Article for EI Newsletter

Wow! We cannot believe that our six-month term with Empowerment International is coming to a close. We arrived here in September just in time to witness the Nicaraguans celebrate their Independence Day. The streets were alive with the sights and sounds of energetic marching bands and beautiful dancers, while the people looked on with a sense of pride and celebration. Against a backdrop of colorful colonial houses and cathedrals, not to mention the giant and looming Volcan Mombacho, we looked forward with anticipation to the adventure in front of us. We quickly learned, however, that living here would not be a walk in the park. The heat was overwhelming at times, and it reminded Kevin of when his grandfather would take him to the steam baths in Glenwood Springs, the only difference being that the people here were wearing clothes. The electricity and water would go out for several hours at a time, almost daily, and it was anyone's guess when the next outage would be. We didn't need to worry about losing our hot water or air conditioning when the power went out, however, because we didn't have these things in the first place. Taking care of simple tasks, like shopping for food and cleaning clothes, also proved to be quite challenging. Nothing builds up your appetite for food like walking through a crowded market and carrying your fresh fruits and vegetables home by foot. The days of Whole Foods, shopping carts, and free samples at the olive and cheese bars were far removed from the local markets in Granada, Nicaragua. These experiences have been a great reminder to not take things for granted, and we are very thankful for that.

Once we got settled in our personal day-to-day lives, we were anxious to get to the barrio, Villa Esperanza, where we would be working and to meet our participants. Our first visit to the barrio was sobering. We expected the conditions to be poor, but once we saw that our participants live eight to ten-strong in small lean-to shacks made of wood and plastic, and alongside one of the sweatshops surrounding Granada, our hearts sunk even further. Not only are the two of us interested in education and humanitarian efforts, we remain to be very active environmentalists always working to promote a more sustainable life and growth in our world. We immediately noted the small creek, or rather sewage and chemical drain, which runs directly through our barrio. This river, where the kids love to play, is usually a funky and psychedelic mix of blue and purple with white bubbles running through it. The small bridge that spans the river and connects the two sides of the barrio boasts a small plaque bearing the name of one of the children from the barrio who was sadly killed in a car accident early last-year by a drunk driver. The magnitude of emotion attached to this special spot in the middle of this tiny “Village of Hope,” immediately captured our hearts and reminded us of why we were willing to subject ourselves to a life sans electricity, our beloved air conditioners and the comforts of home.

Our first reactions were to feel saddened for our participants, thoughts of grandiose gifts from the United States, building homes, free clothes, and free food came to mind. We met many of the participants and were captured by their kindness, warmth, smiles, and overall desire to live life. Kelly sometimes wondered if she were dealt these same cards and had to live in the same conditions if she would be able to do it. Through these types of thoughts, we truly began our volunteer experience with Empowerment International. We started to grow and learn how we could best support and empower the families of Villa Esperanza. This vision did not include an endless supply of gifts to the barrio, rather the development of a relationship for which both sides would add to the creation of a sustainable program for change through education.

Over the next six months our Nicaragua team was able to implement and grow many micro-projects that fit within the main mission of the organization. We were able to develop a process where the children and families could start thinking about setting goals for themselves, rather than us setting goals for them. We created focused workbook activities for the participants to complete under the supervision of their parents as well as with the guided help of the EI team. Simply providing a space for parents to work with their children might seem like a small achievement, but in more cases than not, it represents a radical shift in the direction of thinking for these families. It has been immensely rewarding to see how the children and their families have grown to take more responsibility for their own education and future and how they are continually more active within our program.

One of our favorite memories with the families and participants was during our 2007 inscriptions. We hosted this event to welcome all the participants into the program for the upcoming school year. Throughout the weekend, each participant completed small activities and letters that they would send to their sponsors. During this activity, we encouraged the parents to work with their children, helping them to complete their drawings and thank-you letters. What we saw was amazing. Many of the parents and their children were so elated to have this structured time to work and play together. We could see that time like this is very special for most of our families, as the demands of everyday life usually prevents them from spending this type of quality time together. Everyone was smiling and filled with joy. The more time that we spend working with the members of the barrio, the more we learn how we can grow as an organization. For example, we have participants that could not attend school because they need to stay home to take care of their younger brothers and sisters, do the laundry by hand, clean the house, and cook for the rest of the children. This is the typical day for some of our eight to ten year-old girls. We quickly learned that our program needed to grow to encompass talks and discussions with the parents and family members. In some special cases this means helping the family to problem-solve and to look for alternative options in order to keep their children in school. We have worked over the last months to ensure that all of the children in Villa Esperanza have this opportunity.

As our departure date is growing near, and we reflect on our experiences here and with EI, we realize that we have gained a broader perspective on our place in the world. Throughout these six months, we have learned so much from our compañeros here in Nicaragua. Aside from the obvious cultural and language lessons, we have experienced an entirely different way of life. We have watched a culture of people who strongly value things like humility and peace; who choose to pass their time sitting on the front porch in their rocking chairs with their family and friends; who say a simple ‘Adios’ to all that pass-by and choose to laugh and smile in tough situations. Many of these Nicaragüense have experienced more despair and hardship in their lives than many of us will hopefully ever have to endure. Felicidades to the people of Nicaragua, as we will leave here feeling happy to have shared so many experiences not in this poor country of poor people, but this rich country filled with people rich in passion and love for life and for their country. We are and will continue to be inspired by the people of Nicaragua and of Villa Esperanza.

Written by: Kevin Boxer and Kelly Meeks