i started the day heading over to Hermano Pedro, the hospital we are working at, and picking up alex and taking him to have some ice cream. laura went also and she took a little boy named gaspar. both of the boys have cerbral palsey. most of the kids in the hospital do. alex is seven years old, but he has not grown any in the past 3 yrs. he is the size of a small 3yr. old. he doesn’t talk with his mouth, but he does with his eyes. he loves to be held….which doesn’t happen often. and he likes singing. so even though i don’t sing very well i do a lot with him. it makes him smile and he has the most beautiful smile that i have ever seen. so we went through the park and wentto an ice cream shop where we got ice cream for both of the boys. alex didn’t eat any butgaspar sure did. he is really funny. he is able to talk and pretty much all he said was jessica is loca. he made us laugh a lot.
Hermano Pedro is an amazing place.during my first visit i really thought that the nurses could do a better job and give more attention, but after hanging out there i realized that there are just not enoughvoluteers or workers to give enough love and attention to everyperson and child there. it is heartbreaking. and i wish i coulddo more. wewere very blessed to have a man whovolunteers there take us around the first day and show us around and introduce us to some of the patients. he had some very good advice that ineeded to hear. he said that trying to helpall of them can be overwhelming and we could spread ourselves to thin. he told us to pray and devote ourselves to one or two and make a difference in their lives. he told us the story of the little boy who was throwing the starfish back into the ocean and someone came up and said there are to many you could never help them all. and the little boy picked up one and threw it into the water and said it makes a difference to that one. so right now i have alex. and i will spend as much time as possible just holding him, singing to him and loving him as i possibly can.
tonight we were invited to a girls night. it was at a womans apartment named angel. she is so beautiful and full of Jesus. she has the most amazing apartment. her living room is outside. the whole night was just devoted to us girls. when we went in we went to a room to make ourselves a necklace to remember tonight. then we went to another room to have our feet washed. very sadly i missed out on that because we ran out of time, but the time of fellowship with the other ladies there was very nice. after that we all got our dinner and sat down in her living room 🙂 to hear a message from a women named doni. her message for us was to remember who we are. that we belong to Jesus. first and foremost. he died for us and purchased us. she shared that the Lord has a plan for all of us. he got us to where we are now and he has a plan for where we are going. after that we had a time of prayer. then we had some yummy dessert. cake and fruit with chocolate. again with the fruit and chocolate….not complaining. i could eat that everyday and i would be ok. at the end of the night there was a group of about 12 guys that showed up singing and escorted us all home. it wasa beautiful night.
it is so nice to be reminded of who i am. that i am a beautiful child of God. and the he has a perfect plan for my life.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Thank you Lord for that promise.
Shalom
