The Triangle of Hell

The first day of work is complete... The work day began at 9:30 yesterday. We were taken by van to a site known as the "triangle of death". The name draws its meaning because the people in this area are surrounded by the dump ground and the cemetery.

The road less traveled... perhaps! It is a long and winding road to get to the place where the people have created a community. You travel through mud and scattered trash. In the morning hours, I was able to see the locals preparing for the day. The children were out running and playing, while the parents were preparing for a day of work. A day of work for the parents includes the laundry which is hand washed and air dried. They were also preparing for meals of the day, which include a very large pot of cooked vegetables.

Yesterday, at El Limonal (spelling), we began work on a small school that will house pre-school age children. We joined a team of local men in making the rebar to hold the structure of the school. I learned how to make the walls (a.k.a. brick laying). The foreman of the job is a jolly fellow. He and I began the day trying to make my limited spanish vocabulary work. By the end of the day, he had began to use sign language to communicate with me, and this worked well. The work is hard, but as you watch the locals of El Limonal work together, you feel very much a part of building a new life for them.

At the end of yesterday, someone asked me my biggest take away from the first day has been. Without pause, I can tell you that while the living conditions are sparse, this community of people love each other and they take care of each other. There is a sense of community that I have never experienced. The children run around and play all day. They are inquisitive, smiling, laughing and being children. There is something so simple about their life. They are each present and attentive. As we worked in one of the families general area, I watched the mother's play with their young children. One mother sat for an hour swinging her baby in a swing. They don't have the daily distractions of the internet and text messages to keep them drawn to a gadget. They are simply present with life and with their conditions, and they seem happy. Each person that you encounter offers a smile. It is a smile from the soul. It is as if you can see right down into the very core of each individual that you encounter. They are happy to have us and we are so happy to be there.

As I prepare for another day of work at the Triangle of Hell, I can say that while I wasn't totally sure what to expect from the travel to Nicaragua, I can tell you that there is most definitely truth in living a simple life.

As I was roaming around El Limonal yesterday, I found a lovely hibiscus flower. I am reminded of the beauty that is always around us.

I have also learned that the location where we are working has been renamed to "the triangle of life". I like this better.

Much Love and Peace, Brandi J.