Third Trip January 2010 Day 2

Our hearts were stretched again today as we visited two half-way houses for older orphans who have aged out of the system when they turn eighteen. We started with the girls house. There are twenty girls living there. They are very studious and work very hard. Many have jobs and go to school at night. Their house was very clean. Because they knew we were coming, most of the girls had gone over to the boys half-way house to cook lunch for us there so we went over to the boys house. Several of the girls we have met on previous trips and keep up with on Facebook. Some we have met on Facebook through the other girls. It was really wonderful to see them and visit with them. They were so sweet and so happy to see us. It was great to meet the young men and learn about all that they are studying and their work. We spent several hours with the boys and girls. Two of our ladies on the team, Kamala and Teresa, set up shop and began to give haircuts and styles to all of the girls. It was awesome to see their excitement. At the same time the boys were baking and they enlisted our help to mix the butter, sugar, eggs, banana extract, flour, and raisins in a big pot with our hands. There were many one or two on one conversations and many opportunities to speak about Christ to the young people. Later we went back to the girls house and handed out the big red bags to each girl filled with pajamas, lotion, foot care, scrunchies, and a pretty scarf. They were so grateful. Then we had to go. It was very hard to leave them. There were many hugs and “Dios los bendiga” (God bless you). We were so thankful to find forty boys and girls who have a chance to not become one of the statistics that exist for children that age out at eighteen. For the rest of them, some sixty percent will end up in human trafficking and another fifteen percent will commit suicide within two years. We were blessed to know that these young people have a better chance. We have been talking for about six months about how to have more of these half-way houses in Colombia and we will continue to pray and work toward expanding this vision for the children that are too old to adopt but can’t stay at the orphanage any longer. Tomorrow we will be going to Amparo De Ninos (Protection of Boys) in Madrid. This is the first orphanage that we visited last June and we have many little friends there that we are looking forward to seeing again. The Goddaughters have been as good as gold. They are such blessings. Our hearts are full and this trip has only just begun. Thank you for your prayers.