Busy Week + Prayer Requests

Wow, this last week has been totally busy! Some of the things I've done:

A team of 4 people from the organization Orphan World Relief (OWR) was here for a little over a week. They support Casa de Amor, and they (the founder/director and 3 others) came to visit the city, see where their money is going, and help in any way they could. They were all completely awesome and very fun to hang out with. They just left yesterday, and I know they'll be missed by all the staff and children! One day last week, with them, Jennifer, Elena, David, and a professional bricklayer (the husband of one of the House 2 tias), I helped with the building of a house for a girl who is getting off the street, and her family. That was quite an experience - we literally threw bricks at each other to move them from one side of the land to the side where the house was going to be. That night I slept (more like didn't sleep at all) with the 4-month-old triplets, feeding them every 3 hours and trying to calm them down when they cried (which was basically all night long). After a long day of manual labor, then a long sleepless night, I went home and slept for about an hour, then went back to House 1 to work for 8 hours!

Don't remember if I already talked about this, but I also went to a soccer game at the big stadium last Sunday! It was between the 2 Cochabamba teams (big rivals, very intense competition), but since it was only part of the winter series there weren't many people there. It was still a fun experience though- barbed wire separating the fans from the field, police with shields to protect players from objects thrown at them, people selling various foods in the stands (including empanadas, ice cream cones, and beans. Oh and one lady had a basket full of candy...and cigarettes. What a combo), and fans cussing at the players. I went with the OWR group, Jen, plus a few street kids who were very into the whole cussing at players thing.

This Sunday after church, I went with Elena, 4 of the House 2 kids, and the OWR group to El Cristo de la Concordia, which is a huge white statue of Jesus on top of a mountain. There are steps going all the way up, but we opted for the teleférico (cable car) that takes you to the top and back down. We took lots of pictures at the top, with the Cristo and the awesome view of the mountains and city. Afterwards we stopped at a "restaurant" (basically a street corner where people set up a long picnic table and area to cook) to drink api, a hot corn drink with cinnamon and other spices (kind of like apple cider...yum), and eat some fried dough and cheese-stuffed pastries. That night I "babysat" for Elena for a couple hours, then got myself a taxi home.

Yesterday, after working at House 1 and saying goodbye to the OWR group, I went with Elena and her church to do an evangelism program for kids in a small country town. We played outside, helped the kids make a craft (they were VERY excited to use glitter glue and stickers!), then they did some songs and dramas with a Bible lesson and verse to memorize. Then Elena found out that 2 of her kids were going to meet their new adoptive parents TODAY, so we rushed to House 2 so she could talk to them about it and try to prepare them a little. After that, some of her friends picked us up to go to a bonfire at a children's home way out in the country with a group from Florida that's been working there, the kids, and people from the church. They had the fire, music (and some people danced), soccer, and volleyball. It was a really full day but very fun, and I met a lot of new people!

So those are some of the things that have happened in the past week. It's been full of long, busy days, but also a lot of fun!

I also want to mention some prayer requests. Thank you to everyone who is praying for me and CDA; here are some specific things you can be praying for:

• The 2 kids who met their adoptive parents today (JK and E). We don't know how long it will be until they actually get adopted, but just pray that they would adjust well with their new family. Also for Elena. She lives at House 2 and these kids are basically her children, and I know as excited as she is for them, it will be very hard for her to see them go.
• Other adoptions at House 1: one boy who was at House 1 (but has been living with a foster family- I actually babysat him the first week I was here!) is being adopted this Friday. A pair of twins may be going back to their mother soon. Another pair of twins is also in the middle of an adoption. It's very exciting that so many kids will have families soon, but it will also be hard on Jennifer and everyone that works at the home. Please pray for all of those kids, the adoptive families, the staff of CDA, and that everything goes smoothly with all the adoptions.
• Maite and Teresa (my Bolivian family). Nothing really specific for them, but just in general, and that God would bless them and keep them safe. Also, another girl is supposed to come live with us for a couple week (she comes the 10th), so for her to have a safe trip and a good stay here.
• My health: I haven't been majorly sick here, but I have kind of a cold. Mostly just coughing, but please just pray that I get better because it's very annoying, both to me and to M and T!

• Keep praying for Jennifer (she is super busy all the time and does A LOT!), CDA, all the kids, and all the staff.

That's all I can think of for now...thanks for all your prayers and support!