We arrived in September just in time to witness the Nicaraguans celebrating their Independence Day. The streets were alive with the sights and sounds of energetic marching bands and beautiful dancers, while the people looked on with a sense of pride and celebration. Against a backdrop of colorful colonial houses, cathedrals and the giant, looming Volcan Mombacho, we looked forward to the adventure in front of us with anticipation. We quickly learned living here would not be a walk in the park. The heat was overwhelming at times and almost daily, the electricity and water would go out for several hours at a time. It was anyone's guess when the next outage would be, although, we didn't need to worry about going without hot water or air conditioning when the power went out, as we didn't have these things to begin with. Simple tasks like shopping for food and cleaning clothes also proved to be quite challenging. Nothing builds your appetite like walking through a crowded market and carrying home a heavy load of fresh fruits and vegetables by foot. The days of Whole Foods, shopping carts and free samples at the olive and cheese bars were far removed from the local markets in Granada, Nicaragua. These experiences have been a great reminder not to take things for granted. We are very thankful for that.

Once we settled in our day-to-day lives, we were anxious to get to the barrio, to meet our participants and learn more about where we would be working. Our first visit to the barrio was sobering. We expected the conditions to be poor, but once we saw our participants living eight to ten-strong in small lean-to shacks made of wood and plastic, our hearts sank even further. The somber reality of the neighborhood's focal point, an imposing sweatshop, also dampened our spirits. We immediately noted a small creek, or rather sewage and chemical drain, which ran directly through the middle of our barrio. This river, where the kids loved to play, was a tie-die mix of blue and purple liquid, accented with white bubbles. The small bridge which spanned the river and connected the two sides of the barrio boasted a small plaque bearing the name of one of the children from the barrio who was sadly killed in a car accident early last-year by a drunk driver. The magnitude of emotion attached to this special spot in the middle of this tiny "Village of Hope," immediately captured our hearts and reminded us of why we were willing to subject ourselves to a life without electricity, our beloved air conditioners and the comforts of home. 

Our first reactions were to feel saddened for our participants. Thoughts of grandiose gifts from the United States, such as new homes, free clothes, and food distribution came to mind. We met many of the participants and were captured by their kindness, warmth, smiles, and overall zeal for life.  We often wondered, had we been dealt the same cards and had to live in these same conditions, would we have been able to do it? It was through these thoughts we truly began our volunteer experience with Empowerment International. We started to grow and learn from our experiences. How could we best support and empower the families of the barrio? Our culminating vision did not include an endless supply of gifts to the barrio. Rather, the development of a relationship for which both sides would add to the creation of a sustainable program for change through education.

Over the next six months our Nicaragua team was able to develop and implement many projects which fit within the main mission of the organization. We were able to cultivate a process where the children and families could start thinking about setting their own goals for education, rather than us setting their goals for them. We created focused workbook activities for the participants to complete under the supervision of their parents and the Empowerment International team. Simply providing a space for parents to work with their children might seem like a small achievement, but more often than not, it represented a radical shift in thinking for these families. It has been immensely rewarding to see how the children and their families have grown to take more responsibility for their own education and how they are continually more active within our program.

One of our favorite memories with the families and participants was during our 2007 inscriptions. We hosted this event to welcome all the children into the program for the upcoming school year. Each child completed small activities and letters to be sent to their sponsors. Throughout this activity, we encouraged the parents to work with their children, helping them to complete their drawings and thank-you letters. What we witnessed was amazing. So many parents and children were elated to merely have time to work and play together. We could see time like this was very special for many of our families, as the demands of everyday life usually prevented them from spending this type of quality time together. Everyone was smiling and filled with joy.

The more time that we spent working with the members of the barrio, the more we learned of ways we could grow as an organization. Many children could not attend school because they needed to stay home to take care of their younger brothers and sisters, do the family laundry by hand, clean the house, and cook for the rest of the children. This is often the typical day for some of our eight to ten year-old girls. We quickly learned that our program needed to grow to include open discourse with the parents and family members. In some cases, this meant helping families find alternative means to keep their children in school.  We have worked over the last six months to ensure as many children as possible in the barrio have been given this same opportunity.

As our departure date grows near and we reflect on our experiences in Nicaragua with Empowerment International, we realize we have gained a broader perspective of our place in the world. We have learned so much from our compañeros here in Nicaragua. Aside from the unavoidable lessons in culture and language, we have experienced an entirely different way of life. We have lived in a culture where people strongly value humility and peace; where they choose to pass their time sitting on the front porch in their rocking chairs with their family and friends, offering a simple 'adios' to all who pass-by; where they choose to celebrate life through laughter and smiles. Many of these Nicaragüense have experienced more despair and hardship in their lives than many people will ever have to endure. Felicidades to the people of Nicaragua, as we will leave here feeling happy to have shared so many experiences, not in this poor country of poor people, but in this rich country filled with people rich in passion and love for life and for their country. We are and will continue to be inspired by the people of Nicaragua and the barrio known in English as the "Village of Hope".