Double Blessings!!! Texas and Arkansas!!!

The Texas Team!




The Arkansas Team!




These teams made for a fun youth night with Pastor Ben & his group's music along with the Arkansas teams game time. The kids had a great time!




And...of course the food. Cheetos (Mexico type) and pork rinds with plenty of hot sauce and soda!




One-on-one times were the best!!!




These Arkansas girls helped me with a trip to the market while the guys on their team and the Texas team were out digging holes. We did work up a sweat, however, while we were shopping! :)




Cactus anyone? We buy this often at the market...it is loaded with vitamins and minerals!!! And it tastes delicious!




Mama Rosa and Briza comforting some new children with very big fears!




Kitchen duty!!!




Another great soccer game and a bleacher full of fans! Our team played hard and WON!!!




An Arkansas fan watching from the team pit.




Pastor Ben enjoying the game. I know he would have loved for a chance to go out there and play!




Samuel and Pastor Ben with their guitars practicing for some awesome worship songs! It was a great duo!!!




A quick building plan meeting with Rosa, Ed, Bob and Gary




The kids love the Americanos!!!




How fun! Tyler and his Arkansas crew!




Jackie guzzling down some coffee in a coke bottle!




Margarita...Lucia's sister!




Dave from the Texas group having fun with Ramon. Even Ramon loves to arm wrestle! I really appreciate all the time Dave spent with Ramon.




Americans love to play with the kids...!




One of the Arkansas group leaders loving on the kids!




...and the kids are soaking up the love!!!




Jazmine...she is such a cutie pie! Rileys...she is a special gal!!!




Brenda after her new haircut!




Oops...time to tilt your head for Brenda's back view of her haircut! Sorry about that!




Lupita!!! She has captured so many hearts!




Oliver, tio Gary and Jackie horsing around. I love to hear Jackie's giggles as he plays with her. She reminds us of our 4 little grandaughters!




The handsome Abuelo Ramon!




Antonio and Armondo...what cute little guys!




tia Selsa and her son Jesus.




Little Pablo and Ramon




Gary and Marcos...he is a great kid!!!



This has been a very exciting weekend for the children. We have two groups with us...Team Texas and Team Arkansas! Both of these teams bring special talents that have brought much joy! Last evening we had our youth night beginning with the soccer game (which we won with no problems afterward) and a time of games and singing. The kids really enjoyed getting to know the teams better and had a great time. The Arkansas team provided the kids with a fun game and it was so much fun to watch them play. My best memory of the evening was watching Karen run around in the middle of the tag game...and everyone let her participate...even though she had no idea what she was doing...nor did anyone else! Then the evening was wrapped up with the gifted Pastor Ben and his team leading us in some great worship songs. There was even a few kids from the community that came around close enough to listen. It was a great night. What a blessing these teams have been to us!!! Today the Texas team will leave but the Arkansas team stays until Friday morning. The best thing is that yet another group comes Friday evening for another week. The kids are soaking in every second!!!

The wind is still howling with blue skies and warm weather...but it is supposed to bring cooler weather along with the chance of thunder storms on Monday and Tuesday. The kids pretty much hibernate inside instead of getting sandblasted! Me too!

Last evening as I was getting ready to leave the cafeteria...I saw Rosa cuddling a new little boy who was terrified and sobbing. A few minutes later...his youngest sister joined them. As I went to hold the little sister...Briza grabbed ahold of her and was holding her on her little lap...rocking her. All the kids who are already here know what this is like. It's something they have all faced at one time or another...you can tell by the way the other children compassionately look at them. Rosa said they are afraid of 'monsters'...and I didn't even need to ask any more questions. These kids have faced 'monsters' that we have never even dreamed of. Monsters of abandonment, monsters of abuse, monsters of rejection, monsters of dashed hopes and dreams. Rosa and Briza knew just what to do. They just hold them tight, softly reassure them that things will be alright and softly hummed sweet little songs to them. After about half an hour, the children were then walked back to bed. I don't know if they fell to sleep right away...or if the 'monsters' returned. Please pray for these new children. We can't fathom the pain they have experienced.

I am very excited about the adoption progress that we are making. I would also like to ask you to pray that the 'orphan status' for many more children will be established. Alex is a true blessing to work with and is putting in many long hours to make this happen.

Today I am thankful for God's sovereignity. That might be one of my favorite qualities of Him. He is in control. We can rest in this. Down here, especially, I see His hand of provision, protection and perfect timing. In fact, we have witnessed many miraculous things down here. The most obvious is the people who drive in with food that we just ran out of, or medical provisions that we need. I have seen this time and time again. Why does this happen? The God who cares for even a tiny little sparrow...is watching over these children down here and lovingly provides for their needs. It's because they have a Papa and Mama who pray in faith. Deb...Chelsea also has a Mama and Papa who are doing this...doesn't she? God is in control and He is faithful!!!

Hey...just a few more pics. We took both teams to the little taco restaurant in Aldama for supper last night and they gladly squeezed all 22 of us Americanos in. The food is sooooo good! Vito...thanks for the tip! Is your mouth watering???