Darkness & Light

I’ve been thinking this week about darkness and light. Partly, this involves my misconception about the daylight hours in Nicaragua. For some reason (I’m guessing it has to do with science) it gets dark here around 5:30 pm all year long. More than that, there also exists a sense of figurative darkness. Many of the stereotypes one may have about the Third World can be seen here. Burning trash, mangy dogs, one-room houses, dust, dirt, rice, beans, all the rest.

However, I also sense the people here teem with self-confidence and a strong sense of their own identity. Despite a history of violent politics and natural disasters, this is not a people of gloom. In fact, as I meditated on the themes of darkness and light found in Isaiah 9 and John 1, I sensed connections to Nicaragua:

There will be no more gloom for those who were in distress

(Isaiah 9:1; I also liked v. 5)

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it

(John 1:5; see also 3:21)

As we toured several farms in el campo (the countryside) over the last 2 days, what became clear is that the people do not see themselves as living in any sort of darkness - literal or figurative. It is true that some do not have electricity, but this gives them the joy of rising and sleeping with the sun. It is true that there may be deep darkness around them, but they live with a Light inside that has overcome the darkness of material poverty.

We met one participant in CEPAD’s farm program - Wladimir - who owned land, but couldn’t make anything grow on it. The soil’s nutrients had been slowly drained by years of mismanagement. He had problems with erosion and runoff as his parcel sits on a slope. Under CEPAD leadership, he studied good practices for his land including organic composting; using natural, live barriers to prevent erosion; and rotating and staggering crop planting.

He showed us an area of the farm teeming with little lemon trees, papayas, plantains (you can see these in the video), and tons of other fruits. He seemed to shine with pride as he described how the land used to be like a rocky desert, but now, thanks be to God, he has sufficient produce to feed his family and share with his neighbors. For him, this is everything. With a straight back and smile on his face, he showed us plant, after plant, after plant that never would have been grown if CEPAD had not been the hands and feet of the Savior, serving the least of the children.

Now, Wladimir now trains four more people in what he has learned from CEPAD and as he shares what he learns, the Church comes to life: communities are transformed and the Gospel is lived out.

#Nicaragua #CEPAD