Swimming and Marisol

Sorry for the time between posts.  I miss writing each night.  Right now I can't afford a modem for my house.  Gym membership or modem?  I chose gym.  I've been running every day.  Tomorrow I will go to my first pilates class.  So far none have fit my schedule.  I am excited for tomorrow!

Today I am posting from the church.  Everyone else went to a funeral for the father of a church member, so it is quiet here.  I stayed in town and couldn't go to the funeral because I needed to go to the sports program with the kids.

They are learning at an incredible rate!  It is so interesting to watch them learn and to see them feel good about themselves.  By the end of the morning I am ready to change my name because of course, ALL of them want to show me what they can do.  They all yell my name and ask me to watch them.  My head is spinning in all directions.  I am so proud of them!!!  And better yet, they are proud of themselves.

It is really interesting to see how desperately they want to be there.  Sometimes it is really cold.  They have blue lips and their teeth are chattering after the first 15 minutes.  But they don't quit!  (Well, most of them don't.)  Sometimes what they are doing is really challenging.  The coach doesn't baby them.  But they don't give up!  Sometimes they are not used to discipline.  They are not accustomed to asking permission to go to the bathroom, or to wait their turn to climb up the ladder.  But they are learning quickly.  They actually seem to love the discipline.  I think they see it as a way we show them that we care about them.

The kids who struggle most with behavioral problems are trying SO HARD!  I thought a few might have a really tough time behaviorally.  They are so well behaved I didn't know it was possible.  Cristofer is thriving!   He went from being a tough street kid to a snuggly boy over the past five days classes.  About six months ago he told me that he prays every night that he will be good in school the next day, but he never is.  I told him to keep praying.  God will listen.

Last week on the bus ride back from the pool to the church I asked Cristofer if he has an easier time at school.  He smiled and nodded.  I said I see great improvement in his behavior.  I told him I remembered his prayer.  Now we can see that God answered him!  At the end of the week I called him to stand in front of the whole Breakfast Program and congratulated him for his accomplishments in swimming and his excellent behavior at the pool.  He was very happy.  This morning he came over to me shivering and wrapped himself around me.  (He must have forgotten his blanket from last week.)  I gave him a big hug and we stood that way until he warmed up.  That was one of the best hugs I have had in a long time.

Another boy is really hyper.  He understands that he has to follow directions in order to be part of the program.  I can see it is sooooo tough!  But he is trying hard to be on his best behavior.

Here are some photos from today:

Seryi and Ingris are excellent swimmers!

Check out the beautiful background

The younger group swimming laps

Relaxing after a long lesson

Today when I got back to the church I met Marisol.  During the preschool class she was quiet,  She didn't participate when we played Duck Duck Goose (or here, Pato, Pato, Ganzo).  I chalked it up to being her first day, and the fact that she is still very young.

When we sat down to eat she spilled a little so I held the bowl up to her chin and she started to just shovel the food into her mouth as fast as she could.  I have never seen anything like that.  It had to hurt her stomach.  I took the bowl away and asked her to drink some tea.  (It still drives me NUTS that we serve these kids tea, but it is the only affordable option I am told.)

She went back to eating really fast.  I told her there is more food if she would like it, but let's eat slowly.  I took the bowl and spoon fed her.  I was afraid at the speed she was going she would vomit!  Marisol ate 2 plates of food with two cups of tea.  It seemed like she could have eaten more, but I didn't want her to get sick.

Notice the distended belly.  And her eyes.

I asked around and found out she had an older brother with her.  He has come a few times before.  So I talked to him for a while, welcoming him to the program and telling him I hope he will come every day with his sister.  I told him that she seemed very hungry.  He said they don't have food at home.  At that point I decided he should talk to Belinda.

We all sat down privately.  Actually it was perfect because instead of being at her desk in the office, she was in the baby daycare room so they sat on a swing while she fed a bottle to Marlin's baby.  The boy said he is seven years old.  There is a one year old baby at home.  He said they are cared for by their Grandmother.  An uncle also lives with them.  They will not be coming back after today, he said, because the uncle is taking him to work in the mountains cutting coffee.  Belinda and I looked at each other in silent horror.  He was pretty excited.  I asked if he had cut coffee before.  He said no.   Belinda asked if he would be paid.  He didn't expect to be paid.

We encouraged him to come back to the church tomorrow and to bring his sisters.  But as he walked out the door I noticed he had on brand new rubber boots - just like all of the men who work in the fields.  My heart dropped another notch.

Marisol

At 2 years old, Marisol already knows how to wash dishes