Her portrait was the result of happenstance earlier today, as we tried to make our way to the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. Spontaneity is the name of the game for the next two weeks, and as we followed the map on the phone to the eastern coast we ended up at a river and this village. It seems that the phone thought we had a boat, since it gave us the directions which included a river for the last 2 hours of our ride.
Without hesitation we dumped our drive to the river and walked into this village immediately. The majority of the homes are made of wood, and the people are as friendly as anywhere on the island. This has been my experience so far in Nicaragua, being embraced by my cousins as well as strangers anywhere we go.
We walked into this village last evening even though it was cloudy in order to speak with the people. They welcomed us without reservation and invited us to come back this morning if the sun was shining. Well, the sun was shining and we returned to find the children more than happy to be photographed.
One such girl is the one smiling in this portrait. She was a treat to photograph, so young yet so confident in front of the camera. Their shyness is one of the most beautiful aspects of the Nicaraguan people, especially those in the countryside. She was something else, a truly remarkable spirit living the most difficult life yet rising above it all with humility.
The people in her village lack running water, sewage system, toilets, medical access while at the same time sleeping in homes without screens and at the mercy of mosquitos every single night. The fact that she can present to the world with such a smile makes me pause.
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