La Chureca

La Esparanza

Wednesday we had the privilege going with the 'Teacher's Conference Team' from Northshore to La Chureca.  La Chureca is the name of the city dump in Managua, where over 2,000 people live in or around.  We only drove in a small area of the dump till we arrived at a school IN the dump.  This is a Christian school (La Esperanza) that has over 300 students  - K through 6th grade - all students live within the boundaries of the dump.  La Chureca is so horribly sad but in the midst of the sadness this Christian school is a glimmer of hope...the hope of Christ in the lives of children that have very little hope for a bright future. While these children attend school, there are many other children who are forced by their parents to sift through garbage to find food and things to sell.  Many parents at La Chureca prostitute their own children to dump truck drivers for the rights to the garbage on their trucks...La Chureca is a very disgusting, dark place.  The only light that shines is at the school, where the light of Jesus Christ shines bright.

Afterwards, we went to a 'safe house' called Casa Havila...which is a place for girls who need a safe place to live and where they are loved and cared for.  Many come from the revolting living situation at La Chureca.  When we visited, they were housing about 12 girls.  Again,  the light of Jesus shines bright at Casa Havila.