2nd Day at the Boys Home

Today, we went back to the boys home (about an hour and a half through the desert and along the coast to get there). This orphanage used to be a military prison, so our main task here for the 2 days was work projects. I didnt participate in any yesterday because I was helping the medical team, but last night, a bunch of the girls were up talking. Along the cement walkway connecting the buildings at the home, there were some huge gaping holes (up to 3 feet wide) and erosion had eaten away the ground under that. In some spots, this meant there was a huge hole, several feet deep and wide, that you could unknowingly fall right into if you werent paying attention.

This home, like so many others, had a high percentage of special needs boys- including some in wheelchairs and 2 boys who are blind. This was a HUGE hazzard for them and the group of women I was with last night decided to do something about it. A team member had been given $100 before we left and told to use it to bless someone, so he graciously donated it to us for the purchase of cement, shovels, trowels, etc. Today, we filled the holes with rocks from the beach (did I mention if you open the gates of the former prison, it´s right on the pacific??- we got to go out and eat our lunch there and I got a picture of my pregnant belly at the ocean :-). Once the holes were mostly filled with rocks, we had some of the guys mix the cement and pour it in, and then I did all the smoothing and leveling to match the new cement with the existing sidewalk :-). It was such a great feeling when we were done to see those holes gone, and to know that we had left a lasting impression there which would make the place safer for the special needs kids.

We also did painting projects there, repaired a wall and a door, did carnival games and relays with the kids, and did a program that consisted of songs, a drama, puppets, and testimonies. These boys just ate up all the attention- especially from the guys on the team. They need so much love and affirmation and the staff at the home doesnt have the energy or people power to provide it. Who knows how our 2 days there might impact the future of their lives.

Tonight for dinner, we went to a traditional peruvian restaurant on the ocean. After a dinner of things like octapus and squid (i had chicken- no seafood while pregnant), there was a floor show the consisted of demonstrations of Peruvian dances from all of the different areas of Peru. This was absolutely incredible!! There were dances from the jungle, the peruvian national dance, tribal dances, this incredible dance that young boys did while spinning scissors, and even one where the man and woman each have a handkerchief pinned to their butt and have to keep their hips moving to keep their partner from lighting it on fire with a candle! They pulled up members from the audience to participate with the dancers in this one, and several of our team members were pulled up. I must say, they all did quite well at not getting their butts lit on fire! After that, we went to the little arcade downtown and did Dance Dance Revolution. I had never done this before and I will tell you, it is quite the cardio workout!! We got Dr Scott to do it with us, as well as Dr Shane (who played a round with his wife), and it was a lot of fun.

Tomorrow, I will be interviewed on the radio so if you read this early, tune into www.way.fm at 8:30 eastern time to hear me (you can listen online, for the non Grand Rapids people). I´m heading to bed now. Tomorrow we go to work at the single mother´s home- for 12-15 year old single moms who have undergone sexual abuse at some point in their lives. It will be another hard day for me I know, but I feel like I will be able to relate to these girls having been a teen mom myself.

Keep praying!

-Elizabeth