 |
Nicaraguan family lifeElizabeth Yeaman — Barrie, ON Childhood is a period of life when potential seems eternal. The sky is the limit and the future is there for the taking. There is no other time in our lives when the possibilities seem so endless. The faces of children reflect this potential. This reflection is no less clear on the muddy and dirty faces of impoverished children from the other side of the world. The children of Nicaragua are no different from the children who live here in Canada. In fact, they are no different then the children who are currently asleep in many of our own homes. The hopes and dreams that parents have for their children are similar. We all wish and hope for the best for our children, no matter the environment in which we are raising our families. Some environments are certainly easier then others. In Nicaragua, children are being raised in an environment of poverty, a difficult task. An environment of poverty includes: hunger, loneliness, boredom, discomfort, and, often, a sense of hopelessness. However, there is often no difference in the love which is shared between parents and children.
On the seventh day of the Nicaragua distribution we were allowed the privilege of visiting various homes within Managua. A home in Nicaragua typically houses more then one family. Often there are as many as five families sharing laundry, cooking fires, bathroom facilities, and sleeping quarters. In one home five children happily posed, under their new mosquito net, on their shared bed. Floors are often dirt and the walls are generally constructed from tarps and rusted corrugated tin. Bathroom facilities can often be very basic with a hole dug in the ground and, if lucky, a toilet seat perched for comfort. The roofs have many holes which make it difficult to imagine how the family manages during the rainy season. The ingenuity and creativity of the families demonstrated, in very restrictive circumstances, is humbling. For example, old clothing is often unstitched and sewn into new and more useful articles for the family. Regardless of how basic these accommodations may seem to North American standards, each family was proud to show their homes and their children. Like each of us, their homes were the centre of their family life and represented love, comfort, and security for all members. No matter how meager their surroundings appeared, the moms, dad, and grandparents were proud of their children and hopeful for their future.
The basic luxuries of a mattress, pillow, mosquito net, and sheets, as provided by the SCAW donors, were appreciated additions to the family home. As one grandmother eloquently stated, "The bedkit will improve the quality of sleep for (her) five grandchildren and consequently improve (their) learning potential." This particular grandmother also demonstrated to me unselfish-love: she, at 77 years old, was still sleeping on a dirt floor. As we return home to re-engage with our own families, let us all model the unselfish love and servitude which was demonstrated by this Nicaraguan grandmother. Finally, as we look into the faces of our own children, let us not forget the dreams and potential of all the 4,000 children in Nicaragua who received bedkits. All children deserve the opportunity to meet their potential. Some of them just need a good night sleep. |
