Fifth Trip June, 2010 Day 6

Once again, I am writing three months after the fact from memory.

This was to be our last day at Amparo De Ninas and our last day to be with our girls. Lisa was up most of the night sick from the stress of having to leave the girls today and was so sick this morning that she couldn’t get out of bed. Sandra, who is a doctor, gave her some medicine and she finally fell asleep and slept all day. We left her and went to the orphanage. There was plenty of games and crafts and then the girls called us all together and some of the girls did a synchronized cheer/dance for us in their matching sweat suits. It was really cute. Then they called us into the room where they did the presentation for us on the first day. Many of the girls were wearing traditional Colombian costumes and they demonstrated many traditional dances for us. It was wonderful. Our Goddaughter Ginary was one of the dancers and she did very well. As the meeting broke up, we were all pulled into a huge congo line and danced around the large room several times. It was so fun. Then they called us all to the front and presented each of us with a bag of Colombian coffee and a manilla (woven Colombian bracelet). Ginary and Heidy presented me my manilla. They had woven one each for Lisa and I. I now have six manillas on my arm that I have received from different trips and made by different girls. I was given the very first one by a girl named Yecena. She looked at me very seriously and said, “Never take this off” and I haven’t. Now I have 6 of them that I never take off. Many times God has used these Manillas to cause people to ask me what they mean and then I have been able to share about the orphans of Colombia and the love of Jesus for orphans that He has poured into my heart and consequently pours out to these children.

Finally it came time to leave. I kissed and hugged my girls goodbye 5 or 6 times and then walked to the big steel gate and out into the dirty little potted alley that leads out into the street. This was the hate part of my love/hate relationship with this little alley for I was leaving my girls for several weeks or maybe months. I felt the hot tears rolling down my face and dripping off of my beard as I walked to the bus. Antonio was standing at the door of the bus and he reached out and gave me a big hug. I climbed into the bus, sat down and wept out my complaint to God that I could not take my girls with me. He heard me and brought to my mind many scriptures of comfort and hope. I know that He is working on behalf of me and my girls and He has a plan much bigger than I can imagine.