Amando Abel (Loving Abel)

To be completely honest, some of these kids in particular are, at times, difficult for me to love. Their lack of positive role models, discipline, love, attention, and consistency didn't give them a good platform to jump from. Abandonment, abuse, and broken relationships can make some kids (and then adults) just plain miserable to be around. You feel like they will NEVER learn, things will NEVER improve and it's just so hard to deal with them and the consequences of the crap they've been dealt in their life.

Tonight I was doing my daily laps around the orphanage as a way of battling the carbs' advances on me, and one of the special needs/ "difficult" kids yelled at me from the top of the slide as I was approaching. As soon as he got my attention, he turned around and stuck out his butt and started doing a butt dance at me and then slapping his butt. He has been told an insane amount of times that this is inappropriate. I told him again and then decided to try to redirect him, even though I figured it was a long shot. I said, "Abel, look at the beautiful sky! God made that for us! What colors do you see?" (it actually was a gorgeous sunset so there were plenty for him to choose from.) I continued my walk and the next lap, instead of a butt dance, he pointed to the sky and said, "Dios hizo (God made)." His speech is really hard to understand but I'm positive that's what he said. I had the biggest smile. He proceeded to walk calmly (if you know Abel, this is totally the OPPOSITE of how he ALWAYS is) about 7 laps or so, "answering" (or just saying unintelligible sounds) my questions and even chiming in to the praise n' worship song I was singing. It was a beautiful moment and I'm so glad God allowed me to see that side of Abel that I usually don't take time to see. Thank you, Lord, for loving me when I'm not the easiest to love myself.



Abel


Trying to correct his crossed eyes with patches


Being tough


Abel with his brother, Italo


Oh, Abel!

Ten years of changing hearts

This last Saturday we celebrated Hogar de Esperanza's 10th anniversary! Some gracious miners from another town offered to host a big party as a fundraiser to support our ministry. The weeks leading up to the event were very busy getting everything ready. While the event was a lot different than expected, God was present and orchestrating everything just so. Because there were a lot of empty seats, all the kids got to come and partake.



The oldest boy here, Josue, 16, shared his testimony with great courage and there was barely a dry eye in the place.



Our kids sang, danced, gave tours, and helped serve the meal.
















It was a great way to celebrate such a special place to us all.
Afterwards, we had fun being goofy with the kids and taking pictures.






Abel (aka a young Steve Erkel) before....



And after!



Do the Erkel!





Our awesome director, Alex

I keep, keep bleeding love.

I'm practically a Peruvian television star! Today the press came to do a piece on Hogar de Esperanza and some of us volunteers were interviewed and photographed. The interviewer asked me how my experience has been here. Lucky for him and for me, I was doing some reflecting earlier in the day.

This place has changed how I see life in general. Life is too short not to love profoundly, like I have been shown here in the orphanage. Seeing the resilience of the kids gives me hope. I came here to help, but in reality, I am the one who has been helped, through the love of the kids and the support of the staff and other awesome volunteers aka family. While praying for the kids and their ability to forgive those who have hurt them in the past, I have the courage to take steps to repair my brokenness as well. My capacity to love has greatly increased since coming here.

Don't get me wrong- it's not all butterflies and rainbows here. It's insanely hard, but definitely worth it. I never knew I could or would love and adore these kids as much as I do. My heart will likely bleed when I leave them and this place on December 2nd. However, I have learned without a doubt that if the Holy Spirit (or "the silent nudging that never goes away") calls you to do something, DO IT!!!!! He will equip you and give you courage, and it just may be the best thing you've ever done.



The whole orphanage took a trip near the mountains on Wednesday to swim, play games, and enjoy this time together celebrating the 10th anniversary of the orphanage. Above- Jorge and I hanging out.




Jo and Abel representing the yellow team.



Stephanie and Rosita



Bryson and Jhon



The cooks even got to come!



Paul trying to pick me up! He looks like he is in pain.



This is my favorite picture in the whole world.



Oh, Alejandro, melter of my heart.


David looks pretty ferocious.



Go team verde!!!

One tangential post!

I feel like I have a little to say about a lot of things so instead of posting measly lil' things, I'm going to blob them all together with nice segues.

Speaking of segues...

Today I had a 9-hour house covering with the Luces, the house containing 11 of the oldest girls. You would think that 9 hrs + 11 girls would = 911, but besides a splitting headache at the end, everything was pretty calm and chill throughout the day. They always want to watch movies and oddly enough, they have a fascination with Korean soap operas of sorts. However, I found out at the END of my shift that they are no longer able to watch them. This one they watched today was bizarre. It was about a blind girl who keeps running away from her husband because she doesn't want him to see her die soon. She looked perfectly healthy to me. Anyways, that's a tangent I didn't even mean to take.

I delivered the long-overdue presents from my mom and her friend, Betty, to the girls: really cute designer t-shirts. I told them I wanted to take pictures of them in the shirts to show my mom and her friend. This one statement turned the house into beauty boot camp. Nails were painted, hair was curled, hair was straightened, eye shadow and lip shimmer was applied. And finally, pictures were taken! It was a fun process that I know they all enjoyed, except the tomboy, Marita, who opted out. The best part about today was that I saw more confidence appear in them all. I tell them they are beautiful all the time, but I think today, some of them might have seen that for the first time.

Marjori just got her nails "did".




Marjori just got her nails "did".



Consuelo before...



And after! Bautiful no matter which picture you look at!




Marita, just lounging around, thinking all those girls are crazy.






Estefany getting her curls on.






Isabel in her shirt and skort...remember those?!!










The beauty train

The girls really made me laugh today without trying to. They were decorating (what Peruvians do best!) for the orphanage's anniversary week next week (9 years?), and they were passing back and forth the scotch tape. However, they didn't use the word "cinta" for tape- they said "scotch". It cracks me up what they use from English. I tried not to imagine them asking for whiskey each time they really asked for tape, but it was hard to resist and I had a small chuckle to myself. Not that adolescents drinking is funny or anything. Who do you think I am??

Ok, one more funny bit and I must go. These days, I have been assigned to tutor 8 of our students who are failing English. I try to keep my lessons veand high-energy and hands-on and it proven successful and FUN! All the other kids who are doing well in English are asking to take my class, too! I was giving a quiz on the whiteboard and it was time to review the answers. I'm trying to use as much English as I can, so I was saying "Number 1" and then reviewing the answer. When it was time for "Number 5", the kids were all trying to sound out the right answer, but their pronunciation is just really off. Also, English has a lot of different sounds that Spanish doesn't have and vice versa. Jhampier in the front row was so excited and animated because he really thought he knew how to say "FIVE", but instead he kept yelling "FUCK", "FUCK", "FUCK!" ESL kids say the darndest things!

I miss college!

So, I went back to college today! Four of us volunteers took four of the older kids from the orphanage to one of the private colleges for a big free tour day they were having. Kevin, who used to work here and is now volunteering at the orphanage in Pacasmayo an hour and a half away, and his girlfriend, Sam, took six of their kids. It got off to a rough start. See Figure A.




- Figure A- your typical "first day of school" pics that you NEVER wanted taken.

There was a lot of stalling and waiting around before the tour got underway. The kids had to fill out paperwork and they were all embarrassed about what school they go to, not officially knowing what grade they are in, and knowing they would likely never be able to afford to go to college. There was loud music blasting to energize the kids as well as a clown on stilts. You think I'm kidding. See Figure B.


He was even posing bc he saw us taking pictures. What a way to say "congratulations on growing up" by bringing a clown to college tour day!






Hello from college. It rocks!

The day got better. The kids got to go around to different booths of possible careers and then got led to the corresponding classroom for a more in-depth look. One of my girls wanted to go to the Law booth, which then led us to the fake courtroom. Then we all went to the med school booth because I heard you could see cadavers. I knew that would at least get SOME reaction out of the kids! The sights and smells definitely brought me right back to my dissecting days! I can't say that I miss it too terribly.





The boys just look so overjoyed to be spending time with us.

After the tour wrapped up, we took the kids to Pizza Hut. It was a nice treat just to spend time together. I tried to reinforce that whatever they did or didn't get out of today, what we really wanted them to know was that we love them and believe in them. It was a good excuse to spend some quality time together and encourage them in whatever hopes and dreams they have for their futures.

I think it was rather fitting that I happened to watch The Blind Side for the first time tonight. (ok, so I'm a LITTLE behind in my movies.) I ended up crying during the movie, of course. The power of someone believing in you is such a transforming and motivating thing. I was weeping at the fact that most of our kids grew up without anyone believing in them or telling them that were smart, beautiful, or worthy of love. I pray that it is not too late for them to realize the Truth and, more importantly, their identity in Him. Please join me in praying for them. And if you have a minute more to spare, please pray for me, too, that I will be a reflection of the Son for them.