The Montessori school started by Gail
The streets of La Carpio
A family we delivered a bunk bed to.I keep trying to shorten these entries so they are more reader friendly, but I have so much to share that I find it difficult. So on that note, here is another long one. : )
Today was the final day building camarotes (bunk beds) in La Carpio. My team delivered the bunks to the houses which meant we carried all of the pieces to the house and then finished assembling them there in the home. The houses we traveled to were modest; containing only one or two rooms and very basic amenities. One house had dirt floors while the other was tiled. It was humble living conditions but the family did the best with what they had. They were so grateful for the bunk beds for their children. Along with the bunk beds, the Humanitarian Foundation also supplies two mattresses and blankets and a small gift bag. We were able to deliver two beds during our morning shift.
After the camarotes were finished, we headed to the newest clinic being opened by the Humanitarian Foundation which will eventually be a Montessori school for children. It’s a great space with plenty of potential. It already has a learning center and kitchen and a library and office are under construction within the building. I will be interested to know how the school does. It holds so much promise!
Once inside the school, we sat down and listened to two testimonies of those who grew up in La Carpio. One was of a woman who talked about the difficulties of the women who live there and the other was of a young man who came from Nicaragua as a young boy. Both had a lot to share but the young man’s story was particularly riveting. Let me share a little…
Bismarck’s Story
Bismarck was born in Nicaragua and at 15 days old his father was murdered—the murderer was never found. His mother was left to care for him and his siblings. By the age of 6 or 7, Bismarck’s older brother had become part of a gang and was giving alcohol and drugs to Bismarck so that Bismarck could be a ‘man’ like the rest of the boys. At the age of 10 Bismarck left Nicaragua and the gang life and headed to Costa Rica. He hitchhiked his way across the border and eventually ended up with a kind man who owned an orange tree farm. The man gave Bismarck a place to live and sent him to school. After 6 months of being fed and living with a roof over Bismarck’s head, the farmer lost his land and money and hanged himself. Bismarck was left alone.
Bismarck then made his way to the streets of San Jose and joined with other boys in a similar situation. They started a gang for themselves and survived the streets by robbing persons and dealing and using drugs. They used and dealt anything from marijuana, to cocaine to rubber cement. In his words, they lived like dogs too. They slept in open spaces or parking lots on small pieces of cardboard if there were any. The boys would awake at ten in the morning, find a victim to rob and be high by evening.
This life continued for years until Bismarck met Gail at age 14. By then, many of his gang counterparts were either in jail or dead. Gail picked up the boys off the street and took them to the foundation convinced that if you loved someone enough and could give them shelter, food and a better life, they would change. So she gave them the necessities, but they were still addicted. They continued to terrorize the new neighborhood just so they could get their hands on the drugs.
At age 18, Bismarck was caught for drug possession and dealings and was sent to jail for 6 years. Within that time, most of the boys remaining from the gang in San Jose had died or were in jail now with him. The funny part about jail for these boys is that it is the preferred option to living on the streets. In jail you have food and shelter every day. You’ll never wonder where your next meal or bed is going to be. Bismarck was finally released from jail two years ago and returned home for a while to live with his mom. His mom had thought he was dead. She hadn’t seen him in 15 years. Today, Bismarck is 25.
Costa Rica is a window of hope and opportunity to Bismarck so he has returned with his wife to make enough money to buy a house back in Nicaragua. As difficult as life is for him in Costa Rica, it would be much worse in Nicaragua. Even though he doesn’t have work at the moment, he has a much better chance to find it here than back home. Bismarck has been sober for 6 years now and has been helping out at the Humanitarian Foundation that has helped him so much over the years. Gail is still looking for ways to support him and help him achieve his dream of one day buying the house in Nicaragua. It only costs $800. But of all the boys that Gail helped during that time, Bismarck is one of the few that came back.
I wish I could write that Bismarck’s story is unique to this community, but unfortunately it is the standard and not the exception. So many Nicaraguans and even some Costa Ricans face these perils and have found refuge in La Carpio. It is truly an inspiring place once you dig past all of the pain and poverty that is so clearly evident. Bienvenidos a La Carpio: Nuestra unidad y variedad es la magia de nuestra Ciudad—the sign reads upon entering the community. It really is a city of hope.
Buenas noches…
Jessica Lynn
Today was the final day building camarotes (bunk beds) in La Carpio. My team delivered the bunks to the houses which meant we carried all of the pieces to the house and then finished assembling them there in the home. The houses we traveled to were modest; containing only one or two rooms and very basic amenities. One house had dirt floors while the other was tiled. It was humble living conditions but the family did the best with what they had. They were so grateful for the bunk beds for their children. Along with the bunk beds, the Humanitarian Foundation also supplies two mattresses and blankets and a small gift bag. We were able to deliver two beds during our morning shift.
After the camarotes were finished, we headed to the newest clinic being opened by the Humanitarian Foundation which will eventually be a Montessori school for children. It’s a great space with plenty of potential. It already has a learning center and kitchen and a library and office are under construction within the building. I will be interested to know how the school does. It holds so much promise!
Once inside the school, we sat down and listened to two testimonies of those who grew up in La Carpio. One was of a woman who talked about the difficulties of the women who live there and the other was of a young man who came from Nicaragua as a young boy. Both had a lot to share but the young man’s story was particularly riveting. Let me share a little…
Bismarck’s Story
Bismarck was born in Nicaragua and at 15 days old his father was murdered—the murderer was never found. His mother was left to care for him and his siblings. By the age of 6 or 7, Bismarck’s older brother had become part of a gang and was giving alcohol and drugs to Bismarck so that Bismarck could be a ‘man’ like the rest of the boys. At the age of 10 Bismarck left Nicaragua and the gang life and headed to Costa Rica. He hitchhiked his way across the border and eventually ended up with a kind man who owned an orange tree farm. The man gave Bismarck a place to live and sent him to school. After 6 months of being fed and living with a roof over Bismarck’s head, the farmer lost his land and money and hanged himself. Bismarck was left alone.
Bismarck then made his way to the streets of San Jose and joined with other boys in a similar situation. They started a gang for themselves and survived the streets by robbing persons and dealing and using drugs. They used and dealt anything from marijuana, to cocaine to rubber cement. In his words, they lived like dogs too. They slept in open spaces or parking lots on small pieces of cardboard if there were any. The boys would awake at ten in the morning, find a victim to rob and be high by evening.
This life continued for years until Bismarck met Gail at age 14. By then, many of his gang counterparts were either in jail or dead. Gail picked up the boys off the street and took them to the foundation convinced that if you loved someone enough and could give them shelter, food and a better life, they would change. So she gave them the necessities, but they were still addicted. They continued to terrorize the new neighborhood just so they could get their hands on the drugs.
At age 18, Bismarck was caught for drug possession and dealings and was sent to jail for 6 years. Within that time, most of the boys remaining from the gang in San Jose had died or were in jail now with him. The funny part about jail for these boys is that it is the preferred option to living on the streets. In jail you have food and shelter every day. You’ll never wonder where your next meal or bed is going to be. Bismarck was finally released from jail two years ago and returned home for a while to live with his mom. His mom had thought he was dead. She hadn’t seen him in 15 years. Today, Bismarck is 25.
Costa Rica is a window of hope and opportunity to Bismarck so he has returned with his wife to make enough money to buy a house back in Nicaragua. As difficult as life is for him in Costa Rica, it would be much worse in Nicaragua. Even though he doesn’t have work at the moment, he has a much better chance to find it here than back home. Bismarck has been sober for 6 years now and has been helping out at the Humanitarian Foundation that has helped him so much over the years. Gail is still looking for ways to support him and help him achieve his dream of one day buying the house in Nicaragua. It only costs $800. But of all the boys that Gail helped during that time, Bismarck is one of the few that came back.
I wish I could write that Bismarck’s story is unique to this community, but unfortunately it is the standard and not the exception. So many Nicaraguans and even some Costa Ricans face these perils and have found refuge in La Carpio. It is truly an inspiring place once you dig past all of the pain and poverty that is so clearly evident. Bienvenidos a La Carpio: Nuestra unidad y variedad es la magia de nuestra Ciudad—the sign reads upon entering the community. It really is a city of hope.
Buenas noches…
Jessica Lynn
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