It’s been about 2 years since I remember sitting on my phone, scrolling through an Instagram page that left me with a heavy feeling in my chest. I will occasionally get this feeling when I hear about or experience something that touches me in a deep way. And I’ve come to learn that this feeling is from the Lord. On this particular day, I was looking at a National Geographic photojournalism project that was documenting an epidemic affecting sugar cane workers in Nicaragua. The disease is called Chronic Kidney Disease (nontraditional) or CKDnT for short. This disease is called “nontraditional” because it is caused by factors other than the most common causes of kidney disease, which are diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. CKDnT affects mainly field workers, such as in Central America and India.
(Picture from La Isla Foundation)
Fast forward a couple years, and I just happen to be walking the streets of a small village in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua. No one but the Lord could have known this is where I would end up. At this point, we have only been in Nicaragua for a little over a week, and the day is a typical day of ministry for us. On this particular day, we are going from house to house meeting families, sharing the Gospel, and praying for people. But something is different. I have already talked to 2 different men who asked for prayer for the kidney disease they are suffering from. I find it odd that we would encounter 2 men on the same day asking for prayer for this specifically, but I don’t think too much about it…
Then I met Mauricio and it all clicked.
As we were getting ready to head back for the day, Ron, our ministry host, asked if we would circle around his friend who was suffering from the late stages of kidney failure. Mauricio was not older than early 40s, and it was clear he was experiencing a lot of pain. We all circled around him and prayed, but that familiar heavy feeling came upon me and I could not hold back the tears. I was a little embarrassed that I was crying while we were trying to pray, but what once had touched my heart in a very real way through a phone screen, I was experiencing right before me. It clicked in my mind that this wass the problem I had read about years before. I knew God had brought me to this small village for a purpose, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that what was breaking my heart in that very moment was also breaking His.
After this day, I continued to meet man after man fighting this same kidney disease. Men of all different ages, in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, but all sugar cane workers who are experiencing pain and a sense of helplessness. Men who told me over and over again that there was no other work for them. Men who were fathers and sons, who had dreams, but who were burdened by this disease they could not escape.
After processing for a while all I was experiencing, my initial thought was “How can I get more people to know about this problem?” I started to research this epidemic and think about blogs I could right…but then I thought about Mauricio. I wanted to know him. I wanted to hear his story. I wanted to give him the opportunity to share his story. I can’t do much, but I can be a voice. For those of you who are not familiar with CKDnt, I want to shed a light on the epidemic that is killing thousands of men here in Chichigalpa.
CKDnT is a form of progressive kidney failure. Unlike the traditional form of kidney disease, CKDnT is related to manual labor in extreme temperatures, such as working in the sugarcane industry. Also unlike the traditional form of kidney disease, CKDnT often affects younger men under the age of 30. In the late stages of the disease, the body no longer is able to expel fluid, and becomes it becomes very painful for people suffering from CKDnT. There is no cure for CKDnT, and the only treatment is continued dialysis or kidney transplants, which many people cannot afford or do not have access to. There are several ideas as to what causes CKDnT and why an incredible amount of men are becoming sick with this disease. Investigations are being done to determine the link between dehydration and environmental toxin exposure. The men in Chichigalpa often must work very long hours in extreme heat with no shade. I have been told that it is also very likely that the water from the rivers they drink is contaminated with chemicals from the sugar cane.
In the last 10 years, 46% of male deaths in Chichigalpa were caused by CKDnT.
Can you imagine what these families are experiencing losing men at such an alarming rate? Can you imagine what life is like for these sick men, who did not have any other choice for work? Sometimes it is hard for us to imagine, because we live in the United States. When there are injustices, we can stand up for ourselves or we have someone to stand up for us on our behalf. What breaks my heart the most is that this is just normal life for the people living here. What choice do they have? They have to provide for their family, so they have to accept the fact that they will very likely get sick with this disease. There is also the fear of speaking too much out about this sickness and losing their job, or future opportunities for their families. This large sugar company, Ingenio San Antonio, has an incredible amount of power in Chichigalpa. And they obviously avoid any media attention and have been a huge obstacle to investigations about this problem.
Because sometimes statistics can keep us desensitized to the pain of others, I want to share with you the story of Maurcio, just one of the wonderful men I have had the pleasure of knowing, in my next blog.
In the meantime, please take a few moments to watch the video below, put out by La Isla Foundation. You can also read more about the disease and what this organization is doing at www.laislsafoundation.org.
Stay tuned for Mauricio’s story.
-Marisa
