Brenda and Ricardo mug for the camera (nice tie dye shirt Ricardo!)

Thanks so much!

Because of your continued financial support, love, prayers, hard work and encouragement, Siempre Para Los Ninos continues to grow and her children prosper.  Thanks to all of you that have emailed, concerned about the temporary break in the "weekly" update.  The list of challenges that has kept me from getting these out is long and varied, most difficult among them is that my father suffered two strokes in early May.  However, he's improving and your prayers have been greatly appreciated.  My Wednesday trips have been hit and miss at best.  Since I've made it down the last two weeks, thought I'd try to get an update out.

Our new building - as seem from Siempres 2nd floor - 3,000 sq ft plus- built in 2 days Memorial Day Weekend

The inside- already being used for church - drywall just about ready for finishing

The new church is awesome and already in full use.  With a new sanctuary that seats over 100, three new class rooms, new restrooms, Pastor Israel's first office, a storage room and a great lobby.  Our Memorial Day Team did an incredible job and the impact on Siempre and the community at large has already been profound.  Churches from as far away as Ohio and Florida are already scheduled to spend a week at a time with our kids.  Other groups from the southwest are trying to schedule summer dates as well.  Wednesday was the kids last day at school and the workers are looking forward to all the support they can get as now all 25 kids will be "home" all day long until schools back in session in September.  Bianca and Brenda already looked tired at the prospect of the summer to come.

Upstairs and a good deal of the downstairs also got new flooring over Memorial Day - it all looks fantastic!  The kids are using the computer lab much more frequently and they get to watch several DVD's a week together.  It's a blast to share a movie with the kids- easy to forget how much fun kids have eating popcorn and watching superman.

Pastor Israel reads "Rice and Beans" a popular children's book that Siempre just received with our newest additions to the library.  Israel is an incredible reader and tells the story with passion and joy that makes every kid want to be a part of the story.  Siempre's library continues to grow and the kids are now reading 20 minutes daily.  I've asked Bianca to do her best to increase the reading time as much as possible with kids now out of school.  We still have a little money in the fishing fund so I'm thinking of chartering a boat and taking all the kids that can work their way through ten books (with or without help from the older kids) as a reward.  I have so much fun with it all that when it comes time to leave it's hard to pull myself away.  I got home Wednesday evening and finished Dean Koontz's newest book and it was a distant second to my time at Siempre listening to Pastor Israel read "Rice and Beans."  And I didn't understand a word he said!

everyone wants to see the illustrations!

Enoch getting the best of one of the oranges this week

Moises tries to get an orange from Arturo... who could eat oranges all day long!

Our weekly supply of oranges was raided the minute we arrived.  Normally they're rationed out by Aracelli, who's pretty careful about how much the kids eat.  When I investigated I discovered that Alajandro and Aracelli had left to take Abril to the doctor and had yet to return.  It seems she took a hard fall and they were concerned her arm could be broken.  They weren't back by the time we left so no word on Abril's arm.  Regardless, the kids took advantage of Brenda and Bianca's kindness and went through a good portion of a case of oranges.

Siempre has been blessed, in fact built by, some pretty fantastic people.  Because of their hard work, the children of Siempre have a home - a great home - filled with love, security, plenty of food, good beds, and more opportunity to learn and discover their best selves then any one of them ever imagined.  "Our kids" are growing up - some had a great school year... others, not so great.  We've promised each of them our ongoing love and support - siempre - always.  You may not have helped us build.  You may never travel down with me on a Wednesday afternoon or join a workgroup.  Each of us can give keep the doors open and the promise kept.  It's one of the best things we ever have to do with our money.

Why spend so much time trying to earn it if we're not going to use it for a great purpose - believe me - or come and see for your self - Siempre's kids are as great a cause as you'll ever find.  If just 100 small business owners added Siempre to their business credit card account for $100- a month our budget would be met for an amount that most of us would rarely miss out of all the expenditures we cover day to day.  We can't guarantee that each child will grow up to be a success - life doesn't offer many guarantees.  But we can promise that we'll do our best to meet their needs, giving them the opportunity that our parents gave us.  Join me.  If we don't protect and care for these kids the world will neglect and abuse them.  Working together, someday we'll send Arturo and all the little ones off to college.  What a day that will be!  Until then, pray for us as Enrique, gets closer to turning 16 and begins asking about normal 16 year old things, like dating and driving!  Yikes!

Cynthia and Noemi say "Gracias!"

These great kids need us, now, more than ever,

siempre,

Eric M. Denton

eric@siemprekids.org

5623 Arlington Ave.

Riverside, CA 92504

951-689-5806, office

951-907-9100, cell

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.  Mail your donation direct and Make checks payable to Siempre Para Los Ninos.  Donations can also be auto deducted from your bank account or from your credit card.  Don't hesitate to call with questions.

I'm open to speak to your church, club, group or business concerning Siempre support.

If you'd prefer not to receive our weekly update, let me know.  No problem.

Thanks so much to those of you who forward this to your friends, family and associates.