Nuevo Niños

Hello everyone, I thought it was about time we update you all again on what's been going on here in Peru. We have been quite busy for the last two weeks. The kids start school on Monday, so we have spent about every night playing games, watching movies, or doing something fun! This is our last week of our normal schedules, after school starts, I imagine we will be tutoring the kids with their homework.

In the last two weeks six children have came to live at the Albergue. One, named Junior, is approximately twelve years old. He was found on the streets in Trujillo with out a family. At the moment we do not know much about him, except that he is very, very happy to be living here. He is always willing to help out, and has very high energy. Junior is very sociable, but has problems communicating because he cannot speak and has difficulties hearing.


Junior is wearing green, he was in the garage helping the guys fix the bikes. Riding the bikes is his favorite thing to do at the Albergue. Also in the picture is Roberto, a friend of ours that came to visit.


The other five children are all from one family. Their story hurts your heart. For four of the children, this is not their first time living at the Albergue. They lived here for over two years before the new year. The five children come from three different fathers. One of the fathers was very abusive to the children and even drowned his new born. The mother decided to flee her home in the jungle with her children because of the dangerous circumstances. She had no money or means to care for her children. Along the way she met a woman who gave them shelter and told the mother about the Albergue. The children first arrived in October of 2004. After being here for over two years the mother appealed to the court, proving she had the means to care for her children. They were returned to their mother in December last year. However, less than three months later, the mother returned her children along with a new baby. One of the little boys, Yen, came back with a bloated belly, infected with parasites. The children had been malnourished, full of parasites, and covered with flea bites. It seams as though they are happy to be here and readjusting well. We are working at helping them recover and become healthy again. They are all adorable children. Now, the mother cannot come back for her children, and they will be put up for adoption soon. I will post pictures soon. Please help us pray for their recovery.
From left to right: Josue, Jesus, Karolina (sitting), Caroline, and Yamelit. These are a few proud students I have for art. They are holding their clay projects, which they all did an amazing job. I was very pleased! Jesus definitely shined in class while making his projects. He made a turtle, lizard, and snail, all very impressive. The kids really enjoyed this project, as it was something new and challenging. Luckily, I have taken pottery before and had a clue as to what I was doing, but that entailed going back to my high school years. Funny... in high school I would ditch history to spend more time in pottery class, and I am glad I did, as it prepared me for this exact purpose (Sorry, dad... am I grounded?). This project took two weeks to complete.

Adam and one of our favorite little girls, Brigitte. Adam joined us in my preschool class in the morning. Here we where doing puzzles and learning colors and numbers.

Again, some of my preschoolers, Isaias and Brigitte. Yamelit was my helper for the day, she helps me understand the little ones.

Like I said in my last post... they find joy in the little things, one of their favorite toys, the box!Preschool class is fun.

Adam spends his time doing the manly stuff. Elias, Adam, and Samir working on bikes in the garage. Adam says they can rebuild a bike with just about anything. Elias is Adam's hefe (boss), they have a lot of fun together.

Fogata

Wahoo! PARTY complete with a block of cheese! I like the sounds of that. For those who have not read the comments posted by Trooper Kim, my sister, you should. She noted that they are going to have a party for us when we get home, so everyone should RSVP. It would be lots of fun and we greatly miss our family and friends and would love to see you all. She lives in Denver, read her comment (on the Just For Fun post) to find out more info.

Tonight we plan on having a slumber party, with games, cancha (popcorn), movies, and more. It should be a lot of fun and all the kids can hardly wait. We have two weeks with the kids before school starts, then we will not get to see them as much. At the moment we are in the process of buying our tickets and planning our trips to Machu Picchu and Huaraz, a town surrounded by the Andes mountains.

Last week we had a fogata, campfire, complete with s'mores, popcorn, games, and music. Adam and Hugo played the guitar for us. It was a lot of fun, but a little warm. The kids went crazy over the s'mores. It was a very fun night.














Adam prepared the s'mores and all the kids waited in line. Here Chito stares intently as he awaits his next delicacy!














Piero is all about the s'mores. This is good stuff!














Bryan enjoying the fire... well all the little boys enjoyed the fire! They wanted to throw everything into it, including each other. We had to watch it very closely.















Adam and Hugo, a worker at the Albergue, have become very close. They enjoy playing their guitars together and learning new songs. It was a great touch to the campfire.


Well, we miss you all and can't wait to see you all. I am getting a little home sick, but things are still going great here. It has been a wonderful experience.

Just for Fun

We received an email from a friend recently that asked questions to get to know each other better. I usually do not fill them out, but this time I thought it would be fun (sorry). All the answers pertain to Peru.

1. What is your occupation? Jobless. As volunteers Kris teaches preschool, English, and Art. We just made sculptures from clay and painted them. The kids did a great job. They made turtles, snails, a coin dish, a heart, a flower, and a lizard. Adam does "manly" things in the garage and around the Albergue.

2. What color are your socks right now? Socks, are you crazy? It is a million degrees here! We prefer barefoot on the beach!

3. What are you listening to right now? Children laughing, Rocio singing in Spanish, kids running, and crashing on bikes.

4. What was the last thing that you ate? I am not sure, but I think it was a bird of some kind! Last week we had cow stomach, and tongue with rice... the rice was delicious!

5. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Um, if I was a crayon I would be chewed up, broken, or all over the kid's arms and faces! Oh, what fun we have in the preschool class.

6. The last person you spoke to on the phone? My dad in California. It was his birthday on the 24th and I had all the girls sing a happy birthday song in Spanish. It had to have been the COOLEST B-day call ever!

7. How old are you today? I am 23, but I feel younger than I was when I first got here. The kids have brought me back to my childhood years. I have had to use my imagination, play on the swing sets, and find the excitement in things that crawl! It's been great!

8. Favorite drink? Oh, how we long for a glass of milk! Here they have what they call milk, but it is thick, creamy, and tastes like half and half. Oh yeah, and it is not refrigerated! Yup, you refrigerate it after it is opened.

9. What is your favorite sport to watch? Well, the workers and kids playing soccer at the end of the day. Adam has been playing a lot of futbol!

10. Pets? Mosquitoes, flys and spiders. Just kidding, well kind of. At the Albergue there are two dogs, Tracy and Pebbles. Pebbles knows English because she belonged to a United States family. She is a basset hound, very old, and well fed! Tracy is a skinny, funny looking dog, but recognizable as a dog, as many are not. We have seen some very ugly dogs! There is also a cat.

11. Favorite food? MEXICAN FOOD!!! I can not wait for the day I have a burrito smothered in Green chili, a shredded beef taco, chips and salsa, a chimichanga, a taco salad, and green chili chicken enchiladas all sitting in front of my face! Peruvian food is not Mexican food! We will not be wanting rice or soup for a long time. I think my favorite also excludes stomach, tongue, or feet!

12. What was the last movie you watched? The Ant Bully in Spanish. We invited the kids over to our apartment to watch a movie on our 10" television. We laid out several mattresses, had popcorn, fresh squeezed O.J., and played games all night.

13. What is the favorite toy for kids at the Albergue? Their bikes, because there are not many of them and they are only allowed to ride them during certain times. Other favorite toys include: an empty cardboard box, a stick or block of wood, water, and tires. They have many toys, but they prefer to use their imagination.

14. Favorite fruit? Mangoes and apricots are fresh, sweet, and in season.

15. Favorite day while in Peru? Feb. 24th we took the older kids to El Mirador (Dad, we celebrated your b-day!). The 7-11 year old kids went to camp, so Adam and I took the older kids and some employees out for a fun day. At El Mirador there are two large pools, horse back riding, playgrounds, soccer, volleyball, great food, a mini zoo, and live music. It was a treat for my apoyos, or helpers, for doing a great job helping me with the small children. We were able to take 11 people out for only $62! That included 11 large meals, ice cream, entry fee, riding horses, transportation, everything! It was a very fun day. None of the workers or kids had been there before, so it was a real treat. It was rewarding to be able to do something so special for them all and spend the time with them. Another favorite day was working up in Alto Salivary with the Boston group, what an awesome group of people, we miss them.

16. Who is most likely to respond? To our blog... Kim and Mary Lou, they are troopers! We greatly enjoy the comments and hearing from you, so please keep 'em coming!

17. Living arrangements? We really are homeless, but currently, I can't complain living in Peru at the Albergue. We get three meals a day, a nice clean apartment, running water (most of the time), and electricity (most of the time). When we return we will live with my parents in Pueblo, until we find and can afford a place to live in Springs.

18. When was the last time you cried? Last Sunday... sometimes, but rarely, I want to be home. Not having any Mexican food is just too much to handle sometimes! Tee hee Tee hee.

19. What did you do yesterday? We went to church, went to a friend's house for lunch, then came home and slept all afternoon and all night. We woke up to eat and watch part of a movie. It was wonderful. El Mirador was a big day, the night before we were at a surprise birthday party until late, then after Mirador we went into town to watch Inca dancers. It was very neat, but we were very tired at the end of the week!

20. What are you afraid of? It used to be babies, now it is Peruvian taxis!

21. 10 inches of snow or 100 degree weather? Snow... it would be a nice change and like I said it is a million degrees here! In snow you can drink hot coco and wear layers. It is very hot here and there is no such thing as an air conditioner.

I forgot one life lesson last time... The world really is a small place. Of all people to meet here in Peru, we met a girl from Alamosa, Colorado. She just graduated high school and is here for one year. Crazy!

Life's Lessons

We have come to understand and learn some of life's great wonders. This has been a wonderful trip. We came to be immersed in a culture we knew little about. We came to learn the language, gain experience, and to make a difference in the life of a child. It has been almost two months and the experience has been overwhelming and life changing. I would like to share some of the great lessons we have learned while staying in Peru. People go on mission trips to serve and make a difference; however, it is not until you reflect on the experience when you realize you where the mission. You go to make a difference, and indeed you do, but you come home a different person because of the people you meet. It baffles me that there are so many people in the world, and what a big impact one person can have on another. I can't say that just one person in particular has touched my life, but the many people we see and talk to everyday have, in their unique way, made a difference in my life. A little more than one month left, and we are sure there will be many great experiences and lessons to come. As for now, we wish to share some lessons and experiences we have had here at the Albergue.

Life lesson numero uno:
If we lost everything we owned, but still had our family and friends, we would still be happy because we have what really matters.

Numero dos:
Babies really are not that scary!

Tres:
It is easy to desire more than what we have and think the grass is greener on the other side, but I have realized that I am a very rich person. Even though we are jobless and homeless at the moment, we are rich. In the States I am considered low class and a poor college student, but I am able to attend college. I am considered poor, but I can feed my tummy when I am hungry. I am considered poor, but I have a place to call home. I am considered poor, but I have clothes to keep me warm. I am considered poor, but I have a place to live with electricity and water. I am considered poor, but I can drink the water that comes out of my faucet. I am not middle class. I am not upper class. I can't afford a ticket in first class. But I am rich beyond imagination, because I am richly blessed. I am blessed with family, friends, health (even though some say I am "All tore up"...sorry inside joke!), and all necessities I need to live life comfortably. I am rich and so are you!

Cuatro:
Kids are more than just noisy, smelly, dirty creatures! Okay, this may sound horrible to those who do not know me, but I had no idea what was to come. I did not like kids much, but after attending World Mandate (WM) in Waco, Texas (a missions conference), I became passionate about women and children around the world. When I went to WM something was stirred in me as I learned about how parts of the world treats women and children. I learned that it was not against the law to rape women in parts of Africa. That if a woman is rapped then she must have deserved it. I learned about little girls being forced to have part of their female parts removed by using sharp rocks as tools, so they would stay out of trouble with boys. Children being sold into sex slavery, forced by parents. Indeed I also heard about wonderful miracles and powerful stories. A positive story is that the first female president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (I admire this woman in many ways, Google her!), has made rape illegal and highly punishable, she is 69 years old and loved by her people. She is focusing on education and human rights for woman and children. I do not mean to sadden you with any stories, but things like this do happen. We may hear about these things and wonder why doesn't God do something, but He did, He made you. We can make a difference wherever we are. That is what I have learned while being here. I am making a difference in the life of a child, I love them, and they have shown us an abundance of love since we have been here.

Cinco:
Living with less is not bad or not fulfilling, just different than we are taught to believe.

Seis:
Peruvian food is not Mexican food... I had no idea I would miss cheese, beans, chips, tortillas, burritos, tacos, enchiladas, salsa, mouth watering green chili from Campus Cafe, oh man... I need to stop!

Siete:
We are all part of a bigger plan. God has a unique, individual purpose and plan for us all. We may not know what exactly what that plan is, but not knowing is part of life's great adventure. He created us for something great.

Ocho:
I now know what it is like to be the minority. Although, I don't know if I should feel cool or awkward while walking along the beach little kids point and yell, "Mira, gringa!" (which means, "Look, white girl!).

Nueve:
When Piero and the boys came to visit when I was sick, they gave me a card, a hug, and prayed for me in hopes I would get better and be able to play soon. I am not sure what impact this had on me, but I was greatly moved beyond what my words can express.

Diez:
Whatever you do, do it with all your heart. We learned this while watching the kids play at the beach. They crashed into everyone because they were so intently focused on play.

Once:
If you have little give little, if you have much, give much. While working up at Alto Salivary with the water project, a woman made tortilla-like bread and passed it out to people in our crew. We were there to bring her water, a necessity of life, she had very little, but she still was compelled to give what she had.

Doce:
People need us to look at them through God's eyes rather than our own. Everyone has a story, their past, that shapes who they become for good or bad. Some of these children have sad stories. Knowing the children's pasts helps us realize why they act a certain way, and makes us have compassion. It is easy to have compassion for young children yet we judge older adults. These children will become adults and their past will not change. God loves us unconditionally, like a loving father to his child. I desire to not judge someone, but rather listen to their stories and possibly make a difference in their life, if only for a moment. In general, we want people to behave and believe a certain way, and then they can belong, but God accepts us long before we choose to accept Him. He looks at us through a different pair of eyes. Through unconditional love, kindness, and compassion.

Trece:
And yes, you can fit 56 people in a bus that seats 27! On our way back from the beach there was the Boston group (about 16 people), 29 children, and 11 other adults. Everyone had one or two kids on their lap! Unfortunately, one had a little accident... not on me!

Life at the Alburgue

Hello everyone, finally posting an update. We have been very busy at the Albergue and have been having a lot of fun. We have many stories to share, but this time we mostly want to focus on the people and introduce you to the children and workers around us. They are all very special people and have found a special place in our hearts. Peruvian people are amazing in general. They are very kind, friendly, open, and welcoming. The Peruvian culture is built around friendships and family. We have made many friends while staying here. Many people we have met have invited us to go out, come over, or meet their family. Everyone wants to take us home to meet their family.

Here are some very special children and workers we want you to meet. There are 28 children at the Albergue, all very special and with unique cases. We have learned all the histories of the children and why they are here. For all children here, this is a great place to be, the Albergue really is a place for them to grow up healthy and thrive. There are two classes of children here, ones that have been abandoned and are up for adoption, and others who are here for protection (meaning their families could not provide for them, but hope to in the future).

This is a family we have become very close with while being here. Alex is a manager at the Alburgue. He has two adorable daughters, Adriana and Barbara, and one baby on the way. His wife's name is Nancy. I (A) have been able to spend a lot of time working with Alex. He is an amazing man that I definitely look up to. He calls me "Hermano Gringo," White Brother, we have a lot of fun.

It is extremely hot here in Peru and the kids find every opportunity to cool off. The boys decided it was their job to make sure everyone was nice and cool. Here they are taking Yuli (against her will) to get soaked.

Since then, Yuli has returned to her family and is no longer here. Sometimes this is a great thing, and other times it is hard to say. Yuli's mother abused her and strangled her before she was brought to the Alburgue. Please pray that this reunion will be a happy one.

No one escaped, here they are holding Maria under. From left to right: Josue, Isiais, Maria, Arnold, Jesus.
This is Jesus, nicknamed Chito. He is one of our favorites. Every time we see him he yells out Tio/Tia!, giggles and runs/dances in place. It is too cute. When we say, "Rico" (tasty/yummy) he shouts, "Rico Leche!" (Yummy milk) in the cutest little boy voice. The kids love rolling this tire around the alburgue as fast as they can and have become quite good at making sharp turns. Kris spends every morning with him while teaching the preschool class.

Maria is a very special young lady. She is smart, funny, always willing to help, and has taken on the role of big sister, as she is one of the oldest here. She is one of Kristen's apoyos (helpers) in the mornings with the little ones. Maria really shines as a helper. Her smile lights up a room. In this picture, the boys decided she needed to get wet and enjoy cooling off in the summer heat.

Arnold and Abel, boys will be boys! It was very touching for me (K) to see the boys play a "cops and robbers" game. It reminded me that we are all created the same, no matter what country we are in. A tear comes with laughter and sadness, a child giggles with joy and finds excitement in a bug, couples get butterflies in their tummies, laughter becomes a contagious thing, we laugh, we cry, and we love. On both sides of the equator, people are people, our cultures are what make us different. We are in a third world country, and I do not see our culture as better, simply different.
Here is Carolina playing on the swings. She is also a very special girl. She is very smart and likes to surprise us with her knowledge of English words. We asked her, "Como se dice?" and pointed to her dress. She told us in Spanish, then put her hands on her hips and said (in perfect English), "Dress!" She is very smart, fun and has a great personality. Unfortunately she was abandoned, adopted, then abandoned again. The woman that adopted her beat her and was very cruel. She is up for adoption, and we pray she finds her "forever family" that will let her know she is beautiful, desired, and loved.

Time to cool off again! This is a treat at the Alburgue. This fountain is very large and the kids have a blast... and so do we. It beats running through sprinklers.
Arnold is absolutely adorable, we love him. He is a newer member here. He is very sweet, funny, loving, and helpful. No one knows when he was born, but he is about 7 years old. His mother and uncle are deaf and mute. He has never met his father and has never had schooling. While his mother was begging on the streets, Arnold took care of his siblings. He was abused by his uncle. He cannot read or write, but is so eager to learn. I (K) teach English class and can always see his desire to learn, as he is quiet and bright-eyed in class. He is a very happy boy, whether he is contently sitting next to you staring with a grin, or trying to tackle you. Arnold is up for adoption.
This is Piero and Carolina playing in the fountain. Piero is a very cool kid. He is 7 years old and is very intelligent and funny. He can read very well and spell some though words. He is always ready and excited for English class. He comes 15 minutes early, then doesn't pay attention, yet still learns the words! He is very caring and loving. I (K) was very sick from food poisoning last week, which left me in bed all day. I never came out. At about 7pm there was a knock on our door. There stood 6 boys and Yulissa, the mother. They where in their house praying for me and Piero wanted to come pray with me. So they all made me a get well card and came to visit. After giving me the card Piero asked if he could pray for me. It was very moving as this little 7 year old prayed for me in his language, and so cute. How could I not feel better after that?
More fun in the sun, playing in the fountain.

We hope you all are enjoying our stories and pictures. Thank you for the comments, they make us smile. If you know anyone interested in adopting, or having children, please let them know about these little ones. They are all so amazing and the Alburgue is helping them grow into very responsible, educated, fun, passionate, and healthy children. They may have had difficult pasts, but it is exciting to witness the beginning of their healthy future. If you are interested in helping this mission, there are many ways, but most of all, please help us in finding their loving families.

January Birthdays

We have been having a great time with the kids at the Alburgue. There are so many stories to be told, I can hardly tell them all on the blog. We are approaching one month since arriving to the Alburgue, which has hardly been enough time to get to know everyone. Just recently we went on our first solo outing. We are always with a Peruvian when we go to town, but this Sunday we felt confident to venture out on our own. We went to Huanchaco, a very popular beach town known for surfing. We were able to count money, order from a menu, navigate our way through the town, shop, know what buses to take, where to get off, and communicate. It was a lot of fun, and very rewarding. In church Adam was able to understand the sermon and was very excited. We are happy to still have two months so we can really get to understand and speak Spanish.

At the end of the month we celebrated all January birthdays, a tradition started by Janie Helm, who also volunteered at the Alburgue. It was so much fun and so rewarding to take the kids into town to celebrate. First we went to Rockies (a nice restaurant with a play area), then we went to the center of the city and rode in a train. They absolutely loved it and their faces glowed all night.















Adam and the birthday boys. From left to right: Abel, Kevin, Adam, Italo, and Edwin. On our way to Rockies to celebrate!





















Abel turned 5 years old. He is always ready to help out and play. He cannot form many words or communicate well, but the Alburgue is a great place for him to grow and thrive. We also celebrated his brother's birthday, Italo.















Kevin is 13 years old. He has spent most of his life growing up at the Alburgue. His parents tried to drown him, and then left him in a bus, where he was then brought to the orphanage. He is very affectionate, eager to help, loves to play, but is somewhat timid. This is the largest expression I have seen on his face since we got here. He is a very happy kid, but seldom shows it on his face.















From left to right: Yulissa, Italo, Edwin, Abel, Kevin, Adam. Yulissa is a madre, "mother", for the kids.

Italo, 8 years old, is Abel's older brother. Italo has a very sad past. His mother is a prostitute and would dig a hole in the ground and place Italo in it while she was away. She would cover him up with dirt, to keep him safe. He is very affectionate, playful, and always helpful. He has trouble communicating, but with one on one attention he will surely thrive.

Edwin, 5 years old, was born with microcephalia. His father died and his mother is an alcoholic and could not care for her children. He is very loving and enjoys being the center of attention. He also has troubles communicating and pronouncing words, but has been doing better with one on one work and practice. He has quite a temper sometimes, but also lights up a room when he does something he is proud of. He is very determined in his work and play.















Abel and I on the train that circles the center of the city. They loved it. Adam bought them glowing necklaces that they thought were just too cool!

All of the children on this post are up for adoption. It is sad to know the past of these children, but it is exciting and a blessing to be apart of their future. It is wonderful to see them grow in a healthy and protected environment. Please keep these little ones in your prayers that they will find their "forever families."

Tour of Hogar de Esperanza

Welcome to Hogar de Esperanza! Here are some pictures to show you where we will be until April. It really is great here and the accommodations very comfortable. We have been here for Three weeks and our room definitely feels like home. Our room is very large, clean, and colorful. There are three main buildings for the orphanage; two buildings for the children, divided into four houses (two boys and two girls homes), and then the main building, which holds the apartments, kitchen, laundry room, offices, chapel, and class rooms. There is a very nice playground and many lawns to play soccer on. Also, there are gardens and fields where they grow numerous types of vegetables. On the East side of the Alburgue are the sand dunes and mountains, and no more than a half a mile West is the ocean.

The West side of the main building. The class rooms are the doors on the bottom floor, and the apartments are the second floor. Our room is the window on the far right.

This picture was taken looking East. The Alburgue rests at the base of the sand dunes. The two white buildings are the homes for the children.

This is also an East-facing view, showing the playground, small garden, and part of the second floor. This picture was taken from the roof, it is a beautiful place!

Our bedroom is simple but very comfortable, with plenty of closet space and some beautiful Peruvian artwork.
Here is where we spend much of our time (the food is great, but it goes straight through you!). I can't help but think of my friend Andrea everyday because there are penguins on our shower curtain:)
Our living room is also very nice and spacious, and yes, those are fresh mangos on the table!!! I eat at least one a day!

We are both on the roof, where we like to spend time watching the sunset over the ocean. The sunsets are always so wonderful here. Look at how dark we are!