I am very excited about the ministry we are involved in this month. The girls on my team are living in a girl’s home in San Salvador, El Salvador. The guys on my team are across the street in the boy’s home. The ministry is mi casa international (my house) and is run by Bob our contact and his team of caring staff. The homes are run like a family not an orphanage. There are 15 children total with 9 girls and 6 boys aged 4-17. You can tell the children are loved and well cared for. When they see Bob they run to him hug him and call him Tio (uncle) Bobby or papa. It is sweet to see the love he lavishes on these kids.
All of the children come from terrible family backgrounds, most of their parents are dead or in jail. They have histories of abuse and neglect. They have no chance of family reconciliation or adoption. At the home they experience love and start to trust adults again. They get to be children with no worries. They have Tia’s(aunts) that care for them, make meals, help with personal care, clean the house and help with homework and house chores.
A typical day in the house starts when the children wake up at 5:15 am. They quickly get ready for the school day, eat breakfast and are out the door by 5:45 am. While the kids are at school the Tia’s clean the house and do laundry. When they arrive home at 12:30 lunch is served and then the homework process begins. Some day’s the homework continues until 6pm. Supper is served around 7:30 and bedtime around 9:30. In between homework and bed we spend time with the kids; playing with toys, movies, nail painting, games in the park, dance parties and hanging out getting to know them.
God is at work healing the hurts of these children and restoring them to completeness. He has taken the hurting and fatherless and giving them an abundance of love and a home.
sisters Julia and Rosa
