Last days

Yesterday was our Good-Bye Lunch at Joy Filled Homes. What a wonderful meal! We ate traditional food, a chicken stew with rice and vegetable and tamales wrapped in leaves, with tortillas of course. Marco and Karina Tullio, a local Pastor and his wife, came with their two children to bless us and send us off. After lunch we ate cake and the kids presented us with a framed photo of the kids and staff at Hogar Los Gozosos (Joy filled Homes). The Tullio family invited us to come visit them in their home.

Today was our last day of service at the orphanage and our final good-byes. Steve moved some trees and shrubs that Maureen wanted moved and the kids and I painted on a mural on the playground wall. There was an already existing scene of a beach and the ocean, but it needed more life so we had a blast! We painted a sun, birds, a sailboat, fish, crabs and a turtle. We added an umbrella, a dog, a ball, and children. The whole beach came alive! When we were finished, as usual, the kids came over to check it out. They loved it!

Then it was time to say good-bye. I don't need to tell you how emotional that was! All the kids gave us hugs and kisses, except Candy; she wouldn't have anything to do with me. That was so hard because Candy was always my favorite, I wanted to bring that smiley little munchkin home with me! Maybe she sensed that we are leaving, I really wanted a hug from her. :( I'm really going to miss those kids and all the amazing nannies that work with them 24/7. Some of them became really close. Andres smiled big for me when I kissed his forehead and I prayed for Leidy one more time. She is such a doll and she always smiled for me when I talked to her, except for when she had been sick recently.

We are stopping by the orphanage briefly on our way out early Saturday morning to drop off the matresses that we had bought for the kids when we got here. The Home was really great and loaned us most of the furniture we needed for our stay, the matresses were the only furniture we had to buy. Turns out they are badly in need of new matresses for some of the kids so we were glad that God could use them to bless the orphanage.

This afternoon we went to visit Marco and Karina Tullio in their home here in Chimaltenango. They live in a 6 story building that they intend to make into an apartment complex. They live on the fourth floor now and would like to complete the other floors so they can rent them out to help support their ministry. Marco Tullio is a full time pastor. In his youth he struggles with drugs and alcohol so his heart is towards the people in Chimaltenango who struggle with drugs and alcohol. He goes out with his wheelbarrow and picks up men that are passed out in the street and brings them back to the church where they bath, clothe and feed them then minister to them until they are ready to go home. They also travel around the country and deliver medical supplies to doctors who help suffering children. Their vision for their ministry is to grow into an international ministry and they have a heart for Africa! They dream of having a ministry center with a hospital, a trades school and a descipleship center where they can send out missionaries into all the world! Steve and I both feel like we share the same vision with the Tullio family. We will continue to pray with them and for them when we are in Canada and maybe we will join them in the future if God confirms that in us.
Please remember to pray for us tomorrow as we go to the city for our embryo transfer. Blessings to you all!