Quick Post

We are going to lose power and then meet our friend Tommy, Ruthie's fiance, in a little bit but I wanted to at least post a quick update on today's adventures.

All three of us went to the Huembes Market this morning. Nefret wanted to pick up some gifts and Lauren and I thought we might find some cool things to send back with her as well. We took the bus there and shopped for about an hour before Lauren took a taxi to work and Nefret and I took the bus back home.

Lauren told me that there were only 3 kids at the orphanage today - the rest were either "out looking for a new school" or "being punished," as the story seemed to change throughout the day. Hopefully she will find out more tomorrow.

Nefret and I had a great lunch with the street kids. Nefret got a chance to talk with Ninoska for a long time while I went with the other kids to play on the rides. Turns out Ninoska isn't going to school right now because her school doesn't currently offer her grade. She says her classes will resume in January. Her dad is a security guard in Masaya and she only gets to see him once a week. although it is good to learn a little bit more about her I now just want to know more. We gave the kids a big bag of candy for Halloween, which they seemed to enjoy.

After lunch Nefret and I went and got my ID made to enter all of the baseball stadiums, and all of the LNBP (Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League) games, for free. The journalist I met yesterday, Gerald, told the ID office that I work for the Baltimore Sun. Now I have this hilarious press pass with my picture, name, and "Baltimore Sun" on it. I love it. The season just started so hopefully I will go to some games soon. I was just looking on the website - turns out my boy Gerald made the page with the schedule. This is a crazy country.

Gerald emailed me late last night and repeated his desire to help the kids. I emailed him back this afternoon to thank him for the pass and to ask him when we could meet to talk. I hope we can do that soon.

Ok, we are about to lose power and then go see Tommy, but I hope everyone is well. I'll write more soon.

Much love,
dw

No soy gringa! (but these are some Gringa thoughts)

Hello! I am honored to join the cyber world as the guest blogger for Dylan and Lauren’s blog. Though I have to say I have never blogged before, I am excited for this opportunity to share with you my experiences so far in Nicaragua. I have only been here for 4 days, and I am sad that I have only 2 left! It has been wonderful to be here, and I encourage all readers of this blog to quickly buy a ticket and come for a visit. Dylan and Lauren have built a wonderful life for themselves here, a life of generosity and sincere thankfulness that is not about them, but about the people of Nicaragua. They have managed to do things I only wish I had the courage to do; the more I stay with them, the more I am impressed by their presence and love for the people they encounter while living here.

Today I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Lauren’s orphanage. It was an especially exciting day, however, because an organization called Frontier Horizon (Dylan traveled with this group a couple summers ago) brought the orphans to a beautiful resort in Granada for some good food, some soda and ice cream, and of course many hours swimming in the pool. I can not tell you the excitement boiling over in the van as we drove to the resort with the kids screaming at the top of their lungs: “Ayyy! Piscina!” (translation: “Ayyy! Pool!”). I was overwhelmed by their excitement. When we got there, the kids had a blast.

I don’t think I have ever seen children having so much fun doing the same thing for such a long time. They were content with what they were given, and they never wanted more. Nobody even asked for ice cream. It was offered to them, and though they were thankful to receive it, they were not looking for it, nor did they ever whine for more. It is unheard of that 10 children in a pool would not fight, but not one tear was shed. They only wanted to be cuddled and loved and thrown around in the pool. They eagerly offered this to one another by taking care of each other, feeding each other, playing with each other in the pool like siblings who can overlook any rivalry. Through blatant contrast, I was reminded of some of the kids I baby sit for at home; they always want to do something else…they are never content with one activity, one soda, one candy. It’s never enough; they always want more. If it means taking down their sibling in a fistfight, they will do what they can to make sure they get more.

As I played with the orphans in the pool, I was convicted. Do I live like that? Always wanting more and never being satisfied with what I have? Within that conviction, I realized there is a poverty that exists within me and within the culture of the United States. It’s a different kind of poverty, with a different face, nameless to those who buy into it: it lies to us, telling us we can never have enough, that we will be happier, more beautiful, cooler if we just have a little more. As I sat in the sun with my new friend, 3 year old Katherine, I was humbled. Today was my first day hanging out with these orphans, and they had already taught me so much in the few hours I knew them. Even though it is clear their lives are hard and they are poor, I was starting to see how wealthy they really are. Their wealth is not of materials or money, because, unlike me, they do not subscribe to the lie that there is never enough. Even though they are just kids, they practice their wealth in the form of an ideal I claim to uphold to the very highest degree, more in mere talk than in actual walk: elementary kindness. They are rich in ideals we can not afford to forget: thankfulness, generosity, and a non-cliché, very sincere love.

Much love,

Nefret

Hello! This is Lauren - I am interrupting Nefret's blog to let you know that I have loaded some pictures from todays adventures. You might have to scroll through some other orphanage pictures to get to them - but I promise they are there. Here's the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15927088@N07/

A Good Day

Pictures from our lunch are posted: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwnicaragua

If I had to describe today’s events, and in fact my whole Nicaraguan experience thus far, I would say the following: First, Nicaragua is unpredictable. Second, God is definitely and clearly at work here.

I took the buses to Metrocentro to have lunch with the kids. I didn’t get off the bus until the stop following Metrocentro, meaning I rode past the kids as they were working on the other side of the street. I’ve seen them at work before but it still breaks my heart. Only Ninoska, Sonia, Leonardo, and Kevin joined me today. I haven’t seen Carlos or Milton in quite some time. The other kids keep telling me they are at school. We made sure to order extra food for the kids to take to them, though. They were disappointed that Nefret wasn’t going to join us but were pleased to hear she would be back tomorrow.

We enjoyed a nice lunch at Tip-Top. I was thrilled to discover a non-fried option – an iceberg salad with some grilled chicken – and the kids got their usual 3-piece combos. I talked with Ninoska about her school. She told me all of the classes she takes and also that they take the bus to out front of Metrocentro after school so they can wash windshields. Like yesterday, everyone was upbeat, friendly, and engaging.

We sat down and I noticed a young white couple, whom we had seen at the airport on Thursday, sitting at the table next to us. I didn’t really think anything of seeing them again other than it was quite coincidental. Every time I see another “gringo” I wonder what his story is.

As we were cleaning up a well-dressed Nicaraguan man came up to me and asked me if I speak Spanish. When I told him I only speak a little bit he sat down and started talking very slowly with me. He told me that he recognized the kids I was with from the street and asked if I was with them on behalf of an organization. I told him I wasn’t, and he responded that he wanted to help and asked me how he could do so. Recognizing the limitations in my Spanish I decided that offering him my email address and phone number might be the best option. As I was writing, he asked me if I like baseball. Clearly I responded that I did, and he told me he was going to help get me an ID to enter the stadium. He then told me he is a sports journalist who works for both the local paper and the LNBP, the Nicaraguan professional baseball league. He also told me that the white guy who was sitting next to me, who at this point had gone, was Clyde Williams, an American baseball star here in Nicaragua. Bizarre.

If you want to, check out this story from ESPN.com about Clyde Williams. There is a video of him getting a cab right outside of Metrocentro, where I meet the kids every day.

At this point I didn’t really know what was going on or what to think. He then started saying things that I did not understand. Eventually I grasped that he wants me to go to a place to get an ID tomorrow, and that he is going to contact me soon to talk about helping the kids. Beyond that, I don’t really know what he said. I plan on going to the place to get an ID tomorrow. In Nicaragua anything goes. There is a chance, granted a very very small one, that this encounter turns into something really cool, so I figure I’ll give it a shot. I got on Google this afternoon and found some of his articles, coincidentally, about Clyde Williams.

The kids were quite patient with me during this encounter. After Mr. Hernandez left we went over to the play area next to the restaurants. I haven’t seen the kids happier than they were for the 20 minutes or so we rode the rides and took lots of pictures. In stark contrast to last Friday, I haven’t seen them smile this much, ever. And to think this is because we played on the kiddy rides and took pictures.

After we left the mall we met up with both of the kids’ (they are all either brothers/sisters of cousins) moms. They insisted that I hold their babies and then took many pictures of us. They thanked me for taking the kids to lunch. I was so touched because I could see how genuine they were with their thanks.

The kids walked me to my bus stop and I couldn’t help but think how great the Lord is. I sensed His joy today in a new way. At least for a few hours the kids could experience pure, childlike joy, untainted by the reality of their situation. I’ve spent the whole afternoon reflecting on just how “good” our time together was.

I’ve been thinking about ways in which I can help these kids in a more permanent fashion. Buying them lunch every day is good, but I realize its impact is far from long-lasting. My best idea so far is to see how much it would cost to send them to a full-day school, thus cutting down on the time they had to spend washing windshields on the street. There are many details that will need to be worked out, for example; making up for the potential lost income, transportation, if the moms will even agree, choosing kids, etc., but I am going to talk to some people about the possibility. Also, if anyone has any ideas please don’t hesitate to let me know (dylanwaugh@gmail.com).

Enough for now. Lauren and I are hoping to give you a special treat sometime soon. Stay posted.

Much love,

dw

From Monday, 10/29

I made my return to the Viva Spanish School yesterday morning. Nefret and I took the bus to Metrocentro, where she waited while I had class. I found yesterday’s 2-hour class much more manageable than the 4-hour classes we initially took. It was good to get back into “learning mode.” I am hoping these additional classes pay dividends in my time with the kids and my time here. I enjoyed walking back through the neighborhood where we lived when we first arrived in Nicaragua.

After class I walked back to Metrocentro to meet the kids and Nefret for lunch. I was anxious to sense the kids’ behavior and attitudes after Friday’s confusing events. I’m glad to say that the kids were back to their normal bubbly, giggly selves today. I’m still not sure what the reason for the difference in their demeanor was, but I was relieved that they were back to just being “kids” today. I realize that, as we spend more time together, our relationships will deepen and they will reveal more of themselves to me. It would be naïve to think they will be happy-go-lucky all of the time, but I am thankful that they are okay.

The girls have been asking for sandals for awhile now and Nefret told them she wanted to buy them yesterday. Nefret and the two girls disappeared into Payless (yes they have that here) and I was left trying to control three boys running around with dripping ice cream cones. One boy thought it was fun to try to turn off the escalator. Nefret and the girls emerged with the shoes likely just before we were, understandably, kicked out.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. We went to the grocery store, sat by the pool, cooked dinner, and sat around and talked in the dark due to the power outage.

Today Lauren and Nefret are headed to a resort with Vinny, a man who runs trips for volunteers here, and the kids from Lauren’s orphanage. I’m sure they will have a great time!

A Leisurely Sunday

Lauren spent the morning at the orphanage bathing all of the children, leaving Nefret and I on our own for church. I certainly missed having Lauren there but I think it’s quite admirable that she spent her Sunday with the kids.

Nefret and I were in for quite a treat at church. The worship was great. Worship is always much more lively here than at home but today was even more intense than usual. I felt like I was at a party instead of at church. The band was rocking out and there were even women dancing with flags and ribbons up front.

To our surprise a man of obvious Non-Nicaraguan heritage approached the pulpit to give the sermon. I quickly recognized that his Spanish accent sounded much like mine – bad. Another gringo! He spoke in Spanish for about 5 minutes before switching over to English. A translator helped the vast majority of the congregation understand the language I was quite pleased to hear. Perhaps the most humorous parts of the service for me were the times Nefret, Brad, and I would be the only people laughing, since the Nicaraguans had to wait a few seconds until the translator translated the pastor’s jokes.

After church we had a chance to hang out with the orphans from Casa Bernabe – the orphanage where we’ve stayed during our last two Spring Breaks. I really enjoyed watching Nefret reconnect with some girls. I got to see my friends Giovanni and Manuel for a bit, too.

We lounged around here for the afternoon. I watched some football and called my parents and Grandmothers on Skype while the girls read and watched a movie. We were supposed to have dinner with our friend Ramon tonight, but unfortunately he is sick. Hopefully we can see him later in the week.

Tomorrow I am headed back to Spanish school in the morning – only for 2 hours this time – and Lauren is headed back to the work. I think Nefret is going to hang around a coffee shop and then join me for lunch with the street kids.

I’m both excited and anxious to see how the kids act tomorrow. After the change in demeanor we witnessed on Friday I don’t really know what to expect. I clearly do not have any skills in counseling and can barely communicate with them. Part of me is frustrated because I don’t know how to make the situation better. I can’t even really ask what the problem is. I am being humbled, though, and reminded that the only things I can really offer are my presence and my love. I know, deep down, that those are the most important qualities, but I always face that temptation to try to do more. Confronting my inabilities is yet another way in which I’m being humbled.

A Volcano and a Bat Cave

Pictures from our trip are up: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwnicaragua

Yesterday was certainly full of activity! I played soccer with Esmir and some of his college friends this morning and had lots of fun. Lauren and Nefret relaxed by the pool until Esmir and I returned around noon. We had some lunch before Nefret, Esmir, and I headed off to Volcan Masaya (Masaya Volcano) for the afternoon.

The bus ride to the volcano was crowded and long but definitely worthwhile. The volcano was amazing. It was much bigger than I imagined and quite spectacular looking. We spent some time hiking up to see this cross and look at the beautiful view of the surrounding countryside. Afterwards we took a tour of some caves nearby. They were pretty neat although the flying bats were a bit scary.

Last night Nefret, Lauren, and I went to a restaurant near our apartment which we’ve wanted to try. We had a great meal. I was quite tired from the soccer and hiking so I fell asleep early.

That’s all for now – hope everyone is having a great weekend back at home. We’ll be back in 2 ½ weeks for thanksgiving!

Much love,

dw

that uncomfortable feeling you get when faced with questions you don't want to answer

Poverty is complicated. People are complicated. These terms are messy and impossible to put in a box. I realize that by merely attempting to describe these words as “complicated” I am violating my previous statement.

I really want to write paint a picture of simplicity regarding the plight of the kids I’ve been hanging out with. I want to believe that they are ideal kids, perfect in manners, behavior, and very mature. If all of these factors held true then I would, every day, describe the time the kids spent laughing and enjoying themselves at lunch.

In light of these unfair expectations I think it’s important to recognize that these kids are just that – kids. In addition, they live incredibly tough lives and are being forced to handle situations, and the ages of 11 and 13, that none of us ever wants to face.

Today was tough. Don’t get me wrong, the kids and I still had a great time, but it went a little more complicated and deeper today. Our friend Nefret joined us and she was awesome with the kids. She also speaks some Spanish which was very helpful.

Usually they are upbeat, smiling, and happy when we eat. This alone is impressive, considering they are merely getting a short break from washing windshields and begging for money. Today, though, they all took turns being upset. While we were trying to order Kevin sat down in the corner, looking quite downtrodden. Nefret and I convinced him to get up, but the episode set the tone for the day. Later, Ninoska refused to eat; claiming that she ate a big breakfast and would rather draw. We didn’t really know how to handle this situation besides encouraging her to eat. After that Sonia was upset and Nefret and I couldn’t figure out the exact reason.

My best guess is that the kids might be getting a hard time from either family or friends since they get treated to lunch every day. Maybe this is untrue, but it’s the best I can come up with. If this is true, no wonder these kids are having trouble dealing with the situation. No wonder they weren’t completely overjoyed to be there with us. I wouldn’t be either if I knew I was going to be pressured afterwards. Again, this is just my conjecture so who knows what the real reasons are.

Despite these incidents we still had a great time. As usual we spent a solid hour after we finished eating drawing and learning a few new English words. Nefret brought along a bunch of clothes so this morning we went through and picked out outfits for each of the kids. They seemed really excited about them. All of them held the clothes to their noses and smelled them, obviously quite pleased that they were new.

During lunch Sonia showed us some cuts she had gotten after falling in the street. One in particular looked like it might be infected so after we said goodbye to the kids Nefret and I walked to the grocery store to buy some Neosporin.

Usually when I arrive to meet the kids they see me and come running before I see them. Because of this I’ve never seen the kids actually working. Since they weren’t expecting us to return with the Neosporin, however, we saw Sonia washing a car’s windshield and begging for some money. It was heartbreaking. Wasn’t this the girl who draws goofy pictures and laughs at my terrible Spanish? Although I knew what the kids do when they’re not with me I still had a hard time actually seeing them working. We were able to give her the medicine. Hopefully she uses it throughout the weekend.

Nefret and I then started walking to a coffee shop about 15 mins away when our good friend and neighbor Ramon pulled up on the side of the rode next to us and offered us a ride. Ramon is a very successful businessman and drives a Benz. He had to turn around to take us to the coffee shop, and in doing so we passed the kids working on the other side of the street.

The emotions I felt in that moment – driving by my friends the street kids in a Benz – capture the range and depth of thoughts and feelings I have here in Nicaragua. Nicaragua is a country of extremes, desperately lacking in stability, consistency, and normalcy. Although every country has wealth and poverty the two are interconnected here like I’ve never seen before. There is a tiny percentage of “haves” and an overwhelming percentage of “have nots.”

Often I struggle with how I should feel. How can rich people live with themselves when they see the immense poverty around them? This question gets uncomfortably convicting when I really think about it, since I have to label myself as a “rich person.”

With great frequency I ask general “why” questions like this only to find myself responsible for answering them. Nicaragua is not a comfortable place to be. I don’t see how anyone could come here and not be forced to look in the mirror and ask themselves these difficult questions. The issues are far more complex than just money, too. As I said earlier, poverty is complicated.