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.



With God, Nothing is Impossible

     Today, I commenced my time playing the role of "mother" to the Chispas house. The Chispas, if you don't recall, are the little girls. There are seven of them, ranging in ages from 18 months to 10 years. I have been a little worried about how this whole thing would go, but also excited. I am excited I have the opportunity is spend 24 hours a day, multiple days in a row, with these girls.

     Tonight was a promising beginning. Throughout dinner and while doing their chores, all the girls were extremely helpful. I'll tell you one thing, now I definitely see the benefit of putting your kids to work. These girls work hard and clean well. Every evening they mop, sweep and clean the house, as well as the bathroom and bedrooms. It is an impressive thing to behold. After cleaning, we sat down for our devotions. We read from Luke chapter 1 where the angel came to Mary. They picked up on verse 37 where it says, "For nothing will be impossible with God." We discussed that and how Mary was willing to obey God, and trusted in Him. When they went to pray (Most all of them wanted to pray, even Rosita who can't talk), they ask God to help them believe that nothing is impossible with Him.

     So now, after reading a bit of Stuart Little, each little girl is tucked neatly in her bed, and I thought I would post a picture I took of them. I presumed that you would like to see my girls.

Left to Right - Heydi, Yessica (on Heydi's lap), Oriana, Sofia, Brigitte, Cristina, and Rosita

Father to the Fatherless

     This week the Fatherhood of God has been on my mind fairly regularly. I have been trying to think how to share with these children His love. The children, with whom I am surrounded, are hungry for love. They have no one constant in their lives. No one that they can turn to in any situation. They don't know what a father should be. I want to share with them how God is the perfect Father, how he will always be with them. That they needn't feel as if their self-worth comes from the esteem of others, but that they are worth something, because they are a child of the heavenly Father.

Please pray for all of these children, who yearn to be loved.

     Pray for the little girl (only ten years old), who flaunts her body in order to get attention and "love" from those around her. Her mom is a prostitute, she knows nothing else. Pray that she realizes beauty isn't in the outward appearance, it is in the heart.

     Pray for the little boy who thinks that to be loved he must entertain and please everyone. As a street vendor he had to be comical to get people to buy from him, pray that he doesn't use this to cover up the hurt thats inside.

     Pray for the siblings (A 13 year old girl, 9 year old girl and twins that are 6) who are hurting because their older sister ran away. Pray that they will be able to trust God is watching over them and her. They have told me they are worried for her safety, pray that God will protect her.

     Pray for the little girl who is about to be adopted. Praise the Lord! Her new parents are coming this week. While she is excited, she is also extremely nervous. Who wouldn't be? Meeting your new family... leaving everyone who has been your friends and family for years, going to a new country, and having to learn a new language... when very few people you encounter will speak your native tongue? Pray that the transition will be smooth, praise the Lord she is going to a home that loves Him.

     Pray for the two girls, some of my dear friends here, who will be leaving this week. This Albergue has been their home for many, many years... and now they must take the first step in growing up. At ages 18 and 17, they are going to transitional home. The 17 year old will begin a path to the university, the 18 will begin some kind of job. Pray that they will trust God throughout this very scary time. Pray for them to adapt quickly and to quickly make new friends. It will be a big change to go from living with 40+ people, to living with 7. Pray that they aren't lonely.

     Pray for the sibling group (Boy 13ish, girl 11ish, and boy 7ish) who, because of the selfishness of their mother, had a failed adoption, their mother will never be able to take them home, and the government is saying they will never be available for adoption again. Pray especially for the oldest boy. He is taking this very hard, even talking about suicide. Pray he can see he is loved.

     There are many more stories, which I will leave for another day. Please remember all of the children here. Any one of them has been through more than I could ever imagine. I am daily reminded to rejoice in my many blessings.

Here are a few pictures of this week's happenings...

Brought a table and a fan in my room. I had to get everything off the floor to dry out my room. This picture was taken after we got the two inches of water out.

The buckets outside my room, collecting water. Some of  these we actually had to dump and couple times.

 

I am sure that some of you have heard me talk about the Salaverry burgers. Salaverry is the little town closest to us. There is a little "restaurant" (you can't really call it that) in the town that sells these burgers. I like to get three meat (as you can see, the patties are nearly paper thin), but others prefer two meat and a fried egg. Anyway, it comes with fries on the burger and it is oh, so delicious.

Here is a close up

 Bonfire!

 Pablo

 Rosita

 Rosita with her little brother Alejo

 Paul

 Yemalit and Sam. I am going to miss Yemalit when she leaves this week!

 Sisters, Isabel and Heydi

 Heydi and Yessica

 Jorge

 Isabel, Heydi, and Cristina

 Abraham and Oscar

Brigette, Isabel (House mother who is leaving this week), Sofia, Another house mother (I can't spell her name) :-), and Cristina

A Voyage to New Seas... or at least touching the Pacific Ocean

     The past week has been full. I would be unable to describe it any other way. Not only were there challenges, there were new experiences and memories made. Bit by bit I am getting to know the children better. In my broken Spanish I communicate with them, and yet they are so patient with me. (That isn't to say they don't mock me as well... at times)

     Summer here is in full swing. The thought that today (well, rather yesterday now) is groundhogs day, is so bizarre. I don't think snow is in the forecast for us here. Although, from what I have heard, there isn't much back home either. Here are some pictures to show a little bit of what has been going on. 

     Last weekend a few of us went to Huanchaco, a beach/surf town, not too far away. It was very crowded, which is not normal (from what I hear). Come to find out later, Surf Pro Peru 2012 was going on while we were there. 

 

 The beach at Huanchaco. 

 At a little place getting a snack. This lady was the cook. 

Those are the little counters where the meat is sold. 

     One evening I went up on the roof to take a few pictures. It wasn't a night with a spectacular sunset, although, I do hope to capture that before I leave. 

Its fun to sit and watch the kids on the playground. They love being outside. 

 

You can see the ocean. 

     Jo, a long term volunteer who had been here just over six months, left this week. We had a little going away party for her.

 

 Pablo, one of the twins. 

 Junior

The kids with Jo (There were a few missing)

     One evening we went to the beach in Moche to watch the sunset. The sunset itself wasn't that great, but the trip was a success. I learned I like the Moche beach a lot better than the one in Hunachaco, which is splendid, because it is a lot closer. Plus I got to touch the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

 My first touch of the Pacific Ocean. I was very excited to feel any ocean after so many years. 

The beach houses. Very Peruvian, and yet they oddly remind me of Cape May. (The town my family went on vacation to every year.)


     I have the privilege of spending a lot of time with the Chispas. (The young girls) So one morning, I (and some of the girls) took pictures of the free time we had together.

 What little girl doesn't love playing with tires? 

 Rosita: My little buddy

 

 We could play with them for hours. 

 Cristina: I love this girl

 Sofia, Jennifer and Cristina. Cristina and Jennifer are sisters. 

Isabel and Yamelit.


     Finally, here are a few pictures of the kids just hanging out, and having a blast. It is cool to see how they can find fun in such simply things. On this particular day, the kids were lining up to jump this pole. They stayed entertained for well over an hour.

 Samir is jumping. Cristina and Fernando are holding the pole. 

Abraham is really good at this. 


 It is late, and I must go to bed. I will leave you with one last picture of a sunset. This picture was taken when I was walking up the drive to the orphanage one evening.