The famous bodego key exchange...familiar Gary?
Nohema and Marta
Karelly and Michael
Aaron, Reyes and Tony
Marisol and Jovana
Armondo and Briza
Amy holding a sleeping Tonito
Javier and Bretton
Ana Karen, Austen Logan and Gustavo
Tonito napping on the floor before Amy found him
David
Angel and Mama
One dirty sweaty happy youth Pastor!
The ground is hard!
Josh working on the trench!
David and Josh at work! They should sleep well tonight. Everyone should!
Jackie and Andrea
A thirsty team.
Silvia, Fabiola and Ramon
Eliodoro and Mama
Belem and Brenda
Our work team digging a trench from the water tank to the older girls dorm. Wowie!
The trench will hook up a direct line for water 24/7...hopefully!
I love Sergio's apron! Only wish it were pink!
The cutest carrot grater ever!
Jasmine...almost asleep.
David enjoying a taco. Yummmm!
Jared loves this food too!
A few pics from our taco night at the Brothers! Vito...he had surgery and is very weak and sickly. He said he will be up and around when you come in October!
A very happy Lizeth!
Lizeth, Stacie and Marta
After all this time I was finally able to meet Amy from God's Children Adoption Agency. She graciously waited outside the van on our way to the casa while I had to run a few errands.
Jared finally assembled my fan for me with a screwdriver that Chewy provided! Yippee!
Ruby and Adriana
Fun with stringing beads! Everyone enjoyed this!!!
Rosaleo and Mama. He made a necklace for her.
Puzzles were also a hit!
Julian and Jared!
Sweet Vickie!
Alexandrina
Veronica and Carol
Josh, David and their fans
Alondra and Cielo
Marisol
Tony with barretts. What do ya think, Scott???
Megan helping in the kitchen.
Brenda feeding Andrea
Esayla and Tia Selsa...daughter and mother
Stacie...the official TP scooper-upper!
3 of the Riley kids!
A handsome Sergio!
Vito...for you! Karla
Lucia and Elvida
Nancy!!!
Anna
Leslie and Angel
Hey Dorothy...I ran across these pics in a photo album. Would you like me to scan them for you?
Captian Ryan!
Briza giving Logan a new look!
A fountain of youth!
Austin's new 'do'.
Andrea, Brisa and Grandpa Rogellio
Hanging out!
David fit right in...everyone loves him!
Meagana and Karelly
Austin, Cielo, Armondo and Logan
Alondra and Carol
Roger, Nayelli and Anna
Michael and Ramon
Aaron and Leonardo
For you, Luanne! Lorena, Roger and Cielo
Alondra enjoying Roger
Abulardo and Tonya
FBC having fun
My Prince sent me a fan and Taylor volunteered to assemble it.
Got a little complicated without a screwdriver. Nail files bend...
Stacie and Lisa setting up 'house'.
Vickie and Johana bringing a tarantula to welome the ladies in our room! We all did pretty good. The smile was frozen on Stacie's face until the next morning. Lisa just kept laughing and Tonya just kept staring at it. Fun...
We've got internet again! Yesterday Papa had Ramon and me stay home from church to 'babysit' about 30 kids who had to stay home...since there is only room for so many people and the second bus is not running. I was planning on updating the blog...but the aircard wouldn't go in correctly. Lots of people looked at it and finally it was determined that something internally was wrong and it would be impossible to use the aircard anymore to update the blog. I was heartbroken since going into Aldama was not an option. I cried out to the Lord and told Him that I couldn't really afford to repair my computer and again I felt defeated. (I'm sorry, but I haven't learned the lesson God is trying to teach me down here...that HE is GOD...not me.) Later yesterday evening I finally surrendered my will to Him (for the 9th millioneth time). Then last night I thought I still should upload my pics from my camera so I grabbed my computer and put it on my bed. When I did that a plastic thingie fell out of the hole where I stick the card. (Can you tell I'm a computer wizard?) Anyway...I thought I'd try the aircard and now it works. So...we're officially up and running again! Yippee!!!
The FBC team enjoyed the Children's Church at Shalom yesterday. It was a special day...Father's Day! Papa was blessed with about 40 cards and little gifts from the children. It was a true celebration of love for their Papa. Later that afternoon everyone spent time with the kids and relaxed. After the evening service, we took some of the young adult staff, Papa and the team out to the favorite local taco restaurant. YUM. Jealous, my Prince and VITO????
Today the team cleaned out the bodega (it should have taken them all week), worked on the famous trench and began working on the rec room. What a full day. I left in the morning to pic up Amy Twedt from God's Children Adoption Agency. It was fun picking her up from the airport because I have never met her in person. We have spent HOURS over the phone and correspond by e-mail alot but I never met her in person. So, to tell the truth, I was hoping she would be talking when she walked out of customs so I could recognize her voice. Luckily...after everyone else seemed to leave and go with other people...she came out with one of her beautiful daughters, Bonney. It has been indeed a privilege to spend time with her. I feel as though I have known her from birth and it is wonderful to talk with someone that shares my passion even more! She will be going to DIF with us tomorrow morning to discuss teaming up with another adoption agency for future adoptions. Please help me pray about this!!!
When you live with people you get to know them (right Scott?). I have thoroughly enjoyed Lisa, Tonya and my Pastor's wife, Stacie. I never knew how she could keep up with her 4 boys and little Anaya...until now. She can assembles fans, fish toilet paper out of the toilet and she can braid hair all at the same time (almost). If I watch her too closely I get tired. :)(She wanted me to be sure to include this disclaimer...she did put the toilet paper in the toilet.) :) Pastor Ryan is indeed blessed to have her as his partner through life. Speaking of Pastor Ryan, I have to say that he is doing an excellent job with the kids. Everyone has worked very hard and they have been very gracious. When there is not enough food, they make sure the kids are fed first and the team goes without. (Good thing the OXXO is real close!) Go FBC!!! Parents back home...you'd be proud!
Today little Tonito fell asleep on the floor. It was not soon that Amy scooped him up into her arms and held him until supper.
A cool thing happened today. Ramon Fekken's grandmother, sister and 2 cousins came to visit him today. It has been 1 year and 3 months since Ramon has been adopted and it was the perfect opportunity for them to visit him. When his grandmother walked in she teared up and Ramon ran to her and hugged her for the longest time. That is when I started to cry as well. It was so touching. This grandmother raised Ramon until her health wouldn't permit it anymore and then he was placed in the orphanage. What a thrill it was to see the happy reunion!!! Luanne...wish you could have seen it. Softie Roger was having moisture problems with his eyes too!
Dorothy, you might not get David back for long. Mama and Papa loves him...and Mama is already telling him about all her beautiful daughters. Chip...you thought I was bad! Anyway...just a heads-up, Dorothy! =)
Vito, there is a very positive change in Karla Ivonne. She has matured into a very loving young lady...like the little girl she once was. Jesus is healing her heart!
Javier returns this Thursday or Friday for good. I am praying for an opportunity to talk with him about surrendering his life to Jesus Christ. Will you help me pray about this?
Mark and Chandra...your girls long for you. Hope you can visit soon.
Mark and Jean...I can see the beauty of God's timing in the countenance of your precious children. God is sovereign and I praise Him for it!
The older girls in the dorm here greeted our room with a tarantula in a cup. After Stacie and Lisa quit hyper-ventilating we survived. Tonya is a cool cookie...at least on the outside. I admire her ability to not look terrified. I just stayed put in the corner of the room and watched...while trying to figure a quick escape route if the cup was dropped. The girls finally released the spider outside and all was well. Early the next morning however, we were out of water. I was desperate since I was sporting the Woody Woodpecker hairdo...so I grabbed a cup and filled it with water from the cooler our church brought and dumped it over my head. As I was doing this I realized it was the tarantula cup. Oh my word, I never would have believed this life a few years ago.
Tonight we were able to watch the Lily girls play soccer...and what a game it was! At one point we were behind 2 to 6. Then...after in the very last quarter we tied the game 6-6 after much screaming and cheering. The tie-breaker shoot-off was spectacularly played by the Lily girls...especially our substitute goalie, Elvida. We ended up winning and it was a wild celebration! Sid, I think it must have been the uniforms. You and Betsy should have seen them. Hope you like the pics! One thing about the kids at Lily that I have noticed about their games. When the Americanos come to watch them play...they start out very slow...almost very shyly. Then, once they fall behind something kicks in and they dig down deep and become scrapers. A lot of kids never know what it is like to be the underdog in life, but our kids do. They have been beat down but they sure know how to fight back. We are all very proud of our Lily kids!
Hey, I'd like to challenge you all to read a book,"Adopted For Life" by Russell Moore. Some dear friends gave it to me and I'm lovin' it. In fact...I dare you to read it!!!
I am not responsible for any typing errors this late at night. :)Thanks for looking past them.
11 comments:
We're so thankful your air card decided to work, we kind of figured something was wrong with it. So nice to have a face to go with "Amy Twedt"
Tell her we said hi too! Also could you get the latest update from Pastor Ryan about Martha and give it to Mama & Papa & Amy. We found out a lot the day before you left.
We're picking apart the picture from the Brother- is that Jareds' hand on Brenda's arm? Did you happen to take a before and after shot of the bodego? Great picture of the chain gang working on the "Mexican pipe line." Keep us updated on the progress. You always seem to sneak in a shot of someone working on the toilet. Thanks for all the pictures, We'll keep praying for health and safety.
Chad & Christi
Linda,
Barb scanned those pictures on one of her earlier trips and put them on cd for me. I have them and you can cross them off your list! :) But thanks so much for offering. They are precious. I went to Lake Ann yesterday and got Beto, Boni, Sammy (along with 3 Moul girls) settled in with their counselors. They were all pretty excited to be there.
I tell you what, Mama isn't the only matchmaker. She must have taught Marcos and Beto. They are incorrigible at times about it. Rayanna and I decided they are worse than Chris Huizinga and that's saying something! LOL
Praying for and loving you all, Dorothy
Whew, I am so glad to see the pictures! I felt disconnected and now I feel reunited. I'm thankful Ramon got to see his Grandma. He kept trying to call her before he left to let her know he was coming but she never was home. But he took her number to keep trying.
Is Rog working down there or just looking pretty in his little yellow shirt?!? I want to see some dirt on those hands (:
I prayed for the DIF trip this morning. Maybe Satan will be busy causing a riot or something somewhere else today and leave you guys alone. I agree with Christy, it was nice to see Amy. I feel like I've known her for a couple of years as well.
We are praying you through all the things that are on your to do list. I don't want this week to fly by for your sakes, but I'm pretty anxious to get my family back home.
((((HUGS...PRAYERS)))
Luanne
Perhaps I should have waited to read these updates until I was at home. I'm sitting here at my desk crying at the picture of Ramon running to his grandma...ughh...so precious!
Please tell our girls we miss them so much too! I can't wait to see them...I'm working on "Aunt Stacie" to make a trip with me now that Jean is not able to go in July. :( We love them so so much! Please give our love to ALL the kids.
Praying daily!
p.s. Love Austin and Logan's new do...ha! Cielo get's that from me ;)
*correction....Brisa, not Cielo get's that from me!
don't know what it was about this, but i'm all teary-eyed today looking at those kids. i'm supposed to be WORKING right now.
no question, i'm coming in october. you can't stop me.
i'm glad that book is blessing you. if anyone wants it and can't find it, let me know! he's a professor here in ol' ky and i may be able to get it more easily at one of our bookstores.
love you tons of bunches.
I can't take credit. I'm just the delivery vehicle. The uniforms were a gift from St. Alberts Middle School arranged by a co-worker Malcolm Hopkins. The hats the soccer girls got were a gift from MaryEllen's bosses daughter. The soccer balls I brought were a gift from a co-worker named Joe Montano. Joe's dad came to the U.S. in the back of a pickup some 40+ years ago. They are a great family.
I am delighted the girls enjoyed their "new" uniforms. I wish I could see them play in them. Maybe next time.
Linda,
Thanks for the post! It's so encouraging to see the way God continues to weave these two families of ours together- the Lily family and the FBC family.
Tell David I said Hello!
Also, Adopted for Life is actually published by Crossway Books, for whom I work. Occasionally, we get books returned to us that are slightly damaged (But still VERY readable) and we can't sell them. Employees and employees' friends can buy these CHEAPO (as in probably $2-3). So, if anyone wants one, they can also contact me. I can't guarantee supply, but it never hurts to look. :)
Highlight of my day is to read your blog. I knew there was technical problems when it didn't post for a few days. LOVE the pics of the FBCers! So wonderful to know they will not come back the same. Praying for all.
love
karen
Linda-
Still wishing I was there. Aren't we all? Your blog is chicken soup for the Lily soul. :) Praying for you tonight. It's about time for bed where you are- praying for rest and renewed energy for a new day!
Hello sweet friend. I'm praying for you and the team. I got right down on my knees and cried (literally) before the Lord and asked him for a few things. ;)
Would you tell my girl Stac-that she is a real woman and I am VERY proud of her. As a matter of fact hug her sweaty neck and tell her I've been praying.
Love you, Linda....
Lee
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