Whats up to all the families back home!
Today was one of the most impactful days we’ve had so far we all had are own realizations, humbling moments and awareness towards all are privileges back home. We started our day by waking up at 6:30 am, early bird does get the worm right!! We then made our way over to the delicious Buffet Esteli and enjoyed a meal prepared with love. After that we had an educating talk with our GG leaders and insightful buddies. Then we boarded the bus to go to the city dump we had a little bump in the road and unfortunately that bump broke our bus and we were stuck for about 30 minutes in the sun, in a overheated vehicle. However we pushed through buy telling jokes and singing Taylor Swift songs and soon enough we were blessed with another bus. When we arrived we met with the humble, most resourceful women named Dona Francisca who has lived in the city dump for 42 years and comes from a family of 25, she welcomed us like we were her other 25 distant family members. The group asked insightful question, and Dona Francisca answered in a way that moved everyone. After the talk we had with her, we walked up to the city dump, instead just of hearing about people who live in poverty, we viewed it for the first time ourselves today. This experience effected everyone in different ways and everyone took the time to process in the best ways they knew how. One thing that really stood out was the support everyone gave one another. Some needed others to ask them in order to feel open to talking and others gave or just needed hugs and some were simply just there as a figure of support. Overall we all learned something about ourselves and something shifted with ourselves.
Love Angie !!!
P.S
Miss you mommy I love you cant wait to see you!!
P.P.S
Thank you Marvin for all the wonderful sport updates makes home feel a little closer!
Your thoughts of the day are very moving, Angie. Thanks for your report. Sounds like a day of thought-provoking and soul-searching experiences.
What a great experience for all of you to have. It truly makes you count your blessings and put things in prospective. Very proud of you all for taking the setback from today in stride and being supportive of each other though this journey that hopefully you all will remember always.
Jorge, it was great talking to you today! We love and miss you so much and are looking forward to hearing all about your experiences! Remember to bring back lots of pictures and continue to be safe and have fun. Grandpa, Bellita, Ti, Gabriel, Bee and Livi say hi.
Love you!!
Mom
These updates are wonderful and a great read for us missing all of you, thank you all for sharing.
Elijah- Wednesdays just aren’t the same honey! Your cousins eagerly await your return. We love and miss you!
Marissa (Elijah’s Aunt)
Wow, this brings tears to my eyes. It is one thing to see, here at home, homeless people sleeping in doorways or under freeways, but to see firsthand people making their homes in a dump is quite humbling. Some of us might feel underprivileged at times but we must be thankful for whatever we have. There is always someone who have greater needs and obstacles to conquer. The things that we feel are unobtainable to us are most likely wants and not needs. You are observing people that are struggling to acquire basic needs to survive. Doña Francisca seems to be a strong matriarch, thriving on love. May God bless her, her family, and all others in her situation.
Elijah, I am here with your great-grandfather and Mother Myra. They send their love and want you to know how proud they are, me as well, of the young man you are becoming. We love you very much. I miss you but I am so glad you are having this experience. Prayers are with you and the entire group. You all are awesome young people, our future leader. We need you all.
Love,
Marilyn (Elijah’s G……?)
These posts are wonderful and a great read for us missing you all back home. Keep up the great work and don’t forget we are proud of you!
Elijah- Wednesdays just aren’t the same honey! Your cousins eagerly await your return but rest assured I told them if they spoil Big Brother for you there will be repercussions! Lol We can’t wait to hear all about this journey. We send our love.
Marissa (Elijah’s Aunt)
Hello Gia, am so, so glad to hear from your – enjoyed your reflections of the day. Interesting to find the humanity in poverty situations and your appreciation of same. What an experience! Am so glad to read your blog, and please do call home again. Bia face timed me last night from a resort in DR, a step between, before their next site. Very proud of you! Love, Mom
This post is definitely the most touching thus far. I couldn’t resist shedding a tear. I am so happy that you all have had the chance to have such an experience. Not only does it make you more appreciative but it is making you all all around better people. I know that you will all go on to do great things just by allowing yourselves to go through such a humbling experience. So very proud of you all. For the people you are as well as the people you are becoming.
Elijah, I miss you like crazy. But at the same time I am so proud to be your mom. Everyone is asking about your experiences and I can’t wait to tell them. Enjoy this experience for all that it is.
You can read all the books or articles but to experience it first hand can only enlighten you..
I agreed with Marilyn that our presumed needs are mostly wants.
Here is an old saying: a father telling his son he had to walk many miles to get to his school daily, his son turn and asked “why didn’t you take the bus?”
Please enjoy this once in a lifetime trip.
SF Giants update: Brandon Belt joins Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto and Buster Posey on the National League team, the first time since 2012 the Giants have had four All-Stars on a team that Bruce Bochy did not help pick.
Hello, I meant to write on the day. I worked at the county hospital with many homeless or marginally housed persons. Poverty is not far away in our own Bay Area nor in our own town. I had patients who looked out of it coming into my office and to ask the simple question: when did you last eat?
I still and will never get used to it. I dont’ know if the poverty in Nicargua has the same complicated issues it has here or not. All I know is that giving that person dignity is the #1 intervention. I can’t give them a roof right away nor food after the crackers and juice I used to scrounge up so they can concentrate on our visit once the hunger is trimmed away a bit, but dignity is #1.
it will take a communities and the govening forces combined effort to make headway to this universal problem. simpler said than done.
I am grateful we have what we need everyday even if its not fancy nor the latest in electronics of any kind: phones, games etc.
I have no immediate solutions, wish I did. Grateful that allthe glimpsers have a heart to absorb this day and be part of the world to solve in big or small ways.
blessing to the group and shout out to Clarita. love you
Mom