October Events - Medford United Methodist Church

Mission Trip 2009
Project Chacocente - Nicaragua

Journal files are in PDF format
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"Hola Padres y Madres,

Greetings from Nicaragua! Today was exceptionally, actively and emotionally full. After getting ready, eating breakfast, and morning chapel, we left for the dump of Managua, called La Chureca. While we were there we visited the home of Doña Ester, the mother of two men who we have been working along side at Project Chacocente. Afterwards we trekked to the top of the mound of refuse where people scavenge for food, clothing, and other things they forage for to survive. Due to the great weight, and pressure exerted on all the garbage, combined with the extreme heat, underground pockets of trash are given to spontaneous combustion. This results in very polluted, and putrid breathing conditions, and poses a threat to the children and workers who spend their days in and among the garbage. The experience as a whole was emotionally overwhelming, to try to describe it here is impossible, we will have to share when we get home. After this somber experience we returned briefly to Camp MEFEL where we ate lunch before embarking on the rest of the days activities.

In Nicaragua people, including United Methodists, worship in church on Saturday as well as Sunday. We joined a congregation whose church we visited earlier in the week for their evening worship service. Although we didn't know the words to most of the songs, we were able to share our music on a couple, and joyfully clap along with the rest. After the service was concluded we passed sometime meeting all of the members of the congregation, before loading back onto the bus to go to dinner, at Tip Top Chicken, a popular fast food restaurant in Nicaragua. On the bus ride home we had a "dance party" to some of the local popular music.

We are now relaxing before bed and enjoying the fresh rain, thunder and lightning. We hope you are all doing well, and we look forward to seeing all of you and sharing our amazing stories of our experiences when we get home. Until then, lots of love.

Buenas noches, los niños y las niñas."