Manualidates

Hello Everyone!
The last couple of weeks have been really good- the kids have been amazing and I am loving spending time with them. My biggest struggle now, besides missing my family and friends, is with the language. While I am always understood and I can usually understand other people- it is difficult sometimes. I know that I have the worst grammar ever and I probably sound like a 4 year old, but the people here say that my Spanish has improved. (I'm not to sure of it, but they say it's true!) Last Saturday my Spanish was really put to the test. Every other Saturday Liz (the Social Worker), Emily and I have a meeting with the parents. Every Saturday the parents of the kids that live here have the opportunity to come spend time with their kids. Most of the parents usually don't come, but there are usually about 7-10 here. The other Saturdays Mirian, Liz's assistant, holds meetings with the parents dealing with parenting skills and basic life skills. But the Saturdays that we have the meetings they are like a mini-Church service. We sing songs and Liz gives a short lesson. Usually my job is to pray-in Spanish- I write it down ahead of time and just read it so normally it is pretty easy for me. However, last Saturday Liz asked if I would share my testimony-in Spanish!! For those of you that are unfamiliar- a testimony is how you came to know Christ and also what Christ has done in your life since then. Anyway- it was definitely a challenge for me. I wrote it out in English beforehand and with the help of a translating program on the internet and Liz's revisions, I translated it into Spanish. I wasn't nervous at all until it was time for me to stand up in front of everyone!! I messed up quite a few of the words and I don't know if they understood a word I said, but I DID IT! Please pray that something I said to them would be understood and give them hope! That experience prepared me for an experience I had on Monday- For this whole week Emily is volunteering with an organization called "Joni and Friends". It is a ministry from the United States that visits underdeveloped countries all over the world to hand out wheelchairs, walkers and canes to people in need. It is a wonderful program and has literally changed the lives of thousands of people. On Monday I went with Emily for half a day as her guest just to check it out and see if I could help. I thought maybe I would hang out with some kids or open doors- but no, because 16 volunteers had come from the US to help, they asked if I could help translate!!! AHH!! Scary! Anyway- I did that as well! I translated for a family getting a new wheelchair for their son- and they actually understood me- crazy! So even if I have the worst grammar of anyone else around, at least the point is getting across! :)
Other than those things, life around here has been basically routine (if life at an orphanage can be!) One of the activities that has been the most consistent since I got here is Crafts- Manualidates in Spanish. I do crafts twice a week with two different groups. We make necklaces, bracelets and ankle bracelets with beads in one group and the other group does really pretty embroidery work. Before, Emily and I would make up all the jewelry before and then take it apart and put it into a bag for the girls. They didn't know how to put colors together and would mess all the beads up. Well, starting last week they now get to make their own jewelry- they get the colors approved by me and then they have at it. It is wonderful because they have so much pride now in what they are making- About every 2 minutes one of them says- Mirar Tia, te gusta?? Look aunt, do you like? They also want to show it to all the other workers, the other kids, and probably the dog, too! :) Plus, it is a lot less work for Emily and I because we don't spend every evening working on Manualidates!!! I love the time with the girls because I have gotten to know them so much better and really see them for the wonderful girls they are. I would like to introduce you to 4 of them so you can know what I experience every day!



This is Carolay- she is 11 years old and is a very intelligent girl. She likes to giggle and loves the movie 'little women'. I have that movie here and it can be dubbed over to Spanish. She had read the book this year and was so excited to get to watch the movie. The whole time she was making sure she knew what was going on and that she had all the characters straight. She is probably my hardest worker in crafts and she is very good at putting colors together. She wants to be a grown up half the time but still loves jumping on the bed! :)
This is Rocio- she is 12 years old and has a very sweet spirit. I call her Mamita- because she is like a little mother. She makes sure the other girls in her casita are doing what they should and she loves looking after the little ones in the Albergue. Especially Jose David- he is our youngest and whenever she sees him she runs over and steals him! She is very short for her age and she is very self-conscious about it. What she lacks in height she makes up for in spirit- she is always ready for a hug and always wants to practice her English. She only knows a few phrases but uses them all the time. She always tells me "the baby is sleeping" and "very good". It doesn't matter if the baby is sitting right there wide awake, she just likes speaking in English! She has some problems with dexterity and because of that it takes her longer than the others to finish her work- but she is very diligent and never complains.
This is Yuli- She is 13 and the oldest child at the orphanage. But you would never know it from being with her- she acts more like a 6 or 7 year old. When I first got here, I had quite a few problems with her because she would one minute say she loved me and the next say I was ugly. She would either be wanting to hug me and stay with me or she would not look at me and say mean things to me. Then the worst thing was one day she walked up to me and choked me- not a just kidding choke but a very hard, strong, both hands around my neck choke. It hurt a lot and made me cough for awhile, but I am pretty sure my feelings were hurt worse- I loved her so much and it crushed me to think that she didn't like me. I had to talk with her madre about it and Yuli got in trouble and apologized and since then she has been wonderful. But I found out that the reason she choked me is because her mother choked her when she was a little girl. Kids really do learn things from their parents and they remember everything! Now, Yuli is obedient, loving, and wants to make me happy. She has a very sensitive, shy side and a very outgoing, wild and crazy side. She loves to hug and tell people they are beautiful. She is unsure of herself much of the time but because she has such a loud personality, the other kids copy her in a lot of her actions. I can't say enough about Yuli- I think because I know what she has gone through (unbelievable, horrible abuse) and I know the sweetness that she is capable of, I admire her. She has seen pictures of my friends and family and when she prays she prays for all of them- so just know that there is a little girl down here with a big heart that loves you even though she has never met you.
This is Maria- she is a very kind girl. We had a slumber party a few weeks ago and Maria was one of the girls that came- she spent the whole time sharing all of the snacks with the other girls and making sure the other girls and Emily and I were happy and having a good time. She is 11, but loves sitting on laps and being held. Whenever all the kids are getting disruptive and crazy and I say no more- Maria is the first one to say- okay-. She likes to be silly and looooovvveeess to laugh- she has giggle fits when she laughs for no apparent reason! She would like to make necklaces as presents for everyone she has ever met, just because she thinks they might like them! She has a darling smile and likes to help others- she is always the first one to volunteer when I need a hand.

All in all, I would say I am pretty blessed to know these girls and get to spend time with them- somedays I don't want to do crafts because I am tired, but every time I end up smiling and I am so happy to do it.
Okay- I love you all!
janie