Nicaragua 5

We wake up to a rooster's crow and children playing volleyball. We begin work at 8:30, we are digging a 10by12by10 hole for a septic tank. The dirt is heavy, and with all the rain it only adds to the weight. I wheelbarrow dirt to the edge of a hill and watch as our mound slowly grows. Around 12 we break for lunch, it's the fourth of July so we have hot dogs, Doritos, potato salad, and soda. It was good to have American food. After lunch a few of us go to the market in Jinotega. We order coffee to bring home with us from a small Christian cafe. The men sit on steps whistling and trying out their english on us "Yooou have a beeeautyful smi-el." While sitting on steps waiting for some of our team members, a small boy walked up to us. He had a old gray ripped t-shirt, snotty nose, dirty face, bloated stomach and scar that ran across his head. I couldn't imagine the living conditions he endured. He was a poster child for poverty. He wanted his picture taken with the gringos. After re-joining with our team and heading into the market area, with fruits and vegatables and a abundance of fruit flies we bought what we needed for the orphanage and then began to head back to the bus. After realizing the small boy was following us, one of the orphanage directors hired him to help carry bags back to the bus. He was delighted, he swung the bag of pineapple onto his shoulder and walked back with his. His face filled with joy as he was paid will forever be in my mind. What a precious child. I don't know his name, and he doesn't know me, but he is someone I never want to forget. Hope exists among the least of these, the ones who may be last here on earth, but will be the greatest in heaven.