(Pat Bushway, a dear friend, went to Nicaragua in an effort to build a partnership between her church and the people of San Isidro parish)
Prior to our first trip in mid June, my expectations were wildly varied, and, as it turns out, mostly wrong. Not surprisingly, I found it difficult to accurately visualize life in the mountains of northern Nicaragua sitting in the suburbs of northern Virginia. We flew to Managua, a city like other big cities – crowded, chaotic, prosperous and safe in some areas, less prosperous and less safe in others. In a seemingly odd juxtaposition, huge billboards with pictures of religious figures were interspersed among billboards at least as large of political leaders. But the real journey began when we left Managua for Ayapal – an eleven-hour drive, 300 kilometers, and a world away.
The city traffic and a surprising amount of road construction gave way to rutted dirt roads occasionally crossed by streams that thankfully were not as deep as our truck tires were tall. At the end of the long, rattling drive, we made it to Ayapal. Initially, I wondered what to expect from the people. Would their attitude be business-like since we came to set up a partnership of sorts? Might they be resentful? Were we the first to come through, offering encouragement and help?
The questions were answered by the incredibly warm welcome, the hugs as if for long-lost relatives, their obvious excitement to have visitors to their community, the laughter and energy of the children. I saw the people long before I saw the town. They were waiting for us, standing in the steamy midday sun. Some had walked for hours to be there. They filled the road, lit fireworks, and played music as we walked with them to the church on the edge of town. They sang songs written expressly to welcome us, they pushed through the crowd to shake our hands and offer a prayer of peace, they jockeyed into position to have their pictures taken with us, and they made us feel welcome.
These are a people of unqualified hospitality, committed to their faith, full of humble spirit. They face challenges that will take tremendous resources to resolve. We’re starting with a school because of the fundamental foundation that literacy and education can build. I’m hoping that we can make a difference for these people, but there’s one thing I know. They’ve made a difference for me by teaching me that sometimes when you reach out to people, they can reach back and touch your heart.
Get out and give back.
