THANK YOU!

“Gracias por todo.” (Thank you for everything)

“Te quiero mucho.” (I love you a lot)

With those words I got into the taxi last Thursday, leaving not only the kids but also a part of my heart on their street corner in Managua.

Over the last 3.5 months I’ve been blessed to spend time with a group of kids who every day work at a busy intersection downtown, washing windshields and running between stopped cars begging for coins. I had the pleasure of eating lunch with the group, which grew from 3 to 15, every day at nearby fast-food restaurants. We bonded over greasy chicken, coloring books, a play area, and a digital camera. The pure and vibrant love the kids possess transcends the language barrier and I quickly fell in love with them. Despite being forced to mature too rapidly by working on the streets, they have miraculously maintained a remarkable amount of the beauty and innocence found in childhood.

While our lunch dates offered them a brief respite from working on the streets, I knew that they were merely a Band-Aid solution. Seeking to provide more long-term relief, we came up with the idea for a sponsorship program through which the kids could re-enroll in school.

To date, 13 kids have been registered and, starting in a few weeks, will spend their time in class rather than on the street. We have also started providing monthly food allowances for each family involved in the program, giving the parents further incentive to keep their kids in school. In addition, we’ve hired a Nicaraguan man, who speaks both English and Spanish, to run the program now that I’m back in the USA.

I’m excited to tell you that we’re currently in the process of establishing the program as an official non-profit organization. We really believe that this program can thrive. Once we figure out the arrangements for developing the non-profit we will commence fund-raising efforts. I’ll surely keep you updated as things progress, hopefully soon.

“Te quiero mucho.” “Gracias por todo.”

I spoke these words to the kids last Thursday and, with the same authenticity, offer them to you now. I have been so honored by the incredible support I’ve received throughout this adventure. I honestly feel that, although I am the one who was physically present in Nicaragua, you, as my family and closest friends, are the ones responsible for what we’ve been able to accomplish. Without your prayers, encouragement, thoughts, and interest I am certain that I would not have been strong enough to overcome the challenges I faced. I truly mean it when I say that ‘we’ did this.

My experience in Nicaragua provides yet another example of how God doesn’t call the equipped, but instead chooses to equip the called. I left home only knowing that I was supposed to spend some time in Managua. Through various closed doors, many of which I unsuccessfully tried to pry open, God led me to meet these kids. Somehow he used an introverted kid who doesn’t speak much Spanish nor have much patience with kids to lay the foundations for breaking this cycle of poverty.

In addition to working on this sponsorship program, I’m now applying to graduate school for journalism and have started an internship with Baltimore magazine. I’m not sure if journalism is the exact path I want to follow right now, but I know that I enjoy writing so we’ll see if anything comes of this.

I will always be grateful to you and to God for allowing me this experience. I know that I received many more blessings than I could have possibly bestowed. Although my time as a resident of Nicaragua has come to an end, I believe that my involvement in these kids’ lives has truly just started.

With Much Love,
Dylan

Our Final Party

It’s a bit odd for me to write this blog at my kitchen table in Baltimore, dressed in sweat pants and a long-sleeved shirt. I am still trying to get used to being cold again. While the weather, food, and ubiquitous presence of English have all taken awhile to readjust to, I’ve found that the hardest part about being in Baltimore is the fact that I am apart from the kids.

My last day was one that I will always treasure. It exemplifies my adventures in Nicaragua, capturing the essence of my experience within the time-frame of a day.

The day’s excitement began when, despite my efforts to flag them down, not one but two buses drove by me at the bus stop. Just some typical fun with Nicaraguan transportation. I found a cab, though, and thus arrived at the street corner earlier than usual.

The kids were waiting for me in their clean, new clothes, toting presents they excitedly gave me. Much like the small teddy bears and pink lipstick I received days before, I could picture the kids looking around their houses for things that they valued, thinking they would be perfect gifts. This time I received several large teddy bears and numerous pictures and letters. The kids also had stuffed animals for me to take to Nefret, my mom, and Emily. All of the stuffed animals were worn and dirty; obviously the product of years of affection and usage. I was so honored to receive such meaningful presents. The kids gave out of their poverty, giving some of their most treasured toys.

We had a delightful time at our party at the Fun House. All said there were 26 people there, including 19 kids. The kids managed to sit down long enough to eat their chicken nuggets and fries and draw a few pictures. The calm lasted for about 20 minutes, after which the allure of the games in the Nicaraguan Chuck-E-Cheese-esque place took over. Usually we pay for each kid to play two games. This time, though, we purchased an hour of unlimited play for each one. When Carlos told the kids of this development they freaked out. I’ve never seen them so excited.

The kids played for an hour non-stop. They laughed and smiled just acted like kids. It was really a great way to end our time together. My goal for the party was to show the kids just how much I care about them and how special they are. I hope that they felt that.

After the party I, carrying a large plastic bag with all of my gifts, walked with the kids back to their corner. We spent about 15 minutes exchanging phone numbers, hugging, and saying goodbye. The kids got me a taxi and chased after it, waving and smiling, as we drove away.

Our final time together was really special. I will always have mental images of those kids smiling and running around. I can still feel their little arms hugging my legs. Their love was so evident, as it was throughout our entire time together. I’m so thankful for the relationships we established.

I’ll post my final letter within the next few days. Thanks for reading.

Pictures

The last batch of pictures is up!

http://flickr.com/photos/dwnicaragua/

Brad and Lauren in the News

Hello! I am working on a final blog, but in the meantime check out this article on Brad and Lauren.

http://www.loudountimes.com/news/2008/jan/05/two-leesburg-residents-work-children-nicaragua/

Emily's Blog

I was only in Nicaragua for 6 full days, but I feel like I really had a chance to get to know the country and the people that Dylan has grown to love. I feel so blessed that now I can share in this experience with him.

One thing is for sure, in Nicaragua there are no rules and no signs. I had an idea of what to expect from all that Dylan told me about his home away from home, but I really could never have prepared myself for this amazing experience.

My first experience of Nicaragua was from the backseat of a taxi. A taxi equipped with a “siren” for a horn. And yes the siren horn was used whenever, not exactly when necessary. The only transportation more exciting was the elaborately decorated school buses.

The market was an overwhelming sight of people and goods. It wouldn’t have been necessary to buy anything from the shops, walking around and observing was exciting enough for me. Although I did make some purchases (who can pass up a hammock for $11?).

San Juan del Sur was beautiful. The trip to and from the beach was of course an interesting experience, but it was worth it. I loved eating dinner directly on the beach and listening to the waves. And who doesn’t love spaghetti for lunch when you are deserted on the beach for the afternoon? It was so amazing to experience the beautiful sunset, clear blue water, and cool evening breeze.

And then there are the kids…

Walking around to the street corner, and watching them rush over to us from 50 yards away yelling “DILAN” at the top of their lungs, is an image that will always stay with me. I was immediately received with hugs and kisses. Even after I explained to them that I could not speak Spanish very well, they asked questions and wanted to know all about me. I just could not get over their openness and loving hearts.

As soon as we got to lunch they wanted to see my camera. They loved taking pictures of us, in all kinds of combinations and poses, most of me and the chicken mascot painted on the wall. We played games (games that I did not understand or know the rules of, and yet always won) and danced. Dylan and I were married, twice. The girls all giggled as they did my hair and prepared me for the event. Their smiles and laughter were such a treat. They showered me with their gifts, generosity, and love.

When it came time for me to leave, I wanted to listen to their pleas for me to stay. It was so hard to say goodbye, and we had only just met a few days before. It was so easy to fall in love with each and every one of them. They are all so unique and special, and so happy and loving. I feel so fortunate that I was able to meet and spend some time with them. I don’t think I will be able to explain to them the impact they have made on my life through Dylan and through this trip. And for that I am truly grateful.

My time in Nicaragua was amazing. I made a promise to the kids that I would come back and visit soon. I know that I will keep that promise. I am looking forward to the next time I get to pile into a colorful school bus, dangerously maneuver through the streets, and see the smiling faces of my new friends.

I miss Fried Chicken Already

Last night, around 8pm, I was sitting at my kitchen table reading some articles on the New Hampshire primaries and Roger Clemens contemplating whether to spend an hour or so cleaning, packing, or reading my book. (See what happens when Emily is not home to talk with me?) Up until this point I figured that the highlight of the evening would surely be my successful venture into making corn-flake chicken.

At this exciting point in my evening two men came two the door and started speaking Spanish. After introductions and brief formalities I soon became lost and said, “No hablo mucho espanol,” (I don’t speak much Spanish). One of the men excitedly responded, in English, “I’m an American!” They told me they just moved in across the street and were having trouble getting internet. So, invited them in and told them how I got my internet. They asked what I’m doing here and I had a chance to explain my work with the kids a bit; to which they were very receptive.

Their story is quite interesting. One man, Carlos, is a massage therapist who works with professional athletes. He asked if I was a baseball fan and told me that his nephew, Jesse, is a writer for mlb.com and is also staying across the street. I then explained my interest in both journalism and sports. Carlos then brought Jesse over and the three of us chatted while they used my internet.

It turns out they are living across the street with one of Carlos’ clients, Vicente Padilla, a pitcher for the Texas Rangers. So, yes, one of my new neighbors is a professional baseball player. After talking here for a bit they asked me if I wanted to meet Vicente. Of course I did, so we walked over to his house and I had a chance to say hi.

I really enjoyed talking with Jesse and Carlos. Jesse provided me with some helpful advice on succeeding in journalism and told me some interesting stories about his work. They were both supportive of my work here and told me they would introduce me to Vicente’s assistant, who runs his foundation, before I leave on Friday. They said there is a chance Vicente might want to help out, since he is Nicaraguan, too.

Only in Nicaragua does this kind of stuff seem to happen. I can’t picture any circumstances at home in which I could go from sitting by myself in my house to meeting a professional baseball player in a night.

Today was pretty much a continuation of yesterday in terms of emotion; both good and bad, gifts, good times, lots of hugs, and a photo shoot. I met with Carlos before lunch to teach him how to use the digital camera I am leaving with him. We also separated the school supplies we bought last week at the market by family before heading out to meet everyone and pass them out.

Our lunch was very wonderful. The kids, realizing it was our last trip to Pollo Campero, were even more energetic than usual. I would guess that I received upwards of 150 hugs today and only slightly fewer requests for the biggest chicken breast or more soda. There was some drama between the two moms who are twins, with one initially refusing to come, but after awhile everybody calmed down and enjoyed themselves. The kids gave me gifts for Nefret and Emily. I think it’s so cute how the girls put so much time into making beautiful pictures and letters for them.

During lunch one of the mothers told me that the older kids can’t use the notebooks we bought for them. I saw her point, as the notebooks were small and seemed more appropriate for younger kids. So, after lunch I bought 24 High School Musical notebooks for the older kids. I told the kids I would bring other notebooks tomorrow but decided to surprise them this afternoon. By the reception the notebooks received one would think I gave them each a new bike or something.

After handing out the notebooks I walked to the bus stop along with 5 of the kids. We were joking and hanging out when I heard someone ask, in English, “Hey man, how’ve you been?” I turned to see a man who I met a long time ago, maybe in early November, across the street in front of Metrocentro. At the time he introduced himself to me as an activist trying to collect money to stop the eviction of people from an HIV/AIDS patient house. In November I thought that he was a bit odd, and was further warned when the kids told me not to talk with him. Today I got the impression that he might be a drug addict by the way he carried himself and spoke.

Within seconds of his arrival the kids told me, loud enough for him to hear, that he was a robber and further implored me to stop talking with him. The man, understandably, didn’t like what the kids had to say and they started exchanging verbal barbs. I didn’t know what to say so I just repeated, “No!” at an ever-increasing volume. The man started to walk away but turned back and kicked Ninoska, who was leading the insult attack. She quickly picked up a small rock and threw it at him as he tried to run away. Not really thinking, just reacting, I, by this point screaming, “NO!” ran in between the man and the kids trying to diffuse the situation.

The man then picked up a rock and cocked his arm to throw it at Ninoska. I knew that he wouldn’t throw the rock at me so I stayed between the two of them while walking towards the man. He threw the rock, thankfully missing Ninoska. She then fired another one back at him, also missing. By this point I reached him and grabbed his shoulders, yelling at him to drop the rock. He did so and, uttering some not-so-nice words, turned and left.

One girl, Winny, was crying when I got back to the group of kids. I think she, like me, was pretty shaken up by the situation. I never really felt in danger, as the scrap virtually consisted of a pebble-throwing exhibition, but the fact that this guy would mess with the kids bothered me. I’m sorry that this event was our final memory of our day together, but I think that the good times we had earlier in the day were special enough to outweigh the bad.

Tomorrow we’re throwing a HUGE bash at the Fun House. It will undoubtedly be ridiculous. I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

An Emotional Day

I took Emily to the airport and waited in line with her to check in, only departing when I was forced to at security. On our way to the airport she enjoyed a very ‘Nicaraguan’ send-off, complete with walking past a huge pile of burning trash, ridiculous taxi driving, and sharing the road with various animals and animal-drawn carts. We had a truly delightful time together this past week. Although it was sad to see her go I know that I’ll see her again in a few days so I am coping alright.

With my time with the kids coming to an end very shortly our lunches and afternoons are becoming more emotional by the day. I continue to be amazed with how affectionate the kids are in light of the emotional and physical beating they receive every day. I marvel how they can maintain so much pure joy in the midst of their lives.

I know that I have expressed the feeling before, but I have to reiterate how thankful I am to have this Nica experience. While it might be counterintuitive, I have found myself more on the receiving end of blessings than the giving. The kids’ selfless generosity is perhaps the aspect of this trip I will remember the most fondly.

When I arrived today Stephanie, an adorable 5-year old girl, was excitedly waiting with a gift for me. I have received countless pictures and letters as well as a few sunglasses and bracelets over the last couple months, and each gift was obviously heartfelt and special. The teddy bear that Stephanie, after running up to greet me, gave me was yet another example of how giving these families are. They are so real with their feelings that they can’t help but express them, and they are so legitimately thankful that I am consistently overwhelmed by the depth of those expressions. I’m not sure how many toys Stephanie has, but since she spends her days begging for money on the street I’m pretty confident that the bear she gave me was probably quite special to her.

Our time at Pollo Campero resembled a photo shoot more than lunch. The digital camera has long been a hit, but its popularity has increased over the last few days. Today they managed to take 164 pictures in the 2.5 hours I was with them. I think I have multiple pictures of every possible combination of people present. They don’t usually smile for pictures here so the majority of the pictures consist of me smiling and everyone else looking miserable. An interesting cultural difference.

During the course of lunch and hanging out with them afterwards I received several more letters and drawings. I could tell that some of the letters were obviously the fruits of much labor. I am so honored that these kids would spend so much time writing me letters telling me how much they love me and am thankful for everything. Some of them write me multiple letters a week. What a blessing.

One boy, Ever, bought me a bag of juice and some chocolate from one of the guys who walks between cars at their stoplight. I just am so blown away that the kids spend their own money (they are allowed to keep some of the coins they get from begging) on a gringo.

At the end of our lunch Ninoska, the oldest girl (15), gave me a Winny the Pooh gift bag with some of the most meaningful gifts I’ve ever received. The first thing I noticed was a intricately colored drawing of me and a flower. She had spent all of her time prior to giving the gift to me – probably a little over an hour – at a corner table making this picture and the letter which followed. She wrote how much she loves me and how appreciative she is for our friendship and everything that I’ve done for her. I was already so touched by her artwork and letter but the rest of the gift brought me close to tears.

I then pulled out a teddy bear with the words ‘te amo’ (I love you) written on its chest. As I took it out of the bag Ninoska proudly told me that she bought it for me with her own money. Again, at this point I was already extremely humbled and honored. Still, there was more to come.

I think it’s refreshing how real the kids’ desire to give me gifts is. Although they can’t really buy me much they are not deterred. Instead, they turn to often giving items that obviously mean a lot to them. I imagine they are thinking that if they really like the item then we will, too. For example, the kids gave Emily a ring and a bracelet clip literally off of their own hands yesterday.

Also in the bag were two pictures – one for Nefret and one for me. Nefret’s picture is of Didiert, one of the babies, dressed in donated clothes that Nefret brought. Ninoska gave me a family portrait which, judging from Ninoska’s size in the picture, appears to be about 6 years old. I know that her family can’t have many photos, so to receive a family portrait was really quite powerful.

The last item in Ninoska’s gift bag was an unopened bottle of pink nail polish. I can’t even imagine how important it was to her. I can picture her sitting at her house thinking of what she had to give me, determining that she since she valued the nail polish I would appreciate it also. I immediately thought of the Bible story of the widow’s offering, when Jesus called the very poor woman’s heartfelt tithe much more valuable than the not-very-meaningful but much larger donations by the wealthy. Jesus describes the widow’s offering as, “out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on,” and I think the same applies for Ninoska’s.

I had to pay my phone bill after we ate and Ninoska, Aura, and Ever accompanied me to the bank to do so. They waited outside while I went inside and quickly took care of business. Afterwards we sat on the curb in front of the bank just talking and joking around. About 5 minutes after I sat down with them a security guard came over and, in English, told me that we had to leave. I thought his request was reasonable, since I probably wouldn’t want three kids joking around in front of my bank, either. We started to leave.

I’m not proud of what happened next but I want to share it because it happened and I think you have a right to know. As we were walking away the guard, with a smirk, told me, “You can stay, it’s just that the kids have to leave.” I was immediately infuriated. I was okay with him asking us to leave the bank, even if the reason was he didn’t want street kids sitting out front. I understand that. What got to me was he felt the need to, although we were already walking away, throw in his verbal jab. I then, probably against my better judgment and already knowing the answer, asked him why I could stay and the kids couldn’t. Again through a sly smile he told me, “No reason.”

“What’s the reason?” I asked. He responded with another smirk and a shrug. All of me, again, against my better judgment, wanted to stay and tell this guy how I really felt. I didn’t want to subject the kids to this episode though. I have been known to run my mouth a little too much sometimes and couldn’t stop myself from saying, “That’s messed up,” as we left. I am glad the kids walked with me to the bus stop and stayed with me until it came because I think I would have gone back to the bank if they hadn’t.

Again, I’m not proud with how I handled the situation. I know that I let my anger take control. I just wanted to give you all a more detailed picture of life here, not just a recap of the good stories.

As we sat at the bus stop Ninoska asked me if I had bus money. Although I said yes she pressed 2.5 cordobas (about 15 cents) into my hand, insisting I that I take it. I tried for the approximately 10 minutes we waited for the bus to give the money back, but to no avail. At one point I put on the most serious face I could and beseeched her to take the money. The kids one-upped me. The other people waiting for the bus must have been quite confused/amused to see three kids on their knees wailing and begging me to keep the money. I couldn’t do anything to get her to take it back. So, in addition to all of the gifts I’d received earlier in the day, I also enjoyed a free bus ride home. The kids are ridiculous.

Today was an emotional day. I just keep thinking about the kids’ gifts and how meaningful they are. I know that tomorrow and Thursday are going to be hard, too. I keep reminding myself that the only reason saying goodbye to the kids is so hard is that we have such powerful relationships, which is a good thing.

Much love to you all. Thank you so much for reading and for supporting me. None of this would be possible without you.

dw

I love the Beach

What a weekend!

Having braved lunch with the kids on Thursday Emily proved her mettle by coming back the next day for more. Thursday’s lunch was a nice, pleasant introduction for her; the kids were friendly, fun, and fairly well-behaved. I was a little worried that it was too easy and that the kids would make up for Thursday’s semi-angelic behavior on Friday.

I think the kids must really like Emily because they were wonderful again on Friday. Like Thursday, some kids I’ve never seen before came. At this point I don’t have the heart to limit the group size, since I am leaving in a week, and allow everyone to come. Some of the moms have been frequently coming, which I’m sure has helped bring about the positive change in their deportment.

The kids, especially the girls, are borderline-obsessed with Emily. They repeatedly tell me how beautiful she is and like playing with her hair. Blondes are not so common here so I understand their interest. She has been so wonderful with them. They like playing a game with her in which they all stand in a circle and take turns jumping up and squatting down. It looks…really fun.

The funniest part of our lunch on Friday was the fake wedding ceremony the kids put on for us. They love to, even before Emily arrived, give me a hard time about not being married. I think that by my age it’s fairly common to be married or at least be living with someone. So, one of them came up with the idea that marrying us at Pollo Campero would be appropriate. The kids quickly set up the “church,” which consisted of two lines of tiny plastic chairs and an altar consisting of a plastic kids table. They were so excited and ran around franticly while giggling to set things up. The girls hurriedly fixed Emily’s hair and pretended to dress me up. Evert, an 11-year old boy preformed the ceremony. I’m not sure exactly what he was saying but he seemed quite confident in his abilities as pastor. Afterwards the kids screamed, ran up, and hugged us. It was a precious moment because they were so obviously excited and having so much fun.

After lunch we took a cab to the Huembes bus terminal where we caught a bus to Rivas, followed by a taxi to San Juan del Sur, one of Nicaragua’s most beautiful beach towns. We had an enjoyable dinner at one of the beachfront restaurants and afterwards walked along the beach for a bit.

Saturday’s beach experience was quite typical of Nicaragua. We took a water taxi, which our hotel owner told us about, to a beach about 40 minutes away. Along the ride we passed several beautiful, inviting beaches, always slightly disappointed when the boat continued to drive past. When we finally turned into a small harbor and saw the awaiting beach we realized the trip was worthwhile. Pristine, white sand lay ready for us and the beach – maybe 400 yards long – only had about 20 other people on it. We stretched out our towels and basked in the sun.

About an hour later we both became hungry and went searching for the snack shacks the hotel owner informed us about. About 100 yards from the water was a concrete wall with several private property signs, stretching almost the entire length of the beach. We presumed the food would be at the far end of the beach, where the wall ended, so we walked over there. We were met by something that looked like a swamp and a security guard. I asked where we could get food and he told me to “go to the exit and look for the white house.” So, we walked back down the beach, towards the other end, looking for something that resembled an exit. We found a path and, deciding it was our best bet, walked down. We soon saw a white house but were confused since the house looked like, well, a house. There was nothing that would lead us to believe it was a restaurant. Having eliminated the house as a location from which we could possibly acquire food we took a right at another path and walked until we found another beach. We did find a snack shack there but quickly discovered it was closed.

We determined the initial path we were on to be the most promising so we backtracked until we found it again. After we passed the white house we saw a couple of other gringos sitting around a table on a patio behind another house appearing to be eating something. We looked for a sign of some sort but were unable to come up with any further evidence of this being a restaurant. We were both so hungry by this point – about 2pm – that I walked up and asked the gringos if they were indeed eating at a restaurant. They said yes so Emily and I took a seat at another table.

A man came over after a few minutes and told us that they only item they have is spaghetti. We could, however, choose a topping of meat, chicken, or vegetables. So, after waiting about 30 minutes more, we ate huge plates of pretty disgusting spaghetti on someone’s patio before heading back to the beach. Only in Nicaragua.

The rest of our time at San Juan del Sur was pretty much perfect. We had some great meals, beach time, and walks throughout the town. We even met up with Lauren’s sister and brother-in-law – Jane and Jon – for lunch on Sunday. They just moved to Nica last week to attend Spanish school for 10 weeks and we loved hearing about their experiences. I’m impressed with how quickly they’ve adapted to the craziness that is present in most aspects of Nica life; in their case in the form of no hot water, roosters who don’t know what time it is, a parrot, and the difficulties of adjusting to a completely different diet. They are wonderful and we had so much fun talking with them.

Right now we are waiting for the real-estate agent and our landlady to arrive to inspect the apartment for damages. I question their impending arrival as they are already 30 minutes late. So, we’ll see if they show up. We’re going to lunch with the kids and then to the market to do some shopping.

I hope you all had great weekends. I can’t wait to see you soon. I still don’t really believe that I will be home in 4 days. Thanks again for reading this. When I initially started this I thought that my readers would be my parents and maybe Emily. I’ve since been overwhelmed by the support and feedback I’ve received and am so honored that you continue to show an interest in my adventures here.

Much love,

dw

Wait, Emily's in Nicaragua?

Although she arrived two days ago it’s still hard for me to believe that Emily is really here. For the last 3+ months her presence in Nicaragua has been relegated to my computer screen via Skype videochats (we are dorks). Previously mutually exclusive, two of the most important aspects of my life, Emily and Nicaragua, finally met.

Emily arrived Wednesday afternoon and we enjoyed a wonderful seafood dinner that evening. Having woken up at 4am she understandably went to bed early.

Thursday was her true initiation to the Nica life. She faced a daunting first challenge – riding a bus to the market – but overcame it with ease. I surprised myself by not getting us lost in the market and we had fun experiencing the lively bustling atmosphere. We caught a bus home and rested for about an hour before heading out to meet the kids for lunch.

Since the kids and their moms aren’t working now they arrived, again wearing clean clothes that you all donated, for our lunch date. Two little girls I’d never seen before – cousins of some of the regulars – came along as well as two of the moms and the grandmother.

Not surprisingly, the kids loved Emily. They kept telling me how beautiful she is, to which I responded that this was not new knowledge for me. They had such a great time playing games with her, taking pictures with her, and playing with her hair. With the exception of my dad’s I don’t think they’ve ever seen hair so blond before.

Emily brought two big duffle bags full of donated clothes and Thursday morning we put together packages for each family. After we all ate we gave the clothes out to each mother and watched them excitedly try them on. The kids and their moms were so thankful.

Thursday evening we went to dinner with my good friends Keren and Esmir. I’m glad Emily got a chance to meet them. We went to an organic restaurant, which felt like it should be located in downtown Baltimore instead of Managua. Nicaraguans are not as health-conscious as Americans (yet overweight Nicaraguans are quite rare) so I was quite surprised to find a whole restaurant dedicated to serving healthy, organic food. The food was delicious and the company was great. Both Keren and Esmir are friendly and full of personality and I’m so happy that Emily could spend time with them.

Here’s one typical Nica story for you: I talked to Esmir earlier in the day on Thursday and, not knowing the name of the restaurant, could only tell him that Keren picked the “organic restaurant” for our dinner. He told me that he’d be there so I assumed he knew where it was. I called Esmir when we arrived at the restaurant to see where he was. He told me that he was at home but was leaving just then and would be there in 5 minutes. Just before I was about to hang up I asked him if he knew where the restaurant is. “What’s it called? Where is it?” He asked. This response prompted me to wonder where he was planning on going if I didn’t ask that question. Nica…

It’s about 8:30am and Emily just came downstairs. I’m very impressed with her ability to sleep in. Although we stayed up very late watching “American Gangster” I still couldn’t make it past 6:45am. Oh well. Two cups of coffee today…

Today Emily and I are going to San Juan del Sur – the beach that Lauren and I visited in November – after lunch with the kids. I’m really excited. I’m not sure if they have internet at our hotel but if they do I will try to post. Otherwise I don’t think I’ll be able to put anything up until Sunday night or Monday morning.

I will be on a plane home in one week. I don’t think my departure will be real until I actually leave. I’ve had a lot of time to mentally prepare for it but I am sure it will still feel sudden and abrupt. I know that Nica will always be a big part of my life though, so this really won’t be goodbye.

No Work Today

When I arrived at the street corner I found 6 of the kids playing, not washing cars. The rest of the kids, along with their mothers, another aunt, and some cousins I’d never met, arrived about 10 minutes later. It turns out they don’t usually work in January since “business is slow.” So, they came in their nice clothes just to have lunch. I recognized so many of the clothes as those we just handed out during our Christmas party; the ones you all donated. I was thrilled that they all made the trip just to eat with me, but even more happy that they aren’t going to work in the near future.

A couple of quick stories/observations:

1 – Carlos relayed a conversation he had with Sonia to me in which she said, “I am so glad that we don’t have to work now,” (meaning in January). Although the kids often tell me they like their work I find this hard to believe. Most of the time they are semi-adults, hardened by their time on the streets, but it seems like when we have lunch they let loose and are just kids again. I’m so glad they can run around and act crazy for a few hours a day. I think that Sonia unwound enough today to reveal her true feelings to Carlos.

2 – I thought the moms’ presence would ensure good behavior from the kids, but I was sorely wrong. I think the larger-than-usual group just got them more revved up. There were a couple fights and some tears today. The moms have no reservations about spanking the kids. A few of the brawlers soon became bawlers after their moms found out what happened.

3 – I would like to tell you that the families are always 100% content with what we’re able to do for them and never ask for more, but this isn’t always true. I will say that, without fail, they, especially the kids, thank us profusely. Today though, some of the moms were complaining to Carlos that the 500 Cordobas (approx. $28) each family will receive each month as part of the sponsorship program is not enough. One mom often pulls me aside when Carlos is not around and asks for money. I never say yes since I want to treat all of the families equally. I am writing this not to complain about their ingratitude. I know they are beyond grateful. I just want to give you all fuller picture of life here. I do not fault them at all. If I were in their position I would probably ask for more, too.

4 – It rained most of the day, including when we left Pollo Campero. Since they weren’t working they were all ready to catch a bus home. It’s a holiday though, so the buses don’t run very frequently. (I found this out when I sat at the station waiting and waiting this morning. Just like I did on Christmas. Eventually I had to take a taxi. I’ve heard the definition of insanity is doing the same thing twice and expecting different results…) So, we all crowded under the covered bus stop and waited. After about 20 minutes with no bus they asked if I could pay for a taxi to take just the moms and their small babies home, thus allowing the babies to stay dry. I agreed and Carlos flagged one down. He was unable to find any drivers willing to take the moms and babies to their neighborhood, explaining that drivers all felt the area was too dangerous to travel into.

5 – I was so touched when the kids, when we were saying goodbye, said, “I love you,” “Thank you,” and “God bless you;” all in English. They had asked Carlos during lunch and were so proud and excited to tell me such special phrases in English. Carlos, who teaches English part-time at a local college, has a vision of holding English lessons for the kids. We agreed that once the sponsorship program gets up and running we’ll reevaluate our situation and hopefully we will have enough money to hire him to teach.

Okay, that’s enough for now. My girlfriend Emily is arriving tomorrow! I’m so excited for her to meet the kids and get a taste of the Nica life.

Happy New Year!

I was thinking today of the how important repeated trips to Nica have been for me. My first trip I was virtually just an observer; paralyzed first by the unfamiliarity of my circumstances and later by the anger, sadness, and confusion inherent with exposure to the Nica life. In the same way a doctor doesn’t let the sight of blood hinder his work I’ve found that I can now see past the tangible manifestations of poverty and attempt to love the people who are trapped by them. This has been a gradual process, but now having been here six times I find myself in a position to roll up my sleeves and start working instead of just taking it all in.

Ben left early this morning. I just got an email from him saying that he arrived safely at home. I’m so glad he could visit and get a taste of life down here. The kids loved him and asked about him repeatedly today.

Carlos met us for lunch today and we were surprised to find only seven kids waiting to join us. I don’t quite understand the process of determining which kids come to work every day, but it seems like most days at least one stays home. Although I miss their company at lunch I am not too upset when they get a day off from working.

We had a quiet, peaceful lunch. Carlos interviewed the kids, getting information I’ll need when putting together packets for their sponsorship. After lunch Carlos and I went to the market to pick up notebooks, pencils, erasers, and pencil sharpeners. It’s amazing that about $18 bought ample supplies for 12 kids. I plan on giving them their stuff later this week.

Tonight is New Year’s Eve and I am looking forward to a relaxing evening. Most Nicaraguans, like Americans, go out tonight but I am excited about cleaning the house a little bit, watching a movie, and maybe reading. Any doubt that I am really an old man has now been eliminated. I hope that you all have a safe, fun New Year’s Eve!

Weekend with Ben

Friday Ben and I headed to Vera Cruz, the town where Casa Bernabe, the orphanage at which we stayed during spring break, is located. Ben was looking forward to reconnecting with some kids he grew close to in March and I am always glad to the kids again. When we arrived at the orphanage we were told that all except for 3 kids were on vacation until Wednesday. We were disappointed but still wanted to walk around the orphanage grounds and visit the few kids who remained.

Walking through Casa Bernabe brought back many wonderful memories. I realized how much time I’ve been able to spend there over the last two years. We had a great time just walking around the farm talking about our experiences there. We didn’t see any kids until we got to the houses where we stayed last spring.

It turns out that my friend Giovanni, who I’ve spent considerable time with during each of my trips, was one of the kids who didn’t go on vacation. I was so pleasantly surprised to see him, especially considering the long odds that he would be one of the three left. We hung out for awhile and he joined us as we walked around.

After visiting the orphanage we headed into the town of Vera Cruz. We were thrilled to run into our friend Irvin, who drives our bus during the spring break trips, on the street. We hung out in Vera Cruz for about an hour before catching a bus back to Managua.

Friday night we went to the movies. We sat in the ‘VIP Club Section,’ meaning we watched the movie in recliners while someone brought us popcorn and refreshments. It was great, especially for $5.50!

Saturday we spent the day in Granada. We braved the hot sun and walked around for a few hours, checking out the churches and street vendors. I’m glad that Ben has seen a few other places than Managua. I think he’s gotten a good taste of the variety of life here in Nicaragua.

Our church outing was highlighted by unexpectedly seeing Jonathan, a kid from Casa whom Ben befriended in March. Ben was disappointed he didn’t see him when we visited Casa on Friday, so seeing him at church was a nice treat.

We spent the afternoon napping and watching football; it was lovely. We’re about to head out for a nice seafood dinner.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Our Christmas Party

Do you know that feeling you get when you are obviously part of something much bigger than yourself? Well, we certainly experienced that last night.

Ben and I started out the day by picking up some soda and ice cream for the party with the kids. We were getting ready to head out for lunch with the kids when Ninoska called. She told us not to come for lunch, explaining they had to work during that time to make up for leaving early for our party. This news was quite sad and reminded us that, in order to be kids yesterday evening, they had to be adults for the day.

I’m not exaggerating when I say that the kids and their moms called me at least 8 times yesterday to confirm the time and place we would come to pick them up for the party. Being so used to the ‘yes is a yes and a no is a no’ society in the US, I’m still getting used to Nicaraguan’s unfamiliarity with setting firm plans.

Ben and I were nervous heading over to meet them. Would they be able to come? Would they even be there? How would we get the 5-20 people in taxis to my house? We didn’t exactly have the luxury of having printed out Google maps directions to give to taxi drivers. Would my apartment still be standing afterwards?

As soon as the kids spotted us they ran up to us, even more excited and energetic than usual. We immediately noticed they were all bathed and wearing clean clothes, many of which I recognized as those previously donated by you all. Their hair was combed and gelled. Even the moms and the grandma were wearing clean clothes. A few of the kids were still in their ‘work’ clothes, begging for money when we arrived. When they saw us they ran off and changed into their clean clothes, obviously overflowing with excitement. It was so precious to see how joyous the kids were just to be wearing their special, clean, new clothes. I think they would have been happy just to hang out on the street corner in their outfits.

With help from Ben and Carlos we managed to squeeze 20 of us into 3 cabs, caravanning to the apartment. Sitting upfront I was overjoyed to look into the rear-view mirror and see their smiling faces.

Ben and I decided it would be best to keep the kids outside as much as possible, thus giving them room to run around and also limiting the amount of damage to the apartment. We herded the kids into the pool area and then watched the inevitable happen when a group of 13 kids encounter a pool. Within minutes the boys were stripped down to their underwear and splashing around the water. The girls soon jumped in wearing my t-shirts, shorts and, when I ran out, boxers. The kids were out-of-control crazy, but in the best way possible. They were SO excited and having SO much fun that they couldn’t help but be loud, run around like madmen, and generally cause trouble.

I planned on ordering a bunch of pizza, thinking that the kids would welcome a change from the fried chicken and fries we have every day. Upon mentioning this idea I soon found out the extent of the kids’ love for the pollo frito, as they passionately rejected my initiative, screaming, “Pollo! Pollo!” So, Carlos made the call to Tip-Top and about 45 minutes later the moto-delivery man brought unbridled joy in the form of greasy comfort food.

The mothers assisted greatly in maintaining order while Ben and I dished out the food. Unlike our daily lunch outings, the kids peacefully and quietly stayed in line and waited for their chicken. I’m not sure how they can eat, and actually enjoy, fried chicken every day, but I guess when you don’t know what or when the next meal is going to be you take what you can get.

After dinner the kids ran around and dipped their feet in the pool. Thankfully they didn’t get all the way back in the water. They did, however, find repeated trips into the house to ‘go to the bathroom’ quite fun. I admit that I have a long way to go before I am ready for fatherhood but even I eventually picked up on their ploy.

One of the highlights of the evening was celebrating the grandmother’s birthday. When the kids told us it was her birthday Ben had the great idea of running to the store to pick up a gift. He came back with a beautiful flower arrangement, giving it to her as all of the kids sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. It looked like she was about to cry.

Carlos was kind enough to call some taxis to take everyone home. It took about 10 minutes to say goodbye, as we had to peel kids, moms, and a grandmother off us. As they were leaving we gave each kid a bag of clothes, books, candy, and toys; all donated by you. Since they were leaving just then they didn’t open the gifts until they got home. Ninoska called us about 30 minutes later, thanking us profusely for the gifts. She especially enjoyed the Spanish-English Bible.

Here is a story which I think speaks volumes about the character of these kids: After everyone left we noticed a couple of coins we had left out on the table from before the party. Knowing their situation, how strong must the temptation to take them must have been? Every kid walked by that table multiple times, often without us around, yet they didn’t do it. I was especially moved when I thought back how upset one girl, Aura, was when she lost 6 Cords (30 cents) while changing. How hard do you think it was for her to walk by that money?

The whole evening was better than I could have ever expected it to be. Sure, the party brought forth the expected frustrations and difficulties inherent with hosting 13 street kids for a pool party, but they are nothing that a mop and a bucket of soap can’t clean up.

I know as soon as the taxis pulled out of my neighborhood last night the kids returned to their unthinkably difficult lives. I realize that they merely played the part of Cinderella for the night and that they were back to washing car windshields this morning. I think that last night, though, is a memory that they will have forever. For a night they were not street kids that get laughed at, cursed at, and looked down upon every day. They were just kids; splashing around in the pool, eating fried chicken, and going in groups of girls to the bathroom to do their hair.

Being a part of the party last night was such an honor and a privilege. I am so thankful that God decided to involve me in his work. The party was yet another way that God showed me the blessings that come with service. I thought I would be giving of myself last night by hosting the kids. I thought that I would be the one who gave the blessing to the kids. Ever since the kids left last night I have been overwhelmed with gratitude. I am so thankful to have these kids in my life, and especially for what we were able to do last night. I was immensely blessed by the kids last night, and can only say “thank you” to them and God for allowing it to happen.

Back in Nica - Ben's Perspective

So when I was getting ready for this trip, I thought to myself, alright, this will be a calm, relaxing week. I’ll get to play with some street kids, hang out by the pool, maybe go to the market, but all in all, it’ll be chill. How wrong I was. I think I’ve done more in the past two days that I have all semester. First of all, getting down here was a miracle in and of itself, as my tickets weren’t registered with TACA and my connections were all 20 minutes apart. Once I got down here though, I soon realized that it would be an action packed five days.

After dropping off my bags, we went to lunch with the kids. I can’t even begin to explain what kind of experience that was. They completely blew me away in so many ways. I expected hardened young kids that lived a life of poverty and in need. But these kids were so incredibly joyous. I don’t mean happy to see us, even though they were, but I mean they had JOY inside of them. Sure, there were some moments where I had to go to my happy place and count to ten to avoid snapping, but that’s how kids are supposed to be. Their gracious attitude and love for Dyl completely floored me. Even the 80 year old grandmother on the street corner was elated to see him.

We went from lunch to the market, and holy cow, it was so awesome. I love those kinds of environments. I guess I’ve watched too much food network and travel channel. When we got home I crashed, and that nap felt so good!

Yesterday we went to Masaya, a town about an hour away from Managua and explored around there. It was much more chill than the capital. I had a blast getting lost in the city and just wandering around for a while.

When we came home last night, we got ready for the party. We went and picked up the kids and brought them back to Dyl’s in four taxis. The expressions on their faces when we pulled up and they saw the pool and balloons really made me think about their life and their situation. I can only imagine that this was the first time these kids have seen a pool or this kind of neighborhood. We played, they swam, and we ate more pollo frito. I’m sure Dyl will cover more of the details… but all in all it was such a mind-blowing experience.

Even though I was so exhausted mentally from the party, I had this unexplainable satisfaction deep inside. When I’m down here and I see the love these people have for each other and for complete strangers, I’m just reminded how powerful God’s love for us is. I feel as if I always thought of this kind of trip as me serving the Lord and sharing His love with others, but the more I do these kind of things, the more I realize that these experiences are instead His loving me, His people serving me in ways I could never imagine. As each day goes by down here, I’m reminded of the ever-present pain and suffering in this world, but almost instantly I see God’s love shining through the dirt and smoke to provide light, strength and hope for all His people.

Ben's First Day

Pictures from my parents’ visit and the last few weeks with the kids are posted:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwnicaragua/

Ben arrived yesterday morning, having left Dulles at 2:45am and made two connections in Guatemala and El Salvador, impressively energetic and ready for a Nicaraguan adventure. We came home for a bit before meeting the kids for lunch.

I hold myself solely responsible for jinxing the calm that presided over the first 20 or so minutes of lunch by remarking to Ben how peaceful and well-behaved the kids were being. Shortly following my regrettable comment, and Brad’s surprise arrival, I think the kids gathered together and decided to have a contest of who could be the craziest.

I will give them credit for their success in this endeavor; they are quite talented! J Even though I complain sometimes about their behavior I know that we all, including myself, had a wonderful time. They were just so happy and excited by the food, friends, and visitors that they couldn’t help but be a little out of control. It’s a good problem to have, I think. I will say, though, that in light of this experience I do not foresee myself becoming a father anytime in the near future. I can barely take care of myself, much less a completely dependent child!

After lunch we caught a couple buses to the market to change some money and do some shopping. Ben and I had fun walking through the madness that is Huembes. Even though I’ve been there a bunch of times I still thoroughly enjoy the trip.

When we arrived home we found that our internet had been suspended due to lack of payment. I admit that I did not pay the bill, but this is only because I never received one! So, Ben and I walked to the cable company’s office to rectify the situation. I’m so thankful he was here to sort things out as I do not have close to the vocabulary necessary to do so.

Last night we had dinner at the little restaurant near our house. We enjoyed some delicious gallo pinto and fried plantains, in addition to chicken and steak. It was great.

I’m not quite sure what we’re getting ourselves into tonight. I invited the kids over to my house for a Christmas party. It will be madness, but lots of fun, I’m sure.

Christmas and Ben's Arrival

Ninoska called me while I was walking to the bus stop yesterday, telling me that no one would be at the street corner because their aunt was in the hospital. I thought it would be a good idea to stop by just to make sure no one was there, though. So, I walked to the bus stop, noticing how quiet the streets were. Keren told us on Monday that the country is essentially shut down on Christmas day, explaining that most people go to the beach.

It turns out she was right. I realized that, unlike normally, I was the only person waiting at the stop or the stop across the street. Usually the buses come ever 5-10 minutes. After 20 minutes without seeing one I inferred that the buses weren’t running. I walked back home, stopping to talk with Erwin for about 25 minutes.

My parents brought their computer to my aunt's house for the family Christmas party and I had the opportunity to Skype with them for a few minutes. I enjoyed seeing everyone and feeling like I was part of the party. Technology is pretty amazing.

Brad and I agreed the other day that we needed to “Americanize” our Christmas so he and Esmir came over to throw the football around yesterday afternoon. While we were just playing catch a group of three Nicaraguan teenagers who were walking by challenged us to a game. Brad asked if they knew the rules and they responded, “mas o menos,” meaning ‘more or less.’

I think that I would describe their familiarity with football as being more on the ‘less’ side. Concepts such as the line of scrimmage, only one forward pass per down, and downs themselves were novel to our opponents. The game quickly evolved into a free-flowing affair that resembled handball more than football. We all had a great time though. I think the kids enjoying playing a new game with the “gringos” and we had fun trying to explain our country’s favorite sport.

I’m about to leave to go meet my friend Ben at the airport. He’ll be here until the morning of the 31^st. It will be great to see him and I’m looking forward to benefiting from his fluency in Spanish! I know the kids will love him, too.

Merry Christmas!

Nicaraguans celebrate Christmas on the 24^th, so while you all are busy exchanging presents, eating delicious meals, and spending time with family today my holiday celebrations are complete.

I wasn’t sure if the kids would be on the corner yesterday when I left the house. I was hoping that I would not find them there, since that would imply they were celebrating their holiday at home or elsewhere. However, they were all out there like any other day.

We had a pretty good lunch; the kids were excited that Brad, Kiki, and her brother surprised us. All of these fun visitors raised the kids’ energy level several notches, though. There was some drama between Aura, the girl who just got signed up in the program on Friday, and Sonia. Brad told me that he saw them all-out brawling the other day and it seems like the animosity still remains.

Our good friend Keren invited Brad and me to join her family for a traditional Nicaraguan Christmas dinner last night. Brad wanted to go visit the kids in the orphanage where we go for spring break, which is down the street from Keren’s house, beforehand so we left my house around 3pm. When we got there we realized there was a group of Americans with the kids already so, not wanting to intrude, we instead spent a few hours walking around the town of Vera Cruz. Brad knows a good amount of people there so we stopped by three houses and chatted with some of his friends.

Nicaraguans, in general, seem to be much more hospitable than Americans. Upon arriving, unannounced, we were immediately offered chairs, drinks, and even a look at what must be one of the most treasured possessions – the family photo album. Brad and I couldn’t get over how Nicaraguans usually do not smile for pictures. There were countless pictures from someone’s wedding, and the people looked absolutely miserable in every one. Just a cultural difference, I guess. One family even talked Brad and me into taking turns riding their horse around their property. I will say that this was a new way to celebrate Christmas for me.

Keren’s mom cooked us a delicious dinner. It was a true feast. Along with Keren’s parents we dined with six of their closest friends and some boys from the orphanage. Although I couldn’t really understand the conversation it was nice to be included in such a special gathering.

Not surprisingly, Christmas Eve is a HUGE night for fireworks here. Somehow we managed to stay awake until midnight, when we, along with I think every other person in Managua, set them off. I felt like I was in a war zone.

Clearly, Christmas is celebrated very differently here than at home. Although Nicaragua is a very strong and open Catholic country the religious aspect of Christmas seems to be minimal in importance. Also, while (fake) Christmas trees and Christmas lights are fairly common, gift exchanging doesn’t seem to be too common. Due to the weather, fireworks, and pace of the evening, last night felt much more like the Fourth of July than Christmas.

Although I miss my family and our Christmas traditions greatly I am glad that I could experience a Nicaraguan Christmas. I am so blessed to have such great friends here who could make the evening so special.

Weekend Recap

Friday was pretty exciting. I spent the morning researching the necessary steps to starting a non-profit, even creating some by-laws. Carlos joined me and the kids for lunch. I counted the kids as they were sitting and eating; somehow 13 of them were there. It’s getting harder and harder to tell kids they can’t come as I get to know more of them. Also, I’m leaving so soon that I want to include as many as I can. Carlos is quite helpful in keeping the kids in line, though.

During lunch Carlos and I decided that we’d take Aura, a girl who recently entered the program, to the market to buy her supplies that afternoon. Through Carlos I found out that Aura was left by her mother on her grandmother’s doorstep when she was one month old. Her grandmother, who has to be at least 70 years old, has raised her ever since. Aura also has a bother, Eber, who was abandoned by his family a few years ago. I wasn’t able to figure out if they are biological brother and sister. They are very close, either way. Upon hearing about her brother, Carlos and I agreed that we had to include him in the program, too.

So, after lunch we took a trip to the market, with their grandmother, to buy supplies. We got backpacks, shoes, uniforms, and socks. Both Eber and Aura were so thankful. They are both reserved, preferring to sit back and watch the action at lunch while the rest of the kids run around like animals. I’ve enjoyed spending time with them and am glad that they’ll be able to get back into school.

Friday evening was fairly uneventful. I went grocery shopping and then for a run. Now that I’m not 22 anymore I have no qualms about going to sleep at 10pm on Friday nights. J

Saturday’s highlight was definitely having lunch with Angel, our real estate agent and friend. He speaks great English and loves talking about current events and Nicaraguan life. He painted a fairly discouraging picture of the situation. I appreciated his perspective and insight.

This afternoon I went to Catarina, a small tourist spot about 40 minutes from Managua, with my friend Erwin. Erwin is a security guard for a building that I pass by on my way to and from the bus stop, and we’ve become friends over the course of our daily chats for the last few months. Earlier this week he asked me if I wanted to hang out today. When he suggested Catarina, explaining it offered a beautiful view, a nice breeze, Nicaraguan music, and good seafood, I agreed to go this afternoon.

One of Erwin’s friends took us to Catarina in his taxi. Once we arrived I realized that I’d been there once before on my trip here last August. The main attraction is the overlook into a lake-filled crater. It really is beautiful. We took some pictures, walked around, and had some iced tea and shrimp soup at a restaurant overlooking the view. Erwin speaks very quickly and is hard to understand, so our conversations mostly consist of him speaking and me alternating between saying, “What?’, “Yes,” and “No.” He is a really nice guy, though, and we had a good time.

When I got back I went on a run and then cooked some delicious Hawaiian pizza using some leftover ham and the pineapple I bought for 60 cents(!) yesterday. The pineapple tasted extra sweet because I chopped it up with my machete.

Tomorrow, Christmas Eve, is the big day to celebrate here. I’m going to our friend Keren’s house for dinner and fireworks. It should be fun. Sonia called me tonight to tell me that the kids aren’t going to be at the street corner tomorrow. I am going to go though, just in case she was only talking about her family. I will be happy if they are not there, though, they deserve a day off for Christmas.

Dad's Observations

Here's what my father, Gary, had to say about the trip:

I have been asked by several people, “How was the trip?” I still can’t come up with any sort of an answer that justifies the experience. Maybe that’s because I still can’t answer it for myself.

Dylan gave a better blow-by-blow than I can so I’ll take this opportunity to recall a few observations.

Ø I remember the look on Jonathan’s face (maybe 2 or 3 years old at the orphanage that Lauren worked in) as I held him. It was the first of many curious “stares” as it seems many in Nicaragua had no idea what to make of me. After a few minutes he smiled and began unbuttoning my shirt as if to see if I really was that color all over.

Ø I am amazed at the courage of Lauren, Dylan, & their friend from VA, Brad, to come down here and do what they doing. I don’t know any of my friends at this age that would have even considered such a journey. I know I wouldn’t have.

Ø I was overwhelmed by the basic human instinct of children to just be held.

Ø 90 degrees in December, tropical foliage, I can’t understand one word anyone is saying, I’m a foot taller than everyone I see and there’s Christmas decorations – look at the signpost up ahead – I’ve entered The Twilight Zone.

Ø I still laugh at Mikeal’s reaction to us asking if they sold human body parts at the notorious Oriental Market in Managua. (“Oh no way!”) One of the kids said you could buy a kidney there.

Ø The taxi drivers here have a system of morse code that uses car horns.

Ø I saw pictures of “The Dump” from Dylan’s previous trips. I watched a video on YouTube of it & now I have driven through it and seen it with my own eyes and it is still inconceivable to me that hundreds of people live and work in this place; much less that it contains 2 schools and kids grow up there.

Ø As much of the “good” garbage is picked over and used or sold, a lot of the rest is randomly burned wherever people want throughout the city. This leaves a fairly constant smell of smoke wherever you go in Managua.

Ø You can hear fireworks every night in most of the city. Bless these folks – they are celebrating something.

Ø There are only 2 musical rhythms in this country. Both of them sound very similar after 4 days.

Ø I liked the food here in Nicaragua better than in Italy. It must be me.

Ø The public bus system is primary highly decorated (trust me when I say “highly decorated” – many colors, steamers, colored lights inside) old USA school buses. I am convinced that The Partridge Family runs the mass transit department here.

Ø It’s universal across the world – I have seen it now in so many countries – kids just love Marianne from the second they see her. I used to tease her that it was because they were the same size. But I know it’s because most kids are very good judges of character and can see her heart. “Dylan’s kids” had her surrounded within seconds. Really; no exaggeration. I am fortunate that I get some of the halo effect (I guess they figure the big guy can’t be too bad if he’s with her) and they let me play too.

Ø I have been amazed for years at Dylan’s ability to be patient, listen and react to immense challenges. What I saw and what he is doing in Nicaragua has taken that respect and wonder to a level that is indescribable.

Ø I never felt from the kids, “I wish I had what they have.” I find myself, in hindsight, not only freshly thankful for what God has blessed me with, but also wishing I had some of what they have – the resilience, courage, appreciation and ability to find joy in the simplest things. I will work on that.