The Day of Light

KC Dewey is the executive director of Love Light & Melody. These are her reflections on Dia de Luz.

When entering what appears to be a war-zone it seems appropriate to enter with proper armor and protection. Love Light & Melody has learned however, that sometimes the most powerful weapons of protection are also the most surprising! This was most certainly the case for 2008's "Day of Light" celebration.

On March 6, 2008 a flood of people, music, and kites invaded the city landfill in Managua, Nicaragua, where nearly 1,500 people live, work, and make their homes. Love Light & Melody's second annual "Day of Light" event was created to break down the emotional, physical, and cultural barriers often found inside the trash dump community, and to reawaken dreams, imagination, and hope in all those who participated in the day.

On the morning of March 6th, over 200 university students, associated with Orphan Network's alternative spring break, and a team of 60+ individuals with Love Light and Melody gathered at the entrance of the dump. The day began by acknowledging the many organizations serving the people living in the city dump. One of the central themes behind the "Day of Light" was to stand as a united front that "people and trash don't belong together!"

The event began to unfold as those that gathered at the entrance began to infiltrate this community. Participants in the event talked, served, and invited those working in the trash to a concert Braddigan had prepared for those living there. As participants flooded through this community, children began to leave their posts in the trash and followed the parade of color and music. Slowly the forty-plus kites, brought in that day by the LL&M team, were passed off into the hands of the children working amongst the rubbish.

Vultures swooped overhead and came face to face with these magic banners (kites)...a true depiction of the battle of light and darkness that wages over this community. As the day pressed on, what once appeared as a war zone began to transform into an enchanted carnival. In culmination with Braddigan's concert, a group of muralists in partnership with the LL&M team painted a 70' x 12' mural on the wall of the School of Hope located inside the landfill.


As the muralists did their work, paints were left out so that children could put their fingerprints of color on the wall. These thumbprints quickly became vibrant little flower petals, and then a rainbow grew out of the rest flowing into a bunch of butterflies... we were all reminded as we watched the mural take shape, that we just don't dream enough!

In addition, several other artists joined the musical performance with Braddigan... artist and songwriter Whitney Whyte along with Brazilian artist Danny added their touch by contributing to a final song written specifically for the people in this community. At the close of the event the chorus was sung by all... "Amen! Hallelujah, love comes living here, dia de luz, melodia, in La Chureca, ohah!" A true depiction of what the day truly stood for.

We watched people of all colors, shapes, and sizes sweat, laugh, sing and dance as one family... and saw a glimpse of the life we were all meant for! A life where people stand together for one thing and one thing only... LOVE!