Twenty Year Old Mother of Seven

     My posts have been lacking (actually just nonexistent) the past couple of weeks. These weeks have been filled with adjustment, laughter, and frustration, all of which God has been using to grow my trust in Him. When I was asked to be the temporary "madre" (house mother) for the Chispas (younger girls) house, I assumed it would be only for a couple days, so I agreed. I was wrong. This was, in reality, to be my job for the next month. So for the majority of the past two weeks, I have been a mother of seven.

     Well, not seven for the whole time. That brings me to a slight deviation in my story, that I think is important to tell you about. One of my girls was adopted during my time as a madre. It was amazing to see an adoption from this end. To watch the little girl excitedly wait for weeks for her new parents to come, to hear the joy in her voice when telling the other girls that they would be here in a couple of days, to see the nervousness in her eyes as I did her hair the day she was going to meet them. Praise the Lord that this little girl, who had been here for all but 2 months of her 9 years, was able to go home with her "forever" family. Praise the Lord that in the same hour she was to leave this orphanage, the pastor who brought her here as a baby showed up. He knew not of her adoption, especially not that she was leaving that very hour, yet God brought him here to see the fruit of his work in bring this girl (as a little baby) to Hogar de Esperanza. Praise the Lord for how He works!

     After having one child leave my house, I still had six others to care for. I have found myself becoming more and more like my mother everyday. Who would have known I would make the girls stand in the corner with their hands in the air, because they simply don't mind just standing in the corner? Who could have prepared to for how trying on the nerves tattling really is? Who could have walked me through what to do when you are going on very little sleep, the baby is whining, the older girls are fighting, and one of the middle ones poops her pants? Yet, with all of this happening around me, I savor the time I get to spend with the children. I love when I am sitting at the dinner table and the girls just want me to read them Bible stories. I love in the morning, turning on Jamie Soles children's music, and listening to them sing the English songs with their accents. I love the times they understand why I am punishing them, and I can see in their eyes that they want to do what is right. Not only to make me happy, but to honor their heavenly Father. In the midst of both the good and the bad, there is one time everyday that I cherish more than all the others. When each girl is in their bed, and I go around and pray with and for them individually (they requested it be this way). My spanish isn't good, and yet they don't care. They know that in that moment I am praying for them and that I really do love them. As I kiss them good night, I wonder how I will ever leave these children. My heart aches for them to have a home, a family. If I could, I will bring them all home with me, and then you could love them as I do.

Baby Yessica 

 Rosita decided to take her hair out of the ponytail, this look really does capture who she is. 

Good Morning Sunshine

 Ready to meet her new family...

 Looking like a princess

Of course, we have to do some Tutoria (summer studying) while we wait.

*This post was actually written on Friday, March 2. Due to problems with my computer, and the fact that I have to use one of the albergue's, I am not able to put all the pictures on I would have liked to... at this time. Sorry! Also, have patience with me and my slow response to emails. Again, not having a computer really hiddens my ability to respond quickly.