New Connections

What a great week we have had. Thursday we went to a park in San Lucas with the orphanage from Paramos and spent the day making new friends, practicing our Spanish and making connections with people from many different ministries in Guatemala. Our kids are loving the regular oppertunities to practice speaking in Spanish to their new friends as we swim, hike and play soccer with them. Eden has a friend named Tatianna who speaks a little English, so the both practice their languages. Cole has an amazing gift of communicating through his heart; he has a lot of practice as he struggles with his verbal skills even in Canada! He is as open as ever, cuddling with anyone who will take the time and waltzing into the lives and hearts of everyone he meets.
At the park, some of the missionaries that we were with introduced us to another orphanage that was there. They were from "Rosa's Amor," an orphanage for many children including a lot of young mothers. These 11, 12 and 13 year old girls had become pregnant by the abuse of family members and have been taken into the orphanage where they have given birth to their babies and are being taught how to take care of them. Laine and I were thrilled to volunteer our arms as Baby holders while the mothers got to swim and just be kids for a while. We loved on these sweet little infants for over an hour while they ate and slept in out arms. The mothers splashed around in the pool with everyone else and would occasionally come over to check us out and see if their babies were okay. We are hoping to visit this orphanage soon and are praying for ministry oppertunities there. Pray that the Holy Spirit will prepare the way for us there.
On Friday afternoon, Autumn came down with the chicken pox. She doesn't feel sick at all and only has about 12 spots, but she is still contagious so she had to stay home from church today. She was so dissapointed, but she ended up having a good time with Laine all to herself.
Tomorrow we are back to Joy Filled Homes to tile the bathroom sink. We have completed a few small projects there already and are slowly making our way through the list. I will begin to work with the kids and developing their IEP's this week, so I can use a lot of prayer.
Blessing to you all and thank you for all your prayers.