"Let the World Change you...

...and then you can change the world." On Saturday my class (hunger, famine, and food security) went on a field trip to La Carpio- one of the poorest barrios of San Jose. It was a challenging yet rewarding day. For the past week, we have been learning how to evaluate household and community food security and assess livelihoods. I spent the day in a small group of 4, visiting 2 families. Here is a brief recount of the stories we heard.

The first family was a single grandmother raising 8 grandkids. One mother had died, and the other was sick back in Nicaragua. They live in a dirt floor house, and she cooks small foods, such as arroz con leche, that the children sell on the street. They are often robbed and the children come home crying because someone took their only means to eat. She estimated that the 9 of them make about 3,000colones, 6 USDs, per day. The house has running water, but it is only available at around 2am. So the grandmother must get up every night to collect enough water for the day. Her bills include 15,000 c. a month for water and 20,000 c. a month for electricity. So you can imagine how little they have to spend on food, school, medicine, etc. Her wish was that the children would be able to finish school and have food and peace in their lives.

The second family was a grandfather raising two grandkids alone. He used to drive a bus in Nicaragua, but was injured when the road washed out beneath him. He is blind in one eye and can no longer work a labor intensive job and while he used to receive support from the government, they now "forgot about him." His grandchildren were born out of prostitution and the mother brought them to visit, and abandoned them. The man now tries to rent out part of his house for income and he volunteers at the local church in exchange for schooling for the children. He sold everything he has, "and is left with nothing but hunger." On Christmas, some missionaries in the town gave the children each a gift and they sold them so that they could buy food. They have no electricity because he can not afford to pay the bills. Despite the hardships in his life and the tears he shed while telling us his story, he was one of the most optimistic people I have ever met. He puts his faith in God and appreciates even the smallest blessings in his life. He hopes that his life will move forward and that God will bless the children. In closing, he asked if he could pray with us. His prayer was not for his own circumstances or for any help that our report might bring him, but rather for happiness and success in the lives of myself and my 3 colleagues.

After spending the day with these two families, it was a hard reality to get back on the bus to return to my house here...a palace by these families standards. I find it important to remember to be gracious for my life, even when it doesn't go quite how I think it should, because I am truly blessed. I learned more from these two strong and courageous individuals than I could have in any classroom. To them, nothing mattered but essential food and shelter, and the love for their family and for their god. The didn't blame any one for their circumstances, but rather offered praise for what they did have and hope for the future. If "we" as affluent and privileged people could acquire just a fraction of the humility and graciousness that these families in La Carpio possessed, the world would indeed be changed for the better.