Over my life, I’ve come to notice I like a routine, a schedule, a familiarity of things around me, with little to no change. I guess that trend had to come to an end when I was called to live in another country, speaking a language I’m not too familiar with yet, interacting with nearly 100 kids on a daily basis. Some have been with the orphanage since they were babies. Others come and go within a few months (or years).
This week, we had to send off one of our kids who has been with us for 8 years (more info on that to come later). But, in exchange, over the past week or so, we’ve gained 9 new kids. This includes a 4 day old baby boy. 9 kids we are given the responsibility to care for. To love. To educate. To share the hope of an eternity in heaven.
The 3 we took in last week are starting to get familiar with the faces and activity around the orphanage. It’s so awesome to see such strong friendships forming within the first few days they are here. Others, like the 5 siblings we’ve taken in over the past 24 hours are still trying to get used to eating in a cafeteria with 65+ other kids around. I’m not sure what their home environment was like before the came to us, but I hope we are providing them with much more than they’ve had before, including 3 meals a day, a roof over their heads, a bed to sleep in, running water, and the greatest of all- the gospel.
I noticed a few of them sitting for their first meal with us. Since I was one of the first people they got to meet when they first came in, I was occassionaly glancing over in their direction, offering a smile from a familiar face, trying to make them feel comfortable here. I got a smile or two back, so I think they’ll adjust well over the next couple of days. I’m looking forward to the transformation that these 9 individuals will experience over their time at Casa Shalom.
I have a long front porch with no furniture out to enjoy the outdoors. While a few of us were in Antigua for church a week or two back, I picked up a hammock chair in the market and got a few of the maintenance workers to help me hang it. This last Sunday, I got to listen to my church live over Facebook from the chair, while kids walked past me wanting to give me a push. Listening to the worship and watching the volcanoes let off some smoke was refreshing and a much needed start to a busy week… “I’m made alive forever, With you, life forever. By your grace I’m saved.”
I’ve got to say that my favorite part about having the swing isn’t being seated in it, but hearing giggling children take their turns with it, as I’m getting ready for the day. Watching the shadows of the ropes swinging up on my ceiling is one of my favorite things to wake up to!
Now that the horse trainer is heading back to the US, I have gained a new role of leading the horse therapy program. I will have a schedule where I will take one or two kids and a psychologist out with me to work with the pony we have on the other side of the fence. This will include brushing the horse, walking with the horse, and riding it when the child(ren) is/are comfortable. Hopefully I will be comfortable with my role, as well! I guess I have an excuse to get a pair of boots the next time I visit Texas!
Moving to a new country also means getting to try new things, things I didn’t even know existed. I got to ride in and control a robot in the middle of a shopping center. Those that run the shopping center wanted to host a fun filled morning for the kids of the orphanage. Activities included riding in the train, an inflatable slide, a giant ball pit, and the robots, topped off with Little Caesar’s for lunch! Everyone had a blast!
Another one of these “new things in another country” includes sompopos. Only one morning after it rained most of the night before, I woke up to about 5 or 6 children running around outside my house. They all had ziplock bags and plastic containers full of… something. And, they were getting excited to find them on the ground. It was like an Easter egg hunt. But instead of looking for eggs filled with candy, they were looking for these giant winged ants filled with eggs, sompopos. Yup, they filled their containers to the top and would eat their egg filled sacks. That was something I did not take part in, but watched the enjoyment all shared searching all across campus for these bugs! Yuck!
Our first team of the summer is on their way here Sunday. We may have a day or two over the next few months without a group to host. But, it’s back to back weeks with teams here throughout the summer until about mid August! We’ll soon find out if I can keep up with the weekly blog posts!
(har)Perseverance on a mission 