Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Casa-Tesoro De Dios (The Orphanage)

Casa-Tesoro De Dios
Today was my day off.  I was fortunate enough to go to the orphanage that my Dad and siblings worked on in March.  The owner of the place, Pastor Joel, and I had talked on facebook and he agreed to come pick me up from Monkey Jungle.  He arrived with his son around 10:30 to get me.  I was anxious about meeting him, and all the kids as well.  I had heard such good things about this man from my family, but its always a little scary to meet someone new for the first time, especially in a third world country, & when your n ot fluent in the language!
                Pastor Joel was very nice!  Drove like a crazy man, which most locals do!  (On a side note, one thing I’ve noticed every time I get in the car with someone local, is that their gas gage is ALWAYS on E!  I first thought it was because of the price of gas being so high, but I have learned that 97% of the gages down here don’t work!  So when the gage says E, they may have a full tank!  I just don’t look anymore!)  Anyway, we made it to the orphanage safely and I was immediately greeted by many of the children.  All of them were absolutely beautiful!  I fell in love right away.  I had told Pastor Joel that I wanted to meet Daniel, a boy that my father had met and is hoping to bring to the United States to live with our family for a while.  Pastor Joel introduced us right away!  He is an amazing young man.  He spent all afternoon doing work (hard physical labor) around the orphanage cutting the grass with a machete, building a new shed for the pig, etc. 
                The thing that touched me the most was how happy these children are with so little.  Some of them didn’t even have shoes on, most had non-matching clothes, and were playing with things like a flat basketball, and yet they were so content!  I had been thinking lately that I wasn’t sure if I wanted to have children, but after this experience, I truly feel it would be a waste for me to not share the many blessings and lessons I’ve received and learned from my parents.  I have decided I WILL adopt some day.

                I spent the afternoon with the kids, let the girls paint my finger nails, played with the pupp, ate lunch and then it was time to head back to Monkey Jungle.  On the way, Pastor Joel stopped to see a few of his friends, which was about every block.  This man knew everyone in town!  The final stop we made was to have his tires replaced.  (MJ is a long ways up a really rough road) This was quite an experience in itself!  We pull off the side of the busy road, the only road between the two towns.  The little shack like building next to us is a tire shop.  They send four guys to the car with a jack and start changing tires right in the middle of the road.  It was nuts!  After the craziness was over I returned to MJ, and thanked Pastor Joel for everything!

Sorry I cant upload pictures!  I will continue to try!

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