It's a brand new day!

Barb and Fred's girl...Brenda. We love this girl!




Catchito and his favorite possession...an empty bottle




Part of a sibling group that's here at Lily. Berto, Jazmine and Karelly




Big Brenda's birthday! We loved singing to her the American and Spanish Happy Birthday songs!




Bresayda and Esayla having a sister squabble. Yes...it even happens at an orphanage.




2 dirty boys. Samuel was teaching Santana and Gary how to plaster a wall. Apparently they didn't know the mud was supposed to end up on the wall.




Ramon and Esayla




Jackie chewing on an eraser. Honestly, we do feed this girl. She just likes eating and chewing on everything!




Luis and Samuel. 2 handsome dudes!




Alberto. What can I say? This boy has the most sensitive and caring heart that I've ever seen. If there is an underdog...Alberto is on their side. If anyone is hurt, he is there comforting them. Alberto, the world needs more boys like you.




Javier...the soccer star




Lorena and her red heart balloon. She brought it home from school and was very proud of it. It had several names written on it.




Ruby and Lorena...good buds.




Nohema is a sweet girl with a great sense of humor. We are always laughing about something. I love this girl.




Daniel and Erika. Please continue to pray for Erika. She dropped out of school and is 18 years old. She was discouraged that she had 3 more years of school so she quit. I am asking the Lord to give her an interest in some type of vocation that I can get her connected with. She is a beautiful girl and has so much potential.




Marta with her never ending smile.




Andrea and Jacqueline kising through a glass door. They are so cute!!!




Jesus working on his homework. He is a diligant worker.




Lucia and Leslie




Jacqueline...what big lips you have!!!




Andrea...what a big nose you have!!! It's so fun to watch them discover fun things like this.



This morning has began with a flurry of activity. "Hotcakes" were on the menu so that was our first project. Organizing the cleaning of the apartment that Mark and Jean will be staying in was also taking place. Then, Ed and Rosa will be at DIF for a large part of the morning in a very important meeting. I ask that you be much in prayer about this. There are some very sensitive issues that will be addressed. I can't stress the importance of this meeting. On the way into DIF, Gary is being dropped off at a ceramic tile plant. He will be spending most of the day hauling donated ceramic tile to the new boys dorm (for the dining hall), driving a heavy duty truck. We have several concerns regarding this. One is that the truck will be road worthy as he is driving in heavy traffic. The second is that we were under the impression that Americans cannot drive commercial trucks (which is what this truck is). Rosa said it will be fine, but we are not sure that it was thoroughly researched. Please pray for his safety. Apparently he will be on the road hauling this tile for most of the day. A Mexican jail is the last place he wants to be. We are asking God for protection and safety.

The Riley's kids are so excited today. They will be able to see Mark and Jean again. For weeks, they have been counting down the days and finally, after school, Mark and Jean should be here. How fun!

As for you, Huizengas and Fekkens, your time is getting close. I fully expect to see you here this week as well...although I have not heard a word from DIF yet. Your kids are very excited and nervous about going to their new home. There are many mixed emotions here regarding this. Everyone is happy for them. But they will be sadly missed by everyone here, as well. They have been a part of this family for several years and this is all they have known. Please keep in mind they will be leaving a mama and papa, best friends and 'sisters & brothers', a familiar town, familiar school, familiar church, familiar language and familiar food. Although you will have nothing but pure joy by finally bringing them into your home, they will be excited and yet grieving their loss. Let's all be in prayer about their adjustment.

It was Brenda's birthday yesterday so Gary and I took her out for...you guessed it...ice cream. We had a great time with her as she celebrated her 23rd birthday. Gary and I are feeling more and more comfortable going out into the community on our own. We've been sent on many errands and are able to communicate enough to get the right things that are needed. We have received several strange looks with our broken spanish...but we just keep a big smile on our face and they seem to overlook our blunders. The people down here have been very friendly with us and helpful. Even when I go to the preschool/kindergarden to pick up our 7 kids, the teachers and staff have been very helpful. 2 of the children like to run off in opposite directions and it is very frustrating to get them all into the van. I have tried many methods to get them all into the van...holding hands, forming a chain, having a rope to hold on to...etc. but nothing seems to work with those 2 kids. I only lost 1 little boy...and a teacher found me and brought him to me. I am quite tempted to tie up these two kids with the rope and bring them into the van, but it probably wouldn't look good. :) If any of you have any brainstorms on how I can escort 7 young kids from their school into the van...let me know. Remember...it has to be legal. :)