The last few days have been deeply demanding. Not particularly physically demanding (although it was nearly 100 degrees every day and this northerner hates the heat) but certainly emotionally and spiritually. I have been in Managua, Nicaragua the last few days with a team of other speakers and artists from around North America that have a ministry partnership with Compassion.

Like you may be able to imagine, seeing children in poverty — the state of being without — is overwhelmingly wearing on your heart, mind and soul. Some of these children are without hope, some without love, some without food, some without shoes and clothing, some without Jesus, some without a place to call home and the list could go on… It is wearing on me. It is killing these kids—literally.

I am still intensely reflecting on my experience and I am still to close to it to collect my thoughts enough to post about what I am currently wondering around. I can say this much though; seeing children in poverty pushes me to consider who I am, what I have, what I do and what to do.

One of many highlights was the opportunity I had to meet one of the children that my family sponsors. His name is Eliezer. He is 6 years old and lives with his mother and father and his little brother Michael. Eliezer’s father is a baker. He makes about $30 USD a month and their rent is about $27 a month. You do the math… there isn’t much left over.

I visited Eliezer’s home. His home is not much bigger than my college dorm room was, has one small bed, a dirt floor that the boys sleep on and a tin roof in need of repair. I was thrilled to have the chance to spend about 30 minutes with him. I don’t speak Spanish so it was a bit awkward at first but fortunately Compassion supplied a translator. I loved on Eliezer, gave him some gifts and then prayed for he and his family. It was an experience I will cherish forever. It is hard to describe what I am feeling having said “adios” to him.

Do me a favor? Stop what you are doing right now and pray that Eliezer’s father would get more work. If he can get more hours at the bakery he would be able to fix the roof, build some beds, etc. for his family. Thanks for praying. More to come on my experience in Nicaragua.