Shelter from the Storm

The month of May typically marks the onset of Nicaragua's invierno, or “winter.” Here, though, the temperature doesn't drop, nor do the days shorten. Winter is instead characterized by a lot of rain, and the season's first fit occurred last week as I was walking the kilometer between the main highway and my house. A cool afternoon breeze brought some light drops and then more and more until, within sprinting distance of home, heavy sheets of water were spilling over everything, transforming the dusty road into a muddy current. To the delight of the neighbors, I jogged around puddles, dodging frogs and almost falling once before disappearing behind a cascade formed by water pouring off of our tin roof. Everyone needs shelter, I thought, realizing then that no one knew this better than...well, than the laughing neighbors.

Next door to Monte Hermon is House of Hope (Casa Esperanza), a multi-building compound that houses former Managuan prostitutes and their children. The founder, April Havlin, has been working with troubled women in Managua for more than five years and has overseen the project's rapid growth. Her three-member afternoon support group has transformed into a multi-generational support system for nearly ninety women and their families. Eight women and their children make up the residential program, which officially opened its doors on Jan 27th after two and a half years of mostly volunteer construction, and another eighty arrive every Tuesday morning to participate in a cardmaking industry that provides a significant supplemental income. The program also provides microloans for qualifying women who are interested in operating their own businesses, and an alliance with Monte Hermon (the neighboring Christian school and my home) provides sponsored House of Hope children with education, recreation, and new friends. One of these kids – a 7th grader named Jennifer – became my new best friend after rescuing my cell phone from certain doom. It fell unnoticed from my pocket as I was running through the rain.

The terms of Nica HOPE's relationship with House of Hope have yet to be fully established. Considering our flexibility and their increasing need and indefinite growth, however, our organizations will work hand-in-hand in the future. April will eventually incorporate a sewing business into House of Hope's repertoire, and as a non-profit in support of vocational enterprise, we hope to be directly involved in fundraising, training, and job-placement and/or product-marketing. The same goes for a planned baking industry (anyone have a commercial oven to get rid of?), and our vocational training school at Monte Hermon will eventually be open to all qualified and hard-working students, regardless of gender.

It's May 10th and the steamy Nicaraguan winter is beginning anew. The women of House of Hope are beginning anew as well, clean and dry and laughing at the gringo in the rain.

Jordan Hooper
Managua, Nicaragua