MPI's Child Sponsorship Program

We're Moving!

2010-02-04T16:58:00.003-06:00

Greetings Sponsors and Friends,

In the interest of having a common source of information for all of Manna Project International's programs and activities, this blog will no longer be in use. For updates on Child Sponsorship (CS), please view MPI's Daily Life Blog at www.talesofsudorandamor.blogspot.com. We hope that you will find that site helpful in keeping track of CS's progress and that you will also enjoy learning about all of MPI's various efforts to provide holistic community development in the neighborhoods of Chiquilistagua, Cedro Galan, and La Chureca.

Very best wishes,

MPI Child Sponsorship Team

A Xiloa Good Time

2009-12-02T18:07:00.002-06:00

As part of the MPI Nicaragua Child Sponsorship (CS) team, one of my roles is planning the quarterly field trips for participating children and caretakers in our program. The CS program is unique in that we provide opportunities for the children of La Chureca to leave behind the perennial smoke and trash of their neighborhood for an afternoon of recreation and relaxation with their families in a safe, clean place. Earlier this year in late July, we joined the former PDs in hosting a trip to El Salero, the Community Center land on which we run our programs in Kid’s English, Library, Baseball, and Soccer. The day was an undeniable success, allowing the children plenty of time and space to enjoy the great outdoors. I decided to repeat another popular field trip idea last Friday when we brought our children and their mothers to Laguna Xiloa. Last year’s group did the same with summer volunteers, and in light of the MPI Nicaragua 5-year anniversary celebration in which PDs of ages past reunited this weekend in Managua, I thought they might join us in the fun of hosting a trip to enjoy the waters of Xiloa.

Laguna Xiloa (pronounced "Hee-Low-Wah"), site of our field trip last Friday

We arrived at the side entrance of Chureca to meet the mothers and children at 12:45 on Friday, where we awaited the arrival of a big yellow school bus that would take us all to Xiloa, about a 30 minute drive away. Ian and I road up front, took attendance, and chatted with families on the way. When we got to the laguna, we were delighted to see the beautiful open space with little covered areas for benches and picnic-ing. Some of the children and mothers took to the water fairly quickly, while others preferred the grass and the shade. Some of the children had little bathing suits, others swam in their clothing, others half naked. Whatever their manner of taking to the water, the smiles and laughter were abundant. We waded right in with the kids...from the shallow end with the toddlers looking at the minnows rush by to the deeper areas with the more adventurous kids. Mothers swam and lounged in the cool water, where they stayed talking away the afternoon. We were already in the midst of playing with children and visiting with mothers when the PDs of the past arrived to join our festivities. Some of these PDs were acquainted with certain families from years past, and others were members of the board and staff who were able to visit and see one small aspect of what we do on Child Sponsorship. We were all able to learn from the afternoon at Xiloa, and we all had a grand time! I learned that children play tag in Spanish by saying “la landa” and that sometimes it just takes a handhold to get a timid child to enter the water. I found out that everyone needs time to just be - be with family, be refreshed, be safe and relaxed, be a kid, be a mother. On last Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, I gave thanks for the ability to join these mothers and children in an afternoon away from La Chureca. Reflecting on the day, I am thankful for the relationships I’ve been able to establish through Child Sponsorship, how I’ve seen these children begin to grow, and how the mothers have entrusted us with their health concerns and needs.

Snapshot of the craziness

To put this day into perspective, these children and their families do not have access to complete immersion in clean water. They bathe with buckets and hoses or in sinks (for the children who are small enough). Moreover, I oftentimes walk around Chureca and find recently washed children already dirty from playing outside without their shoes on or from the dust and smoke that fills the air. And although they live next to a huge lake (Lake Managua/Lake Xolotlán), the runoff from La Chureca has polluted it to the point that swimming and fishing these waters is highly dangerous. Many have fallen sick from mercury laden fish, and the pollution is visible as trash and sewage line the banks. The Laguna Xiloa, on the other hand, is a local getaway where the waters thrill and awe visitors. I say ‘awe’ because my limited experience has taught me that some Nicaraguan people I have met who have never had access to a pool or natural body of water (and thus have never learned how to swim) have a healthy fear of water.

Milton views the laguna

It was that healthy respect for water that helped us have a safe day at the laguna. And with a provided snack of fiber cookies, bananas, and juice, the day ended with many smiles and lots of wet clothing!

Jose Manual enjoys the water and a few extra bananas

From Nicaragua to America, Happy Thanksgiving!

Jan Margaret

CS - Last Milk Day of 2009!!!

2009-11-25T19:39:00.002-06:00

Greetings from our team in what is the last Milk Day of 2009 and a very exciting time for our Child Sponsorship team. In keeping with the rush of the holiday season, this has been a bustling time for all. This week is MPI's 5 year Nicaraguan site reunion in which our house has been stormed by PDs of years past. They come bearing stories and passions for MPI which have already served as a reminder to many of us of why we decided to join this organization. Moreover, they will be key participants in an upcoming field trip we are taking with the children in our program. This Friday, after the old PDs return to Chureca to re-visit old friends, we will be taking the mothers and children in a big yellow bus out to a nearby laguna for an afternoon of relaxation in the fresh countryside. I am excited to spend time with the mothers and children away from the smoke of Chureca, and I am especially interested to learn how to watch 50 or so children who have almost no swimming experience dive into a lake...this is going to be interesting. Thank goodness we'll have the old PDs here for lifeguard/play duty! From what I've heard, most will be too scared of the water to get too deep...but the fresh, cool water will be a wonder for all.

Milk Day, the past two days, has been very exciting as we are able to graduate 5 children from our program! This means that they will be moving to "level two" in which they slowly transition away from receiving the vitamins, milk, and oatmeal in order to see if they can maintain a healthy weight on their own. The mothers were excited to hear that their children have reached a healthy weight.

The following week is sure to be jam-packed as we have a visitor bringing clothing for a sale for the mothers as well as catered food to host a Christmas party! It's sure to be a "Feliz Navidad!"

Hooray for a year well-spent. Thank you again for your thoughtful donations that allow so many lives to be changed.

Best,

Child Sponsorship

November News

2009-11-19T08:19:00.001-06:00

Last week, we very very excited to have three volunteer consultants visit our clinic to analyze operations and ways to improve. Their presence allowed us to engage in stimulating conversation on the clinic, child sponsorship, and opportunities to strengthen the services the clinic offers to the community in La Chureca.

As far as team CS goes, we’ve had a few illnesses in the Manna House over the past few weeks, changing up how we’ve been doing our home visits. Thus, last week I visited families with Ian. It was great to have his perspective as we checked in with various community members. Ian, who is in charge of fundraising, normally has a very autonomous position within our team, allowing him to visit with various community partners while the rest of us home visit. He has formed strong relationships with many of the children through his visits to the local school, Esperanza, where he also visits with school leaders to coordinate aspects of our work with what is going on in the school. An unexpected highlight of walking around with Ian last week was the discovery of the birth of a litter of puppies at Mariana’s house. The new pups crawled playfully about as we visited with Mariana’s mother and her three younger sisters. One of our hopes for the future of the program is that we can begin to enter siblings of current children into our program; we believe that by targeting siblings of current participants, we can see substantial growth for families in La Chureca.

Yesterday, our weekly charla at 9am heralded some exciting announcements. For one, our next Milk Day will be the following week, Tuesday and Wednesday. We were excited by the fact that all of the mothers have had better attendance overall during the last month of charlas and will be able to benefit fully from the upcoming Milk Day. Also, I announced the upcoming “field trip” we will be taking the children on next week the day after Thanksgiving. With a Nicaragua Program Director reunion to take place over the holiday weekend, we will all be taking the families in our program to a nearby laguna to relax and play in the cool water. The charla yesterday concerned “Community Improvement” and “Hygiene” and was given by Esmerelda, the nurse, using posters from the Ministry of Education. She spoke upon house clean and hygiene as ways to prevent disease, and the mothers actively commented throughout the charla.

Stay tuned for more updates...and MILK DAY!

Best,

Child Sponsorship

Last Week - surprises!

2009-11-09T17:56:00.002-06:00

With half of the Manna House participating in community home-stays last week, I am just now posting the Chureca update. Last week was a week of surprises! For one, on Tuesday, we were surprised to arrive at the clinic and find all of our mothers there to receive a gift of food from a visiting organization. With the benefit of this centrality, we were able to stay near the clinic and use the morning as a chance to play with the children and get to know the families in a more casual setting than our weekly "official" house visits. The new phrase I learned in the week previous provided very useful: "Llevame en tuto" or "Carry me on your shoulders" was requested repeatedly. On Wednesday, our visiting doctors lead a charla on sexual health which all of the children's mothers participated in actively. The very professional and fluent doctors were able to engage the mother's interest while providing enlightening information. The final surprise occurred on Thursday morning. I was in my home-stay when I received a call from the Manna House telling me we'd have to cancel the home visits due to the impending hurricane about to hit Nicaragua. Although the brunt of the hurricane was to fall on the opposite side (East Coast) of Nicaragua, there was a severe storm warning for Managua. The roads in and around Chureca can become impassible during torrents of rain, and this unfortunately this lead us to abandon our usual visit. However, it is fortunate that everyone stayed safe, and Managua remained unharmed by the storms other than some rain. Now everyone is geared up to get back to work this week! Stay tuned for more updates.

October Milk Day

2009-10-28T19:52:00.001-06:00

Milk Day is a busy, happy, hot day. Today, Milk Day began directly after our charla. Lauren Page and Ian welcome the children and mothers into the measuring room where they take each child’s height and weight measurements. Next, Anina and I (Jan Margaret) meet with the mothers one-on-one to review the child’s growth or lack there of. We discuss everything from health of child and family to progress in school to the children’s interests. Today, we also asked mothers about their participation in the recycling and relocation program currently being planned by the Spanish government. Some mothers went to a meeting today with representatives from Spain who are making efforts to move families out of the Chureca neighborhood into new, clean homes nearby while employing them in a to-be-opened recycling plant. Talking with the mothers, I sometimes feel like a doctor or medical professional: I am asked about needed surgeries, birth control, doctor consultations, and other needs. Entrusted with their health needs, I am humbled what I can and can not do and continually try to point everyone in the right direction. Anina and I are also in charge of informing Mothers when they are in risk from bad charla attendance or when their children have grown to the point that they are ready to graduate. It is always exciting to get to know the mothers and children and to give them individualized attention. When the consultation with the families is over, we point them towards Amelia. She is in charge of doling out the appropriate milk, oatmeal, and vitamins for each child. Today, children were able to meet with visiting doctors from Portland, Oregon, who are here to check them up on general health and aid with specific needs as they see fit. Finally, Leah brought her camera to take pictures of the children. We hope to post these pictures on our website so that you can see your child’s growth!

Tuesday, Right Side

2009-10-27T19:29:00.000-06:00

Amelia and I were back to our routine of Tuesdays - Right Side, Thursdays - Left Side, and thus, we walked around the right side of the clinic today. We visited almost all of the 13 families living along our route, briefly checking in with some and staying longer at other houses, informing them of the upcoming Milk Day (tomorrow!) and inquiring about some of their sketchy attendance in recent charlas. Accountability in this area is necessary, and today we were surprised by some of the reasons the Mothers could not make it to the charlas during the past month: a necessary trip to get an identification card, etc.

Walking around today, I learned at least two new words: churequear, meaning to work in La Chureca, and the phrase “Llevame en tuto” - “Carry me on your shoulders!” One of the most entertaining (and dirty) parts of the family visits are getting to see some of the children who are out playing in the neighborhood. Often times, this can be an opportunity to get to know new families and potential children for our malnourishment program. Today, we met a delightful little boy living near some of the other children in our program. His bright smile and enthusiasm were traits I see often in the children living in La Chureca, and they are just one more reminder of what this place is, a neighborhood and a home, in addition to being a municipal dump. Walking around, it is surreal to see children playing in the dirt roads right next to a huge pile of trash. For them, it’s home. As a foreigner, it’s not recommended that I stay in La Chureca for more than four hours. FOUR hours. But for the dwellers of La Chureca, this is life. Visiting families, I get a glimpse into life in the La Chureca neighborhood. The harsh realities fade as I laugh with the mothers and toss their children into my arms, but they are never far away due to the sickness, the dirt, and the trash. We hope that by developing our program further, we can help provide for one of the most fundamental needs: the need for food and nutrition.

Tomorrow’s charla will highlight Dengue and H1N1. Stay tuned for more updates as Milk Day is this Wednesday and Thursday. Also, with visiting pediatricians in town, all of the children will be receiving check-ups from two very kind-hearted US doctors. For that, we are very thankful and excited.

October Update

2009-10-24T16:43:00.001-06:00

Greetings from the Child Sponsorship Team!

The month of October seems to have flown by! Already, we are approaching our October “Milk Day,” the two days at the end of every month in which we meet with mothers and children for health consultations and allocate the next month’s worth of milk, oatmeal, and vitamins. Each and every Milk Day is interesting, as we are allowed the time to meet with families one-on-one in order to learn about their health situations, progress in school, and general well-being.

Another interesting day for our team, Wednesday is when we hold our weekly health charla - health talk. Every Wednesday mothers of children in our program are required to attend these charlas in order to learn better health practices and then help spread the health education they receive to their families and friends. Charlas are provided by the nurse Esmerelda, ministers of the Health Department, or visiting teams. Last month, topics included gynecological health, infections, and a general well-being charla given by visiting nurses with Austin Samaritans, a partner organization who help to fund the Clinic Casa Base de Salud. The gynecological charla was given in preparation for the week in which the nurses and health professionals came with Austin Samaritans to offer free pap smears to all interested mothers. All in all, about 13 mothers received these needed services.

Our normal routine consists of visiting families bi-weekly in groups of two. Amelia and Jan Margaret take one route on Tuesday, with Lauren Page and Anina visiting the other side of Chureca. On Thursday, we switch sides and visit the remaining mothers. Talking with the mothers every week, we are developing closer relationships with the families and primary caregiver of every child in our program. This has proved helpful as we seek to treat our children’s health needs; we encourage the mothers to bring their health concerns to the local clinic and follow up with Esmerelda. We hope that by getting to know the mothers, we can encourage them and improve our services in La Chureca as we better ascertain their nutritional needs.

For the upcoming month, I will be updating the blog weekly with stories from our visits in hopes that each of you can get better insight into the situation in La Chureca and the families in our program.

Until then, dale pues hombre!

Child Sponsorship

Butterflies

2009-10-23T16:20:00.000-06:00

Three days a week, I walk into La Chureca to visit the families involved in Manna’s Child Sponsorship. Two days a week, I trample the trash, hold my breath through the smoke, and sweat under the sun that is endured by Churecans day in and day out. Two days a week, I pass children carrying loads of trash on their backs to be recycled. I greet mothers suffering from ever-present illness. I avoid mangy farm animals who look more like walking nightmares than pets or food. I see people dwelling in a veritable hell on earth.

Seven days a week, I hope for a way out. I coordinate efforts with the Child Sponsorship team to enact new measures to increase the efficiency of our program. I look for new sponsors. I dream for a better life for the children who know of nothing more than life in Chureca.

Every week I visit a family with precious little girls who have captured my heart with their funny haircuts, sweet little pipsqueak voices, and increasing desire to play and be held. They live on the border where the neighborhood merges into the dump, and the view from their front gate is trash, smoke, and the occasional flea-bitten mongrel. But one day, as I held one of the tiny girls in my arms, she looked out over her shoulder, pointed to the trash, and said “¡Hay flores!” There are flowers. Look! Flowers! Do you see them? We’ve got lots of flowers, and animals too! She showed me the beauty she finds in her life, the only life she’s got. Where I saw heaps of trash and green plants growing in puddles of sludge, she saw beautiful flowers. She then ran down to a row of weeds growing along the wall of a nearby home, and pointed out more “flowers.” Her joy was contagious, but as I picked her back up, acknowledging the beauty of the flowers, I fought back quickly forming tears. The injustice of what some children have or do not have is a heartbreaking reality I must face every week.

If she can find beauty in La Chureca, I can too. I find beauty in the people who work to provide for their children and in the mothers who consistently attend health charlas (talks) to learn better health practices. I am encouraged by the mother who makes her child change clothes three times a day to keep clean. I am impressed with mothers I see sweeping the entrance to their homes, cleaning in spite of the fact they live in close proximity to a dump (or perhaps cleaning because of said proximity). Not all are like that here, perhaps not all can be, but the ones who fight for themselves always encourage me.

Walking into La Chureca, I notice every day the bright yellow butterflies which twirl about. They are not ashamed of the smoke, the dirt, the trash. They remain a constant reminder of the life that lives here and of the reason Child Sponsorship is so important. The value and dignity of human life necessitates the meeting of basic needs. Through CS, these children are provided a means to better health, quality of life, and increased opportunity for a successful way out of the desperate existence which surrounds them.

Yours,

Jan Margaret

A Letter From Our Team

2009-09-28T10:31:00.002-06:00

Where We Work

In Managua, Nicaragua, capital of the second-poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, there is a place so destitute that it stands out against the surrounding poverty.

Life inside Managua’s city dump, known as “La Chureca,” reserves a particularly foul brand of injustice for the children that are born within its confines, living among the trash and smoke. They can be found barefoot, muddy, and often half or completely naked playing in the waste-laden pathways that snake through their tarp and scrap metal homes. Living conditions result in high rates of parasite infection, skin and respiratory disease, anemia, and lead poisoning. Understandably, many children in La Chureca also suffer from varying degrees of malnutrition.

What We Do

Manna Project International’s Child Sponsorship Program targets severely malnourished children in their most critical stages of development. By providing vitamins, milk, and oatmeal for each child, we are able to reverse the harsh sentence of malnutrition. Our children also receive regular consults with a pediatrician, as well as any blood work and medication necessary for treatment of illness.

MPI partners with Nicaraguan-run community clinic Casa Base de Salud to host weekly health classes to which a guardian of our sponsored children is accountable. Growth charts and weekly visits with mothers allow us to determine when a child is able to maintain an acceptable nutrition level, at which point the child is graduated from our program.

Sponsoring A Child

The Child Sponsorship Program is currently at capacity, but the unyielding conditions of La Chureca constantly bring new cases of malnutrition to our attention. 20 dollars a month allows Manna Project to provide nourishment to a child that would otherwise go without. As our volunteers and Program Directors raise their own funds, every dollar given to Child Sponsorship goes directly to feeding your sponsored child.

To sponsor a child, or for more information, visit Child Sponsorship online at http://www.mannaproject.org/nicaragua-child or e-mail us at childsponsorship@mannaproject.org. For more information on Manna Project International (MPI) visit www.mannaproject.org.

Thank you for taking the time to consider sponsoring a child.

Our sincerest regards,

The Child Sponsorship Team

Chureca Gets A Play Day

2009-09-08T23:17:00.001-06:00

The following is an excerpt from our official MPI blog, www.talesofsudorandamor.com, written by PD and CS team member Ian Rountree.

Child Sponsorship's quarterly field trip gave the children and mothers in our nutrition and health education program an afternoon's rest from life in Chureca. It took two buses to get everyone from Chureca to El Salero, or "The Land" in Manna jargon, and back, but it was well worth the trip for everyone. The sponsored kids received lunch and each his or her own children's book, but most importantly rare time to play in clean air and open spaces. Kathy and Halle August's sports complex was the perfect venue. The new Program Directors were particularly thankful that we had time to get to know both the children and mothers in the Child Sponsorship Program, but above all it was a day full of joy. Enabling a child to run, laugh, and play brings joy in a portion that is rarely matched. Here we share some snapshots of Chureca's play day.

Lauren Page "LP" Black attempts to help Maria Antonia simultaneously tackle her fear of swings and cameras.

Andrew Hemby, more commonly referred to as "Andrés" or just "Hemby," being kept from his Gallo Pinto by Heysel and Josué Daniel. Heysel helped us hand out cookies!

Jose Manuel, rarely separated from his faithful backpack, braves the tire swing on his own.

In addition to his undying love for Spiderman, or Hombre Araña,Josué Daniel always brings a laugh when he insists on introducing himself by his full name, Josué Daniel Chávez Ortega.

Hemby gives Jefrey a boost toward the basket.

The children of Chureca are a sincere lesson in the resilience of a child's joy. I suspect that we, the new Program Directors, may find that Manna's sponsored children and students have more to teach us than we ever suspected.

- Ian

Breaking the Ice...

2009-08-29T22:04:00.003-06:00

Pictured left to right: Anina Hewey, Lauren Page Black, Ian Rountree, Amelia Graves, Jan Margaret Rogers

Greetings Sponsors, Family, and Friends,

I am pleased to introduce you to the Child Sponsorship team for 2009-2010. This year, our program is led by Amelia Graves, Anina Hewey, Ian Rountree, Jan Margaret Rogers, and Lauren Page Black.

Amelia Graves is a native of Vero Beach, Florida and a graduate of the University of Florida where she studied history with a specialization in Latin America. While studying abroad in Nicaragua she researched the roles of NGOs in Latin America and sustainable development. After college, she taught English in Bangkok, Thailand and worked to develop an English curriculum for New Hope Community Center in Siem Reap, Cambodia. As part of the CS team, Amelia oversees the website, CS photography, and birthday bags. She is currently continuing her education at UF as she pursues a Master’s Degree in Public Health. amelia.graves@mannaproject.org

Anina Hewey, a Barnard College alum, majored in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. During her Junior year she studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador. While there she attended a local university and volunteered in an orphanage. She also performed independent research on child labor in Quito, focusing upon evaluating the interactions between NGOs and working children in the city. With Child Sponsorship, Anina organizes the monthly Milk Day and serves as the primary contact person with the clinic Casa Base de Salud. anina.hewey@mannaproject.org

Ian Rountree graduated from Vanderbilt University this past May with a major in Political Science. While at Vanderbilt, he was the events coordinator for Students Taking Action Now Darfur (STAND), an anti-genocide coalition. With STAND in Nashville he was able to reach out to local Sudanese, Somalian, and Kurd refugee populations. Ian studied abroad in London and traveled throughout China. This past summer he completed an internship in Nashville with MAC Presents. He joins our team as the fundraising director. ian.rountree@mannaproject.org

Jan Margaret Rogers majored in Human and Organizational Development at Vanderbilt University. However, her minors in Spanish and Religious Studies became the driving force for her decision to work in Nicaragua. During college she studied abroad in Madrid, Spain and worked as a staff volunteer for the NGO Los Embajadores in Tijuana, Mexico. Jan Margaret interned with the Juvenile Division of the Nashville Metro Public Defender’s office. This year she is in charge of updating the blog, planning CS field trips, and maintaining charla attendance. In August 2010 she will return to the States to begin her Juris Doctorate. jan.margaret.rogers@mannaproject.org

Lauren Page Black studied Neuroscience and Chemistry at Vanderbilt University and will be attending Medical School in the fall of 2010. At Vanderbilt, she served various leadership positions including President of VUcept and Panhellenic Vice-President for Kappa Alpha Theta. She studied the integration of Eastern and Western Medicine in China and Tibet. The summer before her senior year, Lauren Page worked in a clinic in Kampala, Uganda with HIV+ mothers. This experience was her impetus to defer Medical School for the year to work in Managua with Manna Project. On the CS team, Lauren Page directs sponsor relations and maintains height and weight charts. lauren.page.black@mannaproject.org

In addition to our specific responsibilities, we visit our children every week to ascertain the conditions of the home and family as well as the allocation of the milk, oatmeal, and vitamin supplements. To promote good health, we host weekly charlas (health talks) at the clinic every Wednesday for the guardian of the child. Past charla themes concerned health issues most pertinent to the children and families of La Chureca, including topics such as the flu, diarrhea, intra-family violence, personal hygiene, mental health, and depression. The children in our program receive milk, oatmeal, and vitamins every month on “Milk Day,” the very special time when we track their height and weight and meet for one-on-one consultations. Our hope is that through these efforts we will continue to make progress in eradicating childhood malnutrition in La Chureca.

Feel free to contact any of us to learn more about what we do with Child Sponsorship and Manna Project. If you have any questions or would be interested in sponsoring a child, please email childsponsorship@mannaproject.org. Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to a great and productive year.

Best wishes,

Jan Margaret and the CS team

2009-06-22T11:14:00.004-06:00

Managua is a bustling city. On one street you may find paved roads, street lights, stores, and international hotel chains. One block in any other direction is an entirely different story. Nicaragua's socioeconomic status can hardly be described in gradations but rather in polar opposites. There appears to be very little middle class as we might describe it in the states. Instead, the upper class is composed of foreign investors and other immigrants to the country and the Nicaraguan elite who have family legacies of impressive and excessive wealth. On the other side of the spectrum are people who live in cardboard and scrap metal homes, some only surviving on $1 a day.

In a corner of the city is the Managua City dump. Donned the name 'La Chureca' from the Spanish verb 'to scavenge,' La Chureca is home to some 1,000 families. Each day (except Sunday) about 200 trash trucks pour into the dump. Piles upon piles of trash surround these people. Men, women, and children have been born here, raise families here, and will die here. It is their home.

Poverty is a simple word to describe this place. Imagine their situation for one moment: malnourished and naked children run through streets of dirt and trash, while their fathers are off separating and sifting through the trash in search of recyclables (plastics and especially scrap metal) to be sold, and mothers care for and make homes for their family out of the rubble that they can find. In order to make money, people can take the recyclables to be sold outside of the dump. The men are the first to jump on the back of the truck on its drive in, to call dibs on the trash as women climb into the cab of the truck on the way out to prostitute themselves off and make a buck. This is a hellish place to make one's home. Literarly, fires can be found every few yards as the Nicaraguan heat causes the trash to spontaneously combust.

Could you live here? Could you even imagine human beings living amongst the disgusting trash, animal carcassas, and voltures? Would mankind ever deserve such torture?

One could visit La Chureca again and again, but the sight would still always hit hard. The shock and disgust may subside, however, the pain remains.

Despite it all there is some hope.

Within La Chureca, there are 2 schools, a few feeding programs, and a clinic. In fact, the clinic is in need of help right now to get through the year running at full capacity. They need $4,000 a month and could use all the help they can get. See this short video on the Manna Project website for more information.

Each of these three facilities serve the community of La Chureca through education, nourishment, and health...all crucial aspects of surviving the difficult reality in which these people live.

For the coming month, I hope to return to La Chureca each week to help with an English class and aid in Child Sponsorship which includes keeping in touch with families of malnourished children who have entered a program to get milk, oatmeal, and vitamens to bring them back to a more nourished state.

Written by Cassandra Maximous - Summer volunteer (June session)

First Impressions

2009-06-19T11:31:00.003-06:00

I didn't understand what Vilma was saying, although it was obvious she was complaining about a lack of participation from the other women in whatever task it was that she had completed, not unlike my own mom chastising my dad for never attending PTA meetings. As we kept walking Christina explained that it was about a clean-up of their section of the neighborhood, mandated by the clinic's nurse, for which some of the other moms had not shown up. Although I had heard Vilma say the word "limpiar," I couldn't quite believe that the view I was seeing of this part of Chureca was post- cleaning. Her little daughter Gabriela emerged from beneath the piles of dirty plastic water bottles and other scraps, eager to be tickled and held by another volunteer and myself, even though we had only just met and it was our first time visiting homes here with Child Sponsorship. Since I arrived in Nicaragua I've learned that the word here for "to hold" is "chinear." It always makes me think of a chin, and holding a child right up to your face to be as close to them as possible.
We kept on walking through the mud, dust and trash. Christina seemed to know everyone: teenage moms with more kids on the way, husbands who spend all day digging through the burning piles of trash, one enterprising woman starting her own tortilla-making business inside the dump (she sold out of all 800 yesterday!) and little children falling in the mud and running naked (better than wet clothes now that the rainy season is beginning). But Christina's familiarity with this place sent me into an emotional spiral. I am saddened, disgusted and scared knowing that real people live like this because this was the lot dealt them. At the same time, there is so much life here: businesses starting, children going to school, and even organizations founded by Nicaraguans from the dump themselves to provide safe places for kids to learn and play. I'm not sure yet what my role in La Chureca will be for the month I am here, except that there will certainly be lots of "chineando."

-Written by Emily Batt, summer volunteer (June session)

2009-06-10T09:01:00.002-06:00

I had seen videos of La Chureca and heard stories from those who had been there, but I realized that I did not have even the slightest understanding of it until I had smelt the smells, stepped on the trash, and spoke to the people who call it home. La Chureca is by no means a place that anyone should ever have to call home, and although my heart ached for those people before I had ever met them, it now bleeds. After holding Esteven (my sponsored child) and seeing his tiny body, as well as talking with his sweet mother, I wish I could have just lifted them out of their environment forever. It is a hard concept for me grapple with that such wonderful people must live their lives surrounded by conditions not suitable for animals. I am not able to take them out of Chureca, but I am able to make some of their burdens a little light through my support young Esteven and his family with a simple 20 dollars a month, money that my life will remain the same without, but will greatly enhance Esteven's life. The smiles, tears, faces, and warm hearts of the Churecans are forever engraved on my heart, and I feel honored to have met them.

-written by Morgan Davis, summer volunteer (May session)

2009-06-09T11:55:00.002-06:00

May has proved to be another wonderful month in Nicaragua. The temperatures are very hot but the beginning of the rainy season brings welcomed afternoon storms. However, the welcomed rain also brings a fear of flooding and sickness for the people in La Chureca.

One special event to report from my time here is that we had the pleasure of celebrating Mother’s Day with the women and children in La Chureca. Mother’s Day is one of the largest holidays in Nicaragua, and it was a joy to be a part of it with the families in our Child Sponsorship program. We invited them to join us for a day trip to the lake where the women and children enjoyed swimming, bag lunches, and a day off from life in La Chureca. We also had the opportunity to throw a Mother’s Day party for the women in our program. The piñata was a success, as always here in Nicaragua, and the women and children were given individual gifts such as shoes, jewelry, school supplies, and kitchen supplies as well.

Milk day was also an incredible success this month. Every child in our program was given milk, oatmeal, and vitamins to fit their specific needs. It was such a joy to see the gratitude on the smiling faces of the mothers and children in our program. Because of our wonderful sponsors and other people like them, over 60 children in the community of La Chureca receive basic needs: schooling, confidence, and so much more. Thanks to all our sponsors for allowing us to experience the joy of milk day every month!

We also are pleased to announce that we have entered 3 new children into the program and are in the process of entering more. It is always great to meet new children and families and open our hearts to them as we have done with so many during our time in La Chureca.

-Written by Sarah Lynn McKinney, summer volunteer (May session)

Milk Day Memories

2009-03-01T12:29:00.002-06:00

One of our roles in the child sponsorship program in La Chureca is to distribute oatmeal, milk, and vitamins to all the kids in our program on the last Wednesday and Thursday of every month. We call it “milk day” and it is a really fun couple of days where we get to spend at least some time with every kid in our program. I am usually responsible for weighing and measuring the kids and then passing them on to a consult with one of the other volunteers who then evaluate their growth.

Although most milk days are the same, this week’s was a little different. This week we had the honor of graduating 9 kids from our program. What their graduation signifies is that they are no longer malnourished and have reached a weight that is healthy for someone of their height and general age. It was so fulfilling to see these healthy children grinning ear to ear as they received their certificates of completion, a few prizes and a bag of oranges.

The biggest blessing came a little later in the morning though. Tressa and I walked up to the houses of the three children that were not at graduation to deliver their certificates and prizes. The first was a young girl named Arelys whose mother accepted the gifts and thanked us before we walked away. The other home we visited was a mother of twin boys who are both vibrant, healthy young men with radiant smiles and some of the best manners I have seen. She invited us into her yard as we explained that her sons were graduating and gave her the things they had earned. She handed the stuff to her sons who stood before us smiling with the pride that comes from completing a task. She then began to pour out her graciousness upon us for all that we have done to help her family. She explained to us that our program was an answered prayer in her life and the lives of her sons. She prayed specifically that they would have enough food to eat and being in our program fulfilled that need. I was fighting back tears as she told us these things just thinking of how much I was blessed to be standing right where I was in that moment. The beauty of her love for her sons shined through even the darkest of circumstances and made me believe that all things are possible. She expressed her gratefulness to us but more than that I am grateful to her for showing me what life means. I will never forget that conversation with her.

We want to express our continued appreciation to all of you, our sponsors, who make these stories possible with your giving. You are physically changing lives in La Chureca and I am so grateful to witness it firsthand.

Returning to Chureca

2009-02-27T08:31:00.003-06:00

Since returning to Chureca from Christmas break six weeks ago, there have been many changes and updates in our program and in the lives of the families we've grown to know and love. Two of our mothers have recently given birth: Jose Manuel's mother to a beautiful baby boy named Kevin, and Evert's mother to a tiny, two-week old boy who still doesn't have a name! Mildeana's mother and Esteban's mother are both in their second trimester of pregnancy. Jose Antonio Chaverria and his mother recently moved out of Chureca to southwestern Nicaragua; we are overjoyed they have moved out of such a toxic, dangerous environment, but are definitely missing the beautiful smile and presence of his mother and cute-as-a-button Jose Antonio.

Today and yesterday were the February Milk Days which I'm responsible for coordinating; my event planning skills are put to the test for the monthly distribution of milk, vitamins and oatmeal to the 50 kids we sponsor! It's been a fun process to learn how to order and buy all of the necessary food items. Ordering the vitamins and milk via phone puts my Spanish to the test and makes for some funny conversations as I'm shouting quantities of milk into the phone, trying desperately to be understood by the man on the other end. This month Milk Day went off without a hitch, and included a fun new element: the graduation of nine kids from the program who had reached and maintained a healthy weight, and who were ready to be promoted! On top of their oatmeal and vitamins, each graduating child received an official certificate to mark their achievement, a bag of oranges, a toy, and a personal hygiene kit from our donations stash.

Graduating these nine leaves even more spaces to be filled by needy, malnourished children, of which there seems to be an endless supply. We've recently been revamping the process for entering and exiting kids; we've had some communication issues with the Ministry of Health, MINSA, who was previously in charge of this process. MINSA's lack of responsibility to our program has forced us to take action to side-step them in this process in order to expedite entering new children in the program. The health clinic recently hired a pediatrician who will work in conjunction with Esmo (the head honcho nurse at the clinic and our main contact) to evaluate kids and fill the spaces quickly!

On a less joyful note, our kids' incessant health woes have kept us rather busy. Most of our sponsored children (and adults at that) are severely affected by the ever increasing amounts of smoke in Chureca. Two girls, Ana Yuri and Lisbeth, have hernias that are not only causing them pain but need to be operated on ASAP. We're working on getting them appointments to have these conditions resolved; more word later on how these situations turn out!

-Christina

Christmas Party!

2008-12-09T23:29:00.001-06:00

As we gathered with the mothers and children of our Child Sponsorship Program, there was palpable excitement in the air. When they entered the courtyard of La Esperanza, an elementary school located within the boundaries of La Chureca, the Managua city dump, the kids' eyes lit up when the saw the party we had set up for them. Our Christmas party is an annual celebration, made all the more special this year but the addition of Hilda Bleiwiess, the founder of Mi Casa Charities.

Months earlier Hilda had contacted Manna Project International in the hopes of partnering with us as we both worked to better the lives of the children and families of La Chureca. The dump can be a difficult place to work, and we were encouraged to hear from a total stranger who had also fallen in love with “our” kids, so much so that she had recruited many of her friends and family members to the cause, collecting both monetary and clothing donations to bring to Nicaragua.

We are incredibly grateful not only for this outpouring of support and generosity, but also for the eagerness of Hilda to work with other organizations that have a presence in Chureca in order to maximize our effectiveness and strengthen our combined efforts. My coworkers and I collected boxes and boxes of medication (to be distributed by Casa Base, La Chureca's health clinic) and clothing that Mi Casa Charities had sent. We also we fortunate that the families in our program were the recipients of a delicious catered lunch courtesy of Hilda and her donors.

With the help of a local restaurant, we served an early Christmas meal of rice, bread, chicken, snacks, and sodas to over 100 people. After all of the families in our program had been served (and even had seconds!) we opened up the doors of the school to some other local children in need of a good meal and kept passing out plates of food until there was none left. The seemingly simple meal was a wonderful gift to families who all too often can barely afford to put the Nicaraguan staples of rice and beans on their tables.

I can personally attest to the gratitude these families felt for the generosity shown to them by strangers thousands of miles away. Their smiles and quiet expressions of thanks were heartwarming. It is was a privilege for me to witness and be a part of this event that would not have been possible without the contributions of so many people who, in spite of difficult economic times, were moved to give this holiday season.

We look forward to continuing our partnership with Hilda and Mi Casa Charities for many years to come and we're hopeful that through our work and that of so many others La Chureca will begin to see the change it so desperately needs.

Mary Rose Conroy

Whether to wear rainboots, or weather not...

2008-10-27T21:21:00.003-06:00

As the end of the rainy season comes about, a breath of fresh air is coming over the Child Sponsorship program. This past month has had it's share of problems, but joys continue to prove themselves stronger.

October is a the rainiest month of the year in Nicaragua, which means flooding and mud and often an increase in sickness. We have been busy reminding mothers of the suggestions the Ministry of Health gives them in order to keep a healthy household, as well as advising them to go to health clinic when the children are sick. The health clinic has certainly seen an increase in patients this past month; and though it may seem disheartening, it is encouraging to see the confidence the community has in it.

One of the more tragic events of the past month has been the flooding of houses in Chureca, including six families in our program. Christina Colopy account describes the scene well:

"I thought that if you lived in Chureca, things couldn’t get much worse. Well, I was wrong, way wrong. Towards the end of last week, rainy season hit Nicaragua full force- there was so much rain we had to cancel our programs for 2 days! You can only imagine what all that rain would do to a place such as Chureca. As we found out this morning, a number of the families in our sponsorship program were forced out of their homes due to the flooding of a nearby lagoon. This morning as we walked around visiting the moms and children, we surveyed the damage and I was in shock at the sight of one particular home. We rounded a corner and where this young mother’s house used to stand, there was only a metal bed frame in 2 feet of water. No roof. No walls. No other furniture or things. They were able to get some of their belongings out of the home and salvage “algunas cosas”, but right now their circumstances are truly dire. This mom was additionally upset because she lost all of her notes and school supplies for the classes she’s attending. Talk about an excuse to not have studied for your upcoming test.

Currently Colegio Esperanza, the school in Chureca where 350 students attend, is closed because it is serving as an emergency shelter for 16 families whose homes were destroyed or completely ruined by the flooding. Therefore, the normally semi-quiet streets were busier than normal with all of the children running around enjoying their vacation day from school! We passed by a group of young boys who had built one of the best tree forts I’ve ever seen. It was precariously perched about 20 feet above ground on top of a tree and made of scrap metal, cardboard etc. The best part were homemade signs the boys proudly showed us: one said “no se permiten mujeres, solamente varones!” (girls not allowed, only boys!) with a picture of a girl with a huge X through it. Hilarious. I was pleased to see that the cootie disease that afflicted me as a child was also rampant on this side of the world.

Tomorrow when we go to Chureca for the weekly charla put on by the Ministry of Health, Mose, Maddie, Tressa and myself will become pack mules for the trek in: we are bringing clothing donations for the families in our program who have been worst affected, as well as food for the previously mentioned family whose home is now gone. In a way I feel helpless and heartbroken for these families, but we WILL find a way to help them. How, you may ask? I’m still working on that, hit me back with any ideas…"

The next day we each had a backpack full of clothing for children and some for the moms and families of those most affected. We brought some rice and beans and oatmeal as supplemental food, as some of the families were not receiving food at the school because they were worried about guarding their homes (or what was left of them) from thieves. The mothers were very appreciative, but it still felt like there was more we could do for them. However, one of our policies requires that we not gift people in the communities in which we work; if we were to give more to these mothers and not to others who also live in poverty it could lead to a loss of respect and confidence in the community.

On a more humorous note, the rain has forced us to use rain boots for our walk into Chureca. A group of Gringos with multi-colored rain boots and grubby clothes walking into Chureca with an odd assortment of bags and sunglasses is endless entertainment to the people who live in the area, especially when it is a sunny day. It is even better for them when we run out of Chureca in rainstorms - as most of us have forgotten to bring rain jackets or umbrellas. We are usually soaking wet as we load into the white microbus, and often laughing at our forgetfulness.

In addition to the changes brought about by the rains, the Spanish initiative for Chureca is beginning to take shape. Last week Spanish representatives came to the Wednesday charla (health talk) to announce their plans for Chureca and those who live in it. There were varied reactions and opinions within the audience of mothers and other residents of Chureca, but overall the representatives were very informative and diplomatic. For more information on the Spanish Initiative for Chureca, please view the following links:

Details about the Spanish project are towards the bottom of this article:
http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/nacionales/10931
This has a few more details but is also from a while ago, January 2008:
http://www.radiolaprimerisima.com/noticias/general/23965
This is blog-like entry but has some good info about Chureca in general:
http://www.nicaliving.com/node/11816
The 4th and 5th paragraphs mention the Spanish plan and its political implications:
http://www.macleans.ca/world/global/article.jsp?content=20080611_41093_41093
Informative overview of Chureca and the project as well.
http://www.envio.org.ni/articulo/3749

This week also brings about another milk day. This month we are doing something special for the mothers - we have reserved a hairdresser/manicurist to treat the mothers to a "day of beauty and rest." We are taking the mothers and their children to Chiquilistagua to the August's land "El Salero", where we will be providing child care for a couple hours to give the mothers a rest and the children a healthy and safe place to play. (http://www.charityadvantage.com/Manna_Project_InternationaDBVFBW/NicaPartners.asp) I hope to have pictures of the event up this coming weekend, please view the link to the right side of the screen.

Thank you again to all of you who help to support our program. We are still looking for more sponsors for the children, as we hope to add ten more children to the program before the end of the calender year. If you do not want to support a specific child, but wish to help our organization, feel free to contact us (childsponsor@mannaproject.org) or designate money for the Child Sponsorship program via our website: (http://www.charityadvantage.com/Manna_Project_InternationaDBVFBW/DonateNow.asp) Thanks again! Until next time...

Milk Day September

2008-10-06T16:18:00.001-06:00

Sorry for the delay... this was written on September 25 by Christina Colopy, and I only just located it today. tmh

Today and yesterday saw the voyage of tired yet excited gringos bearing gifts for the children of Chureca in the form of milk, oatmeal, vitamins, and many strong hugs. We just completed our monthly Child Sponsorship ‘Milk Day’ in Chureca which I’m in charge of coordinating. Needless the say, the week leading up to the milk day is quite hectic. I order the milk on the phone (which in Spanish is sometimes quite tricky) and it is then delivered to our house by my new friend Lino. I order the vitamins from a local pharmacy which we pick up when we go grocery shopping, and we buy about 50 one pound bags of oatmeal from our wholesale grocery store. I get rather strange looks pushing around a huge grocery cart overflowing with oatmeal, maybe I just like my grains okay? I’ve become quite proficient in Microsoft Excel with all of the charts, lists and forms I’ve had to organize to make sure milk day goes smoothly!

Our troops arrive to the Chureca clinic at 9am sharp; our tank-like vehicle, the Patrol, is driven through the front entrance (which we hardly ever frequent) laden with the milk day goodies. The rest of the group walks in through the back entrance like normal and we unload everything into the clinic. Arlen, a little girl in the program, insisted on helping me carry in the bags of oatmeal. Her little frame could barely hold one bag while we carry 5 or 6, but seeing her willingness to help was so heart warming! The moms were in their weekly health talk put on by the ministry of health, and as we waited in the front of the clinic, we laughed and played with a few of the precious children running around with their dirt smeared bodies and ragged clothes. Heysell loved drawing on our legs and hands with a pen, while Arelys enjoyed taking pictures with my camera. I divvied up the duties for the day: a photo taker, someone who hands out the milk, a height/weight measurer , one person who records these measurements, and one ‘messenger’ who takes the mother and child to one of two consult rooms where Nikki, Mose and myself review the child’s health and growth with the mother based on their weight and height progression over the past few months. Most kids are plagued by chronic sickness and a weight gain of even half a pound is a celebrated victory! I make sure the children are eating their milk, vitamins and oatmeal, and that if they’ve been sick or had diarrhea the past month, that they’ve seen a doctor at the clinic. Today a few children I saw currently aren’t enrolled in school which is a big no-no! I tried to encourage the moms to enroll their kids as soon as possible, we’ll see if they start going or not.

Walking through the clinic, tracking mud from my boots across the white tiled floor, I was so encouraged as I glanced around and realized I knew all of the women and children filing through. We’ve been working so hard to learn their names, where they live, and their stories, and it seems to be paying off little by little. The women confide in us and trust us a little more each time we love and care for their beautiful children.

I love milk days.

New Beginnings, High Expectations

2008-09-10T19:45:00.002-06:00

First of all, I want to apologize for the lack of new posts. Since July, Manna Project has been transitioning from last year's Program Directors to the new ones of 2008-2009. This being said, everyone, including myself, has been very busy feeling out our programs. However, that being said, now we are set in and rolling along smoothly (more or less) in our programs.
This coming year there will be four of us running the Child Sponsorship program in La Chureca. Mary Rose Conroy, Christina Colopy, Maddie Jalandoni, and myself (Tressa Hoekstra) are the new directors of the program. As there are four of us, we want to expand the program from 45 children to 60+ because of the need we see in the community. We have all fallen in love with the children and the families that we serve in the community, and are excited to expand opportunities for more children and their parents.
Since we have been here there have been a few exciting updates: one of the children has received glasses to help fix a problem he has had since birth, we are lining up a surgery for a child with a hernia, for the last two weeks we have been assisting the staff to give vaccinations to all the children in our program and their siblings, and have seen countless smiles from all of the children. We seem to be gaining the trust of the families very quickly, and we would like to thank the past staff (Erin and Marcela) for all they did to help us transition smoothly.
Coming into Chureca was very strange for me at first; all I could see was the devastation, dirt, and sadness. Though I continue to see these things (La Chureca is not a place conducive to living healthily), I have also begun to see life in it - the joy of learning and the excitement of the children when they tell me the new things they are learning in school, the anticipation as they wait for their milk, oatmeal, and vitamins, and the enthusiasm as some show me their responsibilities at home (including feeding the pigs). Already I have learned so much in just the two months I have been here. Chureca is now my office, the mothers my friends, the children my joys and the reason I return day after day.

I'm excited for the year to come, and to keep everyone updated on what is going on in our program. Please email me if you have any questions or comments or anything interesting (tressa.hoekstra@mannaproject.org)!

2008-07-07T09:29:00.001-06:00

Part of the reason I chose to spend a month of my summer with Manna Project was the opportunity I would have to work with the community of La Chureca. This is my fourth time in Nicaragua, but on all of my past trips I have only had one day each time to spend in the dump. It’s a hard feeling to explain, but from the first time I stepped foot in this bittersweet place I knew I wanted to come back as often as possible.

Working with the Child Sponsorship Program in La Chureca has definitely been the highlight of my experience with Manna Project. In the States we always see commercials on television about donating a small sum of money each month to help sponsor a child, but people usually don’t feel enough of a connection to pick up the phone and make a commitment. It has been incredible to see firsthand how $18 a month is not only helping these children to physically survive, but the sponsorship program goes much beyond that. Last week I got to experience a “milk day” which is when all the children come in, get weighed and measured, have a consultation, and then if everything is good and their mom has attended the health talks then they are given oatmeal, vitamins, and milk for the next month. The money that these child sponsors give covers all of those food items, but Erin and Marcela also add so much more. They care about each child individually. Over the past year they have developed relationships with the families of each child in the program. They want to see that the child is not only looking healthier, but they also check weekly that the moms are feeding the children correctly, and they encourage the children not to work in the trash like the majority of people, but to get an education at Esperanza (the school of hope in the dump). The love they show to these children is what makes this program a success.

Even though I have only had one month to see all that the Child Sponsorship Program has to offer, it has greatly impacted me. It is so great to know that as each year passes this program will continue to grow and change, to not only benefit these children, but so that each child will have a chance to go out and make a difference in their community of La Chureca.

-- By Christa Samaha, Summer Volunteer

My Experience in La Chureca

2008-06-15T17:35:00.002-06:00

Written by Summer Volunteer Heather Lillemoe

Throughout the past month as a summer volunteer for Manna Project in Nicaragua, I got to spend a great deal of time in La Chureca. However, on my last day there I remember feeling a lot different than I did on my first day. When my group of volunteers toured La Chureca and saw it for the first time, I felt helpless and overwhelmed with sadness. I remember Dane telling us as he led us around that we should look at La Chureca as a community, because that’s what it is and we can’t just look at it and try to figure out how to change it. I tend to be one of those people who sees a problem and wants to solve it, but I instead took Dane’s advice and accepted the situation. I think hearing those words early on was very helpful to me because from that point on I looked closely at the community that is La Chureca. During my month in Nicaragua, I chose to spend 2 to 3 days every week in La Chureca. Once a week I would go on house visits with Marcela or Erin to check on the children in the child sponsorship program and ensure that the mothers had the appropriate amounts of vitamins and milk. On the other days of the week I experienced a Milk Day, a women’s health talk (along with a crazy fiesta for international children’s week!), and I helped out in Juntos Contigo. Through all of these different activities I got to know certain kids and individuals in La Chureca.

In a way, I felt that I had the opportunity to enter into these people’s lives for a little while and forget the world that I’m used to. On days that I went on house visits I was welcomed into different homes of different families in La Chureca. Erin or Marcela would chat with the mothers and check on their milk and vitamins, very frequently having to ask why the children weren’t in school. Some days were good days and some were more frustrating. I remember visiting the school in La Chureca and having the children run up to me with so much excitement and energy. It felt so good to see all of the kids happy and giving me hugs. I realized that even though many of these kids lived in these terrible conditions, they almost always had smiles on their faces.

On my last day in La Chureca, the women in our English class greeted us politely when we arrived. I got to meet some new families and said hello to some of the families I knew. I saw a rare smile from an always-sad Ángel, I listened to a father bickering about another community member, I watched a group of kids playing soccer, and I got a great picture with a bunch of community members and some of the other volunteers. I really felt like I had become a part of something after this month in La Chureca. I went from feeling worried and angry about this place to feeling like I was a part of it. Although I couldn’t get rid of all of the trash or give all of the families clean homes or even shoes to wear, I know I did make a difference. From saying “adios” in passing, to getting high fives from my favorite kids on various occasions, to the abundance of hugs in Colegio Esperanza, I finally realized as I walked out of La Chureca for the last time this summer that it was most definitely a community and that I was honored to have been a part of it for a short while.

Getting to Know La Chureca

2008-06-12T18:58:00.002-06:00

Written by Summer Volunteer Becky Maroon

After living in Nicaragua for one month, I feel that I have grown a lot in terms of the way in which I perceive the world around me. I was fully aware at the beginning of my journey that I would be encountering ways of life and standards of living that were completely foreign to me and everything that I know. However, those things that have changed me, my thoughts, my perceptions – they are not things that I would have been able to pinpoint upon arriving in Nicaragua. I have found that my greatest struggles here have also been my greatest source of learning.

Manna Project holds true to its mission of communities serving communities. On one of my first days touring a community outside of La Chureca, I was truly taken aback by the poverty of the people in the community. A few days later I was able to meet the mothers and children of the Child Sponsorship Program in La Chureca on Milk Day. The people that I met in the clinic of La Chureca came with a whole new wave of poverty. I was certain that this must obviously be the most severe level of poverty that I would be exposed to while in Nicaragua. Then came the house visits to the mothers of the Child Sponsorship Program to ensure that the kids were doing well and receiving the vitamins and food that the program provides. I do not think that I am mistaken when I say that this is when I abandoned all of my expectations of poverty and the communities with which we are working.

Poverty, in its many shapes and sizes, has been full of surprises this past month. In addition to accepting the living conditions of the communities that we serve, I learned that I am not here to fix anything. It has been a constant struggle for me to accept the fact that I cannot change the way these people are living their lives or provide a simple solution. I am here to serve and help in any way that I can. I am here to build relationships. I am here to look at these people, not as the poverty-stricken and destitute, but as the people that I have come to know and respect as my friends in the communities I came here to serve.

Children's Day

2008-06-04T20:16:00.004-06:00

Written by Summer Volunteer Becky Maroon:

June 1st is internationally recognized as the celebration of the child. That being said, the people of Nicaragua have taken it upon themselves to extend this celebration, like all others, into a full week of festivities. To honor the sacred tradition of celebration, we hosted a party for the children of our Child Sponsorship Program in La Chureca. Prior to the grand event, there was a brief health talk with the mothers in the program concerning the effects of the rainy season on the health of their children. This covered everything from the specific diseases that can occur as a result of the increased rain, to the bugs and critters that create problems by taking refuge in any form of shelter throughout the season. The mothers and children then gathered to play games, eat cake, and win prizes in the multipurpose room of the clinic where the party was held.

Since I have been in Nicaragua I have been so focused on the needs of the communities that I am here to serve – nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, etc. However, just seeing the beaming faces of the kids when they were eating cake, hitting the piñata, participating in the coloring contest or dancing around with volunteers and their mothers alike, helps to remind me that kids are kids no matter where you are in the world. They shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not they will have food on the table or clean clothes to wear. So even if for only that morning that we celebrated and danced around in the back of the clinic in La Chureca, we were able to let these children forget about their daily troubles and just be kids, I think that we more than served our purpose. The memories that I have already created by spending time with these children are some that I know I will never forget.

Dia(s) de las Madres

2008-05-30T18:49:00.004-06:00

True to much of our year here, Nicaraguans celebrate Mother's Day a little differently than we do in the States. First of all, the date: it is always May 30th, no matter where it falls in the month. Secondly, the government makes sure everyone visits their moms and grandmothers by making it illegal for people to work past noon. No kidding. The third and perhaps most striking difference is that while Mothers' Day in the States is a private family affair with breakfast in bed and presents at the kitchen table, anyone who has any professional contact with mothers is supposed to celebrate with them. Meaning that Marcela and I spent two full mornings this week at Mothers' Day parties in La Chureca (it would have been three, if not for rain from Hurricane Alma on Thursday).

The first was at the school, where children of all ages sang songs, danced and recited poetry for their mothers and grandmothers. Marcela and I were quite pleased with ourselves when moms in our program offered us seats close to the front... we really did know every third mother by name! My lap time was split between Blanca and Josue Daniel, while Marcela hung out with the Vanegas clan for a bit. We left when the Palo de Mayo, or booty dancing, competition began, but I'm pretty sure I know which kids won... some things never change.

Now I know that I'm partial, but I preferred the fiesta today at the clinic. Yes, just about every mom in the back room had a kid on her lap, but the fiesta wasn't about the kids or what they can do; rather, it was about the mothers and what they've done for their children, an actual celebration of motherhood. Several mothers stood up and sang or recited poetry that they themselves had learned in primary school Mothers' Day fiestas years ago. One mom danced folklore while others showed off their reggaeton skills. Two of our mothers stood and said with tears in their eyes what it means to be a mother. For many women in La Chureca, as I'm sure it is the world over, their children were the first thing that was "theirs," the first responsibility they had ever felt. When I heard that, I felt a renewed encouragement that Manna and the clinic are not working alone to try to improve the health of La Chureca. We have the moms on our side, and that's more than enough.

Moms who were part of the clinic party show (kids' names in parantheses):
Singing-- Patricia (Jorge)
Folklore-- Carmen (Mariana)
Reggaeton-- Celia (Jose Manuel), Mariela (Blanca and Maria Antonia), Liseth (Mildeana)
Speakers-- Dalia (Zayda), Virginia (Cristofer)

Tranquilo en el Campo

2008-05-05T16:50:00.004-06:00

On Wednesday and Thursday of last week, we brought the kids in our program and their mothers to the Augusts' land. Last October, our days in the "Campo" were sheer madness-- kids running everywhere, going to the bathroom on volunteers, moms yelling at the kids running everywhere and going to the bathroom on volunteers. This time, in contrast, our ninos came in, found their little chairs, and just chilled sucking on the mangoes growing on the property. The transformation was truly surreal.

Senora Soya graced us once again with her presence, conjuring recipes of arroz a la valencia and sausage out of soy. Everyone's mouths watered in anticipation and the moms scurried around in their donated aprons and head wraps. While we waited, I had a chance to hang out with the moms who weren't cooking (the moms who were cooking wouldn't let me in the kitchen because they say I have baby hands. Another story for another time). We talked about life, how they came to Chureca, what it's like to be a mom and a wife in Nicaragua. Many of them asked me if I had any children. My response was always "45," to which they would just nod. They know that I love their kids like they were mine. As we chatted, their children would crawl into my lap, no longer afraid of my white face or strange yellow hair.

Marcela and I agree that these are some of our favorite moments in Nicaragua. Please follow the links for more photos of our magical days.

Lunch With Friends

2008-04-27T21:54:00.002-06:00

Earlier today we had the clinic staff over for lunch. Although we see the staff multiple times a week, our interactions always take place at the clinic and are therefore not as informal as we would sometimes like them to be. Erin and I invited the staff over to the Manna house so that we could take some time to step back from work, relax and enjoy each others company.

The lunch was a lot of fun. We made giant cheeseburgers with oven-roasted potatoes. For dessert we had brownies with ice cream. We told the staff that they were welcomed to bring their kids to our house so Esmo brought her son, Shy, and Yami brought her son, Leo. It was amazing to see just how energetic their kids were! Despite not knowing how to swim, they were really excited about being able to use our pool. So, after lunch, Erin and I put on our bathing suits and hopped in the pool to serve as swim coaches/lifeguards.

It was great to have the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon with Esmo, Yami, Sandra, and Dr. Perez. We have certainly come a long way since August.

Back in School!

2008-04-15T17:24:00.003-06:00

This morning when Erin and I arrived at the clinic Dr. Lesly, Esmo and Yami were no where in sight. Thankfully Sandra saw us walking outside the clinic with confused expressions and came over to tell us that the staff was at the school, giving anti-parasite meds to the kids. Erin and I decided to make our way over to Colegio Esperanza to say hi to the staff and see how things were going. When we arrived at the school we were greeted by a multitude of hugs from hyper kids who were enjoying their last few minutes of recess.

The clinic's staff had just finished their work at the school and was ready to head back to the clinic. As we were about to leave, Erin spotted Yelsing, one of the boys in our program. We couldn't believe it! For weeks we had been asking Miriam (his mom) to send her kids to school. Did all our conversations with her finally pay off?

Since we only spotted Yelsing at school, we wondered if his sisters Katy and Miriam, were also in class. Instead of heading back to the clinic with the staff, Erin and I decided to walk over to the Vanegas' house. Our excitement was reflected in the way we walked- there was a definite bounce to our step.

When we arrived at the house Miriam gave us a warm welcome. We asked her how things were going and how she was feeling. She was happy to show us her new smile- for as long as I had known her, she hadn't had any front teeth. Now, thanks to the help of a dentist, she has a smile that accurately reflects her sweet personality.

Miriam then told us that she had taken Katy, Miriam and Yelsing to school in the morning. I'm sure she could tell by our smiling faces how excited we were to hear the news, but we told her anyways about how happy we were that the kids were in school. She then started telling us about each of her kids. She said that Katy is excellent at memorizing information but has some trouble writing. Miriam, on the other hand, has trouble storing new information but knows how to write well. She's also a great artist. Yelsing, the oldest, is a diligent student with very neat handwriting.

It was great to see Miriam recognize the skills each of her kids has and acknowledge the importance of keeping them in school. Now we just have to make sure that she continues to take them to school each day.

Strike and Clinic Update

2008-04-13T23:00:00.002-06:00

Almost as quickly as it began, the huelga is now over. Unfortunately, those who seemed to profit most from the Churequeos' strike were those they were striking against: the truck drivers and trash collectors. Because they're unionized (and the Churequeos are not), they were able to use their collective voice to negotiate a salary increase, which supposedly decreases the temptation to take trash out of the trucks before they reach the dump. However, one father I spoke with on Saturday said that everything is back as it was before, although it is easier to find plastic bottles (which sell for 4 cords a pound... about 25 cents US).

On another, more uplifting note, Casa Base, the clinic in Chureca, has found friends not only in Austin Samaritans, a medical mission group based out of (you guessed it), Austin TX, but also la Fundacion el Samaritano, whose director is the first Nicaraguan surgeon to be board-certified in the US. Through these two organizations, members of the Chureca community have access to more specialized primary care (pediatrics, dentistry, gynecology) in addition to a surgical center. This Saturday I will take two young boys to Samaritano for surgical consultations, both for complications they've suffered for the vast majority of their lives. Additionally, Samaritano has committed to bring more specialized care into Chureca itself, with a dentist twice a week and discussions with pediatricians and gynecologists underway.

While some things post-strike may look sadly the same, there's also a lot of hope that's coming in to change lives.

Local Authorities Fail to Recover Control of Garbage Dump

2008-03-28T12:36:00.002-06:00

[Article taken from the Nicaragua Network Hotline]

Since the beginning of the month over one thousand informal workers who make a living from selling recyclable waste (metal, plastic and glass) dumped on Managua's municipal garbage dump "La Chureca" have blockaded the entrance in protest against the decreasing amount of valuable waste being deposited there. According to the protesting workers the more valuable waste is extracted by the garbage collectors who work for the local government before the trucks are unloaded at "La Chureca."

On Mar. 23 Managua Vice-Mayor Neri Leiva Orochena said that the local government planned to recover control of the municipal garbage dump "La Chureca" on Mar. 24 with help from the National Police if necessary. The local government was unable to take control of the site, however, because, according to Mayor Dionisio Marenco, the National Police were unwilling to accompany the local government officials. According to General Commissioner Horacio Rocha a judicial order would be necessary before the National Police were able to help the Mayor reopen the site. Marenco, who dismissed Rocha's explanation, said he did not understand why the National Police were unwilling to help.

Marenco has insisted it is impossible for the local government to guarantee the quality of the waste dumped on the site and has rejected the suggestion of increasing garbage collectors' salaries in return for their commitment not to extract certain types of waste. On Mar. 24 Marenco reiterated his position saying that if and when the proposal to increase garbage collectors' salaries is voted on by the local council he will vote against it. Marenco has also said that he is unwilling to negotiate with the informal workers from "La Chureca."

This proposal to increase the local authorities' garbage collectors' salaries was initially suggested by the National Workers' Front (FNT), which is affiliated with the FSLN, and represents the "Chureca" informal workers. FSLN City Councilman Edgardo Cuarezma put the issue on the local council agenda. The Managua City Council is made up of nine FSLN members and nine members from the three opposition parties. Marenco, who is also FSLN but had fallen out with Daniel Ortega over Marenco's political ambitions, also votes in local council decisions.

On Mar. 18 Health Minister Guillermo Gonzalez said that the local health authorities had not yet detected signs of an epidemic outbreak due to the accumulation of garbage, but he did urge a rapid resolution to the dispute in order to guarantee the health of the Managua population.

During the last week 1,200 workers hired by the city government used 180 garbage trucks to remove the more than 25,000 tons of garbage which has accumulated on Managua's streets over the last three weeks. The waste was successfully deposited in garbage dumps in Nindiri and Tipitapa despite threats by the protesting informal workers to also block the entrances to those two sites. This is a tragic conflict in which all sides are right and the only ultimate solution is to eliminate the need for people to survive by living and "mining" a toxic garbage dump.

Dia de Leche

2008-03-26T16:06:00.002-06:00

This morning we drove into Chureca for Milk Day. With the workers still on strike, we were one of the only vehicles allowed inside the dump. The clinic was already full when we showed up- most of our moms were listening to a health talk, some were meeting with nutritionists, and others were awaiting their consult with the doctor. Despite the number of people in the clinic, things were under control.

We were all worried that our kids' weights would drop significantly this month as a result of the strike and it's impact on individuals' ability to earn a living. Thankfully this has not been the case. Although the last three weeks have been extremely trying for La Chureca's residents, families have pulled together and done their best to ensure that their children are getting enough to eat. Organizations both inside and outside La Chureca have also stepped up their roles in order to assist residents through this particularly difficult period.

!Huelga!

2008-03-24T18:14:00.004-06:00

The Monday before Day of Light, Lori and I were driving two Vanderbilt professors to Chureca with plans of meeting with some donors, going on a tour and maybe grabbing some lunch. One stoplight from the dump, we got a call from the other truck saying that there was a strike and no one could enter. The trash collectors and truck drivers have been removing the "trash of quality" for some time, preventing Churequeos for scavenging for the best recyclables. The workers had had enough and decided to use their bodies and the trash itself to keep trucks from dumping.

We approached the entrance with caution, but the line of men readily opened in order for us to pass. Another group of people directed us around barriers of trash, saying that they knew us because we helped with the school (we corrected them and let them know it was the clinic). At the weigh stations, I saw the faces of many of our mothers, their faces smiling with recognition and hope in what they were doing.

The trucks could not pass, but the community of La Chureca trusted us, and let us through.

The strike is now rapidly approaching a month and it seems to be at a standstill. The alcalde, or local government, says it cannot prevent the drivers from skimming (or the creation of outside recycling programs) and the Churequeos are too determined to stop without that promise. Problem is: no trash, no money; no money, no food.

Opinions about the strike vary widely among people living and working in Chureca, but everyone knows that something big is about to happen. Maybe this will make some men with skills leave the dump and look for a job elsewhere. Maybe this will make a young mother reconsider going back to school. Maybe it will just make the people of Chureca more dependent on non-profit workers. I don't know, but I will be there to see it happen.

Celebraciones

2008-03-19T12:26:00.007-06:00

It has been over a month since my last post on this blog. Much has happened and I apologize for not keeping you thoroughly informed. Even though Erin and I continue to go into Chureca 3x a week, we have not had the time to sit down and write about all our visits. The month of March has been consumed by spring break volunteers. In the past three weeks Manna has hosted groups from Vanderbilt, Wooster State, UT Austin, UNCW, UGA, among others.

All of our groups have had the opportunity to visit La Chureca. The week that Vanderbilt and UNCW were here happened to be the week in which Brad Corrigan (the former drummer for Dispatch) hosted his annual concert in La Chureca. Dia de Luz, as the concert day is called, brought hundreds of American students into La Chureca. The purpose of Dia de Luz (Day of Light) is to raise awareness of the situation in La Chureca, encourage Americans to spend a day interacting with the men and women who live in the dump, and bring together Americans and Nicaraguans for a free concert.

Another celebration that happened in La Chureca, though on a much smaller scale, was the official re-opening of our clinic. As you may already know, the clinic underwent a big renovation in February. To celebrate the new facility Sandra (the director of FunjoFudes) invited all of the clinic's financial supporters, the clinic's staff, community leaders, and Manna's Program Directors to a ribbon cutting ceremony. During the event representatives from the Nice Foundation, Austin Samaritan, Manna Project International and the Ministry of Health gave short speeches.

All of the community members I have talked to are really happy about the improvements that were made to the clinic. One of the greatest benefits I have seen as a result of the renovation is the boost in the staff's morale. It's no easy task to work inside a dump everyday so having a facility that accommodates for the staff's needs is invaluable. Dr. Lesley, Esmo, and Yami now feel a sense of ownership toward the clinic. Dr. Lesley has his private consult room, Esmo has her nurse's station, and Yami has her pharmacy. There is also a consult room for the psychologist that comes in every Tuesday and Saturday and in about a week we will have a newly built dentist room.

I hope you now have a better idea of all that has happened in the past month! Expect more regular blog postings in the coming weeks!

Seeing is Believing

2008-01-30T16:54:00.000-06:00

My first thoughts upon entering La Chureca; becoming comfortable in a place like this would be impossible, and everyone should have a shot at a better life. The inhabitants of La Chureca and other dumps around the developing world, stay in close proximity to the trash because in some cases it is their only economic and food sources. Every time I enter such a place I become less sensitive to what I see, though accepting the existence is hard. As a program director with Manna I was able to experience my first "milk day" last week. We systematically checked the kids weights, heights, and asked the mothers if there were any other concerns. The heights and weights are compared with prior appointments, to see if the kids are growing at an acceptable level. The mothers are informed of future doctor visits to the clinic and then they are on their way. Before the families leave, vitamins, oatmeal, and enriched milk are distributed to the children in our child sponsorship program. We may be skimming the surface of an ocean, but collectively with amazing people and organization such as the Manna Project International, a major difference is in order. It is the greatest pleasure of my life to see the progress first hand and to be part of the change.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."...Gandhi

'tis the season

2007-12-16T07:08:00.000-06:00

On Friday morning we arrived at the clinic with bags of holiday gifts. The children were waiting for us with eager smiles. Most were dressed in their best outfits. It seemed like everyone in the clinic was ready to spread the holiday spirit. The staff members were laughing and joking around with one another. Dr. Lesley, who is typically very composed man, was posing for pictures and hugging Esmo and Coco.

We started things off by asking all of the kids go to the backyard of the clinic for a group picture. Unfortunately, some of the little ones were not excited about posing for our cameras. Maria Magdalena started crying first, then came Jerohan and a few others. We decided to postpone the group shot and move right along to the gift distribution.

One by one each kid came into the conference room, received their present, and posed for a picture wearing a Santa hat. As you may imagine, the kids looks absolutely adorable. The Spiderman toys were a huge hit with the boys, as were the purses with the girls. The little ones delighted in their new baby toys.

We also had a little surprise for the mothers. We gave each of them a 5lb bag of rice and a 5lb bag of beans. Because the price of beans has been on the rise, many of the moms have not been able to afford it. They were, therefore, extra thankfully for the gift.

November Milk Days

2007-12-02T03:17:00.000-06:00

This past Wednesday and Thursday the whole Manna crew went to the clinic in La Chureca to run Milk Days. When we arrived on Wednesday, the doctor and Esmo were nowhere in sight. After getting a hold of Dr. Lesly and hearing that they wouldn’t be at the clinic for another 40 minutes we decided to go ahead without them.

Never have Milk Days run so smoothly! Everyone had their job mastered. Geoff and Tessa measure and weigh each kid. After a child’s weight and height have been recorded, Dane takes the mom and child to one of the consultation rooms and relays the weight/height information to the Program Director who is stationed there (either Matt or Erin).

Once Matt and Erin are given the weight/height info they compare the measurements to the previous months’ data. Matt and Erin then talk to the mothers to find out how their child has been doing, answer any questions the mother may have, and give them advice based on whether the child has gained or loss weight. Once the meeting is over the mom comes over to me to receive the monthly supply of milk, oatmeal and vitamins. During this time Julie snatches a cute picture of the little one to send to his/her sponsor. Julie also gives each kid who celebrated a birthday during the month a cute birthday bag filled with goodies.

I have to admit that it makes me really excited to see how well we are working together. What’s even more exciting, however, is seeing how well the mothers are responding to us. It’s incredible to see how much they have warmed up to us over the past few months. I believe that we owe Erin the credit for this. She has done an awesome job getting to know all the moms in the program.

As the moms warm up to us, so do the kids. Some of the kids who wouldn't smile at all are now full of giggles. The first time I saw Wendy smile was during the October field trip but this past Thursday she actually walked over to where I was, sat next to me, and asked me to play! And let me not forget Jerohan....this was the first time we've been able to get a picture of him smiling!

A final highlight: we had perfect attendance! This is the first time this has happened!

Vandy Visits La Chureca

2007-11-25T15:04:00.000-06:00

Yesterday the Manna house said goodbye to an amazing group of Vandy students. The group of 10 spent their entire Thanksgiving break in Nica, learning about Manna's programs and working alongside Program Directors. One of the highlights of my week was taking the group into Chureca.

Prior to coming, the Vandy group asked if they could put a presentation together for the mothers in our Child Sponsorship Program. Without any hesitation I told them yes and said that they were free to choose the topic. They decided to focus their health talk on HIV/AIDS.

At 9:30am on Wednesday the students sat down in front of the mothers and began their talk. It was clear that they had spent a long time researching and practicing for this day. They touched on all the important facts without using fancy terminology and they kept the moms' attention by making the talk interactive. Of all the health talks I've listened to in Chureca, this one was my favorite. Watching the way they delivered the presentation and reached out to the mothers made me so proud to be a Vanderbilt graduate.

After the health talk was finished, Matt took the group on a tour of Chureca while I stayed behind to talk to Esmo. I met up with the group about an hour later and noticed how their expressions had changed. Seeing their faces and hearing what they had to say about La Chureca reminded me of how I felt the first time I walked through the dump.

It also made me realize that after being here for 4 months, and going to the dump so many times, I have gotten over its shock value. It made me sad to think that I have grown accustomed to watching little kids running around naked, seeing youngsters sniffing glue, and school-age children sifting through trash in search of food, recyclables, and toys.

Familial Introductions

2007-11-22T00:32:00.000-06:00

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving I had the pleasure of taking my parents and younger sister, D'Arcy, into La Chureca. Driving through the front entrance, we saw several men pointing at our micro. I made a joke to my parents that even the people in Chureca make fun of our transportation. However, one man was so persistant that we stopped to see what he wanted. Little did we know that we had been dragging a branch-- which really qualified more as a small tree-- for quite some time. If they had not told us, we absolutely would have gotten stuck in the mud twenty feet ahead of us. In true Nica fashion, ten men appeared out of nowhere to help us, not allowing us to touch the branch. As soon as the crisis was averted, they all disappeared just as rapidly as they came. When we got back into the micro, my dad asked what their motivation was to help us. While I do not know the exact reason, I do know that they were not looking for a handout, but rather looking out for us.

So began our journey. My family saw all the sites: the clinic (where Esmo declared my sister and I twins), los Quinchos (an alternative school for kids who sniff glue), the "hole" (where we saw children bathing in rainwater collecting in the middle of the trash), and finally the school (where my entire family became jungle gyms for preschoolers to climb). My mom's favorite memory is of a little boy trying in vain to eat some soup the school had given him. Unfortunately, using his hands was causing more soup to fall onto his lap than to enter his mouth. The girl sitting next to him saw his plight and without a word dropped her own spoon into his bowl. Unfazed, the boy took the spoon and went to work on the soup.

Every interaction I witnessed in Chureca on that day seemed more significant because I was seeing it through my parents' eyes. I love that they now have personal memories and that they have met some of the people that have shaped my experience here thus far. Additionally, the thought that my Nicaraguan family knows my actual family means that they know me more personally, hopefully allowing our relationships to grow even deeper.

Where's the Milk?

2007-11-06T10:31:00.000-06:00

After hearing some murmuring that moms might be selling the milk, we as a Manna team decided that we needed to change some of our practices. Therefore, this month (at the end of our field trips) we gave out the milk with the label removed and the date written on the jar. If moms do not bring back those specific containers next month, then we have a pretty good idea that they're selling.

On Tuesday, while Geoff and Marcela were giving tours to some of our friends from Cedro Galan, I went around to visit families. The moms were excited to see me, saying that it had been a long time since I had visited (I've been sick and infrequent in my Chureca visits lately). I always felt welcomed in-- Hector's grandmother showed me his report card (excellent scores) and Milton's mom asked me some questions about the antibiotics he had been given for his teeth. After chatting for a bit, they were all more than willing to show me the milk and vitamins that they have left. Some even made the comment that they were glad we had decided to do this because they don't think it's right for some mothers to sell. One mom put it this way: "you've given us a gift. I'm going to follow whatever rules you make because I know you care about our children and you're doing this for them."

Although there were one or two moments in the morning where I could perceive some annoyance, that mothers' words seemed to be the general consensus. It felt good to know that the mothers can see our commitment to their children and that they want to work with us in improving their health.

Field Trip Day 2

2007-10-27T18:14:00.000-06:00

This past week, we decided to provide the mothers and children of our child sponsorship program with a change of scenery. In so doing, we hoped we could, if only for a brief while, help them escape the harmful environment that infiltrates every aspect of their life. In addition, we sponsored a talk with the famous “Señora Soya” who provided the mothers with demonstrations on cooking with soy. By promoting soy, we are hoping to provide community members with an alternative form of nutrition that is free of many of the toxins contaminating the foods they normally obtain.

Once we loaded all of the mothers and the children in our microbuses, the looks on the children’s’ faces as they experienced their very first car ride were priceless. As I peeked back, I saw an absolute sense of awe as they watched cars and people pass and felt the new and strange sensation of sitting in a moving vehicle. Once there, the mothers were put to work in the kitchen while the children played.

Though the mothers were working very hard, there was no doubt that they were having a great time. Watching them in the kitchen, I marveled at the sense of camaraderie they displayed and saw smiles from people I never thought possible. All the while, the children were simply being children on the play set and soccer field. Running around and laughing with them certainly wore me out, however while laying down for a nap afterwards, I felt so fortunate that I could give them the opportunity to enjoy a healthy atmosphere for playing. I cannot wait until the next time we take the mothers and children to the land, seeing them away from the dredges of their everyday life gave me new hope and inspiration.

Field Trip: Day 1

2007-10-23T14:37:00.000-06:00

Today was an early morning at the Manna house. After chugging our respective cups of coffee our group started loading up the micro. By 8am we had filled up the car with milk, oatmeal, vitamins, cooking supplies, art supplies, and toys. We then went off to the ranchon...

Tessa, Julie and Dane got dropped off at the ranchon. They took care of set-up while Geoff, Matt and I drove to La Chureca to pick up the moms and kids in our program. Because of the heavy rainfall that Managua has experienced over the past two weeks, the dirt road into La Chureca was in terrible conditions. Thankfully, however, we had Geoff at the wheel. He managed to get us in and out without a glitch.

It was about 9:30am when we drove out of the dump. Instead of having food and supplies in the back seats, we now had a handful of excited children. Milton and Wendy were particularly adorable. Throughout the drive they looked attentively out the window and pointed things out to one another. It's amazing to see how happy kids can be with the littlest things. A simple car ride was an adventure for them.

Once we arrived at the ranchon, we set up two scales and started measuring the kids. As soon as a child was done being weighed he or she could get started on their coloring activity. Most of the kids were eager to color in their turkey. We even had some mothers that were happy to pick up a crayon and chip in.

Around 10:40am we gathered up all the mothers and had Maria (better known to us as the Soy Lady) begin the presentation on soy. While the mothers listened attentively to Maria, we entertained the kids. With a video camera on one hand and Josue on the other, I walked around the ranchon video tapping the kids as they played soccer, swung on the swing set, ran around, and ate their fair-share of cookies.

The mothers, meanwhile, were being put to work in the kitchen. Maria had them slicing and dicing, cooking and cleaning. The mothers seemed to be really enjoying themselves. Together with Maria, they transformed soybeans into a delicious cinnamon flavored soymilk. They also learned how to convert soybeans into soy meat. I have to admit that when I first saw the soy meat I thought it looked more like a paste than anything else. As soon as I tasted the chorizo and fried tortes that the mothers made out of it, however, I was won over.

The Gringos are coming! The Gringos are coming!

2007-10-17T14:22:00.000-06:00

After weeks of planning, the Austin Samaritans, led by Dr. John Doty, flooded into clinica Funjofudess today to provide not only general health care but also to screen women in the community for cervical cancer and its precursors. The doctors, nurses and interpreters entered the clinic and presented their willing hands to the clinical staff-- a gesture I know the staff appreciated. From the very beginning, it was obvious that they day was not about paternalism or trying to pull people out of the dirt, but rather cooperation and walking hand in hand to create change.

I had the pleasure of interpreting for Dr. Lane and Nurse Earline, as we saw the three major complaints in Chureca: respiratory, dermatological and gastrointestinal. By the end of the day we had seen so many patients that I knew the prescription dosage for bronchitis in two year olds by heart and was admittedly a little worn out. Nonetheless, Lane and Earline never slowed down and were ready for more. I thank them for their hearts, their hands and the love that they showed the community in La Chureca.

In 3 and a half hours the clinic staff, Manna Project and the Austin Samaritans saw 12 gynocological and almost 20 general cases, in addition to completely restocking our pharmacy and bringing countless smiles. It was a good day.

Hanging round, downtown by myself...

2007-10-17T10:16:00.000-06:00

So things in Nicaragua work a little different than in the states. It is a rarity for people to be on time. Most of our students are very punctual because they are on our schedule, but people not accustomed to our ways are traditionally late. This is especially the case with the nurse we work with at the dump. Usually we arrive by 9 or 9:15 with the plan to work with her, but she'll stroll in around 10 or whenever she feels like it. It's frustrating, but it's part of living in Nicaragua.

So yesterday, Erin and I waited until 10 for the nurse to show up so we could explain what is going to happen this week. We have a medical brigade coming in from the United States who are going to screen for cervical cancer. They are also bringing in a nutritionist to give a talk to the mothers in our program. After explaining all this to the medical staff at the clinic, we walked around the town, meeting with mothers to explain the situation to them. It was really impressive to watch Erin in action. She has really gotten close with the mothers in town and they really seem to consider her a friend. She is doing a great job. While I usually end up spending the majority of my time in the dirt, playing with kids, Erin has really worked closely with the mothers (and grandmothers) and formed some really incredible bonds.

Dropping by to say hi

2007-10-09T02:32:00.000-06:00

After a bit of rearranging, Matt and I were able to add a new Chureca day to our weekly schedules. We both wanted to spend more time walking around the dump and talking to the families, so this came as a welcome addition.

Last week marked our first Friday-morning excursion. We got off the bus at 9am and made our way into Chureca through the back entrance. It hadn’t rained very much the previous day, so we were able to arrive at the clinic mud-free. Once we got to the clinic, however, my excitement dwindled a bit as I realized that the clinic’s gate was locked and the staff was nowhere in sight.

Determined to have a productive day, Matt and I decided to venture off on our own. We started by visiting the houses closest to the clinic. Although we made a few navigational mistakes as we strolled through Chureca’s dirt paths, we ended up having a really worthwhile day.

At our first stop we saw Kenan and Marlon. Kenan was full of smiles and he looked absolutely adorable in his white button-down shirt and khaki shorts. Marlon was not quite as cheery but seemed to be doing well nevertheless. We then walked over to Erik’s house where Jenny greeted us with a warm smile and invited us in. Jenny asked us if we wanted to see baby Erik, but since he was sleeping, we opted for staying outside and talking to her.

After saying our goodbyes to Jenny we made our way to the Vanegas' household. We got there just in time to catch Miriam and Katy walking out the door. Miriam told us that they were on their way to the pediatrician’s office. As the two of them waved us goodbye, Matt and I started walking towards Salezka’s house.

When we arrived we saw Salezka’s mom working hard on the family’s laundry and Salezka sitting outside, watching her. Salezka’s mom informed us that Salezka hadn’t been feeling well the past few days. When we asked her if she had taken Salezka to the clinic she told us that she had, but that the doctor couldn’t do much because Salezka’s condition was viral in nature.

We then took a few steps over to Danilo’s house, where we found him mid-bath. Danilo’s mom had a sad expression on her face, so Matt and I spent some time just talking to her about how she was doing. I was truly touched by how open she was with us. I only wish that I had more to offer her.

It’s really hard for me to see individuals dealing with such difficult situations. I often hear people say that where there is a will, there is a way. As badly as I want to believe in those words, I have to admit that being in La Chureca makes me question them at times. One of the most challenging things for me is seeing our kids getting sick all the time. I try to remind myself that the reason I am there is two-fold: not only is there an acute need for improvement but there is also a very tangible opportunity for change.

Hanging out in the Clinic

2007-10-05T10:47:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday Geoff, Matt and I went into Chureca with the goal of visiting families. However, like is often the case here in Nicaragua, circumstances made us change our plans.

As Geoff mentioned in the previous post, after months of speculation, one of the mothers in the program was just officially diagnosed as HIV positive. Dr. Lesly made it clear to me that we have to change several of our practices: 1) while we traditionally make coming to the clinic to get the milk and vitamins a responsibility of the mothers, we will have to be more proactive with this mother, insuring that she does not breast feed and increase the possibility of infecting her daughter, 2) we need to include discussions about STD's and HIV/AIDS in our weekly health talks with the mothers, and 3) someone has to locate the father, who we've heard has moved to Masaya.

Obviously, the conversation I had with Dr. Lesly and Esmo was somewhat daunting, but in other ways it was encouraging. After three months, we, as the new Manna Project directors, have begun earning the respect of the clinic staff. I sat in front of Dr. Lesly, a notoriously gruff man, and he asked for our help and said that we needed to work as a team. In doing so, he counted me as an equal, an important part of healthcare in Chureca. It was a great honor.

On Wednesday I saw that that respect extends not only with the clinic staff, but also with the mothers. Rita, Jose Angelo's mother, dragged me and our two friends, Micah and Mark, to her house to introduce us to her mother and grandmother-in-law. The abuelita, MariaJoseOrtegaMolina (she insisted we use all four names as one), thanked us for giving her great-grandson milk and told us that she would pray for us. I felt so honored and humbled that this precious 90-year-old woman with no teeth will pray for us, some gringos who happen to give out milk every month.

When we got back to the clinic, some of the mothers were complaining about the requirement of going to two health talks a month. I told them that the reason we require the talks is not to annoy them or to make their lives more difficult, but to empower them so that they have the knowledge to care for themselves and their children. When I finished, several heads were nodding in agreement and I felt that I had some friends in the room. It was an incredible moment.

Chubby babies need loving too...

2007-09-30T15:50:00.000-06:00

Manna Project was very active in La Chureca this past week. On Tuesday, Matt, Erin and I made our weekly trip to check up on the mothers in our program. In two hours we visited between 15 and 20 houses and we spoke with many families. All of the reports from the mothers were good. We had recently had a milk day so no one was running low. Most people were still running off their last month’s supply. One family stuck out to me during the visit. There was a mother with her child sitting on her lap. When looking at the child she appeared very chubby to me, even fat. I brought this up with Erin as we left La Chureca. She is more familiar with each family because she meets with them individually each milk day. She told me that this particular mother is HIV positive and therefore cannot breastfeed her child. This chubby baby is not in our program because of malnourishment, but because there is no other safe way to feed the child. It made me realize the difficulties of feeding a child, especially in the developing world.

A group went on Wednesday to administer our weekly health talks, but I didn’t return to Chureca until this past Friday, when there was a party at the school in La Chureca. Our friend Norman, who is the preschool teacher at the school, invited us to attend a school wide party. The reason for the party was not very specific, but the kids all turned out wearing costumes. There was a little red riding hood, a gypsy, superman, a power ranger, three queens, and of course, a clown. The kids played, while everything was being set up, then they lined up outside the school and marched through the community, ending up back at the school. The march was followed by many presentations which were very entertaining, which included some plays, dancing, and singing. It was such a joyous day, it was easy to forget that we were in the middle of a dump. I had a child sitting on my lap, in my arms, or laughing with me pretty much the entire time. It felt so good to be with the kids and share with their happy time. I feel like I made many new friends that day. I will be sure to look for them next time I am in La Chureca.

Milk Day Take #2

2007-09-21T19:51:00.000-06:00

Upon returning to Nicaragua from a brief respite in my hometown, I felt both a sense of longing to return to the comforts of my life in Texas while at the same time a welcoming optimism upon coming back to a country in which the pace and everyday concerns of life are far more simple. My first morning back, I returned with the group to La Chureca for this month’s second milk day. I was immediately pleasantly surprised to find many of the mothers with their children waiting on the front porch of the Funjofudess clinic. However, when I heard that neither Esmo nor the doctor were there with the key, I knew I was back in Nicaragua.

Due to the absence of our team member Dane, who accidentally ingested copious amounts of Nyquil which he believed to be Dayquil, I took the responsibility of leading mothers and their children from the height and weight station to consults and then to get their milk, oatmeal, and vitamins. Upon doing so, I realized how inspired I am by their unwavering optimism in the face of a daily poverty, the likes of which I had never previously experienced. Though I cannot help but be saddened to think of what the future holds for these playfully innocent children in such an impoverished setting, I know what we do gives them hope for a better tomorrow.

As I escorted family after family, I learned that the new vitamin had effectively increased the children’s appetites and as a result, many gained weight. Witnessing the children come closer and closer to a healthy weight during my time here has enabled me to see firsthand the difference we make. To see the priceless look on the faces of the children and mothers alike as they left the clinic made me take pride in yet another successful month for MPI-Nicaragua’s child sponsorship program.

Dia de Leche

2007-09-20T02:15:00.001-06:00

Wednesday started off with a 6AM phone call from Esmo. I have to admit that I was less than enthusiastic when she informed me that she would not be able to come to the clinic. Milk Days are definitely the busiest days at the La Chureca clinic and being that it was only my second time organizing it, I was a bit worried that things would get out of hand.

To my delight, however, everything ran extremely smoothly. Mothers showed up in a timely fashion, the vast majority of our kids gained weight, and throughout the day the mood inside the clinic was one of happiness. What made this an especially good trip to Chureca, was the interaction I had with the mothers and the children. The mothers were noticeably more comfortable around me and consequently, so were their kids. Esmo's absence ended up being a blessing in disguise.

When the time came to start packing up, the only kid we were still missing was Danilo. He is one of our special cases- while there is no question that he needs to be in the program from a health stance, his mother's constant absence from the health talks makes it difficult to enforce our program rules.

I decided right then and there that if he wasn't coming to us, we would go to him. Together with Geoff I made my way to Danilo's house for the first time. Once we got there Geoff and I introduced ourselves to Danilo's mom and I explained to her that today was Dia de Leche. I asked her if she would be willing to come with us to the clinic for 15 minutes so we could weigh Danilo and give her the monthly supply of milk, oatmeal, and vitamins. She agreed. It was a great day.

Taking It All In

2007-09-20T00:06:00.000-06:00

On Monday morning Erin and I took Brian Shumway to La Chureca. Brian is a photographer from NYC who is staying with us for the next 3 weeks. He came to Nica with the specific purpose of photographing La Chureca, and the people who live and work inside of it. Since Monday was Brian's first time in the dump, we began our visit with a walking tour. The school (Colegío La Esperanza) was our starting point. From there we climbed to the top of the hill that overlooks Chureca.

It is from this spot that you can fully grasp how imense the dump is. Although I have stood in that same place several times before, I still needed a few minutes to take it all in. When I'm in that spot, looking down on the endless mountains of trash and the homes made out of scrap metal, I can't help but wonder...will this place ever cease to exist? Will its residents ever be given the care and attention that they deserve?

The truth is that I don't expect to answer these questions during my time here. For now I'm content with answering the smaller, day-to-day questions. The interactions I've had with the children and mothers in our program thus far have shown me that there is plenty to be done. Plenty that I can do.

Charla on Lead

2007-09-14T06:03:00.000-06:00

In order to be in our program mothers must attend monthly health talks (or "charlas" as they are called here). The talks are given on a weekly basis at the La Chureca clinic. Speakers for the charlas include Esmeralda (better known as Esmo), Dr. Lesly, nutritionists from the Ministry of Health, and outside professionals.

Esmo, our head nurse at the clinic, gave this week’s health talk. The talk focused on the dangers of lead. This is an especially relevant topic because just last month all of our kids were tested for lead and five of them showed elevated levels. While none of the kids required immediate attention, it was another reminder of the hard conditions these children live in. What I found encouraging, though, was the number of mothers who came to us and requested that there be a charla on lead. The fact that these mothers are taking interest in their kids and are trying to educate themselves on issues that pertain to their kid's health shows me that our health talks are serving their purpose.

I left this week's charla energized and excited. Watching the way Esmo spoke to the mothers and connected with them really made me see what a vital role she plays in our team. She spoke with authority but always in a soothing voice. The mothers respect her and know that they cannot give her flimsy excuses when it comes to their kid's health. I know that trust takes time to earn and I sincerely hope that in the coming months I will be able to form a similar bond with the mothers.

Venturing Out into Chureca

2007-09-13T08:59:00.001-06:00

One of the goals for this year's child sponsorship team is to develop relationships with all 34 families in our program, specifically with the mothers. On Tuesday, Geoff, Matt and I began this journey as we set out to find houses where our children live. With Sandra, one of the women who keeps Clinica Funjofundess running, as our guide, we visited 11 homes made out of scrap metal, political banners and anything else they can claim.

Some mothers were receptive, eager to become our friends. Lidia and Zayda's mom took us all around her house, showing us where she keeps the oatmeal, milk and vitamins. She did not show us the three bent bed frames where the family sleeps, their foam mattresses falling through to the floor. When we knocked on Erick's gate, we found his mom making lunch as Erick bounced in a baby seat. He has her eyes, big, dark and full of innocence and happiness.

Kenan's mom, who runs a venta (small sundries shops), told us that she already sells soy milk packets and is planning on selling soy meat as well. This prospect greatly excited us, as soy can be a viable and nutritious alternative to the fish many families eat from the contaminated Lake Managua. We plan to continue to pursue this option, possibly partnering with Keenan's mom and grandmother. Sandra told us that the 15 cords (less than one American dollar) that they would charge in the ventas is still cost-prohibitive for many Chureca families. Our current thoughts are to sell crude soy on the Funjofudess porch, but this is still under consideration as we do not want to compete with a family in our program.

However, not all visits were as pleasant. The most discouraging visit was our encounter with Danilo's mother. Because she frequently does not come to milk days, she was the only mother we had not previously met. She didn't invite us into the house, we had to ask to see Danilo and she said he wasn't drinking milk or receiving the vitamins. Obviously, our whole group was frustrated until we asked Esmo (the Funjofudess nurse). She told us that her husband prohibits her from leaving the house, which is why she doesn't come to any of our events. At that moment, all frustration disappeared as we started to comprehend the realities of her life.