Visitation

Twelve of our kids have visitation rights with their parents. We take the kids to see their parents the last Friday of every month at 1:00. They dress up and fix their hair as pretty as possible. This morning Brayan spent a long time polishing his black shoes before he went to see his mom. Every month the make something to take to the parents. This morning, Dalys helped them make cards. Each child made one card.

Six of them go to Tegucigalpa to Casita Kennedy, the state orphanage and six of them go to Sabana Grande to the parents' house. We do this because the parents are too poor to buy the bus fare to town. They try to have a coke or something for the kids when they come. We know the parents sometimes go days without food. We pack the kids' lunch and they have to divide it eight ways instead of six.

It is not an easy drive to these parents house. The house is high up a mountain and parts of the road have been washed away by the recent heavy rains. It means going five MPH or less up the mountain. When it is wet, four wheel drive is often needed.

Today I took Doris, Reina, Katty, Fernando, Ana and Jose to Sabana Grande. As I watched the children share food and interact with the parents, I was thankful those six are not living in those conditions. That they have food everyday and clothes to wear. That they are being educated.

There is no electricity and no running water, things we take for granted. After they eat, they after walk down a very steep hill to the creek to wash their hands. They go another direction to use the bathroom. The parents have one very small bed and not much else. The benches the kids are sitting on the in the above picture were borrowed just so there would be room for everyone to sit.

The kids ate their food and then played. The parents enjoyed watching their kids have fun. There is a playground just a few yards up the road. The slides are concrete and are built right into the side of the mountain. The kids formed chains and slid down together. All had fun, but Katty was laughing the loudest and taking the most chances.

Visitation is a hard day, emotionally. For the kids and for me.

I am thankful for everyone who has ever donated to Casa de Esperanza. You are making a difference as children are being rescued from poverty, neglect, or abuse.

Terri