v Caroline began by
introducing the team of participants.
Chelsea
(Rosemary)
This is one of my journal entries
from Sunday evening after the bus tour of Ciudad Sandino (which
is the city where we stayed) and this journal entry illustrates the difficulty
of some of the cultural barriers and language barriers that we experienced
especially at the beginning of the trip:
Chelsea: I noticed
how today we were being tourists, just observing the Nicaraguans and not
actually interacting or communicating with them. I noticed this last year as
well, how we only communicated with the kids at Inhijambia and the spinning
co-op women. We always pass by parks with so many happy people playing soccer
or on a playground, but never take the time to talk to them or interact in any
way. I wish that we could have time to talk to the random Nicaraguans we see,
not only those involved in the organizations.
Also, at the soccer field we noticed the boys playing soccer
observing us as well as playing. This we felt was the “reverse fishbowl
effect,” as others were perceiving us.
Haley: These next
two Journal Entries are about “Chico Pride” which was a term that we used to
talk about the “good pride” that our bus driver Chico and a lot of Nicaraguans
often have for their culture and their work. This “good pride” is certainly captured in the scripture from the book
of Mark that says “whoever wishes to be first among you shall be servant of all. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve.”
Yesterday I noticed that every time someone honked their car
horn, it would usually be towards Chico, and he knew it. He would smile and
wave. He has such pride in what he does - not the obnoxious kind, but the type
that puts a smile on your face too, because you know he loves what he is doing.
For most Americans, it's not the same way. Most Nicaraguans who have a steady
paying job do take pride in what they do, even though to us it might not be the
most thrilling or prestigious job.
Marilyn: Who ever
heard of a bus driver who was inordinately proud and happy to be a bus driver,
who showed extreme professionalism carrying out his humble job? This is Chico:
the paragon of Nicaraguan pride and self-esteem. Or how about the museum guide
(in Managua), Damale, who sized up every group and
decided, based on her close observation, how much to tell them about Nicaraguan
history and culture, and in how much detail? These two people had an emotional
maturity that seems typical of the Nicaraguan character. We would do well to
emulate that.
Rosemary: This is a journal entry from Caroline: Today as we visited the homes in the Mercado Oriental
dump before we visited Inhijambia's phase one program, I kept trying to remind
myself about the moment when Mike (a member of the Jubilee House Community)
shared with us about how in many ways Nicaragua is “more developed” than the
United States and we have often reflected on how people here have a “good
pride,” and a sense of gratitude, despite such desperate conditions of poverty.
And I can imagine joy and gratitude in these homes despite such difficult
conditions. However, I could not escape the gut feeling as we saw these spaces
of extreme poverty that despite their courage, resilience, and “good pride,” it
is simply WRONG that they have to live in such conditions. And so in many ways
it is such a paradoxical experience for me that we recognize the beauty even in
this space, and yet also allow ourselves to be uncomfortable and to experience
the injustice of this situation.
On another note, I would love to capture two other snapshots:
1) (One from the government run day care
that we visited in the Marker) Playing with clay with small children
sitting in a circle on the ground. A simple act of playfulness (smashing a ball
of clay on my nose) was a sacred experience of connection for me as their
precious faces popped up and met mine with giggles and tiny balls of clay. 2)
The “good pride” of the faces of the Junior Promoters at Inhijambia as they
received their diplomas and shared them with each other. Junior
Promoters is a new program that Inhijambia has set up to empower some of their
younger leadership to be mentors for the younger children.
Alex: The Next Two journal entries are also about
the Oriental Market visit.
Body language. Getting out of the bus, we walked
along the dirt road, through garbage and hollers and catcalls. We turned to the
dump, seeing scavengers with woven baskets, and the stench of garbage, waste,
and rotting food filled our nostrils. We turned left, then right, ducking to
avoid the roofs. We came to an open area with pigs lying on the ground, and the
smell was unbearable. With all of my will power I forced myself to bear it or
hold it so as not to offend anyone with my body language, because it is so key
and so vital when conveying emotion. Body language can show that you are happy,
sad, excited, uninterested, and anything in between. That's why, whenever I
could, I smiled to be friendly, I held my breath so as not to cover my nose, I
looked people in the eyes to make sure they knew I saw them and acknowledged
them as a person. Being self-aware is so vital in an area like Nicaragua,
because it must be handled with care so as to not annoy anyone or insult their
culture, even if it is as little as looking them in the eyes, smiling, or
holding your breath to avoid a distasteful smell. It is important to convey a
positive attitude, even without words.
Clara: Smiles. Yesterday
we spent a lot of time discussing the assistance body language can provide in
bridging the language barrier. So naturally today I could think of nothing but
body language. I found myself moving through the market with a kind of
hyper-awareness of it. This awareness led to the personal discovery that my
guard was very much up. Part of this is really par for the course in the
market, and in a lot of ways expected. But I felt very tense. I guess I began
to acknowledge all of this just as we were coming into what used to be the
dump. We gathered in front of the same patchwork home that we saw last year. As
we were listening to Mirna speak, I had to catch
myself, because I noticed I had been folding my arms. In one elongated motion I
unfolded my arms, smiled, and caught the smile of the woman two feet in front
of me. The motivation for smiling came from something someone (I forget who)
told me a while ago, which had to do with changing physical positions and thus
inducing emotional changes rather than the other way around. OK, whoa, that
sounded so scientific! I did NOT mean it to. OK, it's basically just the idea
that if you make yourself smile, you can actually feel happier just through the
action. It's weird, but it totally works. And today I did it to put myself at
ease. I totally forgot that I could feel the full boomerang effect of empathy
and put someone else at ease in the crossfire. At another moment today, I
smiled at a young boy in a day care who also smiled right back. And of course
Phase One is nothing but smiles all around. I guess it still surprises me
despite having a very similar experience last year, that the day I begin with
my guard up and my emotions “expectant” is also the day I find myself massaging
my cheekbones before I collapse into bed.
Kevin
this is one of Clare's journal entries: Peace, safety, and love: three words that easily come to mind
when thinking of a home. Back in Summit my home is a place of comfort and
space, a place to spend some time at home and unwind from the craziness of
life. Today we walked through the 75-acre oriental market in eastern Managua.
We stopped by one house that really struck me hard. Just by stopping quickly
outside to look in, we could see a cramped room filled to the brim with
household items. The house was open and had no privacy,
open to the piled-up garbage laying out on the sidewalk. The woman who lived
there was so proud of her home. I had to remind myself again and again that
that was where they lived year round, that was what her children had to come
home to. We learned that many kids left home to live on the streets and sniff
glue, rather than stay in the situation they were living with their families.
Kids not having a safe place to play, grow, feel comfort, and unwind from their
day is one of the many tragedies of living in the extreme poverty of Nicaragua.
This is what makes places like Inhijambia and Jubilee House all the more
special in their mission to create a safe, happy, loving, comforting home-like
environment for these children who often have complicated home lives.
Rosemary: On Tuesday we visited Inhijambia's phase
two program, where they have the girls who have been
in the program for a longer period of time. In phase two they often show us their native dances, crafts and they
sing for us – we also shared the gift of our musical talent as we sang “One
Day/Let it Be” with Ali playing the keyboard and Clare on the guitar. During this time some of the girls also
shared their “testimonies” about where they were before they came to Inhijambia
and how far they have come despite many of the struggles that they still face…
When the girls came and shared their stories with us, I was
really moved at how willing they were and how much they were able to tell us.
All of those girls have gone through so much in their short lives already, and
I think they were so excited to tell us about how much better their lives have
become because of this program and that we have given so much to them, we were
able to help these girls and their lives. A lot of them told us that we were
angels and they spent a lot of time thanking us. I think that they realize how
much we have given to them and they are just thankful to be able to see us and
match faces with the donor. They all were just so thankful to us, and I think
that part was so moving, and inspiring.
Haley: “Big sister, little sister.” I noticed
today during the presentation that when the young ladies performed for us, the
younger girls all came in and watched the older girls. After each dance number
they would cheer the older kids on. How that ties in to our theme is that the
girls gave them so much support and love that you sometimes do and don't see in
the States. An example would be when you try out for a lead in the musical or
try out for a sports team, you don't always get that support or comfort because
most of the people are competing for the same thing. When competing with
someone, even a close friend, there's this awkward tension that creeps up. The
girls at Inhijambia seem so supportive and happy, it just made me feel good
inside.
Ali: Today I
was very moved by the testimonio
that Saadia shared with all of us. She shared her accomplishments at Inhijambia
with such pride and joy, and at the very end she said that she is so grateful
to all of us for our contributions and support. She called us angels. As I sat
there with tears welling up in my eyes, I thought back to the things I have
personally done and what we as a church have done to take on these “wings,” and
I too was proud. However, I also feel like everything we've done was really no
major sacrifice… cleaning out my garage and closet, having an enjoyable Open
Mic night, cooking and eating some chili… while a great amount of time went
into planning these events, I can't help but think about how much more we can
give. The possibilities are endless. We are giving much more than money,
clothes, supplies… We are giving them hope.
Alex
for Scott: This journal entry
was written by Scott Coates and it is after our adventures visiting the
colonial city of Leon and trekking up the mountain to a coffee co operative called El Porvenir in
the mountains. This journal entry was
after an epic night of sleeping on a porch in hammocks overlooking a beautiful
vista and being awoken at 2 and 4 am to the beautiful sound of Roosters to
which we lovingly referred to as “choosters.”
Scott
writes: This
morning, after awakening to a sunrise in El Porvenir,
cackling roosters and barking dogs and people sharpening machetes, I had a
moment, a wonderful “in the moment” experience where I endeavored to stay
present, engage, and learn about Rene, the V.P. of the co-op, and his family.
I had the opportunity to speak with Rene through Paul (a
member of the Jubilee House Community). He invited us into his home for a
simple cup of coffee. We spoke more about his business, his three daughters,
and his wife. I commented on how beautiful his daughters were, and he said
“Thank you,” then raised a finger and smiled and said, “But not too beautiful.”
A protective and proud father, indeed.
We talked more about the business of the co-op, the wages,
how earnings are distributed, and how the work days begin and end through the
seasons. Near the end of the conversation Rene sighed, smiled, and relaxed, and
said very matter-of-factly, with hand pointing to the earth, “…and then we
die.” This was a shared experience, a profound “human moment,” that ties
back to our “Who is our community?” theme.
Clara this journal entry is from Clare and it is about how
we broke down many barriers in order to make friends with Nicaraguans at
Inhijambia and the Jubilee House. Clare's journal entry illustrates our second scripture from the worship
service today. In Ephesians chapter 2,
Paul writes, “For Jesus is our peace, he has made both groups into one and has
broken down the dividing wall…so then you are no longer strangers and aliens
but citizens and saints and also members of the household of God.:”
Clare
writes: Today is the sixth day of our adventure in Nicaragua. It
feels like yesterday that we were all sitting in a circle sharing our
intentions for the week. Already I feel like all of my intentions came true:
speaking Spanish, learning about the Nicaraguan culture, and seeing the
countryside through visiting Inhijambia, the clinic, touring around Managua and
Leon, and staying at El; Porvenir. I feel as though I
have fulfilled all of my major goals. I specifically enjoyed Inhijambia and the
Clinic. Talking to the girls and boys at Inhijambia was the highlight of my
trip by far. Not only was I able to use and improve my Spanish, but I was
really able to connect with the kids on a more personal level, and learn about
their culture. Another really amazing part of the trip was visiting the Clinic.
I made two friends, Eduardo, a painter, and Mario, a lab technician. Again, I
used and improved my Spanish, and connected with the local people on a more
personal level. Meeting Mario was especially meaningful because I am really
interested in working in a lab or clinic. He showed me around the lab,
explained everything, and even sang a song for Caroline, Ali, and me. It was
really amazing, and I am pumped for the next few days we have left!
Kevin: this is one of Brad's journal entries about our last
day working in the clinic in Cuidad Sandino's Nueva
Vida neighborhood. It also illustrates
the theme of breaking down barriers in communication, Brad writes: Today while
working with Pedro I really tried to embrace the spirit of dissolving the
language barrier. I talked to him all day about various subjects. He helped me
out with many words and helped me improve my Spanish. Yay!
Chelsea: This is a
journal entry that Ali and Haley wrote together about the last day at
Inhijambia when we visited their phase 3 program which is essentially when the
girls move out of the program and have a house and family and work of their own: Building
a stronger future - Inhijambia Phase III. Today we saw the results of the
successful stories of people who have gone through the program at Inhijambia.
We met Fatima, and she welcomed us with open arms, saying “My home is your
home.” One of her daughters' name was Marilyn, named
after Marilyn in our group. The reason why she named her daughter this was
because she was so grateful for all the things that Marilyn had done for her.
During the house tour she pointed out everything that was given to her from Mirna and donations from Christ Church. As she was giving
this tour she told her life story, about how even though her husband left, and
she herself didn't get much mothering, she stays strong for her children and
has given them strong moral values.
Caroline – And now I am in charge of telling some of the
stories that didn't quite make it into our journal writing sessions like – Ali
stepping on an armadillo on a midnight hike (when Marilyn and I abandoned her
to the creature and bugs of the dark oh yea and the gaggle of teenagers – okay
to be fair she had a few other chaperones to support her). We have an innovative team of teenagers who
came up with several inventions on this trip – one including the “Rubberbandwhich” – which is an edible rubber band that can
hold your sandwich together when it starts to fall apart. There was that other time at the clinic when
the teen agers danced around in torrential down pouring rain while the adults
took pictures and the beautiful milky way and stars on the mountain at El Porvenir. There was
also that time when Brad got a monkey stuck on his head and that other time
when Kevin got called off of the bus for a goodbye picture because all of the
girls at Inhijambia had a crush on him – which initiated a whole day long
reflection on how beautiful Kevin is… THANK YOU EVERYONE!
