I’m going to start just saying thanks for all the sweet birthday wishes:
Thank you!!! :D Now I will thank you all by sharing how I celebrate this special day…

I celebrate not really a new year that is starting, but the year that has been completed. So I take the time to thank God for the year that just passed and embrace the joy of the memories… I made it! I survived my life ONE MORE YEAR!! If you were to take a look at my schedule you would agree that is quite an accomplishment itself.

So… every birthday wish I received on my Facebook wall and messages and texts mean A LOT to me… I’m a kid when it comes to this, I know it

Working with 128 people from Johnson Ferry Baptist Church this week was a delight! I think I started celebrating my bday dancing the Super Hero song at the main square of Huaycan Wednesday night during the outreach. My interpreter friends told me it lloked like I was one of those chinese characters from chineses stories, those that fly around because of al the jumping while dancing…

Thursday I visited the Home for Special Needs Children and Burn Victims. I had gone the day before and felt a little bit of stress from the teenagers but on Thursday I got some good smiles and giggles from the teens when they saw my hair ornament (part of my Bday outfit). That was sweet. Hopefully I can show a picture of it (I don’t have a camera, but some people took pics of the ‘bday outfit’)

I also felt that I needed to address the people that were working with me at VBS site 1 (we had 3 simultaneous sites and I was leading Site 1), just to say thanks because they were doing a great job. When I did, they started singing Happy BDay to me… I almost cried… so sweet!
Monica, who I just met during this week, happens to be Pepe and Roger’s cousin and a stickers psycho. She covered my forehead with foam stickers that said “BTHDAY GIRL” and kept adding more around my face as I removed them… I changed the ‘sign’ to “B-DAY GIRL” and removed it from my forehead to my sunglasses (compliments of Stanford’s student 2 weeks a go). Still, that was cool, I love Monica!

Then, during VBS the students just interrupted me and Cristobal (aka la jirafa) grabbed a mic and said it was a special day because it was my birthday and they all sang again… after VBS the children from Huaycan came and said: “Is it your birthday? Ooooh…. Happy birthday!!!” The look in their eyes was too sweet, like, I could hear Jesus saying “my little ones” when I look in their eyes as they came to hug me…*tears&smile*

That evening Monica and Janet (fellow interpreters) had balloons and signs and escorted me to dinner and then asked me to walk in and wait… and act surprised when they walked in the dinning, LoL… That night Pepe finished our Frontline meeting praying for me and then we all went to the little square… more fun goofy times…

So… my birthday had important moments that only God would understand, goofy moments, basically loud and quiet moments… it was good. Yes, I turned 26, although I still look 16.

The last couple months have been busy for sure!

I really need to catch up here… I just feel like 2010 is a year that is flying away.God is doing SO MUCH!!!
Working with the last teams (Spring Break) was exhausting, in a good way. I have really experienced His strength in my weakness and His amazing protection! I wonder if I still struggle with feeling tired too easily…I still think I can do better on that part.

The teams have been a great blessing to me. I have been strengthened, inspired, blessed in so many ways by them. I really thank God for their lives and pray they continue blessing many serving with God’s love.

It is so strange how it has been exhausting and refreshing at the same time. Something I really appreciate is that only going through extreme preasure I can realize it is His presence taking us through each day and not our own hability.

My last week in Arequipa was a little hectic. I had to take care of vaious things and to add to all that I got a stomach infection. The morning after various vomits and diarrhea, I got back to be (after cleaning the bathroom) and I thought to myself : the devil must be trying to laugh at me… How can I not let him? ah! Thank you God for this… now I can rest!!! and I sang a song of praise.

(this is a picture of me my last Sunday with pastor and friends who saved my life with their company and support and gave me a nice farewell dinner)

I followed what the doctor said (almost) I mean… a week on bland diet… I really did 4 days because I was starving, you know me… I better not tell y’all everything I ate that day…hehehe.

Hey! That Anís Najar licor really works for indigestion! (although my alcohol allergies also reacted, but nothing serious just a little red and heat on my neck and face…)

So… I was doing great! But then something was not right and I am not going to give any details…

My aunt who is almost 80 years old and has A LOT of experience and knowledge told us what I had could be caused by stress and said rice soup should help as well as drink cevada and linaza.
She was right. It helped… my symptoms went away as soon as I did what she said.
But! As much as I enjoy my new affair with an old time friend and now lover…rice… I am not going to live eating just that..oh me?! Hmm…

Sooooo I finally went to see a doctor. There are 3 options:

1.- The medicine they gave me in Arequipa didn’t work (I explained how the first cypro I took was from the US and it stopped my diarrhea inmediately but as soon as I started taking the peruvian government generic cypro… diarrhea came back for 5 days).

2.- Stress. Although if this was the cause, then my symptoms should stop now that I am home and without stress… if stress was caused during my traveling.

3.- Parasites.

So he has given me antibiotics for parasites and I have to do stool tests for 3 days (ew!!!! who’s idea was that?!) and see him again next week… and follow a diet.

Tada!
Thank you for your prayers. I have lost some weight and my face shows weakness, but nothing serious

I will have to write again because there are other fun things that have happened in my life (like a french guy with a crush on me… that’s a new country I hadn’t had interactions with before…Do you see me living in Paris? LoL)

This is my dear friends making fun of my skirt. I have been called Snowhite before but this is like the full picture with the old witch and the dwarves..he he he

They are all between 12 and 15 years old. And EVEYBODY tells me they are tough… but I haven’t experience that yet. I love them and I am amazed at how much they listen to me.
Of course when it is time to do chores they bring out their evil personalities and I have to watch it or they bite… but, I am 10 years older… I bite harder! Hahaha…
Yesterday I took 5 of them to the park, and a couple cops drove by and the girls started yelling: “Help! Help! I am being kidnapped!” I felt like they would come and ask “where is the adult?” totally overlooking at me. Seriously, all of them weight more than me… That’s not hard is it?

Ah! Sad note: I lost my camera…if you could still call that a camera (?) I had it at the amusement park on Friday, and I don’t have it anymore… I don’t know when I lost it or if I got it stolen. It was a piece of crap already but I think that is exactly the only reason why I would miss it. That camera has been with me through a LOT. I don’t think it was worth any money. I had some great pictures of the girls on the rides… but thankfully I had downloaded everything else… it could have been a good piece for the museum of my life one day. Don’t you think? That is why now I’ll post a picture from my visit in May.

I think I am called to be here at this particular time, until the end of August. And I am SO thankful that I scheduled to come here for a month before I even got the job offer. It is just another time of many where I experience how God schedules my life perfectly without me knowing it. I have no idea where I will be at this time next year, but He does, and He lets me know just what I need to know. All I have to do is be ready to go for it and enjoy the ride!

I know this life is like a vapor in the wind, and though we have so much to do, that is exactly why God knows best where and when it will all happen and I have nothing to loose, therefore nothing to be anxious about.

I am starting to think that I will change the whole idea about coming to the Home.
There are a lot of needs here, but I know I am not called to do everything that needs to be done.

With the years, in my life I have learnt to just seek after God’s heart and trust that He speaks to me so I can tell where I am supposed to be. All I want to do is please His heart, and He has taught me that what’s in my heart is also in His heart! I used to have doubts about things I desired, but He has told me many times that the very reason why I want those things is because He wants (and has) that for me. Is early, maybe I am just mumbling in my writing, hehe, but this is how I feel… and we Latin people are ALL about emotions aren’t we?

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” Matthew 6:33
“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” Phil. 2:13

I went to Church last night and this verse really encouraged me!!

“The LORD turned to him (me?) and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel …Am I not sending you?” Judges 6:14

So… regardless of how I feel, I go! I mean.. I am here!
The decision about moving to Arequipa is still not clear yet, but I know God will make things clear on time. I am not patient at all, so, I am going to try to distract myself doing what I can for now and maybe I won’t realize that time is passing by and God will surprise me with His plan again!

We had around 160 people between 14 - 40 years old maybe. The trip was for the 3 youth ministries from my Church.

A group stayed at the Church doing medical attention, another group just gave out flyers and did some evangelism, another group held a kid’s program and  my group performed evangelistic dramas.  At night we had two concerts and one healing service.
Working 2 days and half we presented a total of 508 contact cards of people who prayed the salvation prayer.
It was funny because I was struggling to get contact cards and one of the trip leaders told me he only had 200 and that would be enough… ha!
We would have to add that the first night I didn’t have contact cards and about 30 people came to Christ too.

We had all kind of experiences, security officers trying to kick us out and people yelling sometimes, but three of the times that stood out for me were:
1.-  When once I took around 50 people and after performing, preaching and talking with people one on one I gathered my team and gave them some directions and words of encouragement and told them we would pray for what we were doing. We gathered huging each other and as we were praying I saw people coming to see what we were doing and about 10 more received Christ!

2.- Another time, I took the group to a plaza infront of the Palace of Justice, it was so empty! Maybe 5 people sitting there, but plenty of space to perform. A lot of people was telling me that was not a good spot… but I felt like God cared for those 5 people sitting there by themselves in that quiet (not for much longer) plaza. That evening we had 40 people coming to Christ right there.

3.- The third experience was that we went to that same place and it was crowded, but, there were street comedians doing their show and we couldn’t do our thing until they were done. It was a tough decision, stay or leave? I knew that if we took too much time it would affect the entire schedule for the entire 160 people. But, while we were waiting for the comedians to be done… people just went to evangelize one on one and I didn’t count officially, but I would say around 25 people came to Christ then. After we performed and preached we had a total of 67 filled up cards… Muahahaha!!! Praise God or what?!!

I had such a hard time finding pens for everyone! Hehe… I gave out a bunch that did not make their way back to my hands… so, almost at the end of the trip I walked around yelling to 160 people: “RETURN THE PENS I GAVE YOU PLEASE!!!” over and over again…
I don’t know how, but I gave someone a blue pen, and I got back the exact same pen but…in black! LoL… and someone did not return my chinesse pen..
Gatito!!! This is where I let someone use your pen and then… I didn’t have it back, but! After all my yelling around… I DID get your pen back!!

Also, as some of you know, Peru celebrates Independence Day on July 28th. What happened is that our last day of ministry was on Monday, and we had a great rock concert with 3 bands (1 local, 1 from IBE Arequipa, and 1 from our Church IBE in Lima) and we danced…well, most of us, and I am sure I did dance like it was our last chance to do it… hehe… After that, we were so tired!!! But!!! It was not over!!!
We had dinner and went to the main square bringing a guitar, a drum box, a drum, a cymbal, and a violin… to sing a lot of peruvian songs until midnight. Then, we sang the National Anthem!!! Happy 28!!! It was awesome… A bunch of tourists came over and some preached to them, and some peruvians as well too. Maybe 4 people received Christ? I don’t know…

Oops… I almost forgot something.
So, since our mission’s trip in February I was asked to lead the Youth Drama Team. Somehow, I managed to do that while traveling. But I could not do it anymore. I have to say, drama is not my passion (I think?) although everybody says I do it really well. The thing is, the last day before the 160 left, I gathered those that were still here to give them the news. I told them I would not lead the group anymore and that I was probably moving to Arequipa. I realized that all through my life since I met the Lord, I have been looking forward to have the opportunity to show my devotion (like the “Love Song for a Savior” song by Jars of Clay) and how much I want to give Him my lfe. I feel like God is giving me a really easy shot with Arequipa. I have a IBE Church here, the pastors are young and know me and my family and we get along perfectly, Arequipa is probably my favorite city in the Andes, and is not far from Lima… is just so easy!
I felt like giving the Great Comission. I asked them to remember somethings over any other thing from the time I was with them.
I reminded them about our last meeting in Lima.
The last Sunday before this trip we had our last practice meeting. One of the guys was anxious to practice, he set up the boom box and asked for the CD to start playing it. I told him we would not practice, yet. We had not practiced enough but first thing’s first. We read the Bible and talked about it, and specially, we spent about an hour praying hugging in a big circle.
I told them what we do is not drama. We are expressing a message, the reality of life. Therefore, we don’t need talent. All we need is a heart after God’s. The passion to please Him.
I remember a friend mentioning how much he loves to make his dad laugh. The feeling of satisfaction that it brings. I have to say, I haven’t had a lot of chances to experience that with my own father, but that is exactly how I feel whenever I do anything in ministry. I want to make Him smile and laugh of pleasure!!! And I will do anything and everything I can to accomplish that. And that includes performing drama… But to do that, I need to connect to His heart first. So, we don’t need to practice as much as we need to know what we are doing and why, and then prove it. We have NOTHING to offer. Anything good in us is because of Him, and we need to remember that. Coming to His presence is to remember who we are and what we are doing and that we so need Him to be and do everything we are and do.
After that they said they wanted to pray for me, and I cried so much. Then each of them expressed their personal words of appreciation and encouragement… we all cried… the guys too! Some of them I have only worked with for the last two weeks. After that I also apologized for the times I raised my voice and I told them I felt so humbled hearing them pray for me and encouraging me. I was nobody to deserve such beautiful friends… Then, as they left the bus yelled a typical peruvian cheer phrase: “¡Inés, te queremos!”
¡¡¡They made me cry so much!!!

Maybe drama is not my passion, but people… ah! They know how to move my heart.

So, that was our mission’s trip, and today I visited the Girls’ Home. We went to a fair and it was fun!!! They do have a space for me and tomorrow I will move there. I will have 3 main responsabilities:

1.- Be a mom for 14 teenagers. Their substitute mom is on vacations all of August. When I suggested Rick I could stay with them his eyes were wide open and he asked: “Are you sure you want to do that?!” hehe… trouble makers… I love them!!!

2.- While the girls are at School I will be an assistant for the social worker, Sandra.

3.- I will help the volunteers know what they have to do, because they don’t speak spanish.

That is for now…. phew! I have to pack and sleep some would be good!
Jouman!

I have never really written about the Arequipa opportunity at all I think, so here it goes:

I have come to the city of Arequipa several times in the last years. Now, I’ve been in many cities in the last few years, but I have liked Arequipa a lot from the very first time I came.
This is the link to the photo album of my 1st trip:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1531&id=502479433&l=0363b60e09

Cuzco always gets all the attention when it comes to a city in the Andes, but that is exactly why I don’t like it as much… even though I have awesome friends there including about 4 I have adopted as my daughters. Is just so crowded with turism and materialism is taking over it too.
Arequipa is more relaxed, and modern at the same time.

Now, I have shared about the Girls’ Home. It is a place I got to know the second time I visited Arequipa. It was with some good friends that I got to go, and we actually started playing the family game being my friend Daniela (from Lima) and I the daughters, the Gunderson’s (Portland,OR) the parents and the Eld’s (Portland,OR) our grandparents. We visited the Girl’s Home called Torre Fuerte and got to ministry to the girls.

This is the link to the photo album of the second trip:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=19122&id=502479433&l=8681266fc4

After some visits the Director of the Home, Rick, extended an invitation to Daniela and I to come any time we wanted to. That really sounded like something we wanted to do and we talked many, many times about that possibility.  But still, no matter how much we wanted to do it, Daniela’s timing and mine as well as our budget did not allowed us to do it.
Last May, and offer came up on Lan, round tickets for prices as low as $59… I thought to myself I could not let this opportunity go…  After praying and sharing with the Gunderson’s and Grandpa and Grandma… I got a ticket and visited the Home for two weeks.
Daniela was (and still is) working for a mission of the govenrment of Japan in some massive projects for native communities in Peru, so she couldn’t make it.
I was told I would be spending time with the girls, holding devotionals and taking them on hikes.
When I got there, I was received by Reynaldo at the Airport, and he took me to the Home where everybody was asleep but 3 girls in my new bedroom, with the medianas (1st to 6th grade ages).
Next day, I found out that their “mom” (or tuthor) had been off for a month on vacations but her own mother just passed away two days before I arrived, so she was off for a week.
That meant, I, was the new mom… at least for a week.

Oh boy… I had to wake them up at 5:30am. Get them ready to go downstairs to have breakfast and send them to school. Oh! They were 20 girls by the way!
María Mercedes, Mayra Stephany, Xiomara, Stephany, Zulmira, Brittany, Gabriela, Tatiana, Lisbeth, Angie, Victoria, Joselyn, Karen Luisa, Diana, Delia, Lucero, Ruth, Monica, Mayra and Jesenia.

Fast forward: After spending two weeks there, I got a call from Rick while I was in Pucallpa. He wanted to talk about my experience and thoughts. He also shared he was looking for an assistant, bilingüal and at least 35 years old, and asked me to let him know if I had anyone in mind.
We met. I had a list of things to share. While I talked about my experiences, observations and suggestions Rick took note of eerything I said on his botebook. Then, he offered me the job.
He said he knew I was just 25 years old, but had pretty much what they were looking for.
We said we would pray and talk about it… and he had a team coming over (that I thought was a bunch of ladies… hmm, there was a surprise I did not see coming…) from Washington and had asked me to help him interpreting, so we were all off to Arequipa just a few days later.

I first thought it would be hard for me to connect with this group. I was staying at the Home, and they were staying at a Hotel, so we would not have all the chances to get to build relationship in only 10 days… Boy was I wrong! I got to know TOO much Too soon probably… I mean… an “ackward photography” contest and spandex and lots and lots of body hair stories… Who is that guy and why is all these people telling me about all this tremendous amount of hair he has???
That, would be Jake. Or Gatito, which is what he made me think of with all those stories Mark, Brennan, Micah, Nick, Andrew and Tatiana shared (like I said, I heard a bunch of stories before I even knew anything normal about him like his age or last name) Then, Lisa… happened to be… Lisa… as in the spanish meaning of the word.  hehe… And Sassy, who got physically close in record time… like causing pain tickling me or trying to STEAL MY WATER BOTTLE!!!
Oh well… then, one night… these THREE TALL GUYS cornered me downtown Arequipa… and started talking about the job offer. I didn’t say a word! Apparently Rick had!
I am really good at holding my tears, but it was hard that night. They said so much, I think I forgot most of what they said that night… but I remember something very clearly: That morning, I had asked God to help me be wise. Of course I wanted to take the job because I was staying at the Home, my heart was touched and all… who wouldn’t. Everytime the girls hugged me or called me Mami I felt like I had no option. But, I also wanted to be careful.
I was told once a word saying that good opportunities would show up, like several doors infront of me. All of them good and all of them would carry blessings. But I had to pray and ask God about the decision.

So I asked God to help me be rational too, and give me a confirmation from outside the Home. And that was it. The three american men, that represent everything BUT emotional right? Although… I am not seying they are not sensitive, I am just saying I really appreciated the clear straight to the point input they brought. Thank you guys!
Now that I think about it, maybe it was 4 of them… I think i even felt dizzy while they were talking to me… hahaha. Just kidding I love you!!!
This group really was not what I expected and have become great friends I can’t wait to see them again, and hope to work together soon!
God is awesome, this was a MAYOR divine appointment. Meeting them and serving with them was the BEST gift I could get for my 7th year anniversary working on short term Missions.

I am not in Arequipa along with over 160 people from the youth ministry of my Church from Lima. I am in charge of the drama teams and they are leaving on Tuesday.
Then, I will move to the Girl’s Home and stay there until September 2nd.
Apparently I will be facing bigger challenges than before… I am so ready for it… not!
But HE is, so I am, as long as I die daily… I think I can do that.
I am not being paid by the Home for my time here, but I do have support from Grandpa and Grandma and my boss from Frontline Peru has also told me that in case I get sick (like I did in May) I should let him know and he will help me with some money.

I am probably gonna have to raise funds for my salary. The Home has a financial deficit and they grew from 40 to 54 girls in a really short time. But my life belongs to God and that is my part of the deal… His is to provide… so that is His business.

There is more to say, but I have to lead street evangelism in the morning and afternoon. Another AWESOME thing about this city, my Church here! The pastor and his wife have become very good friends of mine and I don’t feel like I am leaving my Church, which is like my Home because it started in the living room of the house where I lived (my aunt’s) when I was 3.
So far… I have not found any reason to not take the job at the Girl’s Home.

I was surprised when I was told we were doing VBS today because we used to take the first day to just aclimate and maybe walk around the area where we would work.
Also, we split the team in two and work at two sites at the same time.
The site I am in charge of is a new place. The church has a couple cell groups here and this is the first time we do a kid’s program.
Peaje is the place. Most of the people work in farms, so the kids are left alone all day long.

We are basically in the outskirts of the city of Cuzco. Surrounded by high mountains with some trees at a walking distance (I already know which one I want to hike the last day we are here) we can see one that has some ruins… they look like houses build with clay bricks with some walls and ceiling missing. Tambos is what they are called, they were used as refrigerators way back. The road is really uneven. Houses around us wigh a cow or two outside. Silence… no one is home. Until we bring some real american noise of course! hehe…

Around 35 kids were waiting for us already when we arrived. Sweet… small group, I have handled over 100 in the past so this is so cool!

I really enjoyed this day. Even though the manual has an aproach that is more citylike than country in my opinion, part of my job is to help the kids understand why we are here, other than play, entertain them and do a craft.

The kids responded so well! Oh my! I just realized it is the same number than the amount of students I had in my class the very first time I started teaching kids when I was 16…. hehe… oh! Here tears come again!

When I fnished doing the kid’s program with a prayer, I told the group we could have the bus drive behind us and we could walk out to the road while we invited kids for Monday. And then we all got in the bus and it was such a beautiful sunset in the mountains… I sang that song
“I love you Lord, and I lift my voice, to worship You, oh my soul rejoice. Take joy my King, in what You hear, May it be a sweet sweet sound in Your ear…” Oh God…. I am so humbled doing this job. It might be my last time though… I love my life!

Yesterday I left Pachacutec crying inside my heart. No one knew. Only Christian, my good friend, he is so nice coming and asking how I am doing! He didn’t know I was this sensitive about children, but he listened. And I am thankful for that. I have visited Pachacutec for a few years now. This time I noticed how much some of the kids have grown up.
Junior! He was a tough one. He would start hitting his brother hard in the middle of the program. Little by little I gained his friendship. The love I see in his eyes when he calls my name and hugs me is like no other. I have to say I am proud of that one.

How do we get to meet these precious ones and be able to pour into their lives? This is huge! Who am I to deserve their attention and respect? They teach me so much! The unending size of their faith. The infinite power to forgive. The deep understanding of grace… the pure and inocent freedom they enjoy and that I will have to wait to heaven to recuperate…

I owe them so much. If there is anything good in me, is because God whispered into my heart to listen to them, and see how much they are like Him. All I have left to do, is listen and learn.

45 degrees and I have to walk 3 blocks to my room

There are so very few people who can really listen to you.

When a child says: “I don’t know how.” Maybe he really is saying: “Teach me, please.”
And when she is saying: “I don’t want to” Maybe she is saying: “You make me feel like you are not pleased with me, why should I try to please you anyway?”
And when they share their dreams and crazy ideas, we pretend we are listening by staring at them, but it takes more to really hear their heart.

So many times I have felt that, when I try to share a deep desire, people just gives their opinion trying to force what they think is better, overlooking my feelings and fears. They are real, you know? My fears I mean. My voice is not less real than my being alive. My feelings might not be always loyal, but that doesn’t make them less tangible.

Is 6:05 a.m. and the girls are getting up slowly. We barely have some daylight and the mountains stand in the back behind the silhouettes of Yesenia and Lucero sitting on their beds. Lucero is staring, doing nothing else. Makes me wonder if she still wants to leave the Home. The lights of the city are still shining like fallen stars at the feet of the volcanoes. I am playing music and have the earphones on, for a moment thought of taking them off but then I heard Rosita telling them to hurry with her particular voice tone, and encouraged me to not turn the music down a bit.

My computer is falling apart as I write here. Some of the girls look and smile at me as they go downstairs to the bathroom. Zulmira just came all the way to my bed to give me a good morning kiss and a precious smile. These girls don’t give up on smiling. They know their feelings are real and they are willing to fight for them.

I have seen that smile fade away. It is a painful view. Their eyes confused with a twitch of fear. Why can’t they smile? Is it that bad that a girl takes a pause in the morning? I have to breathe deep to not loose it..

Rosita is the tuthor of the “medium” girls, and her mother passed away two days before I got here.
Therefore, I am in charge of that bedroom until Rosita comes back.
20 girls starting in 1st grade age up to 6th grade (I think).

I wake up at 5am and (start) wake them up at 5:30. Help them get ready, do their hair, give them their fruit and have them be down stairs to have breakfast at 6:30.
Yesterday I had to sew two pants while they were getting ready for school and I thought I wouldn’t have to do that today but again two girls came up with wholes in their uniforms…hehe… hey!
Remember the sewing kit from Hotel El Lago? I’ve been carrying it all over and now I used it!

Anyway, I also helped in the kitchen (blister!) and then when they come home help them with homework.

Gabriela is in my room. Man! She has improved so much!
She’s really good in math, and gets along with the girls. Is almost impossible to think this is the same girl we met a couple years a go.
I do have to explain to her and check her spelling because she is not understanding some of her classes. But she’s definitely sweet and responsible.

Also, they all call me “Mami”. No one told them to, nor I expected that. I have to say it is a sweet kind of overwhelming what I feel hearing them all “Mami, MAMI! Ma… Mami”.

I don’t like to tell them off, but I have to. Sadly, they are not used to be obedient unless someone raises their voice at them, but they know I don’t like to have to do it, and I tell them I am not mad at them, just have to be firm.
I pray all the time while I talk to them, I feel the fear of saying something that may not help them or even worse, hurt them. But I am also experience/learning to surrender everything to God and know that I don’t have to carry all the burden by myself.

I love this place!!!
I’m tired… stayed up until 10:30pm doing homework with Gaby and Jesenia and then sewing skirts uniforms. Plus, I was asked to translate a teaching for a Ministry that raises up Children Workers.

The psychologist and I are preparing a special program for them on Saturday.
She’s really excited about it. By the look in her eyes, I think I am blowing her mind with some of my ideas, like…let them all do the trust fall (if they want) and allowing them to talk …or not to participate with no preasure. God can work in silence too

As far as I know, they love the books, but I am just about to ask Sandra about how they use them.
Ps. Dario and his wife are on vacation, but they come back on Saturday. He told me something about taking they girls hiking… which sounds great. I guess that would be next week.

Don’t get me wrong, I love going with other people (ehem…gringos…ehem…).
But this trip will be different.
I am going to Arequipa, alone, to the Girls’ Home there for 2 weeks.

From May 18th to June 1st
Hogar Torre Fuerte: 51 girls

I will be just helping and hanging out with them. Building relationships and just loving them.
All of this in spanish!!! Oh my… will I survive going in a trip in spanish? hehe…
I am really looking forward for this because I think 51 girls mean a great blessing for me.
I am preparing to receive all that love and I can already feel how they can ministry to my heart.

One of the things I hope to have time to do with them is encourage the arts.
All the books that were sent to them thanks to Freedom Road Ministry a couple months a go can start many conversations and I hope to have time to dance too.
I wonder if they journal…

I already have my plane ticket!!! AMAZING offer… cheaper than going in a bus
THAT was the Lord for sure…
I’m excited!
Pray for me? Thanks!