a gift for christmas

A few months ago, a family friend, Mr. Hal, emailed and asked if there was any way he could help the kids I worked with in Peru.  I contacted Lidia, the director of the IVHQ program in Lima, and we talked about what we could get the kids.  We talked about getting them toys or clothes, but in the end decided on blankets.  Toys and clothes break and are grown out of, but a blanket can last a lifetime.  And for these people, it probably will.  With the money Mr. Hal donated, we bought all the children in the Wawa Wasis program (a daycare program for working mothers located in Pachacutec,  the shantytown surrounding Lima) a blanket.  

About 100 children received a blanket a few days ago.  These children are  mostly from families that have one parent, whom works many hours every day.  They are put in the government run Wawa Wasi program that provides  three nutritious meals a day, vitamin supplements, and development testing to the children.  They spend almost all of their time in these daycares.  For a mother working to support her children, there is most likely not going to be extra money for presents, new clothes, or even a blanket.  These children appreciate the simplets of gifts.  

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These blankets will be used until they are worn to rags (and then they will probably be used as rags).

A sweet caregiver with her little ones.

Proud baby with her blanket!

A group picture of all the kids, caregiver, and volunteers in one of the Wawa Wasis.

Current volunteers with IVHQ giving out the blankets bought with the donation from Mr. Hal.

A happy Wawa Wasi caregiver with her blanket and some of  the little ones she watches.

I am so grateful for those who have donated throughout my journey to Peru and back.  After getting to know these kids, and caregivers, I've come to realize just how beautiful each and everyone of them are.  Each of them is the face of Jesus. Every donation throughout that last year and a half has helped these children in numerous ways.

twirling

Tonight, as we got ready to go get our annual picture with santa, I caught my littlest sister Catherine in a room all by herself twirling.  She was in her new beautiful christmas dress, and she felt beautiful.

When she saw me watching, she stopped twirling, embarrassed.  But I got my camera and eventually convinced her to twirl for some pictures.  As a watched her, I realized just how lucky she is.  How lucky I am.

To have someone to rejoice in the small things with you.  Someone to take pictures of twirling.  Someone to buy you a new Christmas dress.  That is something that more than 147 million children in this world do not have.

We have been blessed with parents that have shown us Jesus' love.  So many have not.

Pictures!

The toys were a hit, they all got played with non stop today! Here are some pictures. We're not supposed to take any, so these are the only ones I have of the kids at this orpahange…I wouldn't have been able to get them if I hadn't taken toys. Thanks to everyone who gave me money and made this possible!

The one sitting in my lap is Joni. He's the one I want to take home with me. He actually knows my name now, I don't even have to remind him anymore. Today was the last time I'll see him, I'm hopefully going to be able to sponsor him and come back for his baptism next year. I couldn't stop crying today when I had to leave them all, but especially him. I seriously love him like he's my own kid.

Christmas Is In The Air

So I'm on my last week, and the list of things I have to do is getting longer, not shorter. I did have a fairly successful day today. Two volunteers and I went to the central Lima markets. A place I had been told about very early on, but had really only dreamed of going. I ventured out to China Town fairly early in my time here, and it was beyond anything I had imagined. Huge, lots of people, and stores selling any thing and everything at amazing prices. China town did nothing to prepare me for the sight of the central Lima markets.

We got dropped off at the beginning of the main street and were told by out cab driver to walk straight. So walk we did, and it took us less than twenty steps and we were in the middle of hundreds upon hundreds of people selling and buying. Stores lines the wide streets once used for driving, but now closed to the happenings of the markets to go down on. People walked up and down selling bags to put all your finds in. Food carts were scattered around selling icecream ,stuffed potatoes, jello, and cerviche in a bag. The buildings on wither side of the street was where all the main action took place. One had all party supplies, floors dividing up different categories. Another might be all electronics, while yet another holds housewares. But we weren't on the search for party supplies, electronics, or household items, we were looking for toys. For you see, it's about to be Christmas time here, and the babies in my room need some new toys.

So there we were, three white girls in a sea of olive skinned Peruvians, and we were walking like we were instructed. We managed to find a building that was selling toys, and ventured in. Three hours later, three huge bags later, and quite a bit of money later, we headed home. The huge bags, and when I say huge I mean you could put a good sized grown man in it, that the women all sell cam in quite handy. I don't know if we could have managed the eighty seperate black trash bags.

We got cars, toys that sing, musical instruments, trollers, babydolls, and tons of other things. I'm hopefully going to be able to give the kids the toys tomorrow, but there has been a bit drama surounding the whole situation. Another girls and I deciede just to buy the toys without Lidia's help, becasue we knew what they needed and wanted to buy. Once I got home with them, I was told that I might not be ble to give the toys to the kids. I never fully understood the reason why, but I'm going to take them to the orpahange with me tomorrow and talk ot the director if I need to. I'm just going to stay positive hope that it is going to work out! The kids are going to love the toys, all the toys they have are either broken or dolls with no head or no legs.

I'll let you know how it goes with the toys! Chau!