Andrea’s report

Experience in Nicaragua by Andrea Chacón

This experience has been very beautiful. There are no words to explain what I felt and lived, as everything is new in my heart, but what I felt I will keep it and I will cherish it greatly.

I bless God today for such a great gift. As I was arriving I was feeling butterflies in my stomach because of the emotion and the joy. My interior invited me to say:

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for he has come and redeemed his people” (Lk 1,68).

I repeated again and again.

Then, crossing the border, I could see a different reality and as the bus moved forward I could see the houses so simple, the lake and a volcano. The plants and the trees moved with the breeze with a secret language which welcomed me saying

“Sing and rejoice, O daughter or Sion, for I am about to come, I shall dwell among you, says the Lord” (Ze 2,14).

I was already in Nicaragua, I asked the Lord much wisdom, that his peace will be with me and what the Virgin Mary said:

“I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said” (Lk 1,38).

During these days I have done a lot of things. I am going to mention some of those which I have lived:

  • In the morning we pray together asking that the Word of God be our source and our life light. How good and delightful to see kindred living together in unity! (Ps 133,1).

We have also shared a lot with Sister Ana María on the reality of the Barrio del Recreo, the Project Generating Life, the foundations in Nicaragua and the history of this country.

  • After the prayer we go to the canteen Rayito de Luz to help serving the meal to adults and children, and making a data base of those who come to the canteen. It was a way to get to know better the people and their different family situations which are very painful. I observed well their faces and their glassy eyes; behind those eyes, very deep, there are some stories (I do not know which ones); only God knows them, but their faces reflect God.
  • In the afternoon we sometimes go to the library. There are many children there who come to do their homework. I was there helping them, especially in mathematics. I am very happy about it, because with the little I could teach them, they will be able to do better in the future; like the “butterfly effect”, with a simple flapping of a butterfly we can feel we are on the other side of the world, it means a minimal change.

Fridays are special because in the afternoon they have an hour to play with puzzles, checks, lego, and football or to paint and draw among other things. The children wait for that day to arrive so they can enjoy themselves. It is impressive to see their faces. They laugh, they talk, they sing and they are very creative and have an incredible imagination.

  • I was looking how to express this mathematically. It is difficult as I do not have many hypotheses, but, how to express it? I resumed it in an equilateral triangle, with two equal sides, equal angles. The shield from Nicaragua is like an equilateral triangle which means equality. Even if you turn it round, it remains always the same equilateral triangle. It can also represent the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. But inside this triangle, I can draw its height forming two special triangles which are equal. I gave them names: the people and I. So: God – I – the people and the people – I – God.

Living with the people helped me to be more sensitive and human, to see in the brother/sister God’s eyes.

Father Theodore said that one should get out of himself to let God’s love enter in our hearts, because one must be humble, persistent and wait for the moment (God’s time), nothing more, always with the hand on the heart and the disposal, nothing else.

I want to bless God for everything he gave me and thank him for what I lived. I keep all that in my heart, I will keep it like a treasure with precious stones and I will get into my heart when I will need a precious stone to walk and live God’s project.

I want to thank the sisters and associates for their prayers and love.

Andrea Chacón, Postulante NDS
IN SION FIRMATA SUM.