“Losciudadanos de Polvo”, that in English would be “the citizens of Dust”, the title is an article written by a Nicaraguan Jorge Bautista Lara, that informs the reality of the Community Cristo Rey, in the town of Tipitapa, one hour from the city of Manágua. In summary, Bautista tells that in the community there are no paved roads, that is surrounded by lands not paved and it is flooded with dust that arises over the houses all the time. In the neighborhood is the city dump, that always emits smoke due to the burning waste.
There are about 11.500 inhabitants, with a meaningful number of children. The adults that can work, do it on the free zones closer or at the dump. The children stay alone at home, and they are taken care by all the neighbors. During the school period, they do not go regularly to classes, because they also work at the dump. In that community there is no park or playground for leisure, recently they have only installed electricity. The drugs circulates there and many deal it to survive. The level of malnourishment in the children is visible in their faces and their clothes show the extremely poverty existing there. It is an unhopeful scenery.
At the community of Cristo Rey, there is only one public school, that has no capacity to assist all the children, even more the ones that are starting the school. Thus, since last January, PEPE Program is bringing hope to heart of 25 boys and girls with the implementation of a unit at the Baptist field “Shalom”. There, the children are being taken care receiving love, education and food. The coordinator of PEPE, sister Maveth Godinez, manages the donations of food, guaranteeing daily meals.
PEPE has been a great blessing for the community! The parents are enthusiastic and participate of the activities that are organized; the children attends regularly the classes and most of them, are also attending the Sunday Bible School; and often are done visitations to their houses to present the gospel to their families. The children as well the community of Cristo Rey, or as called by the writer, community of the “Dust”, need our prayers to follow being changed by the hope that only Christ, the king, can give.
Sandra Lizeth de Trinidad
National Coordinator PEPE Nicarágua
