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Being Broke (with 5 Kids) in Nicaragua Taught Me That Pursuing a Dream is Worth It
Rock bottom gave us clarity about what matters most.
“Certain environments, certain modes of life, certain rules of conduct are more conducive to inner and outer harmony than others.”
— Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gifts From the Sea
Three mosquitoes buzz inches from my face, unable to reach me through the net creating a safe haven around my bed.
Husband, five children, plus my pregnant self, are particularly attractive to mosquitoes. I thought I’d imagined they liked us more than most people. Years later I discovered these little pests actually prefer type O blood type.(1) We’re all type O.
Living in a $200/month house in a dilapidated beach town in Nicaragua provides little protection from mosquitoes. Or any critters for that matter. Dogs, birds, and bats enter through iron-barred doors, open windows, and holes in the roof.
But the mosquitoes are the worst of all. There is little escape. Like forts you used to build as kids, we erect makeshift tents from mosquito nets in the tiled sitting room. All day, we huddle…
