Mario having a blast with the children from Ninos Con Una Esperanza.

Mario having a blast with the children from Ninos Con Una Esperanza.

Betty and Laura with the kids

Betty and Laura with the kids

 

August 5, 2016. The group woke up at 6:10AM, which is an hour earlier from our normal wake up time. We had breakfast and then begin our academic seminar, where we discussed the problems of poverty and how it can affect a person. Also the role governments play when a group of people are in poverty. At 8:15AM we departed to our destination of the day, which was to a community called “La Mosca”. Then arriving at a neighborhood program called “Niños Con Una Esperanza”, where we met a loving and kind couple named Elizabeth & Pablo. They took us in and introduced us to the program and how they work with the youth in the community. We then had a chance to play with all of the children. At 1:00PM we got a tour of the dump and the place where some of the locals call work. We then said our thankyous and goodbyes and left straight to the school to give our English Tutoring. After the tutoring we walked back to our hostel from the school and had dinner at 7:00PM. Following with self-reflection and our nightly meeting at 8:15PM.

Being the leader on Poverty Day really made me focus more on the day and everything that took place. I want to acknowledge Mrs. Elizabeth and Mr. Pablo for being such great human beings for starting a program that they have and accepting all kids from the neighborhood. It feels good to know that people like them are around in places like this to make a difference. It was also great to see the group/ my friends really bond with the children from Niños con Una Esperanza. Each person took a group of kids in and played with them for over an hour. Everyone had a smile on their face. I just love how this group can adapt to almost any environment that they are placed in. And they always make the best out of it.

This entire day had me reflecting and I had a lot of thoughts the whole day. Thinking back to how my life back in Africa was, and constantly making a comparison to the lives of the children that I saw today. Realizing that these kids and even adults, that there is nothing wrong with the condition that they are living in because this is all they have known for their whole life and for generations. They don’t see anything wrong with the environment that they are placed in because they have not seen or witnessed anything to compare it to. And I can think back at when I was a little kid in Guinea Bissau, West Africa. Living in virtually the same conditions. But I never looked at myself, and those around me as poor or in need of help. Because I had not seen anything extremely better to compare it to. But now that I have moved out of that environment and living in a better condition I know what poverty is. And I know how it is to be in poverty.

Thanks to Summer Search and Global Glimpse for giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity to have this experience with all of these amazing people ❤✈🌏