Red Beans and Rice

Em Heads to Central America


NOTE FROM JOHNNY- (Emily left on Saturday Morning for Nicaragua and wanted me to pass this message onto all of you who might be interested)

An opportunity spontaneously arose over a holiday visit to Oregon, for me to join a group going to Managua, Nicaragua. Through the humbling generosity of friends and family (and countless other ways that the universe miraculously aligned) I was able to buy a last minute ticket.
I’m joining my friend Sharon and a group called Forward Edge International that serves communities in third world poverty around the world. We will spend 10 days in the midst of a garbage dump (landfill) where 300 families dwell and dig through trash everyday for their livelihood. Many of the families are forth generation- parents and grand parents have never known life outside the dump. Everyday is the same, hopelessness thrives. Girls are prostituted to garbage truck drivers in return for first dibs on their loads. No running water, no electricity, much pollution.
Hurricane Mitch destroyed most of the scrap metal homes and after 9 years the community still hasn’t recovered. In the Middle of the dump a cinderblock school was recently built for kids ages 4-7. They are given a meal and a break from routine.
I don’t know exactly what the focus of the trip will be. We may work with and bathe children, and we’ll definitely build at least one home.
At the Perkins Center we saw many groups come and go. Seeing the way these trips work I recognize that my time will change and challenge me more than those I hope to serve and love. I am so grateful for that.
Issues of poverty, injustice, youth, and “the least of these” have called to me for as long as I remember and as I’ve told those around me about the trip I see that these issues touch everyone in one way or another. What a privilege to get to go see first hand the reality that much of the world lives with.
This experience has brought me such a sense of gratitude to God and deep joy…and I haven’t even gotten there yet!!
I hope to gain perspective and to grow. I hope to develop new relationships and possibly gain direction for the future. I look forward to learning from a new culture and from the beautiful and resilient Managuan's.
Johnny is so tender. He is nervous for me, but supportive and encouraging. He has lots of friends to look after him but it’s a sad and scary to be so far apart.
Thanks for everyone’s encouragement, prayers, and love.

Peace,

Emily

(Emily wrote this post from the airport in Atlanta. She has since arrived and met up safely with her group. I will post updates as I receive them. – Johnny)