Friday we visited La Chureca, (a place infamous enough to coin the name THE Dump) the city dump of Managua. In and around the dump there is a community of about 800 people that live and work in the dump. The workers dig through the trash day in and day out, collecting valuables from what the city discards so that they can feed their families.

The dump is enormous and there is constant smoke from burning trash that fills your lungs as you breath. For many, this is life.

We had the opportunity to meet Daniel from Love, Light and Melody and walk around the community and meet some of the families that they work with.

We are committed to becoming experts on the life and culture inside the city trash dump in Managua, Nicaragua. Our goal is to identify and meet the immediate physical needs, raise awareness about trash dump communities, and fight social injustice. We use music and the arts to rebuild, restore, and bring healing to communities ravaged by extreme poverty. [taken from their website]

Among many other things, Love Light and Melody love the people of the community and this was evident as we walked around and talked with Daniel. One thing that Daniel said that has stuck with me: “The fact that people are digging through trash is a result of the kingdom of this world. We are praying for full restoration in their lives. We are praying for God’s kingdom to come.”