don’t know what to say to a mom when she tells me her husband is beating her,” he said.

Tragically, yet understandably, a cycle of low self-worth casts a strong hold over the children of La Chureca. Without knowing or believing themselves worthy of any other options, many children passively submit to the many of the dark temptations easily available. For this reason, Daniel tries to foster “restoration and reconciliation of families.” Children in strong, stable families are far less likely to fall victim to the horrible cycle.

In addition to continuing to spend time with the families, Daniel aims to connect with relief organizations which work outside of La Chureca. Doing so, he says, will create opportunities for residents of La Chureca to get help and vocational training. With proper instruction these individuals will have the skills they need to escape the madness of what they now call home.

Daniel’s love for the families he works with is evident in the passion with which he describes them. His commitment is equally as clear, as he claims to have no plans to leave Nicaragua in the foreseeable future. He commented, “I’m ready to see their hearts change. I’m excited to see the kids grow up and have families.”