A few years back my mom have me a key that said "persevere". That word and key mean the world to me. I knew I would pass it on someday, so I got it tattooed on my ankle.
I was blessed with the opportunity to travel back to Nicaragua for the second time to teach in a small village. Let me give you a picture of what it is like there. The village is extremely poor. The school has no walls, doors, floors, windows, desks, or chairs. The children's ages range from three to fifteen. The kids are amazing and each of them have a unique story. Most of their stories are the kind that just grab your heart and bring you to tears.
For most of the young girls there, their mothers are prostitutes because it's the only way they can make money for their families. Usually the girls are beaten and raped by their drunk fathers frequently. There are girls as young as fifteen who are already mothers and they are shamed by the community because the father of her child is her very own dad.
Most of the boys in the school come from both physically and verbally abusive households. They are told school is pointless by their parents and they have no pressure or push to even attend school. On a good week, they might show up once or twice and the lack of attendance causes them to fall behind. All of the children do not attend regularly due to the fact they have to stay home and work to help bring in more money.
The village is built on a dump. The kids go out into the landfills and find valuable things they can sell and that is how they make their money. To me that is heart breaking, but to them it is normal everyday life.
I spoke with their teacher and I asked if I could give the village and all the children my Giving Key. She loved the idea so I presented it to all of them. I told them how my mom gave it to me and why the word meant to much to me. I told them I wanted them to always have perseverance in school, at home, and throughout their lives. I decided they needed the key more than I did.
-Kelly
