Monday, Oct 16 Xela Temporary Home and Girls Catholic Home

Today, we divided up into our 6 teams. I joined team #2 and helped them with their VBS program. Teams 1 -4 went to the Government Temporary home while teams 5 and 6 traveled 20 minutes outside of town to a privately owned catholic home for girls. When we arrived the children would love and hug on us. We had candy to give them, played games and made silly faces. Then Group 2 were assigned about 10 children and we took them into the dining room for our VBS program. We talked about the Armor of God from Ephesians 6. Each team member had an object (helmet, sword, breastplate, etc) that we discussed. All the while, we had 2 translators to help us tell the story. We also had a craft time, pertaining to the armor of God. The kids were given white baseball hats and t-shirts to decorate. Most of them wrote "Dios te Ama". Some kids took their time as they colored onto their new shirt. Afterwards we sang songs together. Continually, we hugged on the kids and told them that God loves them. Several kids were hard to warm up to, but by the time we left they didn't want to see us go. We gave each kid toys, candy, new underwear, socks and shoes.

We walked to the plaza for lunch and ate at McDonalds. Then for the afternoon, all 6 groups went back to the Government Temporary home to hand the kids their new tennis shoes. Then we all went to the Catholic Girls home. This is a home for abused girls. Many have run away from home. Most do not know where their parents are. When we got to this home, the girls were so excited that they put on a program for us. Someone committented that it was like they were performing for their parents. They sang, danced and did drama. Then we divided into teams, and they took us around to their rooms. Showed us their "living room", "laundry room" and "chapel". As our time was coming to an end, we lined the girls into a long line and we each went to a teenager and gave them a goodie bag. The goodie bag consisted of deodorant, package of underwear, a watch, perfume, lotion, hairbands and miscellaneous items that teenagers would love to have. They were truly appreciative of the gifts that were given and brought down from radio listeners in the Chicago area.

This particular orphanage was quite clean. Situated high on a hill, it over looked a "gully". The road was steep to get to the place. Even on the way to the catholic home, we drove through some poor sections of town.