Second Trip September, 2009 Day 2

This morning we had a fun breakfast with the girls and then we had an 8:30am appointment with the regional director for ICBF to talk about doing a summer camp where 20 or so adoptable orphans from Colombia could come to Houston area for a week and stay in the homes of host families who are interested in adoption or just ministering to the children for that week. We had a very wonderful meeting and they also told us how excited they were about our passion for the orphans and wanted to help. The regional director told us that his boss the national director was the one we needed to talk to but she was in Peru. However, he got on the phone and set up a meeting right away for us with the national directors assistant. We went over to that meeting and it was very positive as well. We now know what it would take to make this happen and have a list of action items to work on. The girls were so patient and well behaved as they waited for us at each of these meetings. We went to lunch and it was really fun to just eat and talk and take pictures and have fun. After we went to the public library and Heidy read Rebekah a book about a prince and a princess. There were beautiful flowers and fountains at the library and we took some really nice pictures there. We then went to a different mall and just walked and spent time together. Then we went and bought the girls some goodies to eat at the hotel and bought each of them the toiletries that they needed. You can’t imagine how grateful they were to get some everyday haircare, lotion, chapstick, Q-tips, etc. They each hugged and kissed us and thanked us many times and said that now they are rich. We are now at the hotel, just hanging out, eating our goodies, and watching spanish TV :-). What a day! I got Heidy to loosen up and allow some more pictures today!

After writing the former, we decided to have dinner. The girls had asked us to buy hot dogs and all the fixin’s to have at the hotel. So we asked the nice lady at the hotel if she could heat them up for us. She got us plates and cups and napkins and heated our hot dogs for us and we had chips and soda and lots of other bad stuff 🙂 Genari and Lida served us all like we were at a restaurant. After dinner we were looking at pictures on the computer and Heidy and I were writing each other love notes via my translator on my computer when suddenly Lisa, Beverly, Brooke, and Mercy signaled that they were on video chat and wanted to talk to us. We answered and to the utter amazement and joy of the girls we were suddenly talking to and looking at the family on the computer screen. Absolute chaos ensued as everyone tried to talk at once in spanish and english. Rebekah and I had our hands full trying to rapid translate both ways at once. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed. Heidy got to meet her Godmother and tell her that she loved her and when Lisa answered back in spanish to tell Heidy that she loved her, Heidy screamed and jumped up and down. Lida told Beverly in clear english that she remembered her, that she was her friend, that Beverly was beautiful, and that she loved her very much. Rebekah had been teaching her english all day while we were in the meetings with ICBF and it paid off! They all told Mercy how beautiful she was and that they wanted to talk to her more. They love Brooke because she has dark hair, eyes, and skin like them! They showed off all of their gifts and Genari did a puppet show with Lida’s pink duck trying to eat my nose and ears. Mercy responded with her pink duck and they kissed and danced with each other through the computer screen 🙂 Finally, it was time to call it a night but suddenly Lisa said, “no goodnight until Heidy sings to me.” So Heidy starts singing some beautiful Latin love song while Lida and Genari wave their arms behind her like palms for effect. Then suddenly all the girls were singing song after song and then not to be outdone the Bullen family was singing worship songs with Beka and I helping out on harmony from our side. Needless to say my face hurts from smiling and my stomach hurts from laughing and with Heidy crying tears of joy on my collar a couple of times today, I would say that we have experienced nearly the full gamut of human emotions 🙂 Marley, the other Goddaughter who wasn’t able to stay with us at the hotel last night showed up shortly after and we had a great reunion with her. She is now here for the rest of the time. It would take many more words to go into detail of how God has protected, guided, ordered, and favored us on this trip so far. Only eternity will tell and I believe there is much more to come of our connection with Colombia.

Love and Prayers,