Wednesday at Palo Blanco and The Ark Orphanage

This morning (Wednesday) our team got to have a sweet time of worship and devotions with the staff at Palo Blanco. We sat around a big table with the staff in the lunchroom early in the morning before the students arrived and sang worship songs to the Lord. We knew the songs they were singing and were able to sing the English words at the same time as they the lyrics in Spanish. Talk about goose bumps! After worship Chris got to opportunity to share the story of how Community Church of Waterford got involved with Kid’s Alive. The staff and director at Palo Blanco had never heard the story of how God connected us and the morning ended with lots of praise, tears and hugs and we all felt that much more connected to each other. It was definitely one of those God moments that none of us are soon to forget!

After devotions we were able to do a Bible study lesson and pass out gifts to the rest of our Palo Blanco sponsored kiddos.  Rose also had a fun time leading the kids in some Bible songs and teaching them dance moves to “Pharoah Pharoah” and “Big House”.  It was fun seeing the kids smile and laugh and just be silly kids.

(Karen doing her Bible study lesson with the kiddos. The little boy participating in her demonstration is sponsored by Dave and Katy Gaskill.)

(Bobbie giving her gift to her sponsored boy, Ricar.)

Most of the week while the rest of the team has been doing construction or playing with the kids, Neil has been hard at work decorating the school! Neil painted two murals in the school and is getting started soon on painting on at ANIJA.

(Neil’s mural of Roberto Clemente.)

We went back to the team house for lunch and had a little bit of time to do some shopping for souvenirs. Brian, the missionary down here that has been our host for the week just kept shaking his head and laughing because he said he has never seen a team buy so much coffee and vanilla before. We made the shelves in the colmado (grocery store) bare and the employees were already restocking before we even walked out!

After shopping we headed over to El Arca (the Ark) orphanage to play with the kids during their free time. The Ark campus and staff are so impressive and provide a safe, loving environment for these kids to grow up in. We got to hear stories of some of the kids and why they were at the orphanage. Many of them still have parents but were living in abusive situations. Some of the little kids were given alcohol in their bottles to get them drunk so that when they were begging on the streets they would appear retarded and get more sympathy. Others were roaming around the streets being forced to take care a lots of younger siblings when they were still just a child themselves. One sweet little boy who appeared to be only about two old had more places on his legs with scars then he did without.  He had only been at The Ark for about 3-4 weeks and proudly announced to Joan “Tengo camisa!” which means “I have a shirt!”. This little boy finally had something to call his own and now lived in a safe and secure place. Watching these kids run around a play it is easy to forget all the brokenness and hurt that they have in their lives. They look just like happy, “normal” children but they all have loss beyond anything we can comprehend.

(Sweet little Esmerlin – the two year old boy that was just happy to have his own shirt!)

Our time at The Ark passed way too quickly and soon it was time to go back to the team house. After dinner we cut out paper hearts and baked cookies in preparation for the Valentine’s Day party that we are having with the children of Palo Blanco and The Ark.

(Cookie baking and heart cutting in preparation for Valentine’s Day!)

Thursday is going to be a busy, but fun day. We are all looking forward to celebrating Dia de Amor (Valentine’s Day) with all of the kids ….and who doesn’t like to decorate their own cookie!?! Thank you all again for your prayers and we ask you pray specifically for these kiddos to have hearts that are mended and feel loved and cherished as we spend Valentine’s Day with them!