Not gonna lie today was hard on me... Its our second to last day in Gallito and all the little faces I've grown to know and love.... Just reminded me of how hard our goodbyes are going to be...
Instead of the usual play by play that I give y'all, I'm going to focus more on the amazing people I have fallen in love with...
Today like the rest of the days we've been in Gallito this week, we worked under the church, I'm happy to report we finished our project... And changed out every support post under that church, we celebrated a little in cultural victory with a path on the back, and a muy Buen from the pastor :)
Today on the children front it was all about face paint :) I can attest because I painted I even still have a little on my face... Semi permanent not so semi... Jk it's
fine... just leaves a tiny stain, but it's fading fast :)
Then it was off for more games and adventures... We even thought them baseball basic :) they were actually really good at it...
Here are some pictures :)
Look at all that paint :)
Selenie and Laura puts their hands and names on the banner that will eventually make it back to Huntington :)
Elise :) painting faces...
My incredible people portion of the entry..
Y'all hang in there with me because I'm already crying... I can't let all this build for tomorrow's entry cause I won't be able to get it all out... So here it goes sentimental and emotional... But honest and from the depths of my heart...
Pam :) with Rochelle age 17 months (I believe) ... I can't yet sum up into words the inspiration God has given to me through Pam McAbee McCraw... She is amazing, and with her guidance and conversation I have begun to understand just how deep I want my relationship with God to go... She has help me through things this summer, that I didn't even know I was struggling with, she radiates a love for this place, for these people that infectious, and If I leave Peru with nothing more than that infectious love for this place, then I go home richer... Than I could have ever imagined...
Laura age 12... My quoted best friend in Gallito, today we went from saying te quiero to her saying te amo... I sobbed. Because I knew from the depths of my heart that she meant it, and that pure unconditional genuine love comes through Christ and Christ alone... She is amazing and I already miss her... She is very artistic and smart, but more than anything she loves sports... She an amazing soccer player, better than most of the boys in Gallito and they all always want her on their team... Pray for my dear friend she's one in four children in her family she has one brother and two sisters, just like me... But she will probably never leave the village she was born in... Never go to college, or see the world beyond her amazon paradise...
Selenie age 13 my other friend near and dear to my heart, the oldest of three girls and the brightest little girl I think I've met to date, she was always the first to answer my questions in bible school, the first to volunteer to do... Well basically anything, and the first person to run up to me the second day I was in Gallito and say Natalia, we missed you, and give me a hug... She reminds me so much of myself it's crazy and I can't imagine leaving her amazing smile behind... Pray for Selenie, pray all her dreams come true, whether they be big or small
I have fallen in love with this family... Here she is with her two little sisters...
Selenie age 13, Miriam age 7 and Ami Paulina age 4... They remind me so much of my sisters, it's crazy...
This is Miriam and Ami again... They are angels who I would whisk back to the US in a heartbeat... Miriam looks after Ami like a mother goose watches her goslings it's remarkable the care and compassion she shows blows me away... She is also quite a cuddle muffin and let's be honest children like that were made for me...
Me and Miriam
My little Ami :)
Esmeralda age 6 and Estefanie age 10
They are not sisters or related in anyway to my knowledge but Ben has taken to driving poor Estefanie crazy... Apparently the first day she was shy around him or something and every since he rags on her... Telling her don't worry I'll be back, I know you'll miss me... Every time she walks into a room... Ben calls out don't worry I'm right over here... I know you were looking for me... It's actua
Ly kind of hilarious :) she is less than amused and avoids him... With a playful smile... Her little brother has quickly become one of my favorite men...
Samuel age 5 is adorable and quiet... Till a game starts and then he's the loudest kid around :)
Now comes the little boy who melted my heart so that I literally picked him up today and touted him back to my bench shouting "I claim this one! Bids! His mine! I'm taking him back with me! Hello everyone meet my future son..."
Meet my Claudio :) age 6 and the cutest little boy in all of Peru... We met e first day when James demonstrated to the lovely Peruvian children that I was quite ticklish... Well that's how our great relationship of tickle wars began... He walks by me and tickles... He runs by me and tickles :) heck he sits on me and tickles... He was the first little person to say te quiero to me.. And his picture and the heart on which he wrote those words will hang in my room once I'm stateside... He is the son I hope to one day have... He has a life and a smile I would trade every piece of gold I could ever hope to earn for... I'm in love :)
My man... He's trouble... a trickster who plays great soccer for someone not yet three feet tall, climbs trees like he was born in them, someone who very seldom wears shoes... To my dismay... He gives the best hugs :) hugs that make me feel some warm inside that I think I finally begin to understand why my mom hugs me so much... Saying goodbye to him tomorrow will be the hardest... I will sob I'm sure... But I know that he will be fine under Gods watchful eye... Pray for my Claudio, pray for him that he life may be full and happy :)
Pray for the children of the jungle, pray for the Amazon :)
And pray for me that I can manage to keep it together tomorrow enough to enjoy my day, the day God intends for me to remember for many years, as the day not that I say goodbye to those I've grown to love, but the day I remember that I will see them again on this side or the other, because Gods love unites us, across miles, across language and cultural barriers, across what seems like the whole world... But it unites forever, together in Gods love:)
Stay tuned :)
Sorry if I made you cry, if it makes you feel better my pillow is soaked...
Location:Iquitos, Peru
No comments:
Post a Comment