Loving Orphans...

Mark and Jean...FYI Angel loves he cookies wih strawberry & vanilla marshmallows on top.





Daughter and father....





Fred and guess who????





Angel!!!




Costume day at H.S. Angel and Brenda chatting





Who is that handsome man? Looks like a glimpse into the future, Mark and Jean! Isael helped with the extra facial hair look! Angel loved it!





Nohema lighting the stove for breakfast.






Made banana bread. My official 'banana squishers'!






Yum!




Finger licking good!






Licked clean!







Ana loves animals!





Marsela and Lupita...upside down!





Katy





Betty and Nancy





Yazmine





Sweet Karla





'New' truck that was sold to us for a song. Thank you, Jesus!





Hey Gary...here is the new bus info:





Cutie Pies!!!!





Ruby & Teena with Papa's special heart-shaped cookie!





Roger and his crew





Marsela





Even bad boys got cookies!




Luis finishing his meal so he can get his cookie!





Armondo enjoying his cookie!





Yeah!!!!





The cookie line...it's so much fun to see their excitement!





YUM





Even the cookie dough was tempting!





Chewy helping make cookies





Rosa wrapping her prayer shawl around her. It was a gift from St. James Lutheran Church in Rothbury. Their mission group even made a blanket with a toy wrapped in it to give to the new children! What a ministry!





Fred and Brenda





The sand is delivered...and the gravel...





and the blocks...





Julian trying to pull Roger's beard off.





Samuel showing Roger and Fred his new guitar.





One happy kitten!





Oliver! What a great kid!





Papa on the maiden voyage!





Jackie enjoying her orange! Fruit is such a treat down here!





The official 'fruit passer-outers'!




Brenda????





Fred does know how to make his bed...Barb...take note!





Cielo enjoying her meal!





Ruby and Karen





Jackie and tonito...sis & bro!





Sweet Ruby





It's Karen!!!





A tired Jackie napping on the floor. I wonder if she dreams of a comfy bed and being tucked in bed by a mommy and daddy?





Marcos...who is learning sign language.





Sergio





Andrea playing with the kitten.





David is back! Yeah!






Look who we found sleeping outside our door?





Little Lizeth!




I scooped her up and laid her on my bed so she could finish her nap.



WOW! The last 2 days have been a blur! So many things going on...I've been on the run. To begin with, I wanted to tell you that another vehicle was 'donated' (sold to Lily for a fraction of the cost). It's a Ram half ton truck. Only 60,000 miles and in beautiful condition...for the time being! It truly was an answer to prayer. I am amazed how God works!

Ramon is doing very good. Today the Dr.s take off his bandages and decide when he will be coming home. I am sure that it will be hard on Ramon to see his body with all the scarring. Thanks for praying for him.

There is an adorable sister and brother that is here. They look out for eachother all the time and it is so special to watch. They are only 11 months apart! Yesterday I saw the sister(oldest) giving her brother part of her food. She is so thin as it is that it broke my heart. The boys 12 and up seem to always be hungry (you know how that is) and this precious girl is watching out for her brother by giving up her portion. How humbling to see her sacrifice. The best part of all is that Jesus sees it too!

The kids and I made cookies and banana bread. The most fun for me is to watch the kids lick the pans clean! My 'assistants' are always so eager!!! In fact, there is a long list of volunteers that are waiting their turn. Pretty cool!!! Mary Ellen and Lauren...you remember those days, don't you?!!! The best.

Great things are happening on the adoption end today. God set up this powerful meeting that was a definite answer to prayer. I am standing back in awe of this powerful God I serve. All we have to do is ask and seek HIS will.

David is back. He ran away this past summer with a rebellious boy that was leading him astray. I am so glad to see him...and so was his brother. God loves prodigals and so do I!!!

Please pray for Colleen. She has been sick and her eardrum burst. The Dr. gave her some meds...but it is hard to be sick when you're so far away from home. She arrived at our doorstep this morning...and we have taken her in...letting her re-coop in our house until she feels strong enough to make it.

Roger and Fred are spending every moment with the kids and then dropping on their mattresses for quick snoozes. Well...Roger's are quick. :)

I'm wondering if I should have had the sand and gravel for our building project delivered closer to the group's arrival. I don't know how many boys have been on top of the piles...I'm just hoping there will be piles left. :) I was afraid if I announced that everyone was to stay away from dirt piles...it would be more of an invitation. Boys and dirt sorta go together, you know!

I love reading Hebrews. It challenges me to keep my eyes on God. When I look at these children I weep. When I look at my grandchildren's pics, I weep. God has challenged me again to let go. When flying down here I was reading one of Charles Swindoll's books, 'So You Want To Be Like Christ'. The last chapter was on surrender. (God always saves the best for last.) He reminded me once again that I need to focus on Him and let go of everything else. I thought I had done that...but it has to be a daily 'living sacrifice'. It's far more easier to offer a dead sacrifice. My living sacrifice keeps crawling off the alter...and I have to give it back to God. I am discovering that it is so much easier to offer this living sacrifice when my eyes are focused on my Jesus. So...my eyes are looking up today.

Thanks for praying for us. The Lord willing, my Prince will be here in 6 more days!!!