This summer, I was fortunate enough to go to Nicaragua through a mission program called Mitzvah Corps. Sponsored by NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth). Our mission took place in a small town called Granada, which lies southeast of its capital Managua. There we worked through an organization called “La Casa de Mujer” (The House of Women), which is an equal rights group who provides aid to families all around Nicaragua, whether it be poverty, domestic issues, etc.
It was our job to help mix, mold, and stack adobe bricks, which was a difficult and time-consuming process that took around six days to complete. With 20 people on our mission trip, we were able to create over 400 bricks, which is only enough to complete about one wall of a house.
I chose to go with this group mainly because it was for Jewish teens. It is much easier to create a connection with teens who have a similar background. As a team, we were able to accomplish so much in a very little time.
When we weren’t working, we visited all kinds of places in Nicaragua like the rainforest, a volcano and all around the village square. Granada was a very nice town, when you weren’t being bombarded by beggars.
It was nice to go outside my comfort zone and push the limits that I have set myself. I was able to expand my view of life and see firsthand how the Nicaraguans live. Even though I only stayed in Nicaragua for 10 days, the experiences I had and the lessons I learned, will stay with me for the rest of my life.
There I discovered what it is like to live in a third world country and saw the hardships that they have to face every day. It has truly made me thankful for the privileges that I have because I live in America, and the experience has made me a better person.