About an hour southwest of Managua is the indigenous artistic center of Nicaragua, where generations of Nicas have poured their lives into the creation of beautiful painted pottery, hammocks, and furniture (including wooden rocking chairs, couch frames, and woven chairs). Towns with poetic names like Masaya, Jinotepe, Carazo, and Masatepe sit bundled together in this region, quietly perfecting the arts of woodwork and clay with pride and dignity.
Upon entering Masatepe, where Andrea (my roommate) and I journeyed with another friend Heather Saturday, we passed store after store offering us various wooden furniture with decorative cushions. Everything looks attractive and well made, which made it difficult to decide what to buy for our living room, the only room in our house that had yet to be fully furnished. We visited about 4-5 different shops, all eager to show us gringa women all that they had to offer. Finally we decided on a medium wood color and a blue/beige/green pattern for our cushions, which they were going to make in 3 days and then deliver to our house.
After making our purchase, we went to quite possibly the only genuine restaurant in Masatepe and I had the best baked chicken I have ever eaten in my entire life, and a delicious naranja/papaya fresco (I had no idea that that combination could be so good!).
As if that wasn't enough activity for one day, a Nicaraguan named Jairo who started a Christian-based art program for children and youth called ArtePintura (affiliated with the Nehemiah Center) invited us to come to one of the barrios in Masatepe called La Curva to see one of the classes in action that afternoon. When we arrived, Jairo explained that the afternoon class being held in the small cement building was led by his mother, who lives across the street and is a volunteer for Jairo's program. Gathered inside were 10-12 ninos of ages 4-16 sitting on wooden benches eying us with great interest. Behind them on the walls was an assortment of artistic drawings and paintings done by these children, some of them with obvious talent. Of special interest to me was the work of Ariel, a young man with a gift for portraying the landscapes of Nicaragua. I was so enchanted with his work, that I bought one of his 4x6 paintings on the spot.
ArtePintura has free art and music classes in Managua, Masatepe, Cuidad Sandino (just outside Managua) for about 60-70 jovenes. The participating youth are provided with materials obtained through the sale of Jairo's personal artwork and that of another pupil of his named Franklin. Eventually, these students' work will be marketed in the USA through a microenterprise initiative called NicaMade, that another ministry colleague here has begun to develop, as well as through direct sales here in the country. It's exciting to see committed Christians working in the arts to make a difference in the lives of their communities—and what is the fruit of their work?
Hope, the cultivation of creativity, and an increased understanding of our potential to be co-laborers with Christ in the work of building the Kingdom of God.
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