Parties.

Well for those who don’t know. For a while I’ve been wanting to give the girls a Princess party and since I would give the girls one I would have to give the boys one also because I would want to and it’s not fair for some to have one and not all. So the planning had begun several weeks ago. It all started when I started ordered the “My Princess” boo for the girls. I wanted to do something special for them. -honda gave me the reins on this one, and we got Jorge’s permission, so I did the planning. It all came together really well. For the girls we started around 6:30 with a devotion and a story. 7:00 we started decorating the sugar cookies I made for that night. 7:30 we started a craft, all the girls got a crown and got to decorate it in their own way. Then at 8:00 we started a movie, “The little Princess”. And then it was bed time right after the movie. They did get to enjoy popcorn and soda during the movie. We all had a blast; really you can tell by the look on their faces in the pictures. The devotion was great. I had a great helper (Rhonda) I kind of gave her a little outline for the devotion and she took off with it. She did amazing. The devotion was: You take a high dollar bill and you ask if the kids want it. Well of course EVERYONE wants it, then you take it and you smash it, fold it, step on it, wipe your snot on it (funny moment) and almost anything else you want to do with it. After you do several things to the dollar you ask who still wants it. Once again EVERYONE still wants it. Well you then take it from there and turn it into a great object lesson. You know no matter what you do, where you came from, what happened in your life, no matter the mistakes you’ve made or anything else, God still wants us. We can have as few as one problem to a thousand problems in our life and God will still want us. No matter what. Rhonda might have said more but it was in Spanish so I didn't understand every word.

For the boy’s party it was pretty much the same. The boys didn’t get a crown but they still had fun. They had caramel and normal popcorn. (; It was the funniest thing, the boys were more interested in the book then the girls. Cristian, Jorge’s son and someone I asked to help out with the boys, said that the boys wouldn’t like the story so I was a little nervous about it. But they all liked it! It made me so happy. Another thing, the night of the boy’s party which was the night after the girls it was POURING rain, well Rhonda told the older boys that if they didn’t want to come then they didn’t have to. Well the oldest boy is 17 and when I heard his voice outside the door it made me so excited! They wanted to come, all of the boys were here, expect for the one that had left for the week, all the boys sat down and listened to the story and devotion, decorated cookies, and watched the movie. Their movie was “The Passion of the Christ”, which wasn’t a movie that I would have picked for a party but Jorge picked it so we watched it. Most of the older boys wanted to watch it though, so it worked out well, plus it was the Easter holiday. Most of the younger kids couldn’t read so Junior, the oldest, read the subtitles to the younger ones, it was so sweet! The boys had a blast! They all thanked Rhonda and I multiple times. My heart just swelled up so much with love. They are amazing kids, always grateful and always willing to help out with anything they can.

The parties were a HUGE success and I’m so looking forward to the next ones with them. I can’t wait.

One thing I wanted to share with you is something one of the older girls said to Rhonda and I during the devotion. Rhonda was talking about how everyone in life has had some heart-break, some pain in life, you know we’ve all had hard times. Rhonda had just got done saying that everyone in the room has had some heart-ache and pain in life, when Esther, one of our 10 year olds, said “Everyone expect you and Nicole.” Rhonda asked her what she meant and she said “Everyone in the United States hasn’t ever gone through a hard time nor had pain in their life.” I didn’t understand some of the devotion, but I understood what she was saying then and it broke my heart. She thinks that Rhonda and I have never had hard times, and I know for a fact that we’ve have both gone through a lot in life. I just shook my head no, and I said I have had so many hard times in life. Rhonda I know explained this to her well so I’m not worried, but it blew my mind to think they, these kids, these people think that we’ve never gone through hard times in our life just because we’re from the United States. It’s heart-breaking to me.

Another thing with the girls was, after the movie and when we were getting then ready for bed, Rhonda asked if they had a good time and if they liked the movie. They said yes. But some of them also said that the movie made them want a family. Well Rhonda said we are their family, and they said “No, we want our real family.” So it was a little note to self as to not watch that movie for the next parties. But that too is heart-breaking. These kids are very thankful for this place and they know that this is their home. They all call Rosa and Jorge “Mommy, y Papi.” They know that this is their family but still who wouldn’t want their real family. All these kids have gone through so much in their life. I’ve read their stories, and I know that even half of the things the kids went through I don’t know about because it’s not in their files. Can you imagine, being 7 years old and taking care of three sisters the ages of 7, 4, and 3, all because their mother wasn’t taking the proper care for them. And also being one years old almost drowning, be given back to the mother, then at age 2 be found by police, tied by the hand naked to the national futbol (soccer) stadium, be given back to the mother, then have the police pick you off the street and finally take you away from your mother. This kids all have a story, and each story will grab your heart. And make you start wondering, why these precious kids? Why any kids? Why couldn’t the parents take care of them the way their supposed to? And for those that can take care of their kids and just won’t? It makes me so upset because they won’t take the responsibility for them. But being here in Didasko is helping all the kids; they all are growing up to be great Godly kids. They are always thankful for everything God has given them and they are just sweet loving kids who are getting the proper care for them. One of the sad things is that some of these kids have brothers and sisters who aren’t in Didasko but who are still on the streets. It’s all mind-blowing. I could go on and on…

One day soon, I’ll post a few things about each kid. Some of these kids need sponsors, so if you’re interest let me know. More info to come.

But I hope you enjoy. Thank you all for your prayers and financial support. I appreciate everything. Blessings. Until Next Time.