Thursday, May 27, 2010

Surgery

I'm suppose to be sitting in the Houston airport waiting for a connecting flight to Little Rock. Instead, I'm in a hospital bed in Tegucigalpa. Not a very good second choice. I had emergency surgery in the middle of the night. My intestines rearranged themselves and I was very sick. Not to fear, I am at Hospital Vierra, not Escuela. I am much better than I was 24 hours ago. I am very sad that I'm not going to be hugging on grandgirls in the morning and that I'm not going to see Alison's an Matthew's wedding on Saturday. I do need yout prayers.

Terri

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Summer Begins

Summer began for us on May 11 and runs through August 2 this year. I know you are looking at your calendars thinking summer does not begin for over three weeks. Do they operate on a different calendar in Honduras? No, we use the same calendar you do.

Our summer begins the day the first group arrives and ends the day the last group leaves. This year a small group from Middle Tennesse State kicked off the summer with a month long trip. They are building and distributing food. What a blessing they are. Young and energetic and full of the spirit.

In June, our good friends Rick and Linda Willis will bring a small group from Tupelo. I am so sad I will miss the group completely. As the group from Tupelo leaves, one from Columbus arrives. These are the folks that began this journey with us in 2001. It is always exciting to have them here.

Blaine Tucker and his youth group from South Baton Rouge come next. That group will be joined by Nicole and Haley, our friends the Ellises, and a family I have fallen in love with the past year the Hubrights from Atlanta. A few days after that group gets here, the awesome folks from Overland Park, Kansas arrive. This group is a second time group and has been a huge encouragement to us.

As OP leaves, a first time group from Lafayette, Louisiana comes. I love to see first time groups. One day later, Wesley Thompson and Perry Jinkerson from Starkville. Can't wait for this group either. We have been partnered with Starkville for a long time. They always come ready to work and we do not disappoint them. With them also will be coming a couple of gals from Fairview Heights, our sending congregation. Until July 24 some groups leave and some individuals come to work with a group or two. Vickie Cubillos and her daughters are coming. A small group from Borger. Borger always brings a small group, but what they lack in numbers, they make up for in spirit and willingness. Our friends in Topeka are not bringing an official group this year. How I will miss Ruthann and Gary. And Jerry. But 12 of their folks are coming on their own at various times during the summer. Maria Phillips is bringing a group from Jacksonville. A summer would not be complete, without Vickie, Maria, Lanetta, Shauna, Mary and so many more. Glad you all are coming.

To round out the summer, Trey Morgan is bringing 46 from Childress, Texas. A big first time group. We already love Trey and his lovely wife Lea and their boys, Rickey and Angie Husband and Randy and Haley Allen. Can't wait to meet the rest of this group and see what God has in store for them.

Each group is unique and brings its special talents. Every group is hard working and exciting and fun.

Please pray for the groups as they travel and as they go to work building houses, distributing food, feeding in the dump, sharing the good news of Christ, visiting in the hospitals, playing with the kids at Casa. What the groups accomplish in the summer helps to keep an ongoing work here. In addition to all the work they do, each and every team member encourages us. We are encouraged as we worship in english, spend time with old friends, make new ones. We end the summer with renewed energy every year, the shot in the arm to keep us going.

Praising God for each group and each member and all the work that will be done in God's name the next 10 weeks or so.

It is going to be another great summer in Honduras.

Terri

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Because He Lives...I Can Face Tomorrow

This song by the Gaithers was, I think, written in the 70s. I loved it from the moment I heard it. It is still one of my favorite songs. It was sung at both my dad's and my sons' funerals. Because of that it often brings a tear or two to my eyes. But I still love that song.

Some weeks are harder than others. The children don't listen and don't do well on exams. One has a major meltdown. An employee quits. Other people beat you up. Sometimes it is easy to think, what is the point of all of this.

I remember that empty grave and the hope for tomorrow. I remember to withdraw and talk to the God that gives me that hope. I go to church and worship with other believers whom have that same hope.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. And another week. But, I pray this new week, will be a bit more kinder to us than the one just passed.

Terri

Friday, May 21, 2010

Grades

The first quarter grades have been received. We were less than pleased.

Rosy and Antonio (Fito) were the only two that had good grades. Two out of sixteen. Not so good. Some of the kids squeaked by with barely passing grades, but most of them had horrible grades.

There will be no letting up on homework and studying in the foreseeable future. Please pray for the kids as they try to grasp the concepts being presented to them.

Terri

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Today At The Dump







Anita, our neighbor, gets up and starts cooking the food to be taken to the dump every Wednesday morning around 3:00. Three o'clock in the morning. Ugh! She prepares the beans and rice and has it ready for Marc to leave at 9:30. Anita has a huge servant heart. She does things for this community and for other church members on a daily basis. She has been wanting to go to the dump with Marc. Today was the day she got to do that.


Anita is a prim and proper older lady. She probably does not even own a pair of slacks. She gets up and cooks in a dress. She went to the dump in a dress today. After they arrived at the dump, she got out and, without hesitation, crawled up in the back of the truck to serve rice. Dress and all.


She was deeply touched by the people she saw at the dump. She served each bowl of rice with a smile on her face. It was a very calm day serving today. Marc thought it was like Grandma is here and we are behaving.


We are so thankful for all Anita does for the church, the community, and the dump ministry.


Terri

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Stacey

For the first couple of summers after Casa de Esperanza opened, we let everyone come and work for a few weeks or months. We decided the children needed more stability that people coming and going. Last summer we tried to put together a long term intern program. That program consisting of committing to Casa de Esperanza a minimum of one year, not being paid, but paying to be here, working six days a week, spiritual and emotional maturity, and several other requirements. There were several people that met some of the requirements, but a year committment and paying monthly to be here knocked a lot of people out of the list.

Last summer we had two young women apply. One decided she could not make a year committment, and the other one we decided to offer the position to and she said she thought she was applying to another ministry.

Karen and I have prayed and prayed about a long term intern. I know God's timing is perfect, but it seemed this was never going to happen.

Last September, while in Tennessee, we met a young woman that was wanting to come for the Thanksgiving work week. I was taken by her immediately. She said she did not have the money to come. Marc told her if God wanted her to come, the money would be there. She left the meeting and shortly returned and said someone was willing to sponsor her fully for the trip.

She came in November and, as so many people do, fell in love with Honduras. She began to ask about possibilities for longer service. We told her about the intern program and she said she was interested.

Again, Karen and I prayed. And prayed hard about this. At the same time, Stacey was praying, too. She says she has been praying to be on foreign soil as a missionary since 1994. All the prayers came together and we accepted her as our first long term intern.

Stacey has raised what it will cost her to stay here, but not what she feels she might need for some of those extra things like personal items and a meal out now and then. But she came anyway. Came in faith that God would provide

Stacey arrived today. Today is her birthday. I think her 34th. She said it was the best birthday she has ever had. We ate at Popeye's as a birthday lunch and then came on to Casa.

In the morning, Stacey is leaving with me at 6:00 to learn the morning run to Rosy's school. She said driving in a big city is not her favorite thing to do, but God sent her here and she is willing to do whatever needs to be done. Karen and I both are looking forward to having a little bit of our workload lessened.

We at Casa de Esperanza feel like many prayers have been answered.

Welcome aboard, Stacey.

Terri

Monday, May 17, 2010

Allowance

Every week, the children receive one lempira to give at church. Everyone has to give that one. It is not optional and not open for discussion. At first we had some that tried to hide it and not give. Now, they willfully and cheerfully give that lempira to God. On paper, they receive nine more lempiras. We keep a chart with everyone's name on it, and when they misbehave we deduct one lempira at a time. We cannot deduct two or more for one offense. If they have a really horrible week, and some do, we can only deduct nine times. We never start deducting into the next week's money. The following Sunday afternoon, when on paper, most have a clean slate for the next week, we give them what they have left and open the store. They can spend everything they have if they desire. And most desire.

Our drinks cost too much for them to buy, so we now have some smaller drinks that cost six lempiras. They really like it when they can buy a little coke. They buy gum and candy and cookies. It is a fun way to spend Sunday afternoon.

One week before we went to the beach, we didn't open the store. We told them they would have double to buy snacks for the beach. Some had a sackful of one lempira stuff. They were so excited to be able to buy that much.

If they loose a school book or break a pencil on purpose or use their shoe laces to make bows and arrows, Karen deducts that as well. And she tells them exactly what is for. Trying to teach responsibility is a difficult thing.

Ever once in a while, Marc will say, if you can say ten lempira in three weeks, you can go to the movie. Or a while back, if you can save twenty lempira in the month of April, you can go to the waterpark. Not that 10 lempiras pay for a movie or twenty for the waterpark, it is just the fact that we are trying to get them to think of the future. Not just a little coke this afternoon. When they earn the outing, Marc pays the rest of the cost. Brayan, Antonio and Pamela always save theirs quickly. For the waterpark, Daniela and Ana saved theirs along and got to go the waterpark yesterday, too.

Most of the ones that did not get to go to the waterpark, were not upset. They were perfectly happy drinking their little cokes yesterday. I always ask every child, if they want to save and they just see the immediate gratification of that coke or cookies. Some will never learn to save, like Nohemy. She wants that drink and she leaves smiling her big toothless grin.

The ones that went to the waterpark yesterday did not buy from the store. But their money was saved for next week. Brayan is already making plans to buy a larger coke.

I hope some of them learn to save a little, once in a while.

Terri

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Another Mother's Day Program





























After our morning devotional this morning, I began serving breakfast. The kids were excited about the program at school. Reina rushed through her breakfast, brushed her teeth and hurriedly put on a monkey costume. I was busy with breakfast and making sure every one brushed their teeth as they finished breakfast. I was glad Reina did that by herself.


The fact that Reina was a monkey in the program is a story in itself. She was not assigned a part. She went to her teacher and said why don't I have a part in the play. I want to be in it, too. On Thursday, the teacher told her if she was good all day Friday, she could be a monkey. The partof the play in which she starred, did not originally have a monkey in it, did not need a monkey in it, but there was a monkey in that skit. That was really nice of the teacher to let a monkey stand with three other little girls, one being Sisi, that were dressed as professional women. After the skit, the monkey costume was hot and Reina wanted to take it off. Since she had not put any clothes on before she put on the costume, that wasn't really an option. She just had to be hot.


We got through breakfast, brushing teeth, chores and getting ready to leave for school. We were told the mothers had to be there at 9:00. The program finally started around 10:00. Each grade had at least one skit or song or dance. Some had more. After the Honduran national anthem was sung, and this song is very long and they sing all the verses, Katty started things off, by reciting a little poem. She was so cute standing up there.


Pamela was in a dance group, Antonio a singing group, Fernando and Ana were in a cute skit. Jackson wore a bag on his head. Daniela and Jose were in a group that held letters spelling "Te Amo Mama" They had a little poem to say starting with the letter they were holding. The funny thing was the teacher lined them up backwards and to the audience it said AMAM OMA ET.


Of course, the mothers were served a very delicious meal. The kids were not served much at all and we had to come home and fix lunch.


The program was very nice and the teachers spent a great deal of time preparing for it. Thanks to the children for a wonderful program.


Terri

Friday, May 14, 2010

Mother's Day


I know Mother's Day was last weekend. Here in Honduras it is a big holiday. I was showered with presents last Sunday in church. Many were homemade. Rosy's school tries to schedule their Mother's Day program a week later to avoid conflicts with the other schools. The other kids' program was scheduled for last weekend but was moved to tomorrow. Rosy's was today.

Instead of 6:00, we left here at 8:00. No complaints here.


Manos Felices always does a good job preparing and decorating for programs. Today was no exception. Everything was beautifully decorated. And the program was adorable. All the children were in the program. Rosy was a tree. She was a cute little tree.


Since today was market day, Rosy and I went on to the market. We had a good time together. I bought her a couple of little treats. I made her share one of them with me.


More Mother's Day programs tomorrow.


Terri

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Gardening







Our groundskeeper, Dennis, has planted flowers and shrubs. He waters and tends them and has things looking very pretty around here.

Karen brought some seeds back from the States. Today, Dennis and some of the kids were clearing a small plot of land to plant. They were planting tomatoes, cabbage, beets, and bell peppers. Dennis has a green thumb. The kids were excited to help and Dennis will show them how to take care of the plants and, when the time comes, how to pick them. He takes great care to show the kids things. Ana was working hard. She was shoveling and hoeing. She will sleep well tonight. She was so proud and happy to be working in the garden. Dennis was working hard. Fernando was working a little and playing a lot.


We need to be teaching the kids to raise vegetables. And as high as our grocery bill has become, if we can save a few bucks here and there, well praise the Lord.


Terri

Out Of The Mouths Of Babes

Monday Pamela came back to work. We were glad she was back and she did great that first day which had to be hard for her.

When an employee of a children's home has children, the law states the child can come to work with the parent until the age of six. Pamela is having to bring Emanuel, her two year old son.

Both Pamela and Emanuel have had a hard time with Ronnie's death. Emanuel cries looking for his Papi and, understanably, had become very clingy to Pamela. Pamela woke him Monday morning and Emanuel said, "why are you waking me up? I was talking to Papi. He is in heaven and I was talking to him." He then said, " I have Papi in my heart."

Pamela got him ready and she came to work. She asked Dorian if he had talked to Emanuel and Dorian said no.

I don't know who talked to Emanuel. But the peace of God is with that child. And I don't doubt that he really was talking to his Papi.

Please continue to pray for Pamela and Emanuel. The days and nights are surely lonely.

Terri

Monday, May 10, 2010

Katty Learns To Ride The Bike




For a long time, when Katty wanted to ride one of the bikes, someone had to walk along with her and hold the bike up. The other children have helped her. I have seen Antonio work with her for hours. People from the States who have been visiting have walked around the bike path and held the bike.

Finally, she decided to try it by herself. She can go a short ways by herself. She doesn't do turns too well yet. Both knees are skinned as she has fallen every time she tried to turn. And there is no way I would stand directly in front her because she only does crash landings to stop. No brakes. But at least she is riding by herself. The brakes and turns will come.

Terri

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Food For Hungry People







We have received four food containers last year and two already this year. When a container full of food comes, a lot of hungry people can be fed.


Last week, we went to the warehouse to get several cases of food for the wife of the mayor of Tegucigalpa. She runs a program that feeds single moms and their children. This program was just about completely out of food. We were going to pull 120 cases of the rice meals that we received last month. We had 87 cases pulled when her people arrived.


Seven people arrived in a Toyota double cab pickup. Marc said the most he had ever got in one his pickups is 40 cases. We thought we would have to put some of it back in the warehouse. But these people came for food to take to the hungry single moms and their kids and they were not leaving without all 87 cases.


They got 56 cases in the bed of the truck. Which was amazing. Then they begin to open the cases and take out the packets and put them in the front seat. When the front seat got full, they begin to put the packets in the back seat.


Even Milton, a Honduran, said unbelievable. Milton told me those people would take a cab or a bus, that there was no way they could get in that truck. He was wrong. The driver got in the front seat, the three ladies crawled in the backseat, and the other three guys got on the back of the truck and they left saying thank you. Can you imagine three people being in that back seat?


This week Marc took some of those cases of rice meals to another village. Rixa is the dentist that treats our children for free. Her mother is the director of a school in an extremely poor village near Sabana Grande. Two pickups were loaded and hauled down there. Marc said the drive was beautiful and the children were precious. Rixa's mother is doing a great job with the children. They were very polite and well-mannered.


Praise God for those containers of food and that hungry people are being fed.


Terri

Friday, May 7, 2010

The First Eggs, Sort Of




Two of our good friends from Childress, Texas came Tuesday and left this morning. We so enjoyed them being here.

Rickey decided Marc was not talking to his ladies (the hens) in a way that would produce eggs. He and Parker decided to plant some eggs in the hen house as a joke on Marc. They bought 21 eggs and put them in the hen house. They did this yesterday afternoon during nap time, thinking they would be gone before Marc found them today. I had knowledge of this little escapade.


No one had much homework yesterday so we were all outside. When all of a sudden there rose such a clatter. Dennis, the groundskeeper, came running toward us yelling "huevos, huevos." His hair was standing one end. All the children were squealing. They all turned and ran toward the hen house. The whole scene was pretty amusing. A couple of the kids went running in the house to get something in which to gather the eggs. Even Sandra and Pamela went running down there.


I told Dorian it was a joke. A joke on Marc. Dorian was laughing so hard. He jumped up and ran to the window in the playroom to watch all that was unfolding. I was outside near the window and I looked at window where Dorian was standing and said look how white and big they are for first eggs.


I called Marc and said "I need you up here, right now." I tried to say it in a way that make him come running. The kids had all 21 eggs gathered and were running down to show Marc. When they met, all the kids were talking at once.


Marc looked at me. I am sure I did not have a poker face. Marc said if it had been two or three eggs, he might have bought it. After the dump day, nothing is impossible, but for 21 of 30 chickens to all lay their first egg on the same day. Not likely.


The joke turned out not to be on Marc, but the trusting little children.


Maryuri and Reina sat down by the henhouse until shower time watching, waiting for another egg to drop. Ana went to feed the chicken this morning and came walking in sadly saying, "no more eggs this morning."


No one is telling them it was a joke. We are just hoping those hens start laying eggs soon.


Like I always say, there is never a dull moment around here.


Terri

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

I Stand Amazed

Rather I sit in my chair amazed. Amazed at the goodness of people's hearts.

I went to work at Casa de Esperanza at 6:00 a.m. this morning. I made Marc, Rick, and Parker promise not to tell me anything that was happening with the blog, facebook or anything today. I wanted to come home and turn on my computer and see for myself. Last year the dump day was on a Tuesday, my day off, and I sat glued to the computer all day. I did not have that luxury this year, but I wanted to see it for myself and not hear it.

At 5:30, Rick tried to tell me what has happening and I would not let him.

At 7:00, Marc brought me up a plate of spaghetti, ending my 31 hour fast. It tasted good. More than good. But tears came to my eyes as I thought of the thousands of people in Honduras and millions in the world that can't choose to end their fast today. Or tomorrow. Or next week. I can choose to go without food and choose when to start eating again. Most hungry people will never have that choice.

I worked until 8:45p.m. By that time, I could hardly move to walk to my house. I did come in and grab the computer. I would not even read my email first for fear that someone would disclose what I wanted to find out for myself.

I read all 159 comments on Trey's blog. God has spoken in an awesome and powerful way that He wants His hungry children fed. You have chosen to help many feel less of those hunger pains that so many of us felt today. I was speechless, an event that does not happen very often.

And I am quite a bit more energized than I was an hour ago.

This seems so inadequate, but thanks everyone.

Terri

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Remember Sisia


Tomorrow is the 2nd anual dump day. Trey Morgan will be on his blog http://www.treymorgan.net all day tomorrow.


Many people all over the United States are fasting and praying for dump day. We started our fast after lunch today. Marc ate a lot more for lunch than I did. We would love to have you join us in fasting, but if you can't do that, pray for the dump day tomorrow. As you pray, remember little Sisia and all those living and working in the dump. She will eat tomorrow because of the dump day last year. The people there have so little hope and are just trying to exist. It is the saddest of existence.


Terri

Monday, May 3, 2010

Funnies From The Kids

Seventeen children living in a house certainly keeps everyone on their toes. Sometimes things are very stressful. Sometimes we have good days and bad days. We have fun. We do homework. And sometimes things get downright funny. Three things that were said today:

This morning Maryuri was worried about the chickens and wondering if they had been fed. I told her they had. She said what about water? I said I think the water is ok, too. She walked over to the chicken coop and says "quiere agua?" which means you want water. Strangely enough none of the chickens answered her.

After nap and homework Ana and a couple of the boys cleaned the chicken coop. Tonight after supper, no one could find the brand new brooms. We looked and looked. I went to ask Ana what she cleaned the chicken coop with and she proudly answered "the new brooms." Dilcia said it was ok, the old brooms could be used tonight and she would clean the new ones in the pila tomorrow. All I could think was "Yuck."

During shower time, Cindy came out and gave me a baby hairbrush and what I thought was baby lotion. She told me it was for Josue. I went and asked Dilma if she wanted we to shower Josue. She said no, Cindy had tried to give those things to her as well. I looked down at the bottle and it said liquid baby powder with cornstarch. Goes on like lotion and dries fast to a powder. I began to try to explain what it was. I did not know the words in spanish for powder or cornstarch. I did a pretty good job of explaining, I thought. Dilcia and Dilma both broke into laughter. My spanish sometimes still entertains Hondurans. I quickly discovered that I had done a pretty good job of explaining and they were not laughing at me. They were laughing because Cindy had put this stuff in her hair.

You can just imagine there is never a dull moment around here.

Terri

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Worship And The Funeral

When we get involved in people's lives, we usually have opportunity to do live with these people. That means baptisms and births, weddings and graduations andall kinds of special events. And sometimes that means funerals as well. Pamela is not just an employee. She is our neighbor, a fellow church member and a friend. Today we did a little bit of life with her.

In Honduras when someone dies, the funeral is the same day or, at the latest, the next day. Most people cannot afford the professional funeral services we know in the United States. That includes embalming, thus the need for the funeral to be so quick after death.

This morning we had worship had Pamela's house. That is not unusual in Honduras after a death. And that is the way she wanted it. And all the chairs from our church building had been moved to her house to accommodate the visitors during the vigil.

It was worship as we know it in Honduras and, yet it was different. The big difference was there was a casket sitting in the room. Our little church building would have been overflowing this morning, but this room in Pamela's house with a casket in it was more than stuffed. Even after worship started, people walked in and said hello. Others were praying out loud whenever the spirit moved them. Others would get up and look at the open casket. To my gringa mind, it was a bit distracting, but obviously not to the family or other Hondurans. Dorian did an absolutely beautiful sermon on the need to know Christ.

People continued to arrive all during worship and all the way until the time we left for the cemetary. The family had somehow managed to prepare enough food for all these guests. We were not going to take any, but the family insisted. We took as small of portions as they would give us and told the ones serving do not, under any circumstances, give the children seconds.

As 1:00 approached, the time for the funeral, the family went back in to say their good-byes. Then about twelve men picked up the casket and carried it. There were many people carrying flowers. We all walked to the cemetary. All along the way, there were groups of people standing and joining the funeral procession. There was something very humbling and meaningful about everyone walking together, grieving together, as opposed to getting in separate cars as we do in the States.

Once we got to the cemetary, the casket was reopened for the family one last time. Unlike in the States, there was no tent or chairs for the family. A few words were spoken and then several songs were sung as about six men filled in the grave and all the flowers were place on the top. And then we walked home.

Karen let the older children choose to go or not. Many of the children chose to go. They love Pamela and loved Ronnie. Children need to learn about death and how to act and what to do. All of the children hugged on Pamela all day, and cried with her. During worship, many of the children wanted to walk up to the open casket. If they wanted to, one of us up went with them. No one was forced to go. The children are processing this in the ways in which they are capable. But they understood what was happening.

I was responsible for Fernando today. He did very well, but we got to the cemetary, he wanted to be right up there by the grave. I kept saying no. Finally, one of our other employees said that is for family only and he seemed to be ok. He did want to walk up there after it was over and I walked up with him. And then he seemed to be satisfied.

Please continue to remember Pamela in your prayers. She has a lot of lonely days and nights ahead of her, as do Ronnie's parents and siblings.

Terri

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Tragedy

Marc and I were up and had eaten pancakes, when the phone rang at 6:30. That is a little early on Saturday for the phone to ring, but not completely unheard of. Marc answered and I could tell something was wrong, and then he said "I'll be right up", briefly leaving me to think something was wrong with one of the children.

Fortunately, the children were all ok. Unfortunately, the husband of one our employees had been killed in an accident. Yesterday I sent out the Casa de Esperanza newsletter and I told about a new employee that was working out so well, Pamela Martinez. It was her husband. A month ago I wrote a blog about a young man being baptized. It was this young man that was killed. He was hit by a car as he was walking home from work. We are in shock. We are sad.

Pamela is in her late twenties. I guess Ronnie is somewhere near the same age. They have a two year old son. I saw Pamela's tears of joy at Ronnie's baptism. I watched them the next week at the beach during worship. They were holding hands, worshipping together, and looked so happy.

Marc and Karen and Dorian helped the family all day. Funeral preparations are much different here than they are in the States. Pamela has no money for a casket or anything. Marc and Dorian and some of Ronnie's friends had to dig the grave. An all night vigil begins at midnight at Pamela's house. I don't know all that happened today.

I told the staff that worked today. They were just as shocked and sad as we are. About 8:30, I asked Sandra to tell the children. We called them all together, except for Brayan. Brayan was up at the front gate waiting on Dorian. Sandra told them kindly and gently. Then she asked them all to stand. We help hands and Sandra said the most sincere, heart-felt prayer I think I have ever heard. That is when I lost it. I hugged each of the children. They were upset. They love Pamela. And Ronnie. I went outside to intercept Brayan before he got back in the house and I told him.

The children have done pretty well today, but they have said a few extra prayers for Pamela today. Tonight as I was putting the boys to bed, I talked to them a little bit and then asked Brayan to say a prayer. Brayan sleeps on one of the top bunks. He sat up, got on his knees, closed his eyes and prayed his little heart out. We should all pray like that.

This has been a hard day at Casa, for this little church and this little community. Tomorrow will be hard as well. Pamela will have many hard days ahead of her. Please pray for her and the family.

Terri