Scrub-a-dub-dub

I watched my Tesoro Boys for a few hours this evening. I love them endlessly... and good thing. What a handful they can be. Shower time came around and I had to help the boys six years old and younger bathe. Samantha came into help, but no sooner had she entered the room than Abel ran right up to her and peed on her leg. Oh Abel. Boys are so silly. They were all running around but naked while I tried to put shampoo on each of them. Water was everywhere. I was drenched. Insane. Patience is something I am learning allot about in Peru. Patience, love, and what Pancho's are for. I had to pour water out of my sneakers...

These children make me laugh so hard.

I don't think I want to go home.

Update

Life in Peru is speeding right along. Some days I miss my family and it feels like I have been here forever. Most days though, I feel like six months just is not enough. I have really fallen in love with these children and sometimes it hits me that I will have to say goodbye. I wish I could stay for longer.

My work in the houses is going well. We have a new Madre named Hilda. She works upstairs with the Chispas (girls house). She is a fantastic women with two grown children of her own. She treats the girls as if they were her own and you can really see her love shine on them. She is always outside playing basketball or volleyball with the girls and boys. In the morning I am in her house with Allison (3 years old) and Alondra (10 years old). They both have school in the afternoon. We do gardening, finish up homework and play games or paint nails. I also help with laundry and straightening/cleaning the house.

Allison is a very spirited little girl. She will go from being your best friend one second to completely ignoring you the next and pretending you are not in the room. She loves to color and pretend she is cooking. Alondra is the most fashionable of 10 year olds and could quote any verse of a High School Musical song, in English.

Milagros, who is the 29 year old Madre Tutora in the boys house has a lot of patience with my Spanish. She has taught me many household words. She has a fantastic sense of humor and we laugh through our work most days.

The boys in the Tesoros are a handful. They are wild and crazy and I love them with all of my heart. When they see me going upstairs to see the girls in the morning they will scream my name and shout Buenos Dias Tia Laura!! If I go in they will attack me with hugs and kisses. After a few airplane hugs and mosquito tickles they let me go. (I drag myself out the door. lol) In the afternoon we have garden again, laundry, chores and play time. It is usually Arnold (9yrs), Kevin(15yrs), Josue(13yrs), his brother, Junior(not sure of his age), Abel(6yrs), Edwin(6yrs), Dante(6yrs), Danni(8yrs?) and Saul(4 or 5 yrs).

They are such fantastic kids. They are always wanting to help in one way or another. Especially when I bring in the laundry and put in on the sofa. The boys dive into it head first, no matter how many times I ask them not to, and start searching for their clothing, while much of it ends up on the floor. Sometimes it's easier and a better choice to join in on the caios so once in a while I will put someones clean pants on my head and socks on my hands and become the laundry monster. I chase them around and tickle them until they can hardly breathe they are laughing so hard. They usually let me be after that for at least five minutes. :-) Homework is probably the hardest time. Not many kids enjoy sitting and writing in cursive or figuring math problems. When they pay attention though, they breeze right through it.

Garden is going well but slow. We are going plant radishes, pumpkins and who knows what else. Elias is the master mind behind it, we are just along for the ride. I hope the kids really get into it. It is good for them to see the process of growing through cooking their food.

Weekends are fairly quiet. Friday nights we put a movie on for all the kids to watch. Sometimes we pop popcorn and have soda. It's always an experience. Saturday mornings some of the kids have visits from family. The kids who don't get visits sometimes go on a trip to the beach or a park with the volunteers. Sundays are fairly relaxing. I am going to be bringing Abel and his older brother Italo with me to church every week. They can't go to the church the other kids frequent because their mom knows where it is and was bothering them. I brought Abel two weeks ago and he loved it so I think it will definitely be a weekly thing from here until March. Italo is very excited to go and talked about it every time he saw me this week. I am sure I will have updates.

We have two new boys here. Louise and his brother Yanpier. They are about two and three years old. I don't know much about them except that the officials found them on the streets and the Albergue picked them up at City Hall. They are beautiful, loving little boys. They are getting a ton of love and are on the road to recovery from malnourishment and a terrible eye infection. The swelling of their poor little bellies has gone down and they have beautiful smiles that we get to see very often. The boys talk up a storm and are very bright!!



My Spanish is so-so. I can understand a ton (when people don't speak at warp speed!!). Speaking it is another story. I am afraid to mess up. But..... I am working on it and will get it down. My friends have patience with me so it makes all the difference.

See you in a month! Enjoy the snow!!

The Wish List...

Some have asked about Christmas and what is on my list this year.

Here it is...

The kids here are really in need of new Backpacks for school,
Pencil cases,
Construction paper is always needed, along with copy paper,
Number two pencils,
New underwear for the kids. ages 2-15,
art supplies,
coloring/activity books (IN SPANISH)
alot of these things I could find in Peru for cheaper than in the States. So, If anyone wants to send a check for something listed above just write on it what item(s) you would like it used for.
Beads (colorful plastic and also natural)

Here are some things I could use...

Thread (thick and thin, in different colors),
Baby wipes,
Books to read,
Letters ;-)


I will update later...

Why do we let this happen?

Last night my heart broke.

Angela and I went dancing with some friends. Everything was great until I noticed the two girls nearby. They were around twelve or thirteen years old. I pointed them out to my friend and his response was "It's Peru." apparently there is no rule against under aged girls in a club. I noticed two men around fifty years old watching them. They started to shout to them but then left so I thought the trouble was over. Until one of them came back. He dragged the girls on the dance floor and started pulling at them and holding them to him. The girls looked scared and he wasn't listening to them about not wanting to dance. I told the waitress and she did nothing. Nothing. The man then dragged them out of the room to the patio below. I was really worried for them at this point so I stood looking down and watching where he could not see me but the girls could. I motioned to them in a way to ask if they were OK. One looked up and tried telling me she was but eyes don't lie. When I was watching I saw the man grab one of the girls and kiss her. He then dragged her out of the room.

I ran down stairs and told the guard and my friend told a man that worked there. Again, nothing was done for the girls. My friends ran down with me and Angela and I saw one of the girls standing by herself. We asked her if they were OK and offered a free taxi ride home. She told me the man was her uncle and she was fine. She didn't look fine, she looked desperate. She also told us the man was the other girls father. It was his daughter he had kissed so passionately on the lips! She insisted she was OK so we started to walk out but we couldn't. Angela and I stood there for a while trying to figure out what to do. The girls were alone for a minute so we asked one last time if we could help and if they needed a ride home.

The man came out while we were talking and stared at us. The girls gave us a look as if to say please go, you are only making things worse. There was nothing more we could do there. We went back home and prayed a while for them and for the man as well. I will never forget our eyes meeting when she turned to look at us as he led them back into the other room. I found it heartbreaking that something like this would happen. It happens everywhere. Peru, the states, over the entire world. The only difference between here and in the states is that back home, its less public. It's better to act than to do nothing. Please pray with us for the people in this situation.

Last night I told my friend what had happened and he asked why I don't just come home. This isn't just a problem in Peru. Its a problem world wide. We sometimes wonder why God lets things happen. It isn't God. I know he wonders why WE let these things happen. Why we stand by and watch the abused and the abusers and do nothing. "It's not my business. It doesn't involve me." You're wrong. If you don't try to do something, you have sinned just as the abuser sins. Take action. If only, it is praying hard. Take action.

Out on the town!!

Last Thursday night we went out for pizza before we dropped off Amy at the bus station. (She is taking an 8 hr trip to Lima so she can vote at the embassy.) The pizza left something to be desired, but the company was fantastic. After Pizza, we met up with Liz, her husband Obal and some friends from Salli Language Inst. It was a great night.

We salsa, and Cha-cha'd till our feet were about to fall off. We also got to see some authentic Peruvian dancing and some uh... interesting African dancing? Something about a candle and a handkerchief. You will have to ask me that story in person!!

Peruvian dancing is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Watching the performers was like reading a page of their diary's full of love and devotion for each other.

It was a really late night, but definitely worth it!

...pictures courtesy of Sam + Lindsey :-)

An Early Treat...

Look at the corn from the garden!!

OK, I have put it off forever. Since I am sick today I don't have much else to do but sit, be bored and organize over a thousand pictures. Yep, 1,000+ Pics. We like cameras here. Most shots though, I think were taken by the kids. Here are a few snapshots of recent things I have been talking about.... check out the pics on the right of my blog too. I found a way to add some there. Also, I changed my settings so anyone can leave a comment on my blog. You DON'T need to be a member or have any account anywhere. Make sure you leave your name though... or I won't know who wrote me!


Drawing on It's face and taking out the seeds to roast later!!

Sunday I found a PUMPKIN at Wong (local grocery store, similar to Price Right)!! I had to bring it back as a surprise. We had a little improv party. Some of the girls and boys helped draw a face on, scoop out and carve up our jack-0-lantern. The kids told me it was their first time. Most dove right in while others were a little hesitant to get their hands all yucky. I think he turned out pretty great!! Sam happened to have a tea light in her room so we used that to light up his grin. Halloween came to Peru after all, and even a bit early!! Now lets see about pumpkin pie....


Carving the face. Looks kinda spooky with the knife still in the picture!!

Love of a child

For some reason my stomach hates me in Peru. It is really easily thrown off and is driving me up a wall. When you are not feeling top notch its easy for it to effect your mood as well. That was definitely the case this morning. However, when I was mending kids clothing in the Chispas this AM, Annabelle, who has only been here for about a week now, came over and watched me work. Then she reached over and gave me a huge hug and giant kiss. Completely warmed my heart. She is having a little bit of a rough time getting use to things here. She doesn't go to school yet because we have discovered she has a fear of it. Because of this whenever she has to leave her house she gets scared you are bringing her to school and will throw her self on the floor screaming and crying. I don't yet know her past, but I have been told she comes from an abusive background. She is very shy at times.

The last two days she has been talking my ear off. She will go on and on and on about who knows what. I can understand Spanish so-so when the speaker is talking slowly for me. She breezes through our one sided conversations. I pick up some words here and there. Annabelle does seem content to just talk though. When I try and learn a new word from her she laughs at me and starts to copy my English words instead. It's wonderful to listen to her laugh. I think a child's laughter is possibly the best sound in the world. Carefree, and full of love, without worry, without a history, just childlike and impish. Isn't that what every child should have?

Yesterday Allison and her helped me bring in the children's laundry. I wrapped them in about four towels each and stuck underwear on their arms and pants on their heads. We had a great time doing chores together. How great is it that David and Vickie Miller founded this place where broken children can come and receive the love, healing and education they so dearly deserve. It's a blessing the world is full of angels like them.

Please keep all the children in your prayers. They are doing so well and have come so far. With their little smiling faces it can be easy to forget that some of them come from an ugly past. Pray that the workers and volunteers will remember this and go the extra step, the extra mile to give them all the more care and love necessary for them to regain trust in man. More-so that the children can really see the light of Jesus.

Harvest and Daily Life

I think I have been in Peru long enough to finally fall into daily routine. What a day today was. I gave Alisson, a three year old a bath in a shower and only got half soaked. Talk about a messy experience!


Today was also day one of Angela and I taking over the garden. I brought Dante, Samir and Junior with me. Angela brought a bunch of her kids to. Luce (one of the cooks), Hugo (one of the workers who use to live in the Tesoro's with my afternoon boys), and Elias (one of the handy men) along with a bunch of other kids all worked together to harvest what was left of the corn and pull green leaves off for a pig they save scraps for. When that was finished, we dug up all the old stalks and weeds. It was a blast going through the corn stalks with the kids trying to find more ears. It was a great gift, bonding and working side by side with everyone.


I love Fall. It is probably the best part of living in the Northeast. The changing colors of the leaves and gentle cooling winds after a hot summer always brings a smile to my face. Well I didn't see the changing leaves, but it is cold here!! It feels like a fall day. Today in the garden, between the rows of corn, it really felt for a moment like I was back in a corn maze with my Dad so many years ago.

Some of the boys and girls thought it would be great fun to start a rotten tomato fight!! I tried staying out of the way but some spray got me too. It was not nearly as messy as that morning bath for Alisson!

I have been trying my hand at sewing these past few days. I am actually very shocked to say its going well. I started with little tears in seems worked up to holes in knees of jeans and now today.... (drum role please) I sewed a zipper back into place that was half falling off!! It actually looked like new. I was so excited that I showed the house mom, Milagros. She was so excited that she gave me hemming to do........ Ha. So that will be tomorrow's afternoon project. After garden, and before folding clothes, while I am helping with the children's homework. Wish me luck! Its a uniform for school. If I mess up, well... lets just pray I don't, OK?

I have so much more to write, but it will have to wait. Juliana (a 15yr old girl here) is on her way to have a Spanish/English lesson with me. :-)

What do I want to acomplish in Peru?

A good question. Why am I here? What am I doing with my little Spanish and longing for home?

This is what I am doing... Crossing continents and my own boundaries. Pushing myself out of the box and finding myself. Feeling out what I am called to do and searching, wanting more direction. I'm finding it. Soul searching and coming up wanting.

Teaching Math to high school girls in Spanish. Yes, I said MATH in SPANISH. The ironic thing? it's working.

Days seem to stretch on forever. It seems I can fit into one day in Peru, work that would take three of four in the states.

Walking around with my little notebook to write down needed Spanish phrases. Asking a ton of questions.

I am learning to be wiser with my money. Amazing how that happens when you stop receiving a paycheck. Its a scary thought. It does help that the US Dollar is worth three times as much in Peru.

I am pushing myself to pray out loud (this is very hard for me) in Spanish. And being supported by the children to do so. I thought I was suppose to be helping them grow closer with God?

The children are teaching me much about the definition of meaningful work. Sweeping a floor becomes so much more if it takes a burden of the Madre so that she can spend quality time with the children and really help them grow.

I am cleaning house and helping with showers, assisting with homework and supervising chores, mending clothes and giving/getting lots of hugs, building friendships and breaking up fights, scooping endless white rice and am thankful for being able to do so.

I am so thankful for my family that always supports and love me. My heart breaks for the children that are not so lucky. I am learning quite a bit about what I think will be important values to have when I have my own children.

Trying to show Jesus' love for the children and volunteers, workers. With the language barrier its not easy. It is a work in progress.

Also, I am trying to not be so much of a germophobe. I will not be sharing hair brushes anytime soon... But I definitely received a big mushy banana kiss on my cheek today. It was adorable.

What am I doing in Peru? I am learning every day. Trying to become a better person and come closer to God and fellow man. Loving other's as Jesus loves us all.

This is why I came here:

To Live. To Learn. To Love.

My Experiance as "Madre"

I had my first experience with being "Madre" on Saturday. Angela had to go to the hospital because she was bitten by a bug and her foot is now twice the normal size.

Lindsay (another volunteer) and I watched "The Amigos De Jesus". What great little boys, but what a handful! Since it was Sat, they had family visits and played outside. The kids who didn't have family visits went to the beach with Sam and Lindsay. Apparently they brought home some friends!!

In the afternoon, I started to notice the house was smelling terrible. Lindsay and I started to find crab legs throughout the house! They were on the floor, in the bedrooms, in the bathroom sink and in the trashcan. After lunch the boys have to clean their closets and have them checked before they can play outside. I was going around checking them and one of the boys kept pulling on my sleeve to check his. So, I follow him and open the door... right at eye level with me, siting on a shelf is the largest crab I have EVER seen. Mr. crab, starring at me. Suddenly it became clear why he was so eager to show me his nice "clean" closet. All the boys had a great laugh over this. I let out a little skriek to play along.

Throughout the day some of the kids had different chorse to do, such as, washing dishes and sweeping the floor. Other than that, they played outside and inside. After a big game of Futbal, all the boys showered. After dinner they had a bit more free time and chores. Before bed Angela and I did devotionals with the boys. She asked some of the boys to look up and read certain verses. It touched on Gods love and the perfectness of it. How some people may say they love us and then do something to hurt us because people are not perfect. God however, is. I think the children get allot of information on the punishing God and perhaps not enough on the loving, forgiving God. We were trying to teach that God's love is never ending. I think the older boys got allot from it. he younger five fell asleep before we were half way through.

After devotionals, we tucked the sleeping boys in and read them some stories while the older boys played for a few more minutes. All in all it was a great day. I am certainly learning allot.

I was tucking in one of the boys and he wanted to say prayers before bed. I asked him to pray because I knew my Spanish would be choppy. He insisted that I prayed instead "in English". So I prayed first in English and then for the first time ever, in Spanish. This was my first time praying with a child and I hope that he got something out of it. It was a very emotional, fantastic, and sad moment for me.

Ps... Thankfully Angela's foot is better! It took two trips to the Dr, blood tests (by a guy with someone else's blood already on his gloves!!), a urine tests and lots of medicine. It turns out it was an allergic reaction. The guilty bug is still unknown and on the loose!

Diez Cosas Para Que Estoy Agradecido

Ten things I am thankful for:

1)Family that supports me in my hair-brained ideas, no matter how out there I may sometimes seem. The love and support means the world.

2)This fantastic place of love and support that I am being allowed to stay in durring my time in Peru. It is good to know that we are all very safe and the people that work with the children have a severe love and dedication for/too them.

3)White Rice and Chicken, lots of it.

4)Pablo, the ninja-like vigilante that vanishes out of thin air. He may look a little rough around the edges, but really, knowing he is around makes us all rest easy.

5)Pepto.

6)God's love that has made this place possible and provided a way for a group of Peruvians and a strange group of American's to come together with a mutual love for children and the desire to show them God's love for them.

7)Wet sloppy kisses all over my cheeks and forehead from the rambunctious little boys. their affection truley makes me remember why I am here.

8)Email. I miss you too.

9)Cold showers. I need to focus less on the fact that the hot water likes to stop working and more on being thankful that we have running water (most times).

10)The children's (and worker's) patience with my Spanish. I am learning much and fast as well. However, there is still a very severe wall. On most days however, we are able to get along just fine. Every day, I am learning new phrases and enjoying new conversations.

De Mi Amor

I am glad that I came to Peru. I am being given a chance to really get my thoughts in order and figure out what in the worl I am supose to do with my life. It will be a great experiance and I pray that I will make a differance in the lives of the children and people I work with while I am here.

Last week however, not the best. It hit me that my loved ones were really really far away... I was kind of down and out. Why, I saw a map. I know how far I am from home and have known since the first time I came here. I just kind of forgot? Well, its far. I can't swim, jog or hitch-hike that one...


That was the first reason. The second was I was pretty sick one night. I made the mistake of eating cow's heart on a stick from a street vendor. It was great, for the moment. Later that night, not so much. So I missed my first sick day. Well, that gave me a day of laying in bed and sleeping and when I would not keep my eyes shut anymore I started to really think about those miles. A few of you got some great phone calls that night. Sorry.





The next day, I had a fantastic surprise waiting for me in my room. It was from my loving boyfriend Stephen (and my loving, but sneaky "roomie" Amy). There were three beautiful roses!! One yellow (Popop's favorite), one red (my favorite), and one very pretty white one with baby's breath.

Next to the flowers was a package that turned out to be a very sweet (and mildly obnoxious teddy bear). He sings a LONG love song in spanish VERY loudly and scares me when I hug him in my sleep. He scares Tracy too. His cheeks light up and he is very cuddly. Stephen knew I was not having the best time adjusting at first and wanted to cheer me up and make me not so homesick. He is very sweet :-) So, he used facebook to email Amy and set up this sweet pick-me-up.

I can't wait until December! Oh, and I am bringing home the bear so you can borrow it and see if it wakes you up in your sleep!!!

Spring Festival-Trujillio

Once a year the city of Trujillio throws a huge festival in celebration of Spring. Hundreds of people wear colorful costumes of their heritage, participate in dance shows while hundreds more line the streets for the parade. Angella (another volunteer who will be here for 6 months as well) and I took out Arnold and Junior for a birthday celebration. We met up with some other volunteers at lunch and Samir decided to join our group for the day.

I have never seen such a large parade! We saw some of our friends from Central Biblico (a Baptist church we sometimes go to. I think its my favorite) They had lined up some tables and placed chairs ontop. They let the kids and us sit there to watch. It was 3.5 hrs long!! It was a job watching three kids durring the parade. It amazes me how many times I experiance something here and I wonder how my parents were able to do all we did without losing me. (then again there were those two times at Disney... lol.) I am very blessed to have them as my parents.

I was very glad to meet some of the men from church. You can tell the kids have a big place in their hearts. It is very good for the boys to see positive male role models, not just the madres and volunteers. I have good faith that these men are going to make all the difference in the boys lives as they mature into young men themselves.








Since we met up with Alex, he gave us a ride back "home" on the Alberque's truck! Don't work, the kids sat in the cab. We however, got to ride on back sitting in a wicker chair! It was very exciting and muchos frio!! Taxis are scary, busses are terrifing, but the bed of a truck... what an experience!! Even durring a parade we still were stared at while passing through. I feel like Lindsay Lohan at moments...Ha!

Today was really a fantastic day!!

Wow... and sorry about my bad spelling. I am usually veryyyy sleepy when I post. It shows....

Feliz Cumpleanos!

***This is my birthday card from the kids and workers in the David Miller School (home school)***

Today is my Birthday!!! I turned 22. It has been a very interesting and fantastic time. First of all, before I came to Peru, I celebrated with family, Stephen and Matt (but they know they are family too). I brought all of my cards with me to Peru and I put them up on my wall so when I am homesick I can read them and see the pictures too. Here are some pics I took with my web cam tonight...

***It is cold in Peru!! My bed with ammazing sheets and two alpaca? blankets. I also sleep in sweatpants, t'shirt, sweatshirt annnd long socks!***

***My closet... can you believe I fit all that and what is in my dresser in ONE suitcase? No wonder why I had to pay extra for it!***

***My sign outside my room with the birthday drawings from my new roomies and fellow volunteers.***

The shower is very touchy!! Its either very hot or very cold. I have it down now though. I thought I would have to wet/wash/rinse, but I think I have the hang of it now. ;-) The blowdryer is fun, it sparks when I plug it in. Currently something is wrong with my overhead light and it will flicker like you would imagine in a horror movie. Its fantastic durring a shower at night. Haha. Luckily, I have a skylight in shower, so if I use it durring the day its fine.

***Beware of Tracy!! ***This is wear I am when I call you***

She was a street dog, but now we

love her and she is a faithfull

watchdog and companion. She

keeps my feet warm but wakes me

when her belly rumbles. She also

kicks me in her sleep.

My Birthday was fantastic. Sadly, I could not call many people because our phones were out due to high winds tonight. I am so sorry, and I will call soon!!

I started the day by a knock on the door. Lindsay, a volunteer here made me breakfast! It was fantastic. Scrambled eggs, just like home and bread with jelly. I also had a fruit platter or oranges, apples and bannanas!! We ate together. She is a very sweet girl and good friend.

Then it was off for my official first day of work! I work in the tessoros with the girls in the morning from 8:30-12, have an hour break, then from 1-5 I am with the Chispas with the boys. Juliana, a 15yr old girl teaches me spanish while I try and teach her words in English. She is very patient with me and I am greatfull. Arnold is my favorite child here. If I could I would bring him home in a second. Sadly, even if I wanted to ten years from now when I could, I can't. You have to be 18 yrs or more older and he is nine. His smile could light up a room. Today we did laundry together and he helped me fold it. He is short at nine and his sheets kept brushing the ground. He felt bad and kept saying lo siento (im sorry) over and over again. I told him it was ok and not to worry, then showed him it is easy to brush off the sand. After that, his house madre had me help him with his homework. After all was done, it was time to play on the playground that we built the last time we were here with Coast Guard Academy, Church Public and NLCM!! Lots of fun.

At lunch time everyone sang happy birthday to Luce and I. Luce is one of the cooks. We got to blow out candles (a few times because they were trick candles)!! It was very good cake and I enjoyed bringing people slices.

This evening we had a volunteer meeting and group devotionals, both went well. Thursday night we are going to Cafe Caramel to celebrate my bday!! Coffee here I come....

Now, Tracy and I are off to sleep. I am sure it will be a busy day. It is a madre and padres last day working in a house and us volunteers have to fill in until the new madre comes. I hope they don't take leaving to hard and that the kids will be allright.

Talk to you all soon!

Love,

Laura

They say "Home is where your heart is..."

My cousin Fredie and Stephen Brought me for the nice long ride to jfk on Thursday. Amazingly I was able to say all my goodbyes to family and friends with very few tears. It is so hard to leave them all, but I know it is good that I am here. I will learn and hope to teach much.

I arrived at the Hogar De Esperanza safe and sound late Friday morning. I was lucky to get a nice early flight to Tru from Lima and had no long layovers. My luggage was not as lucky. It should be in Lima today or possibly en route to me by now. God and I are having a nice laugh over this. I said I wanted to be a minimalist for 6 months and live from one bag. Well, I did not mean my carry on!! I am doing fine. I bought soap and shampoo... plus to shirts.

I have a pet!! I named him Fredrico. He is not so nice to pet, but holds good conversation late at night. He is a cricket about 5 times normal Connecticut size! I will put up a picture of him when I can. Nana, can I bring him home? He is almost as big as Koko!

Last night was good. Samantha (who is the volunteer admin) and Alex (a worker here who lives with his wife and three beautiful children in the Ranch, just outside the Alberque) met me at the TINY airport in Tru. It was easy to find them. Sam was the only gringa (white girl) around and Alex's smile could have lit up the runway. He is a very nice man. They both gave me big hugs and then we were off for supplies.

When we got back I said hello to some of the children and had dinner with them and some of the workers. I also met the other volunteers. There were big hugs from Amy and Tracy (who is our fantastic guard dog. We cuddle alot, and I slip her extra food or bones). Tracy always follows us from the walls of the orphanage to the mecro (bus) to ensure safe travel. I don't know what she would do to a potential threat... I think she would lick them to death. I did hear that she bit a child's cruel father though. I like her all the more for that.

Last night right after lunch I got cleaned up and rested. I made a nice computer desktop pic with all my family and closest friends. When I sleep I leave it up and play country music. ;-)

I was a bit upset to not have my bags. Not because of the clothing, but because of my missing birthday cards and family pics. It will feel more like home when I have them to put up. My room is very nice. Hugo made my bed for me and cleaned before I came. I have a closet!! My favorite thing is my shower curtain. It has bubbles on it!! My pet Fredrico tried to take a shower with me today. I swiftly removed him!!

I slept for 14 hrs straight last night. I could not be woken for dinner even! I missed out on the girls "slumber party" and the boys pancake breakfast! I am sure there will be many more events to take part in. Today I spent about an hour on the phone with JFK, Miami, Lima and Tru airports locating luggage. I think I have found it. Time will tell. Tonight, Amy and I went to Starbucks....... yes, they have one here too. It will be my only coffee from there while I am here. Expensive!! We took a "collectivo" back to Alberque. (Shelter house, another name for the orphanage) It was interesting. Ever hear of people setting a record for the most people fit into a volkswagen? Same idea!

When we returned, we were greeted with sticky chocolate hands!! The boys had a slumber party and celebrated some birthdays. Arnold kept calling me Mom which was very sad for me. I corrected and said "no, Tia" (Tia is auntie, it is what the kids call all the adults. Tio or Tia). He is a very loving boy and probably the child closest to my heart here. I pray he finds a loving family. He has so much love to give. I have never seen him without a smile on his face.

*** Here is a picture from my last trip to Peru. Arnold is the boy to the right of me in the picture, wearing the light red shirt. This was taken durring our goodbyes as we were leaving. They were wrapping themselves around my feet and legs to make it hard for me to leave! ***

If they say home is where your heart is, then I suppose I have many homes. All over Connecticut, NY, Rode Island, Florida, Guam, Afganistan. Now my home is also in Peru. The children are so easy to love. I will always love them and the workers who care for them so well. For a time they will be my extended family. My neices, nephews, brothers and sisters in Christ. It will be a good time for me here!! Never a dull moment!

After much laughter, chocolate and watching Iron Man in spanish, I am off to sleep. Sunday is a long day! Church with the children then off with either the boys or girls group to celebrate the September birthdays in town!! I am sure it will be a blast.

God bless and keep you all. Even though we are so far away, you are right here in my heart. I can't wait for Christmas and HUGE hugs, possibly the biggest ever. Careful for brusied ribs!! Haha.

If any of you want to be able to comment on my blogs, it is easy to make a google account to do so and free. Click on the little pencil and it will tell you how. Emails are always fantastic also. Aim is as well if any of you are interested.

On a funny note.... I can't buy shoes in Peru!! My feet are to big and they dont carry my size!!

On my way...

"Why do you want to go to Peru?"

"Why don't you help children here?"

Many people have been asking me these questions and so much more. Why? It can be easy to tell a friend at church "God told me to go. I returned from Peru the first time and he placed a love, a pain in my heart for the children. I have been thinking and praying about things I could do for them and now I am going to go and try to carry them out." Try saying that to a co-worker or family, friends that don't share your religion and it can be a difficult thing to explain. So instead of saying the out-right answer to "why", I am going to explain why I plan on doing there and what good I think will come of the mission, I believe God is sending me on.

I have no idea what to expect. I have some thoughts on what it may be like to be there, away from home for six months. I can't imagine what it will be like not seeing my parents, family and dear friends for that long. I am very close with my family and the thought of not seeing them every week hurts. Then I thought of the children, and I felt selfish. What about the children who have no family, who have not seen their friends in years? What can be done for the children who have been abused by those who were supose to love them?

My main goal for my time in Peru is to show the children love. Plain and simple. I want to show them the kindness I belive human nature has. I want them to know that I love them, but more importantly, that God loves them. No matter where they go in life, if they know God's love, they will never be alone or un-wanted.

In Peru, I want to do anything I can to make the children's lives a little brighter. If that means fixing a soccer net twelve times before we get through one game, or spending play time helping a child with math (I'll have to learn the problem first! :-).) so that they can proudly answer a question in class.

Since I will be a casita assistant, it will provide me with lots of time with the children. I hope to find out the likes and dislikes so that I can try teaching them different trades (little that I know), or at least get them interested in a path towards one, example: jewlery making, knitting and crocheting, planting/growing.... any ideas?

I also have some ideas that I am working on for fundraising for the children. Currently, the older children make jewlery that they sell to volunteers. The money they make goes into account for them that they get if they age out of the system. I would like to see some other ways for them to make the accounts grow. We will have to wait and see what God has in store.

One week to go!!!

Use me

I have no idea what I am doing in life. My close friends, well, you know this to well. One thing that I know in my life for certain... I am returning to Hogar De Esperanza. I leave the states on 9/17./08. I am terrified and in wonder that God is setting this up.

The first night I spent in Peru, durring my devotional time God hit me with thoughts on returning to serve there for a time. I pushed it away for a little while assuming it was my own foolish thought. However, when I returned home I had an ache in my heart that I could not shake. I missed the children and I wanted to see God at work in Peru through all the activities and programs he has provided for them. I wanted to help.

Some people thought and still do think I am being foolish and should finish college first. When there is a fire you don't wait for it to pass.

College is great, I know the people I love want the best for me. Want more for me. I don't want to sit in an office. I want to get my hands dirty. Life really needs to be less about making money and more about running with God. I sometimes have a hard time hearing God's plans above my own. This time however, I asked for a sign. Sounds silly, I know. I never do this but God provides. Tickets to Peru have been running about 8-1,000. This afternoon I found a roundtrip for $368.- luck? There is no such thing.

I am scared to leave my family and loved ones. Distance and time are two of my fears and I am about to combine them. I have faith in God that this is his will for me and he will provide. I know there will be moments that I wonder what I have done, but there will also be moments when I can see our Lord's face in that of a child who yearns for love and has so much love to give.

Peru hear I come.

9/08-3/09

Peru trip

A few months ago NLCM and Church Public went on a missions trip to Hogar De Esperanza (aka Home of Hope) in Salvary, Peru. It was a trip that helped to change the way I view the world alot. We went for two weeks. While there, we fixed up and built a playground for the kids, the guys created a cover for the well so that allgie will not grow in it and pollute the water, and we harvested alfalfa.

I don't even know where to start or how to tell people what I felt on the trip. The things I thought about, experianced. Its hard to tell where to start because nothing can word it right. Its an experiance you just have to live.

The smile on an a child's face as you push them on a swing. Helping a boy learn new Spanish words.... when you cant speak a word of it yourself... ;-)

The little girl that puts her half broken neclace around your neck and says "so you don't forget me." Knowing you never will... never could. Having a terrible feeling of lonliness on the eight hour drive through poverty while on your way back to the plane headed for the states. Wanting to turn around and run back to the children.

Realizing that you have to go back and drop everything behind you. friends family work. Not understanding why, just praying you get the chance to...

I left my Heart in Peru.