POST by JONNY: Aprender a sobrevivir por mi propia

Jonny at the Assemblies of God Family Camp in Minnesota

At the age of eight, I watched my family struggle with financial problems and learnt a lot about the harsh realities of life in Managua, Nicaragua. I saw that my parents worked hard, providing food to eat and paying for us to attend public school.

After observing the financial pressures of life in our house with my parents, I felt really bad inside. My older siblings contributed to the household expenses by working jobs, yet I was the only one who was not helping, because I am the youngest member of our family.

After witnessing my family’s many economic problems, I made the difficult decision of seeking out a job. However, I was only eight years old and I could not find employment. I had friends who worked as garbage men (kids). So one day I decided to go and ask my friends if they could help me get work with them.

The very next day I started working with my friends, but I did not know how or what to do, and so one of my friends said “Hey, you have to go over to that house and ask if they have trash that they want to throw away.” I responded to him by saying, “You are crazy. That is embarrassing!” However, he replied back to me, “Then go home and don’t be here earning easy money.” I thought about it and then decided “Fine! I’ll do it.” So that is how I started working, earning money to help my family.

Some time later, after having worked in the garbage business for a while, I began to realise that I felt really tired. Some of my work friends asked “Hey! Why do you give your money to your parents? They work and should support you. Why are you making it your responsibility to give to them?”

I answered, “My parents do not know that I am working.” My friend looked at me with a curious expression on his face and then said “Let’s put our money together and buy some drugs.” I was not impressed with this stupidity and said “Hey, you are crazy! It’ll be better for you if you leave me now and don’t ever talk to me again!”

After a long period of time my parents found out I was working as a garbage man. They sat me down and asked, “Jonny, why do you go around the town, throwing away other people’s rubbish?” I explained to my parents “I want to help you guys with supplying enough food for the family, because you two work and I feel bad about how difficult things are for you.

When I had finished sharing with my parents about my reasons for wanting to work, they started to cry and said “you will not continue to work on the streets.”

Many years later, I realised that I needed to learn to support myself. Even if my parents did not provide a good life or a good education for me, the one thing they did give me was the ability to live for other people in humility and with respectfulness.

I thank God he has led me in his path, giving me direction and showing me his purpose for my life.

Thank you for reading my story!                           

Jonny, a boy with GREAT potential...

                

Hola mi nombre es JONNY

Tema . Aprender a sobrevivir por mi propia cuenta .

A la edad de 8 año . Yo mirava que en mi casa habia muchos prolemas economicos .Y tambien mirava a mis padres que se esforsavan para poder mantenerlos comiendo y para que pudieramos ir al colegio . despues de mirar todo lo que pasaba en casa de mis padres yo mensentia muy mal . Porque todos mis hermanos trabajavan y yo era el unico que no estava trabajando porque era el mas pequeno de todo mis hermanos .

Despues de mirar todo lo que pasaba , tome una desicion la cual fue buscar un trabajo . Pero como solo tenia 8 año de edad no podia encontrar . Pero yo tenia unos amigos los cuales trabajavan botando basura . Y yo un dia me decidi a buscarlos a mis amigos para desirles que si me podian dar un poco de trabajo . Y miaamigos me dijieron que si que no habia ningun prolema .

Al siguiente dia comense a trabajar con mis amigos . Pero yo no sabia como hera el trabajo y derepente uno de mis amigos me dijo hey tienes que ir a esa casa a preguntar si tiene basura para para ir a botarla . Y yo le dije que estas loco eso meda mucha pena . Y el me respondio en tonces bete a tu casa y no estes aqui por dinero facil ..       Y yo le dije esta bien lo are . Y  asi enpese a trabajar por un poco de dinero el cual era para poder alludar a mi familia .

Luego de mucho trabajar me sentia muy cansado . y unos de mis amigos con los que trabajava me dijo hey porque tienes que darle el dinero a tus padres si ellos tranajavan y ellos tiene que mantenerte, porque tu eres su responsabilidad . Y yo  les respondi hey mis padres no saven que yo estoy trabajando . Y el me dijo en tonces mejor unamos nuestro dinero y vamos a conprar drogas . Y yo le dije hey tu estas loco saves mejor bete y no me buelvas hablar .

Despues de mucho tiempo de trabajar mis padres se dieron cuenta y me dijiero que porque hacia estas cosas de andar botando basura y yo les dije quiero alludarlos en la comidad porque ustedes rabajan mucho y yo me siento mal por eso . y mis padres cuando les dije todo eso , ellos se pusieron a llorar y me dijieron bente que tu no seguiras trabajando .

Despues de mucho tiempo llegue a comprender de que mi vida era aprender a vivir por mi propia cuenta . Y aunque mis padres no me dieron una buena vida no me dieron un buen estudio  . Pero me enseñaron algo que me enseño a vivir entre medio de todas las personas en respeto y umildad . doy gracias a dios que me a yluminado en su camino para poder salir a delante en todos sus propositos  .

GRACIAS POR LEER MI HISTORIA.

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This story was written by a Nicaraguan youth, and was voluntarily given to Capital on the Edge for publishing. The subject choice was his entirely. He has elected to write about his experiences for the glory of God and so that others may learn from his experiences. The translation of this work is performed voluntarily and not professionally, hence there may be some errors. Any decisive deviation from the text is in consultation with the author, and is done so to make clear the life events written about and to provide further information so that the story is more understandable.  

This story was translated by Lorenzy and edited by Jed.