Kids of interest… well actually all of them have a story that would blow the mind of any North American.
My dillema is that I have been doing this since the 90`s, in the same place,, and now I am serving the GREAT GRAND CHILDREN of the children I served here originally. One guy was named BRUJO (witchdoctor). He looked like someone out of mad max. He was a FURIOUS little boy.
He was 10, I was 30 something, and he scared me. I used to drive my white Toyota van to the dump every day playing the book of Matthew of a bible reading tape over a loud speaker as I drove.. Brujo got saved just by listening to my loud speaker of the book of Matthew being blared out for all of the dump to hear, as he was running behind us throwing rocks at us, and trying to rob us and our van.
God turned his sadness and fury into joy and love. BUT Brujo still lives there. He´s still poor. He´s an evangelist, he visits house to house with his bible in hand, full of joy, but his physical conditions haven´t changed one iota. in fact, the conditions have gotten worse. I praise God for the transformation in Brujo´s life, but what about his kids and grandkids????
There´s at least 500 churches within walking distance of this place. There has to be something more.
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. Keep on doing what you’ve been doing and you´ll keep on getting what you got
Nicaragua 09281
Mind you, all of these kids walk themselves and their siblings to the feeding centers in the dump. Some walked as far as 1 kilometer. They themselves are two or three and were responsible for keeping track of the LITTLE brothers and sisters.
Poochie, I have know him since he was 2. His family lived in the garbage dump. I used to drive him home from the feeding center because it was pretty far. One day he wanted to be an ´hombrecito´ and just ride straight past mamita and the house and act like he was going to the big city. I didn’t realize that he had never been outside of the dump before. It was the first time he had ever been out of the dump and on a paved road. We were only a block away from his house , just outside of the dump, and he got terrified and started crying. I said, Poochie, why are you crying like a little baby? He said, “because I am a little baby”.
Little Ashley was the joy and light of La Chureca. I saw her literally grow up from a little fat ball to a beautiful little girl. She´s moved away again. Her dad Lester was a great friend of mine. He got saved, was working for an NGO. He moved suddenly to Sandino and now they’ve fallen off of the map. Pray for ASHLEY. I miss them more than my own family. This is their 5th move as a family this year, from one ghetto to another. Pray for Lester, Marta and Ashley as they move to yet another impoverished barrio.
Lester had been shot twice in La Chureca before he got saved. Here´s a picture of him singing Este Dedito with me.
I was about to move to another sight. It is a combat zone en la chureca every day. too many ´missionaries´, too much bla bla bla, nothing real.
I was serving in this barrior feeding daily for six months and was really disheartened. I prayed, God, where do you want me to go. As I prayed,
a sunbean (SON beam) came out and shown right where I’ve been serving all along. It was kind of like, OK, Got the point. So here we are!
Lisseth is beautiful. She is joyous, honest, considerate, persevering and a great ´mommy´ for her little brother affectionately knows as ENANO! (He´s the little curly haired guy smashed behind her, she blocks the weight of the crowds so her little brother doesn’t bump his head on the table. She is 3. She leads prayer, praise and worship AND walks her little brother to and from the feed. I have seen her halo slip once when someone made her little brother cry. DO NOT MAKE ENANO CRY; FAIR WARNING: Her inner GHETTO came out.
Katey… had never been out of the dump either. her dad is an alcoholic, and her mom provides for the 5 kids in her family by digging for garbage every day. A group of us took Katey and her sisters to the movies one time to see a cartoon. She NEVER had been out of the dump. She was like in disneyland in the big city of managua. when we went to the cinema, all she wanted to do was ride up and down on the escalater all day. Her, Eduardo, and Linda had a great day.
Gladis has the hardest time with shoes. She always as a toddler made sure to put on a least one shoe. sometimes two different shoes, sometimes on the wrong feed, sometimes in her mothers shoes.. Always a source of amusement. Once she got to the feeding center too late and stood on the plate she brought food in out of frustration. Made perfect sense to me.
Daniella is a terrified little girl. Her big sister ( six year old Paloma) defends her and is basically her mom. I have never seen anyone older that Paloma in the house. I don´t know where the bigger brothers, sisters and adults are. Very scary. I weigh over two hundred pounds and i get a little tense walking around there with all the gangs by myself. I can´t imagine what it´s like to be a 30 or 40 pound senorita. with these guys hanging around all the time, drunk, stoned and bored out of their minds.
Dennyi´s has been coming to eat since he could walk. Usually in his birthday suit. I really thought he was on the point of death when i first saw him from worms and hunger. But this little guy is a fighter. He´s even learning to push in line and demand more food (not such a good thing)
