Stories From Peru

Sometimes....

2012-01-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

Well we have been parents for 5 and ½ weeks. It has been quite a time. It would be impossible to fully describe the first month. It would be impossible to even fully describe a day. So I will just share what happens sometimes…… and how it makes me feel…

Sometimes the kids misbehave, lie, throw fits, scream, slam doors, hit, bite and kick.

Sometimes we punish them and it seems too harsh. Sometimes we punish them and it doesn’t seem like enough to get the point across. Sometimes we don’t punish them and try to teach the Grace of God…

Sometimes I lose my patience. Sometimes I don’t give them that 10^th hug of the day they want cause I am too busy serving lunch. Sometimes instead of using the teachable moments or just playing with them, I am just lazy. Sometimes I feel like I fail.

Sometimes they are so funny. They say the most ridiculous things. They do the most ridculous things. Sometimes they make me laugh so hard.

Sometimes they have questions that I don’t know how to answer. What is the wind, why their mother didn’t come this week, and If I am their mom now. How am I supposed to respond?

Sometimes they tell stories… about their mother not wanting to see them anymore, when the truth is their mother died, and they just don’t understand what that means… Sometimes they tell about their mother saying she isn’t going to come visit, and isn’t going to be their mom anymore, like that is normal. Sometimes they break my heart. Sometimes I cry.

Sometimes I have no clue how to react to the kids or what to do with them. Sometimes I feel lost.

Sometimes, I want to throw a pity party for myself about how hard it is. I want to write home to complain about the hours, the stress, the lack of money, the exhaustion and all the pee I have to deal with. Sometimes I lose my focus, and this becomes a job.

Sometimes I am overwhelmed. I clean something… and in less than an hour it is already dirty again. Sometimes I do more laundry than I knew to be humanly possible. Sometimes I feel like all I really am is a maid. Sometimes I hate it.

Sometimes, I slip away “to hang laundry”, put my headphones in, and find my re-focus. I find my 5 minutes to worship my Father. Sometimes I hide, all by myself, amidst the drying sheets and blankets, and thank Him for His love, mercy, grace, strength, patience, and faithfulness as he parents me. Sometimes I am deeply grateful to get to go hang laundry.

Sometimes I love my boys so much I am not sure I’ll ever be able to leave them.

Sometimes I think that If I can’t find five minutes alone my head is going to explode.

Sometimes I look at them and see the effects of their parents’ poor choices. Sometimes I see their scars, their flat heads… I see how small and short they are. Sometimes I get angry. Angry at “parents” who didn’t/don’t value my treasures. Angry at “parents” that still lie and emotional damage my boys. Angry at “parents” who are selfish and immature.

Sometimes they truly feel like my sons. Sometimes they ask for another hug and kiss good night.. Sometimes they ask me to sleep in their bed with them. Sometimes they yell “Buenas Noches, Papa. Buenas Noches, Mama” and I suddenly don’t want it to be bedtime anymore just so I can spend more time with them.

Sometimes they come running to hug me from across the field. Sometimes they come and hug me, just cause they want to hug me. Sometimes they overwhelm me with their love for me.

Sometimes I am grateful for this opportunity. Grateful to get to love and be loved by these boys. Grateful to teach and learn from these boys. Grateful they’re in my life. Grateful they are my boys.

Always, I am blessed by each and every one of them, by my amazing husband, and by the God I serve.

Prayer Requests:

Jose Luis: Pray for his future and the possibilities of getting a forever family.

Alejandro: He has been throwing a lot of fits lately. Pray for wisdom and patience for Oscar and I as we deal with him, and that his anger will diminish.

Jhon: He can be extremely shy in large groups. He will be starting school this March. Pray for this transition.

Jorge: He can be quite a tattletale, and indian giver. Pray he learns to be a friend.

Pedro and Pablo: Their father is not in a healthy state, and when he visits it causes more pain than joy. Pray for protection.

Juan: Pray for peace in his heart and life as he fights the demons of his past.

Paul: He will possibly be returning home to his mother. Pray God works His will in his life. It has also been a huge struggle for him adjusting to having a male authority in the house.

Edwin: Pray for a forever family for him. He has been waiting so long.

We're going to be PARENTS!!!

2011-10-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

That's right! Oscar and I are going to be Mom and Dad....

to 9 little boys at the orphanage Hogar de Esperanza.

(so... no, we're not pregnant and no, we're not adopting.... yet.)

Starting mid November we will take over as live in care-givers for la casita "Los Tesoros de Dios" (the Treasures of God). We are SO EXCITED about this opportunity to Love and guide the boys. This casita has 9 boys all 9 yrs old and under. We will live with the boys 6 days a week, and be responsible for them - education, cleanliness, spiritual growth and emotional needs. The task at hand is quite large, and a bit daunting, but we know that God has a plan and a purpose to work out both in the lives of the boys through us, as well as in us through these boys.

Each of these sweet treasures has his own story... which hopefully further down the road I will become a more faithful blogger and share parts of them with you. But for now enjoy the following pictures of our soon to be kiddos...

Edwin - 9 yrs old

Paul - 8 yrs old

Juan - 8 yrs old (with Oscar)

Jorge - 6 yrs old

Pablo and Pedro - 6 yr old twins

Jhon - 3 yrs old

Alejandro - 3 yrs old

Jose Luis - 3 yrs old

We know this is going to be a challenging (and exhausting) adventure, but we feel confident in God's will leading us here at this time. Prayer will be VERY needed for us over the next few months. Here are a few requests we have:

1. That we would be a light in each of these boys' lives, showing them the Love of God so that they may come to know Him (or know Him better).

2. Strength, Energy, Wisdom and Patience necesary to parent these little boys.

3. For our marriage as we face the new challenges parenting in the albergue will present - lack of privacy and liberty, added responsibility... and the ever present cultural differences.

4. For each one of these boys as they adjust to this new transition. They've been with the same madre for 4 years, so this will be a big change. And for the salvation of each and every one of them.

We are so grateful for your support and prayer during this time.

Oscar y Samantha Alday

Updates from the Aldays

2011-10-21T21:58:00.000-07:00

It has been a LONG time since I have blogged. Years
actually.

I will make no promise to improve on this… but I have some
information to share, and this seemed the most effective way to do so….

First the basics:

Oscar and I are well. After the honeymoon travelling we
spent time in Chiclayo with Oscar’s family. We’ve also spent time in the orphanage.
We helped plan their 10^th anniversary celebration. Now we are back
in Chiclayo until the end the month. Then we are going to the JUNGLE! with a
few of the volunteers from the orphanage. (3 years later and I finally get to
go to the jungle!)

Oscar, Heydi, Marita and I after going out to church and lunch together on Sunday at the albergue.

Now the real reason for the blog:

The Visa. As many of you know our plan was to have a
religious wedding ceremony in Peru and then return to the states together with
a fiancé visa and have our legal ceremony.

That is not what is going to happen. The story of why’s and
how’s are long and difficult. So for now. On this blog. We’ll leave it at that.
The plan is cancelled. Someday we’ll get together for coffee and I’ll tell you
the whole story. But not today. Not here.

Oscar and I will be attempting to get a temporary husband’s
visa for him soon. But the ugly truth is we haven’t been able to start the
process yet, and once we start it, it will still take 6 months. There are lots
of hoops we have to jump through before we can start the process… So Oscar and
I won’t be in the US until June 2012… at the earliest… and that is probably being
optimistic.

This reality has not been the easiest for me to accept. I
wanted a wedding that I got to plan and pick things for. I wanted you all to
meet my husband. But I walk in faith knowing God has a plan I don’t yet
understand. If we are in Peru for now it is because He has something to accomplish
in and through us here. (More on that in the next blog – I will promise you one
more… but just one. And it is more exciting than this one!)

Anna in Peru

2009-05-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

My sister, Anna, came back to Peru with me when I returned. It was so much fun to have her here for a week. I have to be honest and say, I was a little nervous, we tend to argue like sisters a lot, but we had a wonderful week without a single fight.

She tried lots of new foods - which I am very proud of her for.

We took a day trip with my friends and the volunteers to a town about 2 hours north of Trujillo called Pacasmayo. It was a blast. One of the most pure fun days I've had here. We played on the bus. Walked along the longest pier ever, that was anything but solid ground. (The boards were so weird and spaced out ... it was like an optical illusion to walk along. Everyone thought they'ed loose their flip flops, but no one would take them off because stepping in fish guts isn't that appealing either. Luckily there were no foot issues... yet...) We swam in the Pacific Ocean. (Anna's first time.) Then they played football on the beach. Then Nikki's toe and Walter's toenail collided... Then we went to the hospital and got Nikki three stitches in the bottom of her toe. Which may sound like a bad part of the day, and granted I wasn't the one in pain, but it still managed to be fun. Nikki's reaction to pain it so laugh. She was sitting on the examining table laughing. And she may be the only person I know who can eat cake while getting stitches done. (That was my third taking time someone to the hospital... all three times have been adventures, but this was definitely the best time - I will spare you the details and simply say that no one else but the current patient's blood was involved - so it was pretty good.) After the hospital we went to dinner. We had a big family mean where every one ate all they wanted off a plate and then passes to the next person. It was delicious. Then we jumped on a bus and headed back to Trujillo. We lucked out and found a mini micro (small bus) that was finishing up for the day... they brought all 9 of us all the way back to Salaverry for a great price - while blasting our favorite cumbia music and flashing the very cool blue interior lights - our very own rolling party mobile.

I am so glad my sister got to come down and meet my friends and family, enjoy the delicious food, have fun and see why I love it so much here. I think instead of asking me when I am coming home again she may start asking when she can come back to Peru again.

Back Home

2009-05-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

I will be the first to admit this particular short coming of mine - I have been a terribly lame blogger - it is true. I know it. I had this whole theory about people, relationships and experiences being more important than my computer... and then a dear friend reminded me that it wasn't just my computer - it was my friends and family back home waiting on news... former volunteers and people associated with the albergue.... and others that had a genuine interest in my life in Peru and the things happening at Hogar de Esperanza that I was choosing to ignore when I made no time to update my blog. Valid point, and with that in mind I will try to do better. So here I am - it is sunny Saturday afternoon blogging time.

I originally came down to my Hogar for August 2008 - April 2009... but lets get serious. This place is too beautiful, the children are too wonderful, the workers are too fantastic, the volunteers are too amazing, and the experiences are too fabulous to leave after such a short time. I have been able to extend my time serving here in Hogar de Esperanza until next March (2010).

I came home to Virginia for a 3 week visit in April. It was a wonderful time of reconnecting with friends, visiting with family, worshiping the Lord in English, and eating a lot of mexican food.

I got to have sleep overs with old friends... and shop with my sister... and eat meals with lots of people who love me... it was a wonderful time.

The three weeks felt like a short time to get to spend with loved ones, but like an eternity to be away from the albergue. Things in the Albergue change so much, every day... nothing is ever the same. While I was gone children left, new workers came, and volunteers came and went. Sarah and Nikki, two of the long term volunteers filled in for me while I was away. I am so grateful to them for all of their efforts while I was at home relaxing. I took them out to dinner as a thanks, but I feels that falls quite short in repaying them for all the extra things they had to do while I was away. They are both quite remarkable women. I am very grateful for them.

I am also grateful to be back. It was sweet to be back in the land I am from, but there is some thing about being in Peru is just perfect for me... so for now, I am quite happy to be Back Home.

It Has Been Too Long

2008-11-17T06:57:00.000-08:00

The end of September and all of October… in one blog. Forgive my lameness for letting two months go by without a blog…
The kids had a week off of school the last week of September. Lindsey and I decided to do something special for them. We did a game day on Thursday. Three legged race, wheelbarrow races, tug-o-war… We had a prize (cookies) for the winners. It was close all the way, but in the end the boys won. The girls wouldn’t speak to us for about 2 hours because we didn’t give them cookies too. It was still fun.
Friday night we had a fiesta for all the girls. We played cranium, ate snacks, sang songs, did facials, and laughed… a lot.
Saturday morning Lindsey and I got up at 5 in the morning and made about 65 pancakes for the boys (and the madres, workers, and ourselves). Even though it was an early wakeup call, it was a blast. The boys really enjoyed the special treat.
Sarita and Hugo have been the parents of one of the casitas for about six years. Sarita left the orphanage this month. Lindsey and I took some “family portraits” for them before they left.
They had a going away party before they left, and they invited us to come. Lindsey and I both had a TON of fun wrestling with the kids, singing songs in spanish, eating yummy food and cake, playing games, and watching Iron Man.
That Sunday Lindsey, Laura and I took Maria out to celebrate her birthday. We let her pick a friend to bring, Yamelit. We went to church, the mall, ate lunch, played in “Happy Land”, saw a movie, then walked around town.
The albergue (orphanage) started a new behavior program. The kids work all month to earn points, and then at the end of the month they get a big reward. For the first reward we all went to the zoo. It was a tiny little zoo but the kids loved seeing all the animals.
That Sunday Lindsey and I took Josué, Abraham, Samir out with us for the day. We went to church, and then ran into Laura and Angela at Wong (the fancy grocery store here). They were out with two of the other boys. Samir decided he would go with them to the park. Lindsey, Josué, Abraham and I ended up walking around town for hours. We ran into one of the soccer player from the national Peru team, but Josué was too scared to ask for his picture. We went to the mall and played hide and go seek. Then we watched the longest parade ever. Ok. Maybe not, but it was really long. It was the International Spring Parade, which is supposed to be a really big deal. I decided I am not a parade person, but the boys were glued to it. They loved it. Lindsey and I had a good time being silly and posing for pictures. (One of the high school boys in one of the bands marching in the parade decided he wanted a picture of the two Americans watching the parade. We smiled nicely as he marched by with his camera phone. ) After the parade, we took the boys to grab some dinner and head home. All in all we were out with them for 12 hours, but it was a fantastic day. I love spending time with both of them.
The Wednesday the 8th of October was a holiday here in Peru. (It celebrated some famous sailor who died in battle with Colombia in the 1600’s or something like that.) The whole albergue – kids, volunteers, workers and their families, everyone – went on a paseo (field trip) to Simbal. I got to drive a 2 seater truck with all the maintenance man’s family… and all the food in the back. It was thrilling. We drove like an hour through the foothills of the Andes. It was so beautiful! The albergue is located in a big pile of sand. There aren’t many trees. It is all just brown. Brown everywhere. It was so refreshing to see the green trees, blue sky, and mountain skyline.
We played a bunch of games and hung out having a good time. It was so enjoyable to see all the workers here in a different environment and with their families. (I saw a scorpion, got about 34 bug bitses, and Angela got bitten by an unidentified insect that cause her foot to swell up to the size of a football for a week. It was definitely an adventure.)
Then we all went swimming! This place was not very clean. The bathrooms were… well let’s just say most the people chose to change clothes in the woods because it was more appealing than the bathroom. The water was unchlorinated. And brown. Yeah. But it was unbelievably fun. Everyone was sufficiently exhausted when we made it home. It was a great holiday, whatever it was celebrating.
There are currently five long term volunteers here right now. We have had a lot of fun times here. We spent a day in Huanchaco hanging out for Page's going away “party”. We also play a lot of games of spoons in our favorite chicken restaurant in Salaverry. Sometimes we all end up in the kitchen making whatever food we are missing the most that week (pancakes in the pictures).
We started a new program for Saturday mornings. The volunteers are taking the kids who do not get visits from their family on Saturday mornings out for a fun time. We took them to the beach (aka crossed the road). They chased crabs and let the water chase them as the waves came crashing in. It was fun until they ran out into the road on the way home. The next week we took them to a park. They had good time swinging, sliding, jump roping, drawing with sidewalk chalk, and throwing the football.
At the end of the month we took the kids from the school on campus and the kinder class to the beach. I am not sure how educational it was, but it was a blast. I took my first swim in the Pacific Ocean… in winter… in all my clothes.
Halloween came and went without too much excitement, but one of the volunteers did find a pumpkin at the mall. She brought it home and we (the kids who were up late in the kitchen) carved it. It was fun because that isn’t a time we normally get to hangout with the kids. I have found I love the unexpected moments of having fun with the kids more than when I try to plan a special time with them.
That was my October. It was full of fun and laughter, trips with kids and chill times with my teammates. It was perfect.

Without Love, I am Nothing.

2008-09-20T22:10:00.001-07:00

If tried to write a blog every time something that melted my hear t or made it feel overwhelmed by joy happened I think I would spend a ridiculous time writing blogs. To say that I love it here is an understatement. I find myself feeling, experiencing, giving, and watching more love than I ever even knew was possible.
The Peruvian workers… and strangers on the street… are so warm, open, and welcoming. I have only been here 3 weeks and already I have been invited to two homes for dinner and one for breakfast, out on the town for a birthday celebration, and to four different churches. I am not the only one. All of the volunteers here have been invited out by many of the people with whom we come in contact. They meet you, and then they invite you to share time with them. It is that simple here.
Along with that, my role here at the orphanage involves a lot of responsibility and interaction with the Spanish only speaking staff here. They have been overwhelmingly gracious with my grammatically wretched Spanish. Their faces while they try to find the meaning to my poorly pronounced garble shows how much work it is for them, but they never seem to get frustrated. They are always willing to repeat things that I just don’t follow and use other words or ways to communicate with me. They have also always been willing to answer my thousand questions. I don’t think I could count all the times I have walked into a room and started a conversation saying “OK. I have a question” (in Spanish of course). They are all so patient. Even now, as I was writing this, the handy man walked by the door to my office, took a step back, stuck his head in, smiled at me, and then went on his way. It is great.
The children. I have not yet written about the children in any of my blogs or updates because I find myself overwhelmed with things I want to share. I want to tell you all the stories of the funny things they do, the adorable things they do, the terrible things they do, and the things they do that show who they really are, but instead – for this blog at least – I will only share a few of the moments when their love has overwhelmed me.

Samir is 9 or 10 I think. He is one of those kids that can be ‘too cool for school’. He was here the last time I was here, and he was too cool then too. He, generally speaking, is not very affectionate, not very clingy. He has recently started holding my hand as I walk him to and from school every day. Lots of the kids like to hold the volunteers’ hands, but he has never been one of them. I have to get up like 40 minutes early to walk the kids to school in the morning, but when he holds my hand as we walk it makes it totally worth it. (He hates to have his picture taken, so this is the only one I have of him)

Yen is 4 years old. He is adorable. He is literally adorableness in human form. Sometimes when we are walking towards each other he will throw his arms out to the side (I will then do the same), then he runs toward me and throws himself into my arms. It is the best moment – every time.

Jhonathon is a total punk. He is a really tough kid. (He has a really rough background.) He can be pretty mean and disrespectful. He is usually pretty mean and disrespectful. But sometimes when I hug him and hold him in my arms I feel his guard come down. I feel him change into the sweet, broken little boy he is underneath his shell, and I wish I could just hold him forever. Of course, sometimes he won’t let me hug him at all, cause he is a punk. Ok. I could go on about this for forever, but I won’t.

An update on things I have gotten to do lately –
Eating in the street. So I went to the bead store with one of the workers here (cause there is a special one I go to get a discount, and I can’t find it on my own yet). After we had gotten all the beads we walked down the street and ate soup at a table – set up in the street. Not a street that was closed – there were taxis flying down the street less than a foot behind me.

Covering houses. I spent one 24 hour period as the mother of nine little boys. It was exhausting. Most of the day was fine because I had smaller groups of them, as the others were in school, but the evening was a little hectic. I also spent 48 hours in a house of girls. That was much easier - much calmer. It was still exhausting though. Both times were good because I got to form deeper relationships with the kids. I let them do things like play hide and seek inside and play twister. Things their madres would probably not be happy with me for… don’t tell them.

Hide and Seek with the Boys!

Twister with the girls! (and Danny)

Lunch with Macgyver. The handy man here is the Peruvian version of Macgyver. Seriously, he can fix anything and is the most resourceful man in the world. He invited all of the volunteers (all 6 of us) to his house for lunch with his family last Sunday (or maybe the Sunday before). Then we all piled in the van and headed to the beach. It was a really fun time.

Banquet on the roof. Many of the girls (and two of the boys) got all dressed up and went to a banquet at a youth group here in town. We decided that, with all the girls who couldn’t go, we would have our own banquet. Lindsey and I set tables up on the roof, got some soda and cookies, cut up some fruit, and brought all the girls up for a candle lit banquet. Of course, it was really windy so the candles wouldn’t light and the girls were all cold and wore our sweatshirts, but we all had a blast hanging out together.

This coming week the kids have vacation (well most of the kids do). We have lots of activities and fun things planned for this week (Game Day, Pajama Party, and Movie Times). We also have three new volunteers coming for a couple days. It should be a pretty fun filled exciting week!

Good Times!

2008-09-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

Two weeks later I am finally blogging. The internet has been a bit inconsistent, and that is going to be my excuse.
So here are a few fun stories from the last two weeks…
1. The Bonfire. I totally got to sleep on the beach by the Pacific Ocean my first week here. It was really fun… and cold, but definitely something I will never forget.
2. Being Robbed. So I wasn’t actually robbed and it wasn’t a fun experience, but still warrants a story on the blog. We were sitting at dinner. I had just been given a Very Yummy looking pizza. I was looking down at it in much anticipation of eating it. All of the sudden, everybody started yelling. For some reason, in my mind, I thought that my teammate had dropped her salad on the floor and that was what they were yelling about. I looked up and saw the salad sitting perfectly safe on the table and got very confused. Then I realized everyone was looking out the window as a guy was jumping in a taxi. Then I saw my teammate faces and realized what had just happened (that all took about 5 seconds.) We think they had been following us since my teammates had exchanged their money about 15 minutes before (but we’re not sure about that). The purse was sitting on the table and one guy hailed a taxi while the other stepped in the restaurant and grabbed the purse. I missed it all starring at my pizza.
3. The Art Show. I got to meet one of my teammate’s friends, Cristian. He is an awesome artist, and we went to his art show. I really enjoyed it.
4. The Grocery Store. First of all, it is awesome. It is pretty much like a mini target, and we all know how much I love target. Second, it has always been my theory that a place isn’t home until you run in to people you know in the grocery store. Tonight I ran into Cristian in the grocery store. Trujillo is now officially home.
5। Dead Chickens। I can now cut apart and gut a chicken। I took a whole chicken and cut it into usable pieces। It was awesome… and kind of disgusting, but I did it. (and I am very proud of it.)

6. The Dunes. So the kids didn’t have school this Tuesday because of a transportation strike (kind of like a snow day… only instead of the presence of snow there was an absence of taxis and megros). It was a super fun day. We (4 of the volunteers) decided it would be a fun idea to take the kids up the sand dunes. We all rolled down the hills. We all had a blast. We were all covered from head to toe in sand. Then the sun came out, and in a very short amount of time the sand went from soothingly warm to blisteringly hot. We had all left our shoes inside the wall so we didn’t lose them in the dunes. Yeah. Bad decision. I carried one of the little ones and ran from piece of trash to piece of trash hoping I wasn’t going to have blisters (I don’t). I have never been so grateful for litter. 7. The Dog. Tracy is our guard dog. She is awesome. She walks with me in the morning when I take the kids to school. She takes her job very seriously. Sometimes she tries to scare away the little ladies carrying bundles of sticks up the dunes. Sometime she barks all night because the birds are trying to fly in the air around the buildings of the orphanage. She is still awesome.
8. The Megro. I love taking the megro (the buses that run to and from town). People stare at you like you are an alien. It is fantastic. Sometimes people bring dogs on the megro and they throw up on my teammates. People always watch as we talk to each other in English like we are doing something completely amazing. One time we heard “I Will Survive” on the radio on the way into town, and all four of us started singing and dancing. The Peruvians really enjoyed that.
9. The Town. I love walking around and getting lost in downtown Trujillo. Saturday I spent a couple hours just enjoying the sites. I saw the sunset over the Plaza de Armas, a man covered in gold paint robot dancing to a soundtrack of war sounds, a group of girls doing a traditional style dance in beautiful costumes in the courtyard of a beautiful Catholic church, and one other American – walking barefoot down the street in a Bob Marley shirt sporting a large blond afro / poof.

10. The Movies। On Friday night we have movie night। Robyn and Joel started it, and the kids love it। They get so excited about it. They start asking if we are going to watch a movie Friday on Monday. I also watched a movie with all the girls over 12. I really enjoyed the time with them. I am hoping to watch movies with smaller groups of kids who are closer in age.

11. The Garden. Today I harvested 4 cucumbers, 1 head of lettuce and like 25 radishes. It was awesome. Next week we'll get to plant some more stuff.
12। The Word Tia। This is my FAVORITE thing in the world, so far. All the kids call all the adults Tia – aunt (or Tio – uncle). When they say it because they are excited to see me and run to give me a hug, my heart practically explodes with love and joy and excitement and contentment. It is wonderful. When they say it a 1000 times in a row while I am talking to someone else because they want my attention, I love it. When they say it long and drawn out, dripping with whiny tones, because they think if they just pout a little they will get what they want, I love it. When they say short and with and angry face because their whining didn’t work and I still said no, I love it. When they say it, I love it.

I´m Here!

2008-08-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posting, but I am here safe and sound. I got to the albergue sometime Wednesday afternoon. I unpacked and said hello to some old friends and then then went to bed. I was very exhausted. Yesterday was my first full day here, and it was wonderful. I spent the morning helping in the kitchen (washing fruit baskets cutting open cans with a knife, snapping peas, peeling hot potatos with my fingers). Then I did ¨juegos¨ for a while in the afternoon. I tried to teach a little girl how to ride a bike, but she only wanted to pedal backwards... cause it was easier. We had a going away party for a girl who was adopted, and then it was bedtime again. Today I sat in on my first staff meeting, I am going up to the sand dunes later this afternoon, and then to a BONFIRE!!!! on the beach this evening. Life is fantastic!
Things in Peru tend to change a lot... so my responsibilities for the year have already changed. I am now going to be in charge of taking care of the vegetable garden too... yikes. It should be interesting. I think I am going to have a lot on my plate this year (even more than i thought before), but I am excited about all the ways I am going to grow and all the ways I can invest in the lives of the people here over my time in the albergue. More soon... and maybe some pictures too.

Heading to Peru!

2008-08-25T11:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
Three years ago during my summer break I spent two months in Trujillo, Peru at an orphanage named Hogar de Esperanza. It was an amazing experience, and I fell in love with the children and workers in the orphanage. I have wanted to return ever since, and God has worked it out for me to be able to again. As I am leaving I want to share some of the details about this next adventure with you so that you will be able to join with me in prayer.
Hogar de Esperanza is a beautiful home for about 40 kids. Hogar de Esperanza actually means Home of Hope, and that is exactly what it is to each of these kids. While the kids live there they know that they will be fed, clothed, educated, and most importantly, loved. This is a security that most of them did not have outside of orphanage. Most of the children come from homes with at least one parent, but they lived in such extreme poverty that the availability of food was an inconsistent luxury, clothes were at best rags, and education was not an option, as many of them were working to support their family by the time they could walk. In some cases the children were begging for food or change on the corners, selling candies, or washing car windows to earn enough money to have a meal a day. Some of the children do come from loving homes, but the parents gave their children to the orphanage because they knew that it could provide a better life for them. These parents come and visit their children on Saturdays, are involved in the parental training courses in the orphanage, and are working to secure a lifestyle that would allow their children to return to a safe home. Other children are not so blessed. They come from abusive homes or situations of extreme neglect. They come to the orphanage with deep scars and emotional trauma. The loving workers in the orphanage work with the children to build security and begin the healing process for each of them.
The workers at the orphanage pour their lives and hearts in to the children. The kids are broken up into 4 casitas (houses), two for boys and two for girls. Each house has a "mother". These mothers live in the houses with the children day in and day out with only 4 days off a month, but they do it out of love. They care for the children as their own. They hold them when they cry, help them with their homework, throw them birthday parties, wash their laundry by hand, read to them, and teach them endless lessons. They are amazing women.
There are a lot of other workers that ensure the wonderful environment of Hogar de Esperanza. The two cooks, Luc and Philomena, shop, prepare and serve three meals a day 6 days a week for 70 people, which is no small task. There are also guards that ensure the safety of the children, grounds men who keep the place beautiful and running, social workers and psychiatrists who help the children deal with the realities of their lives, and countless others who work to give these children a home of hope.
I could not be more excited to join the team of wonderful workers for the next 9 months serving and loving the children. While I am there I will have full hands. I have been in contact with a volunteer who is there now coordinating things for this next year. She has asked me to fill her shoes and be the Volunteer Leader. Basically, this would include leading weekly meetings, helping resolve problems with volunteers and overseeing their schedules, mediating between volunteers and Peruvian staff and relaying information to the administration. I will also get to be involved in the daily activities of the orphanage by organizing 30 minute game times throughout the week, a 30 minute reading program, teaching English classes for mothers, continuing their jewelry program, and helping in the kitchen on market day (once a week).
I am so excited to go and be a part of the lives of these children. God has provided the financial means for this opportunity, but I could use all the prayer support I can get. I know it will be a wonderful experience, but I also know that there will be challenges. I would love to be in contact with you while I am down there. I will have internet access, but no mailing address. I appreciate all of your love, support, and prayer during these next 9 months.
In Christ,
Sam Smith

Prayer Requests:
Safety while travelling (I fly out on August 26th)
Adjusting to my new schedule and surroundings
Using Spanish to communicate
Forming Relationships with the other volunteers
Each of the children and workers

Contact Information:
Please stay in touch!
Email – Samtravels08@gmail.com
Blog - http://samtravels08.blogspot.com
Skype – samantha.smith407
Cell Phone – (434)509-8265

“The aim of our charge is Love
that issues from
a pure heart
and a good conscience
and a sincere faith.”
1 Timothy 1:5

Below there is a list of needs the orphanage currently has. There is an American street address where supplies can be sent at the orphanage’s website – www.Perukids.com

Ink cartridges for printers
Spanish children's books
Small colored seed beads and jewelry clasps for our jewelry project
Used laptop computers
Card games
Board games
Bright colored copy paper
Bike pedals, bike seats and tire tubes - all kid sizes
Thin marker sets of 12
Large dry erase marhers (no chisel) in red, blue and black
Personal pencil sharpeners
Masking tape 1’ wides
Clear packing tape
Pink erasers
Thick permanent markers in black and clue
Thin permanent markers in black and blue
Bottles of school glue
Glue sticks
Copy paper in bright colors
Regular size craft sticks
Children’s scissors
Colored pencils sets of 12