Ines Izarnotegui Lay

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.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 21st, 2009 at 2:01 pm and is filed under Missions, Torre Fuerte, Trips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.