Thankful....

Yes, I am thankful! During Thanksgiving Day, it is essential to take the time to thank God for all of our blessings that He has so mercifully given to us. I am thankful for my family, for all of them near and far, who are always close in my heart. I am thankful for my mom who raised us in good times and bad. I am thankful for all of my brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins, nieces and nephews, who are dear to my heart. I am thankful for all of our relatives in USA, Holland, and even Romania who made me a part of who I am today. I am thankful for Brazil where God placed us, and for all of the wonderful children and people who God has brought into our lives. I am thankful for friends who pray and help during the heat of the battle. I am thankful for my Brazilian, and Chilean, Columbian friends who share every holiday with us, and help me to not to get too homesick. I am thankful for Paul, a wonderful husband, and for Elisa and Jeremy who are amazing children. I am thankful that Christ hung on a cross for me to give me a better life.

A beautiful sound...

After working in the baby house this past year, I have realized that one of the most beautiful sounds that exist in this world is the sound of a child singing. In the baby house, there are sometimes crying screaming children who have arguments with one another. There is also the sound of the T.V. and monitors talking with each other and the children, but when there is a peaceful moment, maybe in the shower or when walking down the dirt road together that a child sings. Sometimes, they all sing together a little Brazilian song that they had learned, or they make up songs about their day. For me, it is one of the most beautiful sounds for it shows to me the happiness inside the heart of that child.

finding head lice!!

With the arrival of a new girl at the project, we have to be on the alert of head lice. When she arrived her hair was full of very large baby carrying head lice. It was terrible to see, but one must remain calm and caringly diligent. As hard as we try, it is almost impossible to keep the lice from spreading. We have heard of every modern and old fashioned remedy known to man, including green tea and mayonese, putting tea tree oil in shampoos, which has a terrible smell! Before coming to Brazil, I had never once had head lice growing up. Our first year in Brazil, I had my first experience. It was a terrible itching burning sensation, and I went to the hospital not knowing the cause! Now when the new children come in with head lice, I don't worry about it very much, but continue to show love and hugs to them, and hopefully we will get the problem taken care of very soon, so as not to keep it spreading!

Searching for mangos....

Sometimes the most perfect of days are made up of small events. Yesterday, we had not much planned for the baby house and the monitors took the babies for a walk to look for mangos. It is the beginning of mango season here in Brazil, and we not only have a tree at our own house, we have many at the farm. However, the one tree in particular that was already giving fruit was of another farm close by. I had always heard that there was a law in Brazil that if a fruit tree’s branch is out on a public street, that anyone is free to come by and use the fruit, but for us, the neighbour was glad for us to come and pick the fruit from this tree. All of us monitors and children alike were able to walk further to our farm and eat the fruit. A mango ripened from the tree really has such a wonderful taste. At the end of the morning, we walked back to the baby house, some children tired for the journey, but all of them with yellow faces and hands from eating the wonderful ripened mangos from the tree.

A better life...

Some of you may remember D., one of the busy little boys of the baby house. One day, I was walking with him on the dirt road coming back from a visit that we had made with the whole baby house. We were walking along and he had started to cry for some reason, and I carried him, after which he became calm and happy. I held him, and it was one of those precious moments when he was sharing with me as we went along. He told me, I see my mom over there and she is calling me! He pointed over to an empty field. I did not say much to him as in fact his mother had recently died. I knew that he was missing his mom. A few weeks later, the Lord opened the door for D. and his older sister to be adopted by a marvellous couple. On the day that they left, I met the couple and saw that the children were so happy. As they were held by the couple, they never wanted to leave them and stayed by their side the whole time. It seemed as if they had known each other for much longer than only a few days. The couple saw them and immediately loved them, and the brother and sister recognized that love and left with them without ever looking back. We are so happy that they have a new life, a better life.