Another week flies by...

We took several children to visit and orthopedist. More details in separate post, but basically the prognosis is good. Surgery and prosthesis can have big benefit for several of the kids.

We went to a farm today (kind of a petting Zoo) Took around 20 kids and eight staff folk. Just barely enough. It was great! They need more of this type of stimulation. We are talking about getting a couple of rabbits for our classrooms. There had been a problem awhile back with a cat, but the benefits outway the difficulties. You have probably heard the cat story, but if not just ask me next time we chat or send me a message.

Weekend plans include the Jaime movie and foto theater. I set up my classroom with monitors and computers and play slideshows and movies. The kids seem to enjoy the fotos of themselves far more than Hollywood. Maybe it is their short attention span. I also have tons of black and white small fotos and a couple of the folks spend hours "organizing" them and discussing. At the end of the time, we shove them all into the same brown sack and the process begins anew the next time...

Prayers for ENA. Her Baby is due in June and she is getting large...

I will follow...

Nothing goes according to my plan. I went to the center this morning planning to spend an hour there and then drive to Church. We had a nice prayer lead by Cecilia and sang some Christian Kids faith songs in Spanish. I gave a little talk on Jesus' life and job till he turned 28. The they kids started losing interest. Well, if the Word can hold their attention for 20 minutes (ish), I'll take that as a W.

We watched the second half od Winnie and Tigger- as well as some foto albums on the pc monitor. Before I knew it, it was obvious that the drive to Casa de Libertad was unlikely. We inflated a beach ball and had a ball. Ysis one of the kids of a co-worker is learning some photography and basics of using a computer. We really take these things for granted.

Yesterday was a great day in spite of failing to attend my PEA reunion. Unfirtunately, Flor had a brutal seizure and fell on the floor where we were washing it. These seizures are just exhausting for her. She is very disoriented afterwards, but fairly calm.
In spite of the difficulty, I was glad that I was there for her and could lay hands on her head and pray with her. This photo is from before the episode. You may recognize the T-shirt.

Ann's Lane....

Terrific feedback and memories from our good friend Ann...


So it's been two weeks since we returned from Guatemala and the 4 of us can think of little else. What a profound experience and as we had anticipated - life changing. That said, an anticipated experience reminds of this: when parents are expecting a baby, they anticipate that they will love their child more than anything, but they cannot imagine how much or really what that kind of love represents until they experience it first hand. So - the experience in Guatemala was kind of like that - we expected something, but we could not have anticipated that there were many emotions that would change in hue and intensity. A few of those feelings for me were sadness, gratitude, compassion, dispair, fear, self-evalution, God-ness, joy and of course, love. We knew that it would be an important experience, but I'm not sure any of us could have imagined how important. We've each said it is importat that we capture (or try to capture) these experiences. I've been slow to do so, but it's time I try.

Bridgit's video captured the images of what we saw and with each image is an intense memory. When we arrived and for the 4 days we were there - it was sensory overload: smell, sights, sounds and cognitive accompaniment of wondering 'what can we possibly do to help?' It truly was overwhelming - bars on the doors - self inflicted injuries - unusual behaviors - autisim - Spanish that I couldn't understand - non-words that I couldnt't understand - hands reaching through bars for a brief moment of contact - but ulitmately I was overwhelmed by the universal language of love, touch and kindness. It was in a sense 'shock therapy' for us to re-caliibrate our brains and try to become more aligned with what's important - I'm thankful that those children and adults can remind me how much we are all alike and how much we need each other. Again, we were and are overwhelmed with the question: 'what can we do?' Jaime for sure has answered the call and is navigating through custom and politics to help - and we are blessed enough to have stumbled (coincidence? - probably not) onto the work he is doing. We're hopeful that we can support his efforts and if you visit, I don't doubt that you will be overcome with the desire to help as well.

While I continue with my own spiritual journey and while I struggle because of an early and regular exposure to religious legalism - I trust that I'm being lead to discover more about what God and what Love really mean. There are New Testament words that continue to play frequently in my mind and I believe them...they probably sum up my response to Guatemala:

Suffer the children to come unto me for such is the Kingdom of God.
To him who has been given much, much is required.
All things are possible for those that love God and are called according to his purpose:
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind.

A.L. 2010

Dear Diary

So the day started watching the nurses sew up the back of Beatrice's head. She had a nasty nasty three inch gash. The hair, blood and thread almost did me in. Poor thing is in so much anguish that these are self inflicted. She has several other scars on her head and is so very frustrated. Her frustration leads her to acting out a lot.

We had two groups visit the center later in the day. A wonderful group of folks from the Neurologico Institute and my friend Jed and his friends from here. The first group has a school for Down Syndrome kids and the later are deeply involved in equine therapies. The horse activities are less than 1000 yards from our center and my house. I am nearly pinching myself with joy. I have been jogging around their facility for over a year now and always noodled with plugging in. Who knows, I may even take some lessons myself. I rode quite a bit as a child but we were too lazy for saddles so always rode bareback.

Appointments with orthopedic technicians tomorrow for Anahi and Ingrid. Should be interesting. Remind me not to be penny wise and pound foolish. This project started a year ago working within the system. Everybody was helpful, kind and professional. The kids have some therapies at another center, but little overall progress was made.

I finished the study of Acts using the Bible Study Podcast. This dude Chris Christiansen has been an excellent teacher. The right level for me. Thoughtful and knowledgeable without being too academic or pedantic. Though it has been a slow study for me, I have a much greater sense of the time line for Paul and the early Church. Also, a much greater appreciation for what they went through and how the Holy Spirit moved them and used them in spite of overwhelming challenges.


I owe Kat my quarterly update for the newsletter. I better get moving on that. Also, preparing for my 35th Exeter ( PEA ) Reunion next week. I seem to have been roped into three panel or activities. I am looking forward to seeing old friends.

Rosario Turns 20 years old Feliz Cumpleanos

Pizza and Birthday Cake!!!

Thanks Brij and Friends for a great week and a great

video.. Brij, you are a genius. Do you remember the dinner we had where we heard this song...?? Nice insider touch...

Week in Review.

Five days have passed since my re-enforcement troops returned to their primary posts. They strengthened our courage, resolve and commitment when they were here and still while they are remote. Excuse the troop analogy, but it really does feel like a battle some days. We know the good guys win in the end and in this case there is really no no enemy, but the extraordinary large pool of need is a mountain that does need to be attacked and taken. Kat, Brij, Audrey and Ann really were a powerful Blessing to the kids and myself. The kids keep asking for them and are so appreciative of any attention or act of kindness. Cecilia has appointed herself the guardian of my classroom and offers a running commentary on the photo montage on my computer screen. She gets so excited when she sees First Rate folks. Sometimes she'll run out of the room to drag someone in and point one of you out. She gets fuzzy on names, but had Tia Ann's name on the ready yesterday. You're all either my daughter, sister, Mother or wife according to her and the others. I just answer, "Si" to the familial questioning. Cecilia also always ask for my Mom and wants to pray for her. My Mom had the good news yesterday that her Melanoma had not metastasized.
The 5 days the FR folks spent here were great for me and this ministry. The morning Devo's were a great time to get together and reflect at a deeper level. The day to day fray can be so demanding that I lose sight of the Lord's vision for the community of CRPN and FR(usa), etc.
I love talking about kids, the center, the neighborhood and the country. For me, it is a Blessing to find people interested in this quirky little ministry.

That still and small voice in my morning meditation

Was not saying, "take a few weeks off and indulge yourself with worldly luxuries." Nope, instead I heard, "Get moving. Times awasting. There is need right in front of you." I said, "Drats" and got moving.

Video Shoutout to Friends who are coming

Hope your Spanish is good enough to follow along. I had asked them to tell you a bit about themselves.

Good Friday and comensurate challenges

After planning little for Holy week here, I realized that the center was very short staffed and the kids had even less to do than usual. I have been fiddling with videos and movies. Very mixed results. Extremely short attention spans and heads in motion with profound autism. I have had better experience with Youtube kids cartoons and have leaned toward the classic Sunday School class type songs. Many of these folks have been institutionalized for many years and have a working knowledge of bible songs and concepts. We sang the song we used to sing skiing... "jesus loves me this I know, because he brings me powder snow...." Just kidding- sacrilege eh? No, the famous song that Jesus loves me because the Bible tells me so.....Nothing like an old standard on Good Friday