Greetings!
Siempre Para Los Ninos means Always for the Children and we do our best to keep our trips down each Wednesday focused on the needs of our kids. The photos we take are for the kids. They each have a personal photo album and every Tuesday as Kaiya, our secretary, prepares everything I'll take down on Wednesday, one of her tasks is printing out all the photos from the previous week and putting them in envelopes for the kids- each with their name on them. The kids love it and the times I've forgotten to bring down their photos I catch it big time.
Everyone loves pictures of themselves and their friends but I think to our kids each weeks pictures represent another day of stability and security in their lives. They don't have mom and dad collecting pictures and building scrap books to witness the passing of their young lives so we give it our best shot.
kids eagerly open their photos and begin sharing
one child checks his photos as he heads in to put them away
It's been a challenging week for some of our kids and for others a time of celebration... report cards! Enrique, our oldest, is getting all 9's and 10's, the equivalent of straight A's. He was very proud. He'd gotten into a fight the week before at school and was happy for the new found redemption! Danny, on the other end of the spectrum, is dangerously close to failing. Our leaders say he hates to do his homework and that it's a struggle to keep him in school... he's only eight. Many eight year olds in our little community that have no money don't go to school. I think Danny envy's them! Before he came to us he lived in a hostile environment where little effort was given towards the disciplines of being a student. Danny's the most fun kid you'll ever meet. He's needing help to take his life to the next level in school. In rural Mexico those who can't pass don't often get to stay in school. We want to give Danny every opportunity to succeed in life and that requires an education. Pray for the kids of Siempre who are struggling with school today.
If you speak Spanish and would like to commit to tutoring some great kids, you're desperately needed at Siempre. It would be fantastic to set up a peer tutoring situation with our older kids who're experiencing success helping our younger kids through their challenging moments. However, Siempre is like a great big family and too often the younger boys are so busy fighting for attention from the older boys that I'm afraid they're not yet ready to admit their need for help.
Best friends. Judy and our newest addition Cynthia have quickly built a bond that is like tight sisters. It's been fun to watch them discover the joy of having family to grow and live through their adjustments at Siempre. Sadly, they're leaving precious Noemi, who was with us long before either of them, out of their new bond of friendship. Noemi's been lonely through it all. It's normal family stuff- and that's good considering where these girls come from - but it's been hard on Noemi.
Noemi took this picture of Cynthia and Judy in the girls room- cute kids
All of our workers seemed a bit down yesterday. Maybe it's the work load getting to them. They're excited that the van's fixed and running great again. Very excited that we we're able to purchase a new commercial washer and dryer that we'll be bringing down next week. But colds and flu are still moving through the house and with 17 kids it seems like someone's always got the sniffles or something. Plus the kids had yesterday off school and starting next week have two weeks off for Easter vacation and I think everyone's wondering what they'll do for two weeks with all the kids home every day.
Lynn, in pink, getting a needs update from Aracelli while they, along with Bianca and Vanessa fold laundry as one of the kids brings it in from the line. Check out the clean laundry storage in the left of the photo. Lot's of kids means lots of laundry.
We looked for property again yesterday- met with an agent -still not finding what we need at a price we can afford. Keep this need in your prayers. John Juhl, our architect, was with us yesterday and he has one plan in place to expand our current facility if we don't find property and waiting to design a second once we do. The problems with staying on our current property are more evident each week. We can put more people on that one little lot... but it's crowded now and would be crazy with twenty more kids running around. Keep on praying for God to set exactly the right property before us. My goal is to find something that will become our permanent home for years to come. Land with room to grow on.
Memorial Day Weekend is just ten weeks out and we need to start finalizing our plans. If you've not registered for our building weekend- we need you. Take time to sign up today by clicking this link- registration.
It's getting tougher to round the kids up for our group photo.
It's beautiful sunny weather and who wants to stand around for the same old dumb picture every week when you can be playing soccer, riding bikes, or just hanging out with friends after school. What a blessing that these little things we take for granted are now everyday realities for the kids of Siempre. You're doing a good thing in your love, support and prayers for these kids being rescued from poverty, heart break and abandonment. Each week is a new adventure. I look forward to you joining us soon.
siempre,
Eric
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.
We've still got $10,000- to match before May! WE CAN DO IT!
You're Invited to Our Memorial Day Building Weekend
click this link for more information
I'm open to speak to your church, club, group or business concerning Siempre support.
PS
I add everyone that crosses my email desk to this list. If this is your first unsolicited update- welcome! I'm more than willing to accept your rejection if it means one more might join me in loving these kids. If you prefer not to receive our weekly updates just let me know. No problem.
Thanks so much to those of you who forward this to your own friends, family and associates.