POST by ELIEZER: Parties, Machetes, Alcohol, a Fight and Dead People

Eliezer at a pond in Richmond, Virginia

Hello, my name is Eliezer. This time I am going to tell you about what happened in a street fight that left many hurt and two people dead, at a time we celebrate each year across Nicaragua.

On both the first and the 10th of August each year, there is a parade called the “IPICO.” Horses and carriages represent each Nicaraguan city, and in every town there are different activities for the local people to participate in.

My village chose a girl to be the queen of the party. They called her the Beautiful Indian. At the party in our barrio there were games and activities for the people to partake in. Men on horses walked through the crowds and everyone gathered around and played a game called the “Oily Pig.”

This game is a lot of fun. You see, there is a pig that they smother in oil, and then they let the pig go and you have to try and catch the small animal. It’s really hard. Whoever grabs the pig without letting go is pronounced the winner.

In this game the participants are formed into eight groups. There are three men per group. One person in the group has to go and catch the pig, and this is how my story starts.

At this celebration my cousin, , decided to play with a group of friends. When the game started everyone went to grab the pig and it was a tough fight. When someone had grabbed the pig, someone else came along and pushed the other fella off of the pig, freeing the grunting animal and creating an escape route for the wee mammal.

In one of these fights my cousin, Marcial, grabbed the pig but a man punched him from behind and my cousin fell unconscious.

When he woke up, the game was already over, but my cousin was really angry because of what had happened to him. My cousin went to go and drink alcohol at 6pm in the evening.

My cousin, Marcial, went to the man that had punched him in the game, to talk to him about the punch. The man who’d punched him grabbed a bottle and struck him over the head and he fell to the ground with blood gushing from the wound. A fight erupted and all of my cousin’s friends started to fight against those who were beating them.

Marcial stood up and grabbed a stick and started to hit the man who was attacking him and it turned into a massive brawl, with all of my cousin's friends fighting against the friends of the man who had slugged my cousin.

One of my cousin’s friends got hit by a machete and cut his hand. And his other friend was stabbed with a knife in the stomach and all of his guts came flying out. My family was afraid that the assailants had killed my cousin.

At that time my cousin was fighting with the man, but the man had a machete and my cousin only a stick, so my cousin grabbed a rock and hit him on the head, but other men arrived and started to beat my cousin. They left him in a wounded state, almost dead.

When the fight was finally over everyone realised that two people had died. One of the people murdered was a friend of my cousin and the other was a friend of the man who’d punched my cousin. Everyone else who’d participated in the battle was badly wounded. It was a very horrible fight. A celebration that sadly ended in tragedy.

I learnt through this horrendous event, that we can have black hearts, but we need to forgive and be patient because the loss of life from that celebration was needless and sad.

Thanks for reading my story.

Eliezer, the CHAMPION!

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.

If you would like to support this fellow on a monthly basis, please CLICK HERE

To learn more about our street theatre production, "CREATED", please visit our page,NICAVANGELISTS: "CREATED", North American Tour (2013)

If you would like to see a video of some of our Nica-Youths practicing, please CLICK HERE

We are not up to budget, and travelling with 14 people is very expensive. We need an investment from Christian people for our next evangelism tour to the Midwest. To support us or make a once off donation, please visit our page, Contemplating SUPPORTINGsomething significant?

To learn more about our home Church in Australia, please CLICK HERE

Peleas y desastres en fiestas patrias de Nicaragua

Hola, mi nombre es eliezer esta bes les bengo a contar loque paso en pelea que dejo muchos eridos y 2 muertos en una fiesta que selebran cada a;o en toda nicaragua

El primero de agosto y el 10 de agosto asen cada a;o un desfile ipico de caballos y carosas que representa cada una de las siudades de nicaragua i en cada pueblo asen diferentes actividades

En mi pueblo escojen a una chica para coronarla reina de la fiesta la yaman la india bonita en esa fiesta asen juegos y actividades los hombres de el pueblo caminan en caballos y asen un juego que se llama el chancho lucio es un serdo que le echan aseite encima para que cuando lo quieran agarar sea mui dificil y el que lo logre agarar gana en ese juego se ponen 3 grupos de hombres i en cada grupo son 8 uno del grupo tiene que agarar y asi ganar y de hay comiensa mi historia.

Ese dia mi primo  desidio jugar con un grupo de amigos ese juegocuando comenso el juego y todos salieron a agarar el cerdo fue una lucha mui dura cuando alguien lo agaraba benia hotro lo empujaba para que lo soltara en una de esas luchas mi primo  lo logro agarar pero un hombre lo golpeo por detrás y mi primo quedo inconciente.

Cuando desperto ya abia terminado el juego pero mi primo estaba mui enojado por lo que le abian echo y mi primo se puso a tomar alcool a eso como de las 6 pm de la tarde mi primo  fue donde el hombre que lo abia golpeado para reclamarle qu porque lo abia golpeado el hombre agarro una botella de bidrio i le pego en la cabesa a mi primo y callo al suelo tirando sangre y todos los amigos de mi primo comensaron a pelear contra los que lo abian golpeado.

Mi primo se lebanto y agaro un palo y comenso a golpear al hombre y se iso una pelea de todos los que estaban hay los amigos de mi primo estaban peleando contra los amigos de el hombre que abia golpeado a mi primo a uno de los amigos de mi primo le abian pegado un machetaso y le cortaron la mano y a hotro le sacaron las tripas con un cuchillo mi familia estaba con miedo de que mataran a mi primo.

En ese momento mi primo estaba peleando con el hombre pero el hombre tenia un machete y mi primo solo un palo asi que mi primo agarro una piedra i le rajo la cabesa pero hotros hombres llegaron y comensaron a golpear a mi primo lo dejaron erido casi muriendo cuando termino la pelea abian 2 muertos uno era amigo de mi primo y el hotro amigo de el hombre y abian muchos eridos fue una pelea muy horible una selebracion que termino en trajedia.

Loque nos ense;a que no hay que tener maldad en nuestro corazon y perdonar y ser paciente porque eso podria ebitar una trajedia.

Gracias por leer mi historia.

POST by JONNY: The Ones that Got Away

Jonny of Capital on the Edge, in San Francisco...

Hello my name is JOHNNY

My story is about my family.

When I was 13 years old, myself, my brothers and sisters all studied at the same school as my cousins. My cousins’ names were RICARDO and CHEPE. However, my cousins never hung out with us and my siblings and I wondered why this was. Why didn’t they want to spend time with us, especially as we were family.

One day my siblings and I went down to where my cousins were and asked them why they wouldn’t speak with us. They told us it was because they had many enemies at the school and if their enemies saw them associating with us, they would kill us. In addition to that, they told us not to tell anyone that our families were connected. They didn’t want the people around who were bad to hurt us. They were protecting us.

Another day, in the house in which we lived, we had a party. And as we looked out to the street, we saw about 20 men walking along, and amongst them we saw our cousins. All of the fellows were carrying guns and machetes in their hands.

Within 30 minutes my cousins had passed by our house again, returning to their barrio. Then I saw my friend being carried along by others and my mother (Jonny did not write this as he doesn’t want to put his mother in danger). He had been cut all over his body, by machetes. The person responsible for this terrible act was RICARDO, my cousin.

After five days, some men who lived near me, in my barrio, went to my aunt's house, where my cousins ​​lived. When they arrived outside the house of my aunt, they started shooting their guns at and throwing stones at the house. They shot and almost killed my aunt because my cousins ​​were not at home.

My cousins were incredibly angry that day. Because of what had happened, they went looking for some friends. They travelled in a mob to where the people from my barrio who had attacked their house, lived. On that day, in the evening, a shot rang out.

The next day there was a dead man, but my cousins were nowhere to be seen. The police went to find my cousins, but they were gone. To this day, the Police still look for them. I don’t know where they are. Nobody does. Only one person.  The police still want to find them, so as to prosecute them for the crimes that they have committed.

God bless you for reading my story, thank you.

If you would like to support this fellow on a monthly basis, please CLICK HERE

To learn more about our street theatre production, "CREATED", please visit our page,NICAVANGELISTS: "CREATED", North American Tour (2013)

If you would like to see a video of some of our Nica-Youths practicing, please CLICK HERE

We are not up to budget, and travelling with 14 people is very expensive. We need an investment from Christian people for our next evangelism tour to the Midwest. To support us or make a once off donation, please visit our page,ContemplatingSUPPORTINGsomething significant?

To learn more about our home Church in Australia, please CLICK HERE

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. 

Hola mi nombre es JOHNNY

Mi historia es acerca de mi familia ..

cuando tenia 13 anos mis hermanos y yo trabajamos, y los hijos de la hermana de mi papa tambien estudiaban en el mismo colegio en el cual estudiabamos

lo cual eran 2 uno sella RICARDO y el otro CHEPE

Ellos no se juntaban con nosotros y nosotros mis hermano y yo nos preguntabamos porque ellos no querian estar con nosotros si eramos familia .

Y un dia nosotros fuimo a donde estaban ellos y les preguntamos ue porque no nos ablaban. Y ellos nos dijieron que era porque ellos tenian muchos enemigos en el colegio y que si sus enemigos los miraban con ellos nos podian matar y que mejor nos fueramos y que no le ablaramos de ellos a nadie que eramos familia. Porque ellos no querian que por la culpa de ellos nos isieran algo malo .

Y un dia por la casa en la cual viviamos habia una fiesta . Y como alas 10 pm miramos que por fuera de la casa pasaron como 20 hombre y en eso 20 hombres iban mis primos y ellos cargaban en sus manos pistolas y machete . Y como a los 30 minutos que ellos habian pasado unos chicos venian cargando un cuerpo machetiado casi en pedaso todo el cuerpo y los hombre ablan de que habia sido RICARDO mi primo .

Y a los 5 dias los chicos que vivian por la casa ellos se fueron a casa de mi tia en la cual vivian mis primos . y cuando ellos estaban a fuera de la casa de mi tia todos los hombres comensaron a tirar disparos y piedras y casi matan a mi tia porque mis primos no estaban en la casa .

Y ese mismo dia mis primos muy enojado por lo que habia pasado se fueron a buscar a unos amigos y ellos se fueron adonde las personas que habian llegado a su casa a destruirla . Y ese dia por la noche se escucharon unos disparo ..

Y al dia siguiente habia un muerto y fueron mis primos . Y la policia los persigue pero mis primos desaparecieron pero la policia tadavia los bucan por todo lo que ellos cometieron.

Dios bendiga alas personas que leen esta historia gracias .

POST by JED: He Was Broken

I've wanted to do it a thousand times before, write about an average day at Capital on the Edge. Problem is, there just aren't any average days! So today is the day, like it or lump it.

I had gone to bed at 1:30am on Monday night. We're currently planning a trip to the USA to speak in Churches and hopefully raise some vitally needed funds for our ministry here in Managua, Nicaragua. We're believing God for miracles because we're running at a monthly deficit of $2k, and without a miracle we're sunk.

Jamil, our gardener/dance teacher, had called out my name several times shortly after 6am, just like an alarm clock. But, just like an alarm clock, I had (verbally) hit him hard and he too had gone off. I continued to snooze... By 7:30am I was merely dozing and then, like most sleepy-heads with too much going on in their brains, I sprung out of bed and into action.

I raced around the house shouting orders and getting myself ready. "Get out of bed, you LAZY CHILD!!!" I screamed in this room. "Can't find your other shoe? Well how about you START LOOKING!!!" I shouted in the next. I'm not a morning person and today I was a bear-on-brigade due to the all-night planning session I'd had.

"I'll just print off the phrases I'm teaching the kids and go over them with the staff in our morning meeting. It will be fun for them to learn a bit of English each day, and will take the tension out of 'Why were you 3 hours late yesterday?' and 'Could you please, PLEASE, put that mobile phone away at some stage today...', type conversations that would invariably arise at some point."

"Good gracious! The printer is not working!!!" I muttered to myself in a state of frustration. "Reboot, reboot, everything always works with a reboot." I rebooted, and to my complete surprise, it worked! However, I now only had 5 minutes to round up 7 children, spot-check the house for cleanliness/tidiness, and make sure we'd bought enough fruit for the morning snack.

I galloped through our living room (mostly dressed) and saw that nearly all of our staff were already seated just willing the day to begin. "Blow it", I thought. "I'm getting a coffee and having a chat." 


I strolled over to the coffee pot, just the sight nearly sent me off to a special somewhere. I poured myself a cup of steaming, hot, heavenliness. YUMMO! To all you non-coffee drinkers out there, you're nuts! You don't know what you're missing!! Best legal drug on the market!!!

Whilst still savoring my very first sip, I opened the squeaky wire door which leads from the kitchen to our spacious verandah. (where we do EVERYTHING - It's the HUB of our Community Centre...) As I began to walk through the door, I noticed that all of the Brien boys, all 5 of them, were in the pool.

The coffee must have been hot, because my head 'bout exploded. To say I was mad, would have been like saying Hitler was a murderer. I flew to the coffee table in a MOUNTAIN OF RAGE, carefully placed my coffee cup down (so as to not spill a single drop) and swung off the verandah and into the very faces of the boys I both love and cherish.

"HOW DAAAAAAAAAAAAAARE YOU!?!? Do you know what time it is? Yes, that's right! Where should you be right now? Yes, that's right! What were you thinking? Nothing? No that's not right! Well now... GET INSIDE PRONTO BEFORE I COMPLETELY LOSE MY TEMPER AND REALLY LOSE THE PLOT!" Every muscle and vein in my body was tense, pulsating and visable.

"Goodness, slight overkill", I thought to myself as I spun on my heel and be "HEAVENS!" Interrupted! Why there behind, all the while, had been a brand new student and mother standing by. "GOOD LORD NO!"

They were clearly distressed, because they'd left the comfort of the swing (which was still swinging) and were heading for our laundry, and probably the front gate after that. 


I cannot tell you how difficult it is to get an "angry, still wanting to show I'm mad and mean business", kind of face - off, and a "Welcome to your new scholastic home, a World of opportunities, yet to be unraveled and treasured", kind of face - on... (Check out the movie "Strictly Ballroom")

It was awkward, but I did it. Phrasing in Spanish for my excuses didn't automatically pop into my head, so I explained in English, throwing the odd Spanish word in for who knows what reason. I am sincerely unaware of what I was hoping to achieve by this tactic, but if I were to analyse, I think I'd arrive at the conclusion that I was trying to distract Mum by being a complete loon, so she'd forget the hideous moment which had just transpired.

I spoke rather loudly trying to deceive the dear Mum. I wanted her to think I was German and that she'd been mistaken - it's just cross-cultural phenomenon... I hadn't been scathing and scowling, I'd merely been giving my children a brisk daybreak greeting "Bon Jour" I wanted to say, but again, I couldn't place the German equivalent. So, I just said "Eins, zwei, drei, view, fünf, sechs (her eyebrows raised at this point), sieben, acht, neun y zehn? Aaaaaaaaaaaah bien!" 

I grabbed her by the arm and marched, with my feet a little too pointed at the peak of their ascension, but hey, I'd already made a complete fool of myself - what was left to damage? I rounded the bend and saw a mixture of expressions on the faces of my staff. "Francesca, can you please translate?" I enquired.

About 15 minutes later I was whizzing along on our motorbike. We've bought a horse cart, but unfortunately a local lad mounted the horse that pulls our cart, without the protecting blanket underneath the saddle. Consequently, the horse has many a sore upon it's poor back. Ouch! Poor thing. It'll be a while before we can use the ol' horse and cart to collect the wee tots. For now biking is our only option.

I rounded the bend and saw two small children I've never seen before. That's a rare thing for me in these parts. I know EVERYONE in our barrio and the surrounds. I stopped the bike and turned it off. I jumped off the machine.

The little boy, of approximately 18 months, leaned into his sister. These children were filthy. They had scabs all over their heads and leaking noses. Muck and grime completely covered them from head-to-toe. They smelt awful. The boy had no clothes on and his sister just had knickers on.

I approached the children and they cringed. I asked them where they lived. Their resopnse was to merely stare at me with scared eyes. I started to approach them again and the boy turned to run. 


"Are you okay?" I asked in Spanish. The little girl began to cry. These kids looked sick, malnourished and tired. "Where's Mummy?" I enquired. A lady came out of her "house" and called out to me. "The children live up there, in that house", she said whilst pointing.

I approached the house and knocked on the wooden panels which made up the door frame. I then wished I hadn't because one of the panels fell off into my hands. A small figure appeared before me. A woman. A sad and lonely, sickly, desperately void-of-any-hope woman.

Of course, the Jed in me wanted to throw my arms around her and cry. That is always my first instinct. I have learnt to overcome it. "Hello treasure." I said in Spanish. "Can I take your children to school with me today?" She looked like she was going to cry. She examined the ground around her feet. I could tell that something was desperately wrong. I wanted to gently push for answers, but it would have been inappropriate for me to do so at this point. She slowly nodded her head and after saying "goodbyes" I whisked the kids away.

School was mayhem that day. Three new kids and we're nearly halfway through the year. Jocasta, our fantastic creche director from Australia, was a brave soldier and worked her behind off, making these kids' first day at Capital Edge Community School a ripper time!

As a Christian school we believe it's necessary to come together, corporately, on a daily basis, to pray, read the Word of God, share in a time of Praise and Worship, and learn together about the God in whom we serve.

Our "chapel service" is consequently held on a daily basis. Today I came to the place of thinking "WOW, these kids are getting English, and the Word of God, and love, and I'm just so happy..." We sung my favourite Christian song "At the Cross" (Hillsong) and the kids blasted it with all of their strength. They sang confidently and with passion. Truly, I was blown away.

Today's chapel experience gave me one of those "I can conquer the World" type lifts I needed. The rest of the school day progressed seamlessly and I was able to turn my hand from one thing, to the next, with a smile on my face and peace in my heart.

When Liz arrived home we went to the bank and to pay our electricity bill. No problems at all. The bank gave us the documents we were seeking and the electricity company accepted our credit card. Usually there are long lines, leaving me plenty of time to really stew and get mad. Often times I prepare a speech about the inefficiencies of their system, etc. It's just to pass the time and pratice my angry emotions in Spanish. But no, wasn't to be today. All good on the administrative outing. I was almost disappointed!

When Liz and I returned home, I sat down to commence work on my itinerary for the USA. "Oh boy, Billy's at it again", I thought to myself. His voice blared and at such a high pitch. In he marched with Lorenzy by his side. 


Now Billy is a regular favourite with everyone he meets but can tend to be a bit of a drama, from time to time, and this can get on family members' (me) nerves. However, I began to sense, from the sound in his voice, that something was significantly wrong.

Earlier in the day he'd been stung by a bee. His cry was different then too. It's the sort of thing a parent knows about a child and because I'd just heard it with the bee sting, I was in tune with his pain-cry and ready to pounce on the problem.

"What's the matter Billy?" I asked affectionately. Nothing could have prepared me for what was to happen next. He raised his arm and looked at it in disbelief. "Good Lord, it's hideous!", I lamented. His arm had snapped and was very visibly broken.

I seriously wanted to run, but parental instinct kicked in and love pulled me toward the child and not away. My stomach churned. Honestly, I really don't like medical conditions, even conditions that would have others curiously looking on. "Oh, we've got an owie", I said, as I whisked Billy into my arms and started racing out the door. 

It's oft' times weird how you can concentrate with all your might and yet still be a complete clutz. This is what happened to me in this very moment. Somehow I seemed to be able to come into contact with every item and object between where I'd been sitting and the front door.

Anyhow, within seconds Liz and I were on our way to the hospital. Jocasta, once again, proved herself tremendously valuable as the latest addition to our family. We left with peace, knowing that all would be well upon our return.

We arrived at the hospital and found a car park. No problems for us, as Nicaraguans, on average, don't own cars. We raced to emergency and were seen immediately. Billy was remarkably calm, only emitting the odd whimper. What a trooper!

Billy's X-Ray

We seemed to know everyone at the hospital, as this hospital is the place we go to on a regular basis to pray for, and visit with, sick children.

We met a young lad of 20 years who's wife had just had a baby. Couldn't wipe the smile off his face. His wife arrived mid-conversation, and we couldn't get a smile onto her face. She was tired and looked like she wanted to go home. After having a relatively normal birth, a complication had developed with the baby.The little baby had been admitted to hospital and of course they, the parents of the baby, had to sleep on the floor or the bench, and were only permitted to sleep in the hallway.

We went from doctor to x-ray, to doctor, to x-ray. Finally I had the chance to sit. I slumped into a chair and began to chat with the older, Cuban doctor who sat next to me. We talked about all things Nica. Gallo Pinto, the Cuba revolution, American politics, Mexican culture, Nicaraguan landscape, flora and fauna. It was a thoroughly scintillating time.

The doctors decided that they'd have to correct the fracture, and put the bone back to where it needed to be. Horrified, I looked around me. I wanted to escape, but there just weren't any exits. I fingered the curtain next to me. I couldn't find where one curtain ended and the next began. 


My Cuban friend continued to talk but I wasn't listening. Oh sure, I nodded my head, but that's a tactic I've learnt through years of marriage. Doesn't mean I'm actually listening!

Crack, scream, cry, whimper, sleep. I wanted to throw up. It must have been one of the single-most horrific experiences of my life. Liz, of course, was leaning over watching, asking questions, curious. She made me sick too... As the cast was being applied Billy drifted off to sleep.

When the moment arrived for us to leave, I asked my new Cuban friend what he did at the hospital. Head of pediatrics was the response. Basically, I'd just spent the better half of an hour talking with pretty much the head of the hospital.

I immediately told him about our ministry within the hospital and how we'd like to expand it and help in other ways. He laughed enthusiastically and agreed with me that we could be of more use around the medical centre.

We exchanged details and left the hospital in high spirits. We'd witnessed healing and made new friendships. Liz invited several of the medical staff over for dinner on Saturday night. That will be interesting, because she's not going to be here, we've got no money to purchase food for this auspicious occasion and we have Church on that night.

We got in the car and flew up Carretera Sur. We arrived home in record time. We drove through the gate and noticed that Nestor, our guard, and some of the local lads, had very serious expressions on their faces. However, we'd had a long night and didn't make too much of it.

I dashed inside and began to, again, work on the itinerary for our impending trip to the USA. Minutes later Liz arrived by my side. "One of our neighbours has hacked off his wife's hand with a machete." 


The words my wife spoke floated into my ears and then sat heavily on my heart. "WHAT?" I exclaimed. I didn't need her to repeat the words and new exactly what she'd said, but uttered the programmed response specifically allocated for moments like these.

After talking with our guard for a while longer, we worked out that the couple had fought and the husband had chopped off the wife's hand with a machete. 


I cannot begin to tell you the sense of hopelessness that prevails in Nicaragua. I cannot tell you how many eyes I've looked into and seen despair and emptiness. Honestly, the helplessness is more heartbreaking than the stories of loss. When you look into the eyes of a living person and see death, it begins to make you question. 

Our 5 handsome fellas: Sezni, Billy, Raffy, Brian and Oliver

Our children were none-the-wiser. The police had spoken with our guard and he had not told members of our family. Thank GOD for Nestor, the best security guard in the World!!!

Darling Jocasta, our Creche Director, managed the "fort" whilst Billy was in Hospital

And so, another day at Capital on the Edge. What do we make of all this? Well, we live in a World of uncertainty. What's the old saying? There are two things we can be certain of; death and taxes. It's true. We live in a World that is dying. Everything around us dies. We die. From the moment they are born our children are on a path that leads to a physical death.

Our hope has to be in something that will last eternally. The only eternal security and value for you is Jesus Christ. He gives the gift of life, eternally.

Please pray for us here in Nicaragua. We're short thousands of dollars per month, the poverty which surrounds us is excruciatingly unbearable and we just cannot turn the needs away. We have risked everything of value in this World to reap the harvest, which is of eternal value. Please consider today, supporting us in our mission. We need your help...