No Mas Lodo!
No more mud! Praise God! It was 86 degrees at Siempre yesterday! Sun shining- kids playing outside- and no mud! It was a great day. Workers are relieved to have a break from the rain and the kids are loving being outside to kick a soccer ball, ride bikes or just run and play. Once we arrived I handed off the camera to the kids so this weeks photo's are courtesy of siempre kids. Enjoy!
Enrique showing off- one of the kids fingertips
Lynn Smith and Carol Madole came equipped to get the houses gardens going for the spring. Carol had pre cut and drilled wood for planting boxes and once they arrived they went right to the work of building. It looks like this years garden is going to produce!
Carol, Lynn and Pastor Israel - proud of their first box
Last year we had sent lumber and asked them to build garden boxes without giving instructions... big mistake... they put plywood bottoms on them! That's Pastor Israel "fixing" one of the old boxes by removing the bottom. We're discovering that so many things are new to our leaders that we need to get much more specific in our training. The kids went a week without hot water because they thought the propane tank connector to the hot water heater was clogged... yesterday we discovered the pilot light had been out. No more cold showers AND they now no how to reignite the pilot light.
The donated car that's been on blocks is now running in forward and reverse- thanks to Miguel our neighbor. Alejandro and Aracelli feel a new freedom having their own wheels. Every donation is such a blessing.
Joy was not able to join us yesterday- but she sent 4 new chickens- 3 hens and a rooster- to join the barn yard fun. These hens are supposed to lay eggs... so it looks like the others may be headed for the frying pan. The kids love learning how to garden and work with the animals. Our prayer is that these skills may end up helping them provide for themselves for life should they remain in a rural community.
Louis, Danny and Noemi with Hernon and Lupita help fill the garden boxes
Siempre has a septic system and special holding tanks for gray water run off to be used for the gardening. The pump is always getting clogged and for all the hard work and thought put into the system it's still not living up to it's full potential... Help Brent we need you! With all the rain the last thing they've needed is the extra water, so they end up purging the system into a nearby canyon. Someday this will water our lawn and garden through the dry summers. Until then it's just a lot of extra work!
Our above ground tank attached to the underground tanks
We're supposed to add 7 additional children today- bringing our total to 15 kids and 3 adults. Our septic system doesn't need the extra gray water. Aren't you glad you opened this email!
Arturo is walking all over the place and seems to change week to week. They say he's constantly hungry and they've had to put child locks on the cupboards to keep him from trying to get at the food. He's one great kid!
Arturo- guarding his cheerios
Arturo and Pee Wee, the dog, seemed to be the favorite photo subjects for the kids. Here's Pee Wee doing what he does most of the time.
Aida's family visited while we were there. It was an interesting exchange. Aida was rescued from the heart of the Red Light district as an 11 year old and we'd only heard stories of her family and the direction her sisters have taken. They're both teenagers with kids of their own. Regardless their situation it was heartening to see the love they shared.
Aida, in the red t-shirt, with her sisters and niece and nephew
Pray for Aida. She's now singing in the churches praise team and growing in Christ. Her family presents unique challenges that most of us will never understand. My prayer is that we can be a witness of love. They seem genuinely grateful that Aida has hope and security at siempre.
The day ended with our group shot- I took this one- that's Aida's dad in the middle of the picture and another niece in her mother's arms.
Each of our kids has a story. Seven new children with new stories of loss and heartbreak move in this weekend. We need your prayers and support, now more than ever, as Aracelli likes to say, mas comida! more food!
I'd love to have you join me some Wednesday afternoon. Next week is my last week until I return from Africa. Please keep our work in Africa in your prayers.
siempre,
Eric M. Denton
You can support a child on a monthly basis and begin to build a lifetime relationship or support Siempre Para Los Ninos for a day, week or month. Without you our doors would close. To learn how you can rescue kids in poverty go to siemprekids.org it's easy and can be auto deducted from your bank account or from your credit card. Or give me a call with questions- 951-689-5806. I'm open to speak to your church, club, group or business concerning Siempre support.
PS
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