Ain’t It Strange and Wonderful

Ain’t it strange and wonderful…
Which is the saddest: To witness life devoid of necessities, where hope and affection are the only few comforts? Or is it to return back to a shallow reality where useless accumulation quantifies success and offers fools great pleasure?

Isn’t it strange that in spite of all that I have and all that I’ve done, all of the places I’ve seen, in considering all my work to build a life for myself –never have I felt so fulfilled. All of the things I prided myself on suddenly seized to matter when surrounded by the atrocious living conditions we stepped into. What only mattered in that moment was the ability to understand emotionally, to surrender fear, to ignore discomfort, to risk your heart – even knowing that it will break as you walk out to leave.

This experience has taught me a powerful lesson in what it means to be human. Man must make a choice: to help fellow man, or to keep him down. The thoughts that will prevail in my mind over the years are not the misfortunes of Nicaraguans, but the warmth of their spirits, their yearning to be heard, their generous offers of love, and their endurance to fight. I have faith that this nation can overcome their history of corrupt and contemptible leadership, if only more altruistic efforts offered Nicaragua their support. I am ready to join this fight. I have now felt poverty and in turn, it has touched me. I am humbled today. I am wiser, kinder, and more compassionate than I was before. I have learned so much of how to be a better person from the people we met along the way, particularly the children who have no idea how powerful they are.

These are the human elements that induce change in the world. Expression of these feelings is what matters the most now – there is no more time for selfish pursuits.

I have been given more from our friends in Nicaragua than I ever gave them – and I am very uncomfortable with this feeling. This trip has ignited my desire to help people, to really help – to deeply move people the way I have been moved, to inspire people the way that I have been inspired. I am overcome with this need to purge all self-indulging impulses and thoughtless actions from my life and instead, to embrace positive growth to become a woman I can be proud of. This need to help is now urgently ringing through my mind and I am blessed to know I am in the right field.

~ Allison Ruddock

Bringing Home the Lessons Learned

There is one hour left until this plane lands in Newark and we relive the daunting reality of school and work. I have been dreading this “reality slap” all week; the thought of having 16 hour days of studying, classes, working, and commuting sounds so stressful. But this break in Nicaragua has taught me that I have never had a glimpse of what real stress is-my dreaded reality is a fantasy for thousands of people all over the world. The things that I expect to have in life (healthcare, women’s empowerment, freedom of speech, respect amongst my peers, family support, not to mentiom food, water, and shelter) are so basic, yet the average citizens in Nicaragua strive to achieve just a few of these things. I choose the word “achieve” very selectively. It is disgusting to me that these human rights are so rare in the country-one must work relentlessly to earn them.

Having traveled to several developing countries before, I did not expect to learn as much as I did. Through past vacations and lessons in our international health class, I physically saw what i expected: poor infrastructure, poor hygiene/sanitation, limited job opportunities, low education, etc. But it was an emotional journey to meet and hear the stories of so many people who are victims of such poor treatment. I learned the most from hearing their stories of using glue, sexual abuse, displacement from homes, and the adverse health effects that result from these risk factors. Although I had only spoken to most new people for less than an hour, I cherish the relationships that I have formed with them. Their resiliency to be so motivated and optimistic amazes me. Despite their hardships, it is inspiring to see them continue to reach for their dreams and contribute to their families everyday. I feel an indescribable honor for these people who selfessly commit their lives to reviving the youth and women from lives of suffering.

Prior to coming on this trip, I expected to learn a lot about Nicaragua, but I did not expect to learn and grow so much as a group as well. After getting a glimpse of the poverty of this country, it is inevitable that we will feel angry, guilty, and upset. Of course we will feel overwhelmed. But I am fortunate to be part of a group who melds so organically and works so well together. It has been an amazing experience to be around other students and professors who are so passionate about implementing change. Although our break is over, I am eager to bring home the lessons I’ve learned and call these 20 new friends my future colleagues.

– Kristine Naputo

“Nothing is Wrong”

If there’s one thing we humans love to do, it’s categorizing our observations into clear-cut groups.

Sweet or sour?
Love or hate?
Happiness or sorrow?
Good or bad?

At times, grouping things together helps improve memory and helps analyze situations. However, the danger of over-generalizing constantly lurks in the background. Our tendency is to want to group things into one definite category or another. Gray areas? We dislike. And not just because gray is a monochromatic color. Rarely do we ever step back and realize that assigning categories to phenomena does not benefit us. In fact, it detracts from our ability to understand the “whys” and “hows” that underlay situations.

The first time I observed my mind compartmentalizing in this manner was while comparing and contrasting the two Casa Materna centers. We visited a privately-run Casa Materna in Matagalpa which was headed by an American woman and a government-run center in Jinotega which was run by a Nicaraguan woman. After observing the organization of the Jinotega center and the charisma, knowledge, and passion displayed by its director, Francisca, I found myself thinking: “I wish the Matagalpa Casa Materna could be this efficient too.” Instantly, in that one moment, I’d labeled the Jinotega center as “good” and the Matagalpa one as “bad”, when neither was superior or inferior to the other. Each center had its strengths and weakness – the Jinotega center conducted needs assessment surveys and made changes based on the feedback received but was unable to follow up with women after they’d left the center. The Matagalpa center, while unable to conduct such surveys was able to send people into the field to check in with the women and their children months after they’d given birth. They each had something to learn from each other – a valuable lesson that I might have missed had I fixated upon who the “bad” and “good” players were.

Another instance where I encountered this was when we visited La Chureca, Central America’s largest dump. The Spanish had built homes and a garbage processing facility there in an attempt to create more suitable work and living conditions for the individuals in the area. I wanted immediately to know whether or not their efforts were good or bad – whether they had had more sinister intentions in implementing this intervention or not. It’s constructive to know the positive and negative impacts of an intervention upon a community so that it can be repeated or modified for future use, but labeling parties as absolutely “good” or “bad” is futile.

Alicia, a USAID worker we met at a US embassy debriefing echoed similar sentiments. International development agencies often get flak for being overly results oriented, for being obsessed with numbers and out-of-touch with the needs of the people they’re serving. Sometimes these agencies are accused of doing the work they do for self-gain as opposed to for the greater good of the community and nation. They’re perceived as “evil” forces. What the public fails to realize is that the people who work at these agencies are humans and therefore, fallible as well. They’re not immune to mistakes just like the rest of us. Alicia reminded me of this when she admitted that USAID had made missteps in the field of international development – but that they had learned from their mistakes about how to better structure the same intervention for the next time and place it was implemented in.

I think Anita, our meditation session facilitator, tied the loose ends of the lesson I learned from these situations together really eloquently when she brought up the quote “Nothing is wrong.” Hearing it brought me back to the fact that nothing, absolutely nothing in this world is black and white. Nothing is absolutely good or absolutely bad. Nothing is permanent – everything is always changing. And that a mistake is only a mistake when one does not learn and grow from the experience.

Love

Bittersweet isn’t exactly the word I would use to describe our last night in Nicaragua. I am definitely not ready to leave just yet. If given the option to stay another month or two… Or three… Or four… There is no doubt I would take up that offer in a heartbeat. I’ve fallen so deeply in love with this country and its people. It probably seems silly of me to say that I’m in love with a country whose language I can’t even speak and whose people I barely talked to, but the people I’ve met and the places I’ve been to during this trip have found a permanent space in my heart. Maybe it was better I couldn’t speak Spanish because I’ve communicated with people in ways that said more than any word can. Sometimes we tend to do a lot of talking, yet we’re not really saying anything. In this trip, I feel like so much had been said even though “como estas?” was the farthest any of my spoken conversations have come.
Personally, I feel like I have so much love to give, and the children we’ve met at Los Quinchos and Yahoksa are always so eager to accept love and attention. As much as I wanted to speak to them and ask them about their day and about the things they like, a simple hug and a big cheesy smile truly went a long way. I’ve made a complete fool out of myself trying to speak Spanish to the children and they all seemed to find it funny. As much as I would normally feel embarrassed in a situation like that, it felt so good! Other times I would act out what I was trying to say and they would smile and understand (I think) what I was trying to say. It was frustrating not being able to communicate in the beginning, but as time went on, charades almost became second nature to me. Truth be told, it was a joy getting laughed at. The children and I were communicating in ways I never thought possible. We were bonding through smiles, laughter, hugs and kisses. It was nothing short of amazing. I fell in love with the children – with their enthusiasm, their strength, their charisma and with the feelings that they give me when I see them enjoying themselves, when I see them happy.
I guess you can say I fall in love easily seeing how we’ve only spent 10 days here and I barely even know the people I’ve met and their stories, but I will tell you love isn’t with the eyes, ears, nose, or mouth. As corny as it may sound, it is with the heart. Even without speaking and understanding one another, Juan Carlos, Mamita, Los Quinchos and Yahoska have me fall so passionately in love with them. I love that despite all the hardships and struggles that they’ve gone through, they are all still so happy and joyful and grateful. I loved the positive energy that radiated from them. They are such beautiful inspirations.

With all this love, I want to take all that I’ve learned here in Nicaragua back home where I can continue to work and study so that I can come back and do more. You always want to do more for the people you love.

Sheena Templo

Finding Purpose

I wonder how it must be to feel hunger, to not feel loved. It must be hard feeling like you don’t belong, like you don’t have a place in this world. Family is the most important thing and a mother’s love is unconditional. Knowing, witnessing that there are children that have been rejected by their families or do not have one at all is the most devastating thing imaginable.

Fortunately, these children have each other and the love and support of the people that care for them and want them to have a bright future. Family is more than just your parents and siblings. Family is a kind selfless love, nurturing, patient, understanding, full of motivation and support no matter who provides it.

Visiting the kids from los quinchos and the girls from yahoska was bittersweet for me. Although they all have very difficult stories, they are enjoying life any way they can! Their innocence and joyful spirit filled me with hope and left me in complete awe. We all had a great time playing, coloring, and just simply laughing! It was great to see them interact so freely with us, the way they received twenty one strangers with their open arms was truly amazing. It was incredible to witness their hunger for affection and love. However, I believe their love and affection towards us meant more than what we had to offer them. I was incredibly moved by the whole experience.

As I sit here reminiscing and remembering every memory, every special moment from this trip I am shattered, heart broken to realize this is our last night and I will be going back home tomorrow. Honestly I don’t want to go back. My soul is here, I might be going back but I’m leaving a piece of me behind. My heart has made a special connection with each one of those children. Other than spending a couple of hours with them I am practically a complete stranger but having Rafael cling to me and beg me not to leave today was truly devastating. I wanted to tell him with all my heart that I wasn’t leaving, that I would stay with him. I couldn’t. But how could I break that little boy’s heart?

I could not have spent my spring break any other way – enjoying the company of twenty awesome people learning from each other as well as our surroundings and bringing joy to children’s lives was the best experience I could have asked for. I have learned so much not only about the health systems in Nicaragua and the culture but also about myself. This is the kind of work I was meant to do. I have finally found what I want to do the rest of my life. Help. Help children, women and those in need realize and achieve their dreams. I want them to have a future, a life full of happiness, health, and overall peace. I have found my purpose. I have found where I belong.
-Niki Hernandez

To Give and Not Receive

Mangua, Matagalpa, Jinotega, oh my! And that’s only the beginning. Beginning of new experiences, ambitions and expectations. Overall, a new perception of what it means to give. Fresh off the plane, the root of poverty in Nicaragua knocked me off my feet. A boy, 13 or 14 years old, was “tweaking” off of whatever drug he just consumed. His body convulsed like a crack addict in the nooks and crannies of Manhattan. I instantly felt drawn to this kid as he begged for money. My heart literally hurt. This initial experience forced me to open my eyes and take in all the effects of poverty, which in this beautiful nation does not need to be sought after. It will find you and follow you to every city that you go.

To write all that I witnessed and felt could never be accomplished because feelings like those no matter how hard I try cannot be put into words. They are emotions too deep. The best description I can give you is that it is a yearn for restoration in places struggling with sexual abuse, addiction, sanitation and education. The list never ends and neither does the desire to give your all to make a few things just a little bit better. What I have seen and have been a part of this week has solidified in my mind what it means to say that I give to serve, not expecting to receive. The majority of this trip has been spent playing with the children of Los Qunichos and learning about the roots of this dynamic organization. This past week, I have met children who were brought out of La Churecha (the garbage dump) where they inhaled shoe glue to numb the pains of hunger and rejection. I have hung out with girls that have experienced things darker than what I have faced in twenty years. The children sleep on mattressess with no sheets. The sanitary conditions of the one bathroom that at least 20 people share and the kitchen in which their meals are made prove that there is so much more to be done. So much more to be given. Not only material things but time and attention as well. Despite their past demons, these children were rescued and given the love that they never had. They were given food and a chance to receive an education. For this, I am estatic. Often times we focus too much on the ugly things of this world. Such thoughts discourage us because all we see and think about is the amount of work that needs to be done. Then we are left questioning ourselves, how can I do it all? But I refuse to feel that way any longer. I refuse to succumb to the feelings of despair and helplessness. Instead I will give thanks and rejoice with the people who continue to give of themselves, their time, their money and their hearts. Some people may ask, what do you get out of the work that you do? I will simple reply that this work is not meant for me to receive anything from it. I’ve been blessed and fortunate enough to have the opportunity and ability to educate mysef on the conditions of developing nations. I will use that “advantage” to give all that I have and to apply it to aid not only the “children of the streets” but all people internationally and on the home front who need assistance.

—
Chanée Massiah

Little Things

“Do not be discouraged by the fact that the ‘little things’ you do may not last a long time. A little can go a long way and if everyone does a little it becomes a lot”
It is easy to feel like there is nothing you can do when you come on a trip like this. But I believe that every little thing that one does will make a person smile and smiling is very therapeutic. I love to make others smile even when I look like a clown. Being able to help someone overlook their current situation and smile pleases me. While visiting the women, who have been displaced and struggle to make a living for themselves, I noticed that their faith in God was very strong. It surprises me that people with nothing will believe in someone they never seen while people with everything simply cannot. I do not want to get into religion because it is a very controversial subject but I just wanted to mention that it is simply beautiful that these woman are able to find strength in God. I certainly applaud them on their resilience.
I was raised in a single parent household and now that I am older I understand what my mother is going through. My mother is a CNA (certified nurse assistant) and works in a nursing home. She often works double shifts, meaning 7-3 and 3-11 and it breaks my soul. Seeing my mother work so hard to provide for the household really bothers me and I find myself wishing that she was not a single mother. I love my mother and everything that I do is for not only her but my family and others. I am very selfless and I want the best for everyone. When I think about mothers who cannot provide for their child I find myself on the verge of tears and I know how hard it can be. Some children in Nicaragua are not able to be a child for too long. In many situations, they have to help and choose between school and work and of course most have to work. I believe that as long as basic needs are not met people can be oblivious to politics, education and such.
Poverty is something that hits close to home. No, I was not living in a thin house when I was in Haiti but I was immersed in poverty. It is something that I have experienced at one point in life not to say that it has stopped. Coming from such an experience, I certainly have a different view of everything that I see. As we visited the US embassy in Nicaragua there were two questions that I had to ask. I asked if the relationship between the two governments had an effect on how people in rural areas responded to help from the Americans even though the two governments are not currently in agreement. The answer was no. No, because the people need help and they will accept help in anyway that they can get it regardless of how the government in Nicaragua perceives the government in America. One of the interesting thoughts that I heard today was that we also have to consider that maybe the government in Nicaragua simply does not want most people in Nicaragua to be educated because if they are they will start making requests. Requests that may not be official to the government in Nicaragua. Selfish world we live in, don’t you think? Let me give you an example, La Chureca is the largest dumping site in Central America and the Spaniards (people from Spain) have taken over and built a recycling center which is basically supposed to regulate the trash that is being dumped in La Chureca. People live in La Chureca! Yes in the dumping site but the Spaniards have made efforts to move them out of the dump to a community right outside of the dump. Big difference right? I think not. It is like they are putting up a front! Like one of the locals said “they are just exploiting us.” The Spaniards are making money off of the recyclable material while the rest of the trash gets thrown in the dump and people in the community (mostly men) go further out and pick the garbage for things they can sell out of La Chureca. The point is that the problem still exists and the government in Nicaragua knows exactly what is going on under their nose but they do not care because they are making a profit. As long as they have a roof over their head, a place to eat, and enough money not to beg they do not care. Sorry for the brutal words but it is something that needs to be heard. The government may say that they are for the people but it is not always true. I am not saying that the entire government is corrupt but some of it is and that alone is enough.
The second question that I asked is that are there locals who work with the embassy in order to bring the programs to the community. The representative said yes and that made me happy. Americans alone cannot decide what is best for people in Nicaragua because what they might perceive as a terrible condition may be beneficial to those in Nicaragua. Let the people tell you what they need and just improve on what is already working. I no longer feel the need to fix anything but I feel the need to implement on projects that are working which just need a little push to make it stronger. We all want to change the world and we can but we have to start small and be resourceful, attentive, and just put ourselves out there. Be selfless and empowered and that will drive you to make a difference no matter how small it may seem. Every person you make smile is one person that is not crying even for a moment. Love with all of your heart, sometimes a hug will do. Yes it is hard to watch those who have less than you do live their lives in poverty but do you notice that they are still living? They are fighting for themselves! So why can’t you?
Poverty will not end in one moment and it may never end but do you want to watch it happen or have the satisfaction that you are doing your part. I do not know what will come of this trip but I am a changed woman. What do I mean? I do not know but the person that came on this trip on the 15th is not the same one leaving on the 23rd. I am taking stories and memories back with me and that alone have changed me. Something that I noticed about the children of Los Quinchos is that even though they do not have much they have good character. It was so adorable to watch them ask us for our glasses, in order to take pictures, and give them right back. Some may expect them to try to steal it but it did not happen. Those children in Los Quinchos are lucky but their future is still not certain. What happens after they have graduated from the program? They have to go out and fend for themselves and that is certainly a scary experience. An inevitable experience.
I encourage everyone to experience what I am experiencing because it will change you somehow. Doing something for yourself is so small, so do it for others and watch your goodness multiply. You can be someone’s role model. Start a domino effect. Be different. Be for the people because at the end of the day, no matter where you are from and what language you speak, we are all human and we have needs! Needs that must be met before we can all move forward to acquire an education and more. You may not make a difference to the world but you can make a difference for a family and nonetheless it is a difference.

—————
Marie Beauvais

Moving Forward

“It ain’t about how hard you can get hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward” – Rocky
Over the past couple of days, during our interactions with the children from the Filter House and Los Quinchos in Grenada and San Marcos, I have consistently thought about this quote. These children have been through more than I could imagine. It is too hard to fathom being rejected by my parents, inhaling pega in order to escape the harsh world, begging for scraps, or being shunned and ignored by everyone around you. Yet, despite these hardships that all these children have faced, they have seized the opportunity to move on with their lives. By entering the Filter House and leaving behind a life full of vagrancy and sorrow, the children are actively deciding to improve their lives. They could simply give up, thinking that they will never amount to anything; however, they choose to move on, improve their lives, and make a future for themselves.
Interacting with the boys in Granada, San Marcos, and the girls in Yahoska, I found myself feeling inspired. While in Grenada, if I was not aware of their background, I would think that they were normal teenagers living normal lives. I thoroughly enjoyed jumping off of a wall into the lake below with Christian and trying to teach Sergio how to flirt with girls in English. The same thing can be said about the children that I interacted with today in San Marcos. The entire morning I spent playing soccer with one of the kids. And the rest of the kids around me were engaged with the other students or the other volunteers from Perfomer’s without Borders. This simple notion that despite all the hardships they have faced the children choose to laugh and enjoy life has left me filled with hope rather than despair.
Over the course of trip we have seen many individuals facing hardships that we would never even dream of facing, and at times it weighed us down. Nevertheless, through my interactions with the children in the Los Quinchos program, I saw that programs can be implemented and steps can be taken to help solve specific problems. Individual lives can be changed. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. We have to remind ourselves that life will continue to put obstacles in our paths, like we learned today about all of the various natural and man-made disasters that Nicaragua has faced over the past decades, but we must overcome them. We must continue to put one foot in front of the other. We cannot give up; we cannot hoist a white flag and surrender. Why should we? We all have the ability to keep moving forward.
-Brian Chang

There Are No Easy Answers

“And some people will leave here more confused than when they started.”

During our group talk, Francesca explained what to expect upon arriving back in NJ. Great, I thought. After seeing so much hardship, hard work, and resiliency, I was really hoping for an intense moment of sudden clarity to soothe my worries about the state of our world. I was itching an answer- just a single, neatly defined answer about how such luxury and such poverty can occupy the same world, the same country, or even the same city block. Not surprisingly, the issues we´ve encountered in Nicaragua are far too complex and fluid to define so easily.

Today we passed through a Chureca, or garbage dump, on the way to meet some artists of the fair trade organization Esperanza en Accion. It was smaller than yesterday´s Chureca, but the same daunting scene was seen from our tinted bus windows. A veritable sea of plastic bags covered the otherwise dusty landscape, refusing to meld with the earth. People were either working in the sun or finding some small reprieve in the shade from the corrugated steel roofs. Black birds circled ominously overhead, as if they knew people weren´t supposed to live in these conditions. The sights only improved slightly as we entered the village area. There were a few more bony horses idling in the sun, and the bumps in the unpaved dirt road were becoming less shallow. The corrugated steel huts began to arrange themselves into rows, then blocks, and we even passed a couple elementary school classes. The children, wearing bright white uniform shirts and matching navy bottoms, waved from inside the cement-walled buildings. I wondered how they could afford an education at all, but how could they afford not to have one?

There are no easy answers.

The women themselves were inspiring and humbling. They talked to us openly about their work, their families, and their faith. They explained how they picked up discarded chip bags to use for their craft, but people would see them picking up trash and offer them money. Most of them didn´t live with their families because, with the great distance to Managua, it would be too expensive to commute there. Before we left, they wanted to pray with us. We joined hands in a circle, and respectfully nodded our heads as the women began to speak.

They prayed for us.
They prayed for us.

These women felt lucky to have a water system. They get paid 35 Cordobas an hour, less than $1.50 American. They live in the second poorest country in the Western hemisphere, and they prayed for us. I was intensely humbled and incredibly appreciative, but why did I feel so guilty?

Confusion. Still no easy answers.

Later today, we visited a large mall in Managua to see the complete antithesis of the artists in Timal. It was only a 30 minute drive, and I still felt a culture shock. Things that I would have accepted as normal before seeing Timal and the Churecas now seemed wildly extravagant and gawdy. I don´t know how I´m going to return home to my modest apartment and see my bed as anything less than a king´s throne. However, I have a strong feeling I´m going to fall back into a “Made-in-China” consumerist lifestyle, and that worries me. I feel so privileged and wasteful now, but I think it´s important to understand ourselves with respect to the bigger picture of our world.

Overall this trip is amazing. I´m learning so much, but my mind keeps racing to other questions that simply can´t be answered. The disparity between the rich and poor is huge, and it begins to feel like nothing can ever be changed. I hope I don´t forget how uncomfortable I feel right now, so it serves as motivation keep an attitude of humble service when working with others, both inside our own country and out. But will I be able to make the world, or even the tiniest part of it, a better place?

There are no easy answers.

– Megan Couillard

One Word

If I can find one word to describe Nicaragua thus far, it would be awe-inspiring. I have done more in 4 days than I have done in my entire 21 years.

I can say I live a very privileged life back in the States. My parents do everything to make sure my siblings and I are happy. Being here in Nicaragua truly made me look at the word happy more closely and made me think of what that word really entails.

Today we went la Chureca which is the biggest dump in Central America. It is located in Managua but you couldn’t tell that by seeing it. Going from the hotel to la chureca, you can feel the difference in the atmosphere. The air smelled different, the mood felt a little more tense, the scenery felt like it came from an updated western movie. Even in 90+ degree weather, I felt cold. The conditions just were not suitable for living. The vultures surrounding the area made the place feel like death; we basically entered hell.

Going in deeper, seeing the houses and the people made you forget about the garbage in the background. It was nice seeing the kids coming up and showing us where people lived. It really made the place more welcoming. They were doing the same exact things that other kids would do when they’re outside. It gave la chureca a more personal feel.

I’m so happy we went there because it really made me think about how certain groups try to hide things from others. If a person were to look up places to visit in Managua, I highly doubt that la Chureca would be on that list. It was an eye opening experience and it is something that I believe tourists should see.

Going to see the kids in Granada was really fun. You couldn’t tell from their smiles and their personalities that they live really hard lives. They have probably experienced more hardship in their lives so far than most people do in a lifetime. Just hearing the process of the Los Quinchos project makes me happy. People dedicating their lives to give children the chance of being successful is truly amazing. It’s definitely not an easy task, but it’s great to see how people are up for it.

It was great having a guide that actually went through the project. It really sold me on the project and its’ mission. If the government stood behind projects like this, Nicaragua would definitely thrive in every aspect possible.

Looking back at today, I can start to define the word happy. The word isn’t materialistic, it is much more simple. From meeting all these kids so far, I definitely know that materials don’t make you happy, it’s the experiences and the memories you have with others. Just being around people and hearing stories can make a person happy. The children here do not have much, but I can see when they’re with the people they care about, the friends they adore, and the people that support them, they are happy. This is definitely something I’m taking back with me when I go back to New Jersey. Hopefully there’s more I can learn before the trip is over.
-Leslie Obour