Welcome back to Tuesday’s edition of life with the Brown Team! Today has been another amazingly wonderful day.
We started this morning at Hermano Pedro. We all got there about 10:30 or 11 and played with the kids for a little while. Dick and Carlos got all the paperwork ready and we got to take some of the older girls out to Pollo Campero’s (Seriously yummy chicken place) for lunch. We took Rufina, Mercede, Sonia, Guadelupe, and Ascension. They had just finished a Valentine’s party in school that day and some of them got their lovely faces painted.
Most of these girls only get out of the orphanage once or twice a year. The volunteers usually connect with the smaller children, so the older ones don’t get a lot of attention. Today, however, was their day. Rufina and Sonia can communicate and they told us over and over again how excited they were. Mercede and Guadelupe can’t communicate with words, but you better believe they told us how excited they were too!!!
I am continually amazed at how these kids can communicate so easily without words. They are a huge encouragement to us. We constantly feel so limited because we don’t know Spanish. These kids can’t use any words at all, but they still communicate! Mercede’s smile tells you exactly what she wants. Guadelupe’s laugh lets you know her true joy.
After lunch we took the girls back to Hermano Pedro, via the Park. We stopped by the fountains and played in the water. Friske went back and picked up Sam to go play in the park too. However, the new environment and all the people were a little overwhelming for him. He finds comfort in the familiar.
Then we came back to the coffee shop and met up with Dana. Dana and his wife Rosa run a kid’s club every Tuesday afternoon. They open up their Discipleship School and invite all the neighborhood kids to come hang out and hear Bible stories. They start with Dana playing the guitar and all the kids singing at the top of their lungs. Then Rosa tells a Bible story (Noah’s Ark today) with an incredibly awesome felt board. Then some of the Discipleship students performed a drama called Redeemer. It was really awesome. It started with Creation and took us through Christ’s redemption for us. Afterwards, Rosa asked the kids questions about the drama and they truly understood the story. Praise God for multiple ways of communicating the Gospel! Then we split the kids into groups and helped them color their own “ark.” Before they leave they get to pick up a drink and a sandwich and put a sticker on their attendance chart. Please continue to pray for Dana, Rosa, and Dove International’s work here in Antigua and San Miguel.
Things are not completely perfect. Kim had her camera stolen yesterday. It seems that Satan’s biggest scheme right now to steal our joy is to steal our things. First the laptop and money in Panajachel and now the camera. Unfortunately for him, however, God works all things for good. We have met some incredibly generous people at the coffee shop who are letting us borrow their laptops and we are praising the Lord in all circumstances! When worldly possessions are stolen, we praise God for reminding us that our trust is in Him and not in our things. Satan will not have our joy nor will he distract us from God’s plan here! We continually claim our authority and stand strong.
Thank you for all your prayers and your encouragement. The never-ending flow of love from home truly sustains us through the harder times. We find our joy in Christ and following his footsteps. Your prayers and encouragements are our continual restoration! We love you all!!!
Laura, for the Brown team
