When you’re thinking of a good way to use donated money, funding an outing does not immediately come to mind. You want to use the money well and for longer-lasting benefit. But what is ‘well’? What is ‘ longer lasting benefit’?
We received a donation from the environment fund of the ecumenical parish de Regenboog in Leiden, the Netherlands. We used this gift to fund an outing for the residents, staff of the community home and the activities club, office staff and members of the board, about 25 people altogether. And we are happy to have spent the money this way: “Although the day of the outing is passed, we know for sure that this day will live on in many participants’ minds as unforgettable! Not only because of the super time we had, but also because this trip was made possible by people who live far away. Isn’t that heart-warming? ”
Finding a date
We knew where we wanted to go: the sea. The sea is a four hour drive away so people rarely go there. Moreover, people do not go on holiday much. If they do plan a trip, it is usually a journey to visit relatives who live elsewhere. Near Juigalpa people can swim in a lake or river, but the sea is too far away. Traveling to the sea is a luxury that most families cannot afford. In fact some of our participants had never been to the sea!
But which day to choose? We wanted to ensure that as many people as possible could join the trip, but we also had to take into account the political situation in the country, which since mid-April has been highly volatile
Unrest in Nicaragua
There have been demonstrations in Nicaragua since 18 April in the wake of the Government’s decision to clean up the Institute in charge of collecting pension premiums and paying out pensions. The country went up in flames after many people were killed or injured as a result of the violence used to contain the protests. It was somewhat ground-breaking that many Nicaraguans who for years had tolerated the increasingly authoritarian and anti-democratic government, now took to the streets in protest. They want justice for about 50 deaths, more than 100 injured, and, at present, still 7 missing people.
So far three big marches have taken place in the capital, and in ten relatively large cities there have been violent confrontations between demonstrators and riot police. The president has been forced to accept the demand that the Organisation of American States (OAS) should be requested to investigate the cause of the recent violence. The president now also participates in the national dialogue.
5 May
But let’s get back to our outing. It happened on Saturday. Our coach arrived well in time. Everybody was waiting so we could set off on our journey to Pochomil, a coastal town in the west of Nicaragua. Most likely Daniel and Loyda, who lived a life of deprivation in their original family, had never been on such a long bus trip before, and they had never seen the sea, Daniel visibly enjoyed being in the sea and having the sea splashing water in his face. Loyda preferred to sit on the edge of the water and contemplate the scenery. Jonathan had been in the sea before and he could only be persuaded to get out for lunch. But everybody enjoyed the experience. We ate at one of the beach huts, where they gave us a good reduction. We had the luxury of hammocks, and there was a primitive shower for us to use before our journey home .
It was a great day. We were only confronted by the political situation when traveling through Managua, the capital. It is incredible how diverse life is and how extremes can come together. We are grateful for the good things that come to us, and hold up in prayer those who lost their lives.
PS: On Wednesday the national dialogue will finally start, led by the Roman Catholic Church. There is a lot of hope that many civil society organisations of e.g. students, farmers and entrepreneurs, will be able to negotiate a peaceful solution with the president and his government. Let’s hope that the violence will stop and that justice will prevail.