Yesterday was our third day of camp. . . and it RAINED! This is the rainy season, but we have been blessed by lots of sunshine during our first few days. Yesterday (and this morning) we are embraced by clouds and can see nothing off of our deck. If we didn't remember Monday and Tuesday, we would have no idea that there is a beautiful lake beneath us encircled by mountains. But even with the clouds we can hear the sounds of music from neighborhoods below. The constant music from locals is one of my favorite parts of being here. I'm thinking that all of this is such a picture of our faith journey: pursuing what we can't see, remembering God's faithfulness and even in the dark, hearing the music of the gospel.
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| Sweet baby Dulce |
Yesterday Graciela and I were able to spend a few hours with the babies in the orphange. Be still my heart!! Five little girls with chocolate chip eyes, black hair and impish grins. Audrey has spent a lot of time with the babies and it is her favorite place at Eagle's Nest. Yesterday it was my happy place. I had a little 2-year-old named Marisol fall asleep on me. I rocked her for over an hour and kept praying for her little life to be marked by God's love and provision.
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| Marisol has captured everyone's heart |
This evening, me and Audrey and three other girls went to watch the babies and toddlers at the orphanage so their mamas could go watch The Jesus Film with the older children. We are sooo impressed with this orphanage and the care these children receive. The mamas are loving and engaged with the children. Still, it was very sad for me to lay 5 babies in their cribs and prop their bottles. It was hard to see rows of beds in the other rooms and realize that these kids generally move about in a group. They don't get to be rocked at night and snuggled and read a book. Eagle's Nest is giving them a sense of family, but its a different type of family than I would wish for them.
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| Lively Lizzie |
One of the family groups who has captured our hearts this is Marvin, Yrma and Rudy. I learned more about their story today. Their parents are alcoholic and their grandfather was abusing them when their parents would go to work. Marvin at age 9 had taken his siblings to live under a tree to protect them. This is where they were found only 6 weeks ago. I am so grateful that Eagle's Nest is safe place for them to live, where all three seem to be blossoming. Marvin has gone from tackling me to hugging me multiple times a day. I can't tell you how sad I am to say good-bye to this family group.
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| Graciela and Miram |
Another thing that tugs at my heart each is to see how older girls (as in 8 or 9) will care for their younger siblings. They are so nurturing and protective. Because my team at camp has the youngest kids, everyday I have witnessed the big girls trying to separate from their little brothers and sisters. They have loved camp and I have loved giving them a break from their childcare responsibilities. One of the girls, Suceli, has stayed with me and the younger kids every day. She has also captured my heart, because she is so quick to serve and so kind to her siblings. Yesterday and today, Lainey and I have mainly played games with our younger kids. I have been amazed and how responsive they are to simple games like Ring-Around-the-Rosies, Duck-Duck-Goose (Pato-Pato-Ganzo) and Doggie-Doggie-Where's-Your-Bone. Sucelia has come alive during these games and I have loved seeing her so carefree. Our group was also totally captivated when I brought in watercolor paints and Crayola markers!! They take such delight in art.
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| Suceli |
This morning I spent a second day helping in the preschool with 3-year-olds. Many of these kids I have in camp in the afternoon and they are absolutely precious. One of the most animated is Guadalupe or "Lupe". Today I was amazed to learn that Lupe, who is an orphan, does not have a sponsor for school! She is one of the most attentive and responsive in class, plus she exudes joy. But evidently many of these kids desperately need sponsors to help with their education. Eagle's Nest school is so good that there are many prominent families who pay to send their kids there. But a large percentage are either orphans or from very poor families.
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| Me and Marvin |
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| Lupe |
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