Adventures from the back of dump truck.

I went to the city dump today. What a day. What a day. First, imagine 4 young white girls, my parents, another lady as dainty as Mary Poppins all following 3 young Nica guys through the city of Granada, particularly the market. We finally reached destination #1 - the bus station. Drenched in sweat, we hopped onto a 'chicken bus' meaning, a school bus with no maximum capacity seating. Motto: there is always room for more. We finally reach our destination and the ten of us squeeze past the big mamas to get off the bus. We then walk up a dirt road for a while. We pick up little kids. We walk a few more kilometers to reach the dump. We meet the people there who collect usable trash as a living. Upon leaving and walking the 5 kilometers back to the bus stop, our 3 Nica friends decide to tell us that the bus doesn't come after 12 on Saturdays. Therefore, we need to walk all the way back. My dad (having a bad foot) gets the grand idea to hitch a ride on an empty dump truck. He waves down the truck, we all hop in the back. We ride ten minutes back to the city of Granada. We get dropped off. 1/2 of our group hops into a taxi for the rest of the way home. Now it's me, my dad, and the three Nica guys. No taxis seem to be coming. But oh wait, an old horse and buggy are waiting. We hop on. Finally make it home. A van is waiting upon arrival. I change into my bathing suit and jump into the van. We then drive to Laguna de Apoyo for the rest of the afternoon and enjoy swimming in a large volcano/crater lake. The clincher, they were kidding about the bus not coming. The guys just wanted to see the girls ride the back of a dump truck. 'Twas a great day.

In all seriousness, during my visit to the dump, I encountered several families who live there as they can pick through the trash each day to collect recyclables for bare minimum pay. Ironically, it was one of the most beautiful sceneries I have seen in Nicaragua - the volcano and mountains to the right and Lake Nicaragua to the left. There was a nice breeze and the landscape was absolutely gorgeous - besides the acres and acres of garbage.

With the stench, the bugs, the dirt, I didn't care to spend more than 1/2 an hour there yet here is 30 or so people who have made this their life. Sadly, they believe they are here in bondage to this life because God punished them. And they can't figure out what they did to deserve this. Bottom line: because of humanity's sin, we all deserve a life of garbage - with added fire and brimstone. But until we understand the love of God, his grace, the salvation of the cross, we live in bondage to a lifestyle of basura (trash) - whether literal or figurative. Oh how I wish to convey to these people that they don't have to live this lifestyle nor do they have to live without Jesus Christ; there is freedom, and hope, and grace, and love beyond what we can fathom. I wish they knew how deep and wide and high and far the father's love is for them. And we who claim to understand it take it for granted. They believe they are bound to the dump. And how ironic the beautiful scenery that surrounds this place. It's like the love of God encompassing these people as He waits for them to simply raise their hands to receive.

This is a picture of the children at the dump. The large dump pile is in the background.

Learning to let go of expectations, learning what it is to be obedient. Being stretched before the supposed 'ministry' of the next 4 weeks has even started. Excited for the work that God has in store for his people in Nicaragua.

The Laguna/Volcano Crater where we swam today. BEAUTIFUL. And my first panorama ever :) 

Anyways, it's late here. The sun went down about 5 hours ago and I'm exhausted. I'm in my house, laying on a hammock looking up at the stars. Yes, I have much to be thankful for :)

Love, Bri