Hi there! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Kathy Pacheco and I am an 18 year old Nicaraguan. I’ve had the privilege to translate for this mission team for 2 years now, thanks to David Russell who introduced me to the Lillies. It’s truly been a blessing to have this same mission down here for another year and I know for sure that their work here has not been in vain. It’s been interesting to see the team’s responses to what they’ve found here and how their eyes have been opened upon seeing the different circumstances that people here are faced with. However, though hard to believe, it’s also been a very impacting and intense week for me too.
As a Nicaraguan, you would expect me to be well acquainted with what happens around here and what the vast majority of our citizens are dealing with, but sadly I’m not. I had the privilege to visit the city dump for the first time last year when they came down and visited again this Friday, and I was completely blown away by what I saw! You see, the problem with many of us Nicaraguans who live in the upper parts of the city is that sometimes we live oblivious to what is happening down in places like those. It’s a very sad reality, but I can definitely be identified in that group of people at some points. Part of the reason that I like translating and working with teams is that I get to go to places like those and take part in serving my country in some way. I also feel that it helps me understand my people more and it is then that I am fully aware of the great needs they have.

Since I had visited the dump previously, I was already familiar with what happened there and the intensity of the poverty that area has. However, the part of this trip that really hit me the most was working with House of Hope.
I had heard about this ministry previously, but had never been there or much less heard about what it dealt with. Upon hearing multiple testimonies of girls who had been either in prostitution, were sold to be slaves, or were being abused in some way my heart completely tore apart. I have been living in this country for all 18 years of my life and had never heard of such a thing like child trafficking or just prostitution of children! I was completely blown away by it all, but it really helped me open my eyes to things. God has definitely been challenging me to look past my own wants and needs and to really look out for the greater needs of others around me, which are in most cases, way more important than my own.

However, this trip has meant a lot more than that to me. This group of 10 people has been incredibly amazing and I am thankful for the opportunity to have met them and have shared this week with them. Whether it was teaching craft work with Kelsi, talking with Erin while we poured cement, laughing about Laura’s hilarious stories, learning about Clint’s amazing photography skills, singing/listening to songs with Matt Rushing, sharing last year memories with Sammy & Jon, or just talking about random things with Matt, Luke, and Nate, it has all added up to making this week an amazing and unforgettable one! I want to thank the team for being so awesome and friendly to me, to the Russell’s for being a big part of this trip, to all you people in the USA who helped make his trip possible through your financial support and prayers, and of course, to God for allowing it to take place and to go so well! It’s been a true blessing to be a small part of this whole trip and I can’t wait to see the fruits of the seeds that these guys have planted here!
Much love in Christ,
-Kathy Pacheco