Merry Christmas!
Our visit to Siempre Para Los Ninos yesterday was a wonderful reunion after missing last week because of our Community Wide Thanksgiving Dinner here at Central Community- (thanks for your prayers, hard work and support we fed over 1,600 people- over 1,300 deliveries!)- two weeks is too long without visiting the kids!
Joy Dong- our most faithful partner on Wednesday's- brought cup cake mix and taught the kids, (and some of the adults), how to make cupcakes. Sunday is Pastor Israel's wife Vanessa's 28th birthday, so when they popped out of the oven we sang happy birthday and devoured them! Most waited patiently for the frosting- not all- but most.
Danny and Aida frost cupcakes
Joy helps Lupita with the wrapper
Being there each week it's hard to imagine all of this is really happening. The house is a home. Our staff is fantastic. The kids are beginning to feel secure, accepted and loved. And prayers are being answered. Two of our newer children, Noemi and Louis have not been enrolled in school because we haven't been able to locate their mother and we've needed birth certificates. Yesterday she showed up at Siempre asking to visit the kids. They were thrilled. We had the opportunity to meet her. And school should be no problem now. The visit was heartbreaking to watch. Mom was so thoughtful, she took the time to hug each of her kids, then waited til they were occupied with other things and slipped out the door in silence to avoid a scene. What love.
Poverty is brutal beyond words. This morning thinking about her, I've wondered if she might not be able to be one of our next staff members at Siempre. Now that I've met her it's so hard for me to imagine her separated from her children because of money... we take our wealth for granted.
Noemi, Lupita, Arturo, Louis and their mom.
Each of the children has their own photo album and I carry prints of each weeks pictures to them. They treat them like gold. I know this picture will be at the front of Noemi and Louis's albums. We'll keep it for Arturo and Lupita- they should always remember they have a mom who loves them. We don't know when we might see their mom again. Praise God she was able to visit and we were there. God is so good!
Preparations for Christmas are under way. Our leaders want to decorate the house so next week we're taking down a Christmas tree and whatever else we can scrounge up. If you have a set of lights you no longer use- get them to me and we'll make sure their Christmas is brighter than the kids ever imagined! There's also a gift drive going on and we have wish list for each of the kids- they'll be posted on the www site soon at siemprekids.org or you can email me and I'll fill you in. My family plans to go down Christmas day and celebrate at the house- if you'd like to join us, let me know.
With the cold weather we're discovering that heavy jackets, longsleeve t-shirts, heavy pj's, and other cold weather necessities have been overlooked. These are immediate needs as well as additional blankets and comforters. We took down three heaters with us yesterday and Alejandro asked, "Won't these be expensive to run?" I told him not to worry about the electric bill but to keep the kids warm. Can't imagine what it's like for the rest of the village, most who have no heat, indoor plumbing or toilets.
our weekly group photo
Before leaving we took the group photo just as the sun was setting behind the Coronado Islands. The view was so amazing that it was hard to imagine that each of these children carries their own heartbreak they're learning to deal with. Our leaders are learning how to love and reach the kids through their tough moments. The kids are amazingly resilient and each of them seem to be not only adapting well but also learning to have some of their own hopes and dreams. Pastor Israel says they're enjoying church and making friends with children of families in our church next door to Siempre. God's plan is perfect and I believe He has a perfect plan for each of these kids. Every week I'm excited to see what's happening new when I arrive. Your continued support is what keeps the doors open. Your prayers give every child and worker courage to continue in their dark moments of frustration. Our goal is that no child sleeps on the street so close to our door steps. We'll be building again Memorial Day Weekend, 2005. You're invited. I'd love to have you join Debi and I some Wednesday afternoon. You're needed, now, more than ever.
Merry Christmas,
Eric
PS
If you'd rather not receive my weekly update- let me know. If you have a tough time with the photos- email me and I'll send you an update photo free. For info on how to support a particular child or Siempre check out our www site at siemprekids.org