I think I have more homes than anyone I know. At least a couple in Cali, a few down here, and soon to have another in PA. Well, yesterday I "moved" again back into El Aposento. I'll admit I was a bit sad to leave the Bel's house. It's amazing how close we've become in the short time I've been here. But I was surprised to find I was equally happy to be back in my first house here in Peru! It just sort reminded me that it truly is the joy of the Lord that has made me so happy here. My physical circumstances don't really seem to matter that much. The Bel's house has more of the comforts I'm accustomed to- a big bed, TV, comfy couches, a loving family, etc., but I must say I also enjoy the simplicity of living in the Aposento. And of course me sweet Maruja is there filling us with delicious dishes and lots of love! The new "us" I'm referring to includes Olga, Johan, and myself. Olga and Johan are from Argentina and Sweden respectively, but both call Alicante, Spain home. I'm realizing I've become more comfortable with Spanish because Johan speaks English and I really haven't spoken with him in English at all! That, and at the prayer vigil we had last night I gave my testimony in Spanish. I was a bit nervous, but everyone seemed to understand me just fine! Yay!
This morning, like every Saturday morning here we had talleres de vida (Life Workshops). Talk about a wonderful, yet heart wrenching experience. I have done pretty well, for me, at handling all the poverty and trauma I've seen here, but today it was almost too much for me. The workshops are done at locations all around the city and when we see kids working in the streest, if we don't already know them, we invite them to join us. We started of with singing, (I'm finally starting to learn some of the songs here!), then moved into a time of prayer...and if you heard the prayer requests of these kids your heart probably would have broken too. Prayers for kids killed in the streets, for friends addicted to drugs, prayers that they could make enough money, that they could somehow find a place to live, etc... Then we did an activity with the kids, a follow'up to the movie we took them to last weekend. When we got on the topic of movies I was horrified to realized most of them have seen more porn than children's movies. I was helping one of them read the worksheet. He was twelve and couldn't read, didn't know his colors, and couldn't color in the lines. Wow. I praise God for the work that is being done to help these kids. It's incredibly difficult to see kids in such circumstances, but amazing to see people working so hard to help them rise above their cirumstances and to help them realize in a world where they have found no love that Jesus loves them. After the activity, we gave them sandwiches and juice and played with them for a bit while Carmen collected some info on new kids. They keep track of all the kids they work with, figuring out their backgrounds, who's in school, etc. so they can help them best. Sad to find many of them are into drugs, sexual exploitation, working in the streets 7 days a week, etc. Please send up a prayer for these kids and all those helping them. On a lighter note, the kids in the home brought home the first good English grades and of them have ever had!! Woohoo!
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2 comments:
I can see how difficult it must be working with these exploited kids. We are so blessed here in the US with easy lives (too easy?)and forget for a time that others are suffering so elsewhere.
So Kallie. Who is responsible for the good English grades?
Good job, good and faithful servant!
Kall, there you go again making me get all teary eyed!
I feel so removed from that world since all of my kids I am hanging out with these days are incredibly rich. in fact, the only peruvians I know, are all the rich kids maids! You rock my sister. Seriously, you do.
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