I've been here more than a week and I'm sorry

I'm starting this post with an apology. I sent a bunch of you the link to this blog and then didn't write anything for days. I guess there were enough things to write about, but what if they were things that are only interesting to me? I'm not going to pretend to know what parts of this trip whoever is reading this cares about. But what we did yesterday was familiar.

We woke up early for what Tannia called a "day of missions". Tannia is the daughter of the family I am staying with. She is the sister of my friend, Hugito, who works with Wil and CRMP. I could spend the rest of my trip explaining how everyone I know here is connected. I've even learned more of the "web of relation" while I've been here. It makes my head spin. So-and-so is the cousin of so-and-so and is dating so-and-so who just so happens to be the brother of so-and-so. Ayyy.

Anyway, focus, day of missions. We stopped by the church to grab some supplies, then Don Hugo, Hugito and I went in the truck about 15 minutes down the Pan-Am Highway. We arrived at a small house that was clearly in a neighborhood worse-off than the one I am staying in. Most houses on the street (and in the whole country) have gates that are made of metal bars for protection and to mark the lot, kinda like a fence. The house we went to did not. It had very overcome-able barbed wire. It needed LOTS of work, but we were there only to install new front and back doors...with working locks.

The house

The other special thing about this house was that one of the sons of the family has Down Syndrome. The family has 2 young sons, Moises and Ulises with another on the way, and they didn't have properly locking doors or a gate.

Ulises

Moises

 The 3 of us got to work. Well, I mainly assisted. The boys were both so cute, I was small-talking with them-- asking them about their toys & what they were watching on T.V.-- things that I can say in Spanish. More workers joined us and we got the job done before 11. When we left, I got giant hugs from both boys. Ulises, the boy with Down Syndrome, really didn't want us to go. He clung to me for a good while. It was heart-warming to me that he could reach out to a group of people with such loud scary tools and smelly wood sealer.

It was a very full-filling morning to say the least. I'm thankful that on this random adventure/trip where I had no planned activities, I was able to participate in something like this. It makes my heart smile so big-- just those few hours that we spent with them. It also makes me count my blessings many times over. However when I do count my blessings while I'm here, it really puts things in perspective. Perspective as in distance. My daily life and daily relationships are VERY far away from here. Far in distance, but also in similarity. No mom, don't take that as homesickness. It's just an observation.

I won't be gone so long next time, I promise.

The work group

Dios les bendiga :)
Carrie