Nicaragua: Darlin

We started sponsoring Darlin when she was approximately 6 years old (she is 13 now). We had sponsored two boys and our twin girls wanted to sponsor a girl.

They picked Darlin because:

1. She was their same age
2. She was a girl
3. They liked her name and
4. In her sponsor package picture she was NOT smiling. The girls said "we want to sponsor her and then maybe she will smile."

Mission Accomplished!

We drove from Managua to Leon in about 90 minutes. It is interesting driving along the highway at a pretty good speed, feel the van swerve right and then left, and realize the reason for swerve was to avoid a little horse and buggy that was also using the highway.  The drive went through papaya tree farms, rice fields, and sugar cane fields.

Nicaragua has many active volcanoes and we saw a number of them on the drive out. 

We also passed through an area where the red soil makes for a good brick making business. Imagine a truck pulling out in front on you stacked 25 bricks high filling an entire flat bed truck WITHOUT a single strap holding the bricks in place. One bump or little accident = a very big mess!  (wish I had a picture but I was too busy preparing to duck if the bricks came our way)

Also of interest while driving... people on the side of the road holding up  geckos....our guide / translator Rolando said they were selling them.  He said we would see people on the side of the road selling parrots, monkeys, and even snakes!

As we drove into Leon, the difference in the city itself was striking.  No graffiti. Few barb wire protective fences. The downtown area was much more inviting vs what we saw in Managua. Having said that, the fast food chicken place where we ate lunch had an armed security guard at the door as did the Burger King across the courtyard.

Our guide said that Leon was leveled during to 1950s by a volcanic explosion. He said it was one of the nicest towns in Nicaragua now because there are a number of universities around the city and the tourists like Leon and help the economy.

We met Darlin, her mother Brenda, older sister Sonia, and younger brother Isaac (other 6 yr old brother Moses we met later at their home). In addition the principal and secretary from the school at the church were there.

After initial greetings, we saw the church and the classrooms. This school is in addition to their regular school and focuses on teaching kids about the Bible and morals. The young kids come 2 to 3 times a week while the older kids come 1 to 2 times a week.

They have 4 teachers and from what I could tell the school has pretty much maxed out its space. It is in the city and is surrounded on all sides by other buildings.

It was really touching to hear Darlin read a letter about what our sponsorship has meant to her.  She said it was a prayer and a dream of hers that we would come to visit her and she felt so blessed to have our whole family there. The principal later said we were the first sponsors to visit their school in 2 years and they were honored to have us. Our guide mentioned during our drive out that the Compassion International team coordinates about 400 visits a year in Nicaragua which represents 1% of the 40,000 sponsored kids.

As expected Darlin was a bit shy when we began he visit but warmed up as the visit progressed. She said she wants to grow up to be a lawyer so that she can help underprivileged kids. Her favorite subject in school is social sciences and she says she is an ok student.  

Here is a video of Darlin talking about what she has learned at the school, what she wants to be, and then at the end of the video her mom on their front porch talking about our visit.  (link in case video doesn't work below   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykkrC1FX3hs  )

Her principal was very proud of her for entering a baking school as she also likes to cook. One of the pictures in the packet Darlin put together for us was a picture of her graduating from that cooking class.

I also loved how her principal said "When we change the children we change the country"  Rachel and I both thanked her for the work she is doing in Jesus Christ's name.  We could just tell how much she loved the kids she worked with and pray her ministry continues to bless the kids of this area. She also said a big focus for her with the older kids was the importance of purity.  I think this was said as a reminder to Darlin given that her sister got pregnant at age 14. It's hard to break the cycle of poverty when having children outside marriage at such a young age.

After taking a few pictures in front of the church, we headed to her home where we sat on the porch and told family stories and heard their family stories.

From Left to Right: Ms Espinoza (school secretary), H, Rachel, Brenda (Darlin's mom), Isaac (2 year old brother), V, Darlin, Dorian (son of sister), Sonia (sister), S, Andrew, AJ, Mrs Pachecho (principal)

Darlin lives on a dirt road in a house with no electricity.  The footprint is about 20 feet wide and 25 feet deep with the kitchen out back. Currently at least 8 people and 4 generations live in this house (Darlin's grandmother, mother, father, sister, 2 brothers, darlin + sister's son).  The house has been in the family since the early 1980s when her grandmother bought the place.  

Darlin's House

Looking down Darlin's street...her mom says the road is impassible during raining season

The 'not very nice to animals' neighbors across the street.  When we left for lunch, this crew was really whipping another horse who looked just as malnourished and just wanted to lay down for a rest.  

We had told stories about our family on the porch and listened to stories about their family.  It was a wonderful time and very memorable.  

One of the things the girls got for Darlin was nail polish....so they turned the front porch into a salon for the day and took good care of Senorita Darlin....

We ate lunch in town at a chicken fast food place (that was actually quite good) and was in this little 'mall' opposite the Burger King.

Courtyard at the place where we all ate together

After lunch, we dropped the family back at their home, said our goodbyes and headed back to Managua.

We came to Nicaragua specifically to see Darlin before heading to El Salvador to work with our church in a community our church sponsors.  When we told her we came here especially for her, I wish I had been video taping because she just lit up.  

It was a wonderful visit and well worth the effort to make it happen.  

To bed now for a few hours as we have to get up at 2:30am to catch our 4am bus out of Nicaragua to El Salvador.....

AJ with our Guide / Translator Rolando from Compassion International