Good morning to all of you Global Glimpse supporters!! This following message was brought to you by the LDD(Lider Del Dia(Leaders of the day)) Khatami and Emma!!
Today we as a group got immersed into the daily lifestyle of many different citizens here in Nicaragua. Today, we faced the harsh reality of poverty and how it consumes the lives of those it affects; a sharp contrast to the daily lives we lead back at home.

We started off the day with a visit to a life-changing organization, here in Matagalpa called Las Hormiguitas (little ants). They provide an education for children who don’t attend school. They either live in the dump or sell items on the street to support themselves and their families. We heard testimonies from two individuals whom themselves, have previously been students of the school back in their youth. They spoke about how they’ve developed into the people they are today, through their career and most importantly the education they have gotten, which allowed them to find the confidence within themselves to pursue their dreams.

We then joined the staff of Las Hormiguitas with the mobile school to arrive at the dump where we helped teach and play with the children living there. This opened our eyes to the realities of the detrimental effects that poverty has on the world, especially in the lives of children. We saw happy smiling children full of joy, playing games and interacting with us. This is just a small part of their day but they found a way to give 110% despite the conditions they are in. The reality of malnutrition was shocking because children that looked to be six and seven were actually nine and twelve. There were those with tattered clothes, no shoes, and young children taking care of their three- year old siblings. We later surprised them with a party consisting of food, soda, and a piñata! Even in a time of need, they were a community and found a way to smile. We enjoyed being able to connect with them despite our backgrounds, and this was an experience that we will never truly ever want to forget. Nor will the children.

We finished off our day with a breathtaking tour of the beautiful city of Matagalpa. We got to see all the different styles of food, foliage, architecture, and the different ways that people commerce around the city. Undoubtedly, the best moment of this trip was cold ice cream in the rain. Hands down.

This was just the first day, and we are excited for what tomorrow would bring.