Hope from the back of a pick-up truck
Jul 5th, 2007 by Jon Posted in Bluefields 2007 | 1 Comment
It wasn’t like anything I’ve ever seen before in my life… the pick-up truck the 8 of us were sitting in suddenly became a jungle-gym for children. As the truck bumped its way along the dirt road, kids shouted with glee as even more children clamored to get on. For that brief moment I was lost in the excited screams of the kids and I shared in their simple joy of being jostled and tossed as the truck navigated the terrain.
Suddenly I remembered where I was: I was in the middle of a garbage dump where a few dozen families lived because they have no where else to go. We were there to deliver some basic food - some rice, beans, cooking oil, matches, flour, totaling 18 lbs. worth of supplies.
The truck stopped and the children jumped off laughing and excited. I stood up. With my camera in hand, I hopped over the tailgate and onto the dusty ground.
A very large crowd had gathered once they saw us driving in. Mostly women and children, they all stood there with expectant looks on their faces. Pastor Ed waded into the crowd with a friendly and compassionate expression. He began speaking in Spanish to the crowd that had gathered. Though I don’t understand Spanish, what he spoke I didn’t need a translation - Pastor Ed was telling them that we didn’t have enough food for everyone.
I can’t imagine what it’s like to be this man. To live in this world where need is everywhere, but there never seems to be enough to go around. Yet, Pastor Ed is able to see opportunity and hope everywhere he goes.
As I grimly walked over the ground strewn with discarded tin cans, old toys, and shoes, children followed with interested grins on their faces. I don’t think they get many visitors here - Asian-Canadians at that! Kids ran up to me gesturing with their hands wanting their pictures taken, and I was more than happy to oblige.
Seeing the smiling faces of the children in the middle of this destitute place made me realize one fundamental reality of the city dump: though their situation is desperate and heart breaking, they have faith and hope. It shows in the way they excitedly smile for the camera, jump onto the pick-up truck like a jungle gym, and in the way they tenderly reach for our hands to hold.
After the last food pack was given away, we climbed back into our truck to leave … but not before 8 children jumped onto the truck for a free ride. Pastor Ed spun the truck around 4 or 5 times in a circle making all the children shriek in laughter.
We slowly pulled away from the site and one by one the children jumped off the truck until it was just us Canadians again. I looked back and waved back to the little girl standing in the middle of the dusty road.
March 31st, 2008 at 10:25 am
[...] reality of La Chureca is not isolated. Across Nicaragua similar garbage dumps can be found, like La Esperanza in Bluefields on the Atlantic coast. At La Esperanza, children dig through garbage as well looking [...]