POST by JOSE: My Life

Jose Bayardo in Nicaragua (Capital on the Edge)

Hello, my name is Jose Bayardo and I am 21 years old.

I live with both my mum and my sisters. I was born in a village called Rosita, which lies to the North of Managua, in Nicaragua, towards the Atlantic Coast.

My mum says that when I was born, I was a very sick child. I spent most of my earliest days in hospitals, suffering from many diseases. However, with time I became healthy and strong.

A younger Jose

I came to live in Managua when I was just 9 years old. We have experienced many struggles in our lives, and it has been tough for us being raised without a father to support us.

My mum found it the most difficult and at times wanted to take her own life because of the poverty we lived in.  We faced our economic circumstances alone, and some days, due to my unemployment, couldn’t even afford to eat.

From time to time my mum has gone to other countries seeking employment. I was always left to watch my sisters. They would go out and look for bread for us to eat. Sometimes what they had to do was wrong.

Jose's sister and her son

My life has been very difficult but I never thought of death as an option. I have tried many vices, like marijuana, cigarettes and alcohol, but thank God I did not like any of them.

However, thanks to God everything in our lives has now improved. We have met a wonderful family, who are very generous and kind. I thank God for his kindness and for Elizabeth and Jed, and the Brien family.

God has also given me a great opportunity and I will be traveling to the USA. God put Elizabeth in our lives and this is a very important moment for us. We are working hard, rehearsing our production.

God bless you all!

A content Jose Bayardo with Capital on the Edge people, in Managua, Nicaragua

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 deviation from the text is in consultation with the author, to make clear the life events written about.

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Hola mi nombre es José Bayardo, tengo 21 años vivo con mi mama y mis hermanas yo nací en un pueblo llamado rosita en el atlántico norte d Nicaragua. Dice i mama que cuando yo nací era un niño muy enfermo diario casi siempre vivía en los hospitales padecía de muchas enfermedades pero al crecer me ice muy sano nos vinimos a vivir a Managua a cuando tenía 9 años hemos pasado por muchas situaciones duras en la vida el ver crecer a mis hermanas sin su papa sin u apoyo para mi mama hubieron veces en las que ella se quiso quitar la vida porque era muy difícil nuestra situación económica y los problemas que tenía que afrontar ella sola, habían veces en las que no comíamos en todo el día por que estaba sin trabajo pero gracias a dios todo a mejorado en nuestras vidas hemos conocido a unas personas maravillosas, muy generosos y amables y muy alegres ellos son lis y jed briend y toda su familia le doy gracias a ellos y a dios. mi vida a sido muy difícil pensé en la muerte pero no era una opción entre en muchos vicios como la marihuana el cigarro y el alcohol pero gracias a dios no me gusto ninguno de ellos de vez en cuando mi mama salía a otros países a buscar trabajo y yo me quedaba cuidando a mis hermanas por que ella iba a buscar el pan para nuestro hogar y en veces le iba muy mal pero dios me a dado una gran oportunidad como es viajar a los estados unidos dios puso a Elisabeth en nuestras vidas este es un momento muy importante estamos ensayando mucho dios los bendiga a todos.

POST by SHANE: Growing Up Brien (Part One - Visiting the Edge)

The Brien Family in 2006

 He looked strangely out of place as he traipsed past us in a spring jacket and maroon leather pants. It was January and 15 degrees Fahrenheit outside in upstate New York (that’s negative 9 in Celsius for those of you not still hanging on to old habits like we in the U.S.). It was also 9:00 AM on a Sunday morning. Our apartment complex housed many college students and he was obviously one of them.

It did strike me odd, though, and I remember wondering aloud to Jenny (my wife) if he was going to church. About three hours later I felt pretty terrible because not only had he been on the way to church, he had been on the way to OUR church, and we’d let him freeze as we drove past. This was my first experience with a Brien.

The Brien children travelling...

 

Despite the presumed hypothermia and frostbitten fingers that day, we did still somehow become friends shortly thereafter and with many trips around the globe since (mostly by the Briens), we’ve stayed that way.

Briens/Seaburgs at Taughannock Falls, New York

Briens/Seaburgs in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales

In the winter of 2001 Jed and Elizabeth Brien were both 24 years old. Meanwhile, their eldest daughter Francesca had just turned 3, and baby sister, Lorenzy, was only 8 months old. As a friend, it has been a joy to see their children grow, but also to see the entire family answer the call placed on their lives by God.

The Brien children: Rafael, Francesca, Lorenzy-Ella & Sezni

In the 12 years I’ve known the Brien family, I’ve observed with great interest and more than a small measure of curiosity as they’ve spent countless hours of time and energy on friends, acquaintances, and strangers with little thought for their own emotional or physical well-being. 

Lizzie in July Party (because Lizzie's birthday is Christmas Day)

During that period, their living room has been a revolving door to whatever community they’ve made their home. In the earliest days of our friendship, when both families were so poor we qualified for an American government program called WIC (free food for lower class families with young children), they were already donating to missions while we were still struggling to part with the money that went into the church offering basket. 

Project Runway in Mexico - the Brien Family (Trashy)

 When given the opportunity, they’ve continually chosen connections with people over tangible ownership of property. I have watched from near and far as their children have given or sold away the vast majority of their earthly possessions 4 separate times. So, when the day finally came that they announced they would be moving to the mission field full-time, I wasn’t surprised. Their life is the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 19-20) and they’ve been missionaries for as long as I’ve known them.

The Brien Family in Mexico

The Brien Family in Mexico

In Nicaragua, they’ve plopped themselves down into the thick of a poor barrio outside the city of Managua called Cedro Galan. Presently, their ministry there is three-pronged. 

First, they are sharing their home with a group of 8 young men between the ages of 15 and 20 who are being schooled so they can earn the equivalent of a high school diploma and trained to be part of the “Nicavangelist” group that will soon be dancing and tricking through churches across the United States.

Each of them has made a commitment to Christ and is being discipled, but as you can imagine, having 8 young men living in your guesthouse together can present a unique set of challenges.

Capital on the Edge boys: Yordy, Stivey, Beycker, Rene, Jonny, Ericson, Eliazer & Yader

Second, they run what I think most closely resembles a Pre-K school 5 days a week. There, children between the ages of 2 and 6 are taught stories from the Bible, basic reading and writing skills as well as being given an introduction to English.

Capital Edge Community School

Finally, every Wednesday and Friday night they “officially” open up their house to members of the community. There’s a swimming pool, basketball, soccer, a ping-pong table, checkers, and a pool table available to all-comers. On Fridays, worship songs and a short message are added to the games.

Capital Edge Community Center

 It used to be that Jed and Liz’s ministry was a partnership, but these days it’s a more of a family endeavor.

Francesca and Lorenzy both speak Spanish more fluently than their parents, so they are regularly used as translators for the people of the center and around the barrio. Additionally, they are both learning dance and taking part in the “Nicavangelist” training. I’ve witnessed them reach out to others in much the same way their mom and dad do. They are equally comfortable talking to other teenagers as well as adults. It’s an impressive sight as 12 and 15 year old girls handle such big tasks with a maturity beyond their years.

Francesca translating at Church

Meanwhile, no one is more helpful when tackling handy-man projects around the house than 10 year-old Sezni, always smiling and pleased to provide a tool when needed. 8 year-old Raffy is generally quieter than his siblings, but more times than I can count, I caught him whispering a translation while everyone else was still trying to figure out what had been said. I also noticed he is uniquely talented at understanding what Billy says (their 4-year old adopted Nicaraguan son who speaks an elusive combination of Spanglish and Masquite). They all pitch in everyday and it’s kind of beautiful to watch them work together.

Rafael pitching in with Sunday School, in El Salvador

By the way, as always, their living room is still that same revolving door. The bell at the gate begins ringing at 6 o’clock every morning and doesn’t stop until 11 or 12 each night (including weekends). A day doesn’t go by where friends and/or community members aren’t welcomed with open arms no matter the time or reason.

They daily juggle a multitude of issues and responsibilities while maintaining attitudes that are remarkably positive. While they prepare lesson plans, they have morning devotions with the boys. While they do devotions, children arrive for school. While pre-K class is in session, they manage homeschool responsibilities for their own kids. As coursework comes to an end, lunch is being prepared. As noon dishes are being washed, practice begins for the boys and on and on and on, only to be done again tomorrow.

Their work is exhausting physically and taxing mentally, but each day they gather their strength to meet what the Lord has made. I observe them as they die to self, over and over. Even though their energy level burns brighter than ever, the lines on their face remind me I’m not staring at the faces of two wide-eyed twenty-somethings any more. This isn’t a game and it’s not about having fun. More than a decade has passed since that cold January morning and my friends are at once the same as always and yet starkly different.

They’ve grown up.

Some Briens/Seaburgs in Managua, Nicaragua