It’s easy, on a cultural exchange such as this, to focus on the differences that separate us. It’s easy to enter into this Nicaraguan culture and point out what divides us, what common ground we don’t have. As travelers, we can have the tendency to bounce between feeling sorry for the ‘poor Nicaraguans’ or gush over the amazing beauty we find here.
As we’ve interacted with various schools and teachers, the things that I’ve found the most thought provoking are the stories we share.
* These are teachers who are passionate about Jesus and his kingdom.
* These are teachers who are passionate about children.
* These are children who want to learn and be taught by teachers who care about them.
* We’ve met parents who want the best for their children, at almost any cost.
* There are administrators who want to challenge teachers to do school differently, better, than what they’ve always known.
* There is an association of educators backing up these schools, pushing teachers to grow in their faith, with their families and in their classrooms.
* This is a group of people intentionally living the tension of systems that don’t always want to acknowledge that our Christian faith transforms schools and communities.
We are connected by a faith in Jesus and a passion for schools. When that is at the centre, a lot of differences fade away.
- Shannon Marcus
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