Imagine what you could do with a little extra cash. A weekend away. A new tech gift for a loved one. Dinner and drinks with a group of friends. Here in rural Nicaragua, a little extra cash can change lives. Imagine you’re a nine-year-old child, sleeping, and the only thing between you and the world is a sheet of plastic wrap for a wall. Imagine not having a locking door or a closing window, and snakes and spiders are part of your nightly experience. For many here, this is the hard reality. Imagine you are a mother of three, occupying the same two mattresses bumped up against each other on a dirt floor. There is no privacy, there is no modesty, there is only hope that one day it will change. For this one family, a little extra cash did just that. To you and I, a locking window is a given. A bed with a frame is the norm. And walls that keep out wind and rain, expected. These “luxuries’ are made possible by your considerate contrubution to the improvement of the lives of the less fortunate. I asked Mom, “como dormiste anoche?”, how did you sleep last night? And for the first time in a while peacefully. This is not a photo of an abandoned shack. This is the home of a friend of mine. And not just any friend. A mother of two, she lives here with her son and daughter, 15 and 13, and a nephew, 13 years old. . Responsible for the education of 30-40 children, she is a village leader. A teacher, a pastor, instructor and pillar. How does one shoulder such responsibility when home life offers nothing in the way of comfort and security? It’s one thing to stay at home and do nothing and let your life crumble around you. But it’s another thing when you work morning to night, and don’t have the time or resources to maintain an environment that provides you with a little respite and dignity.
By Damian Marchiafava
