Hola mi amigos and mi familia.
Como estas? Estoy muy bien. Estoy aprendiendo much espanol.
I have been bale to see a huge difference in my knowledge of Spanish from last
year to this year. I am able to understand a lot of what the people here are
saying than I am speaking. I am able to speak more this year, but its still a
huge work in progress. I have a long way
to go until where I would love to be. I had the plans to have a translator, but
the plans have changed about 2 weeks into my stay and I am now on my own. I
think not having a translator has helped me because I am forced to speak in
Spanish more and I am forced to listen/learn what the people are saying to me.
I fully believe that full immersion is the only way you will ever learn a
language. I think I am getting about 75% full immersion right now.
So I last wrote on May 21. Today is June 2. It’s about 10pm at night so it’s really almost June 3. This past week a friend whom I met here last year came to visit with her sister and two friends. Bailey, my good friend, had the awesome idea of coming for a week with her two friends and sister and doing an appreciation dinner for the Tias. If you are not familiar with Spanish the word “tia”means aunt. But here the tia’s are the ladies who run each casita of kids. Each casita has 2 tia’s except for the teenage boys and girls have 1 tia. These women cook, clean, care, love, teach, laugh, and spend time with these children. These women are Godly women who give up living with some of their own families to come and serve the Lord here. They are amazing, hard-working women who don’t get enough credit or appreciation as they deserve. So Bailey, Morgan, Hannah, and Gigi came this week to have a dinner and special night for these special women. The kids helped throughout the week to get ready for the dinner and to make bags and special letters for each tia. Last night, Saturday, was the dinner. Six boys from casita 2, teenage boys casita, served the tia’s to a special dinner. The tia’s really enjoyed their time. I have lots of photos that I can’t wait to share.
Today was Lupe’s Cumpleanos! She turned 11 years old. I can’t believe that when I met her she was 8 yeas old. I have been so blessed to be with her on her 10th and 11th birthday. Thank you Lord! She is growing up. I kept asking her throughout the week how old she would be. She responded most of the time with a blank stare. Some of the kids here don’t know how old they are or what their birthday is. I kept quizzing her because it’s so important to know that. I asked her again tonight and she responded with “once anos”. I was proud. Haha Today we had a beautiful church service. It was Pastor Abner and Alisson’s 1 year anniversary of being at the home. I remember when they arrived last year. I was one of the first visitors that they met. It was a pleasure and blessing to welcome them here. We celebrated the Lord’s supper. It was beautiful and a great reminder about why I am here. After church we had lunch and then I went to the Valley with Daniela and Abner to drop off Tia Gina. She had to go to Teguc today. We had fun conversations. When we returned to the home there was a visiting BMDMI team here. They were from Alabama. I met several people from Birmingham. I even met a man who graduated from Jordan High School and a lady who use to live in Fultondale. Crazy!! After the team left we took Casita 6 swimming. They are the girls from 10-12. They are a fun group of girls. This is Lupe’s casita. She has wanted to go swimming for her birthday and it was good weather this afternoon so we took advantage of it. A few weeks ago I taught the “color game” to the girls. I changed it up a little and started to do children that live in the home. They loved it. I kept having girls jump in my arms saying “colur y nombre jugar”. Hahaha I could play this game all day with these girls. It’s always the small things. After we went swimming we had dinner and then went to casita 6 to make a cake for Lupe & Maria’s birthday. Maria will be 13 on Wednesday. We decided to have the cake Monday after school because it was too late to be eating cake. I didn’t want the girls to be jumping off the walls, literally, at bed time.
It has been a great week here visiting with Bailey and getting to know Morgan, her sister, Hannah and Gigi. They are awesome girls. I will have to make a trip to Mississippi soon! I am sad to see this week end because Bailey and Morgan will be leaving. Hannah and Gigi will be here another week so it will be good to have them here. This next weekend Kristen Garrett, a good friend I met here last year, will be coming to stay for a few days. I am very excited to see her again too. Something so amazing about this place and BMDMI trips is that you meet so many new people and you create great friendships. I have met so many new friends through this journey in my life. Last year I met a lady who is most likely me in about 15 years! She is a joy to be around or to talk to over the phone when you need a laugh or some encouragement. Bailey has been one of the biggest encouragers to me through this past year. I don’t know how I have lived 20 years without her! She is amazing and a true blessing from the Lord. The list could go on and on about all the amazing people I have met through BMDMI and this children’s home. It’s been a true blessing.
So I last wrote on May 21. Today is June 2. It’s about 10pm at night so it’s really almost June 3. This past week a friend whom I met here last year came to visit with her sister and two friends. Bailey, my good friend, had the awesome idea of coming for a week with her two friends and sister and doing an appreciation dinner for the Tias. If you are not familiar with Spanish the word “tia”means aunt. But here the tia’s are the ladies who run each casita of kids. Each casita has 2 tia’s except for the teenage boys and girls have 1 tia. These women cook, clean, care, love, teach, laugh, and spend time with these children. These women are Godly women who give up living with some of their own families to come and serve the Lord here. They are amazing, hard-working women who don’t get enough credit or appreciation as they deserve. So Bailey, Morgan, Hannah, and Gigi came this week to have a dinner and special night for these special women. The kids helped throughout the week to get ready for the dinner and to make bags and special letters for each tia. Last night, Saturday, was the dinner. Six boys from casita 2, teenage boys casita, served the tia’s to a special dinner. The tia’s really enjoyed their time. I have lots of photos that I can’t wait to share.
Today was Lupe’s Cumpleanos! She turned 11 years old. I can’t believe that when I met her she was 8 yeas old. I have been so blessed to be with her on her 10th and 11th birthday. Thank you Lord! She is growing up. I kept asking her throughout the week how old she would be. She responded most of the time with a blank stare. Some of the kids here don’t know how old they are or what their birthday is. I kept quizzing her because it’s so important to know that. I asked her again tonight and she responded with “once anos”. I was proud. Haha Today we had a beautiful church service. It was Pastor Abner and Alisson’s 1 year anniversary of being at the home. I remember when they arrived last year. I was one of the first visitors that they met. It was a pleasure and blessing to welcome them here. We celebrated the Lord’s supper. It was beautiful and a great reminder about why I am here. After church we had lunch and then I went to the Valley with Daniela and Abner to drop off Tia Gina. She had to go to Teguc today. We had fun conversations. When we returned to the home there was a visiting BMDMI team here. They were from Alabama. I met several people from Birmingham. I even met a man who graduated from Jordan High School and a lady who use to live in Fultondale. Crazy!! After the team left we took Casita 6 swimming. They are the girls from 10-12. They are a fun group of girls. This is Lupe’s casita. She has wanted to go swimming for her birthday and it was good weather this afternoon so we took advantage of it. A few weeks ago I taught the “color game” to the girls. I changed it up a little and started to do children that live in the home. They loved it. I kept having girls jump in my arms saying “colur y nombre jugar”. Hahaha I could play this game all day with these girls. It’s always the small things. After we went swimming we had dinner and then went to casita 6 to make a cake for Lupe & Maria’s birthday. Maria will be 13 on Wednesday. We decided to have the cake Monday after school because it was too late to be eating cake. I didn’t want the girls to be jumping off the walls, literally, at bed time.
It has been a great week here visiting with Bailey and getting to know Morgan, her sister, Hannah and Gigi. They are awesome girls. I will have to make a trip to Mississippi soon! I am sad to see this week end because Bailey and Morgan will be leaving. Hannah and Gigi will be here another week so it will be good to have them here. This next weekend Kristen Garrett, a good friend I met here last year, will be coming to stay for a few days. I am very excited to see her again too. Something so amazing about this place and BMDMI trips is that you meet so many new people and you create great friendships. I have met so many new friends through this journey in my life. Last year I met a lady who is most likely me in about 15 years! She is a joy to be around or to talk to over the phone when you need a laugh or some encouragement. Bailey has been one of the biggest encouragers to me through this past year. I don’t know how I have lived 20 years without her! She is amazing and a true blessing from the Lord. The list could go on and on about all the amazing people I have met through BMDMI and this children’s home. It’s been a true blessing.
Speaking
of meeting amazing people, I met a lady who is from the Getwell team a few
weeks ago. She came to visit Daniela and see how the process of getting her to
the states for college is going. She is a genially Godly woman. Her faith is so
strong and a huge encouragement. She sent me a book back with Bailey for me. It
is called Reckless Faith. If you know anything about me its probably that I
never read. It’s just not my forte. But I have almost finished the book in one
week! This book is about a lady and her husband and their reckless faith in the
Lord. It’s more like a journal entry type read, but its is amazing. It is by
Beth Guckenberger. I am learning so much through this book. The Lord is
teaching me a lot about having that child-like faith and reckless faith in the
Lord. I encourage you all to read this book.
I hope
you all are doing well. I really do miss you all. I am having an amazing time,
though. Haha I am going to be one sad girl when I leave, but I am not thinking
about that day. I am enjoying every day like it’s my last. These children bring
true joy in my life. I have never been happier at where I am in. I am looking
forward to the day I am able to move here and teach! God is the author of my
story and I am waiting recklessly for his voice to guide me to the next stage
of life. Ever since I turned 21 I feel so much stronger in making big girl
decisions about life. I know that sounds silly, but its true. It could also
have something to do with me being here. Haha I ask you would all continue to
pray with me about my future and my time while I am here. God is working and
moving. Please pray for a few specific things. First, pray for more babies.
Trisha and Kelly have accepted several different young ones and they are just
waiting on the court and INFA to allow the children to come here. It’s been
difficult lately for some reason. Secondly, pray for my friend, Lester. He is a
young man who left the home in March because he is 18. He is currently living
with a tia who works at the home during to day. She has become like his mom
because he doesn’t have family. He is in major need of work. Please lift up
some powerful prayers for work to be delivered to him. Pray also that it would
be encouragement to his faith in the Lord. Also please pray for his walk with
the Lord. Thirdly, please pray for the missionaries here. Trisha and Kelly
Lawrence, Kevin and Julie McKenzie, Larry and Karol Morris, Mike and Marty
Edwards, and Abner and Alisson Mejia are the missionaries that are specifically
involved in this home. Please lift up prayers for each family. These people are
all amazing Godly men and women who need encouragement. This job is a blessing,
but can be very difficult sometimes. Thank you all for the prayers. I love you
all so much. God bless!
Hayley
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