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!!!