Smiles, Sunshine...and Snowflakes!

Hi everyone! Happy Second Week of Advent! It´s hard to believe that Christmas is almost upon us – oh, that we would open our hearts more and more to receive the love that the Christ child brings! And you´ll never believe it, but snow has come to Ecuador this December! Alright, perhaps not REAL snow (we did have some of the Ecuadorian missionaries fooled for a bit) but in the form of hand-cut paper snowflakes, cotton balls hung with thread and tinsel that looks like icicles! The other volunteers and I were missing the snow, so we decided to make our own snow globe up on our porch. We even found some twinkling lights to put on the rails, and it´s quite lovely! Our ¨winter wonderland¨with an ocean-side view!!!

Thank you all for your prayers this past week regarding Moises and Josue. It´s with great joy that I tell you Moises returned! Praise God! He is most definitely rejoicing in the finding of this lost little lamb, as am I. Truly, I think Sunday was one of the hardest days of my life as I waiting anxiously and worried as a mother would. Some of you may wonder why a child would leave the Santuario if it´s such a good foundation. I had wondered the same thing. But although the Santuario is a beautiful and loving place…nothing can substitute for a real home, with loving parents. Nothing. At the same time, we maintain hope that in loving these children with God´s love, they may choose another path than that of their parents…so that another generation of children may be spared of suffering. Please continue to pray that Josue will return, and for his safety while we await.

This past week passed by quickly...it was a blessing to spend a lot of time with my father, and for him to know this place that I will call home for the next year. The missionaries and the children alike were delighted to have their very own electrician for the week – Don Gregorio! (Mr. Greg!) During the first few days he was here, my dad re-wired two of the houses, one of which is where the little girls live and the other is the volunteer house – which had already been without light for several days before we came. I can only imagine that we would have been without electricity for a month or so more if my dad hadn´t been here! Most of our other projects consisted of changing light sockets, light bulbs and light switches. I have never seen boys so excited to change lightbulbs! They followed my dad around the house, helping him to turn off the breakers so he
wouldn´t get electrocuted! Moises was especially observant, and the day after I left, I found that he had wired up an old chandelier with four light bulbs AND an outlet for his room! haha. I think we have a little ¨electrician in training¨ on our hands.

Believe it or not, they´re all teetering on the steps of the ladder, while Kevin is putting in the light bulb up top!

But it was also beautiful to see my dad win the hearts of the children. Although he didn´t have a lot of time to learn Spanish, my dad leapt across language barriers with his easy-going nature, his tenderness and…his ¨break dancing¨ moves. It´s true, my dad had wired up a stereo for one of the 15 year old boys, Angel, and all the little boys would crowd into this one room to watch my dad ¨break dance¨ as they called it. My dad especially won the heart of Angel, who is pretty reserved. He keeps telling me that when ¨Don Gregorio¨ returns, he wants my dad to take him back to the States to live with ¨Don Gregorio¨. Some of you may remember my stories of Pedro Manuel, who was chained to a tree for most of his early life and can´t really say but a few words. He quickly clung to my father´s hand, calling him ¨Papa!¨ with a great big smile on his precious face. Yes, my father will be greatly missed here at the Santuario…by the children, missionaries and especially his ´hija´ (daughter).

Pedro Manuel´s piggy-back ride with his new ¨papa¨!

While it was hard to say farewell to my dad at the airport this past weekend, it was nonetheless a comfort that I was not getting on the plane as well. I need to be here for a long time, and I can´t imagine having had only the past two weeks and saying goodbye again. No, my heart is here…especially now with the lingering days until the children leave in January.

Mi papi and I ¨en camino¨ - walking back from Olon

Well, I must be off…there´s much love to be given and the kids are waiting for me to teach them more of the High School Musical dance that they´re obsessed with! haha. Small things with great love. Take care and please keep in touch…God Bless!