August 19th - Sponsoring a Child

This morning I was at the clinic again from 6:30am - 12:30pm. As of the morning, the count was at 6 (a new one came in during the night), still all ages 8 and under with 3 toddlers. They had América spend the night and the morning to help with the toddlers. She says she's 19 years old, and she works over at the toddler house. She was a tremendous help in calming them down...especially when these precious children are frightened to be in a place that is unfamiliar to them.

When I got back to the volunteer house, Leigh asked for my assistance in translating two sponsor letters, which I was happy for a job in which I could help that was different from "the norm" at the clinic. Many children here have sponsors, but this is another way if you feel led to help...as there are still quite a few children who are not sponsored. If this is where you feel you're being called, again...let me know and I will get you the contacts you need. It took us about a half hour to go through them and re-write these letters...she did the writing, I did the translating.

After the translating, I decided to use the fresh tomatoes, onions and garlic that I had left to make myself & Andrés some "sopa mexicana". Unfortunately it only consisted of potatoes when usually there's a variety of veggies...especially zucchini. And the caldo that I had purchased, was MORE than just "caldo de pollo" (for those familiar with my sopa)...but the flavor was still delicious!

As I was making supper, Therese brought me a note from Blanca - for those of you in my summer school class...she is here & still doing well (still skinny & not eating much though). I would post here what she had to say, but have forgotten to bring her letter along with me to the clinic - so as I type this, do not have access to it. So that brings us up until now. It's 2:45am on Friday morning and my last shift at the clinic. There are now 7 children here and the toddlers have been restless all night, taking turns crying. There was not another girl to help me through the evening, so this will be an all-nighter for me (thank you so much to Kelly, my godfather - Steve, and Aunt Linda for keeping me alert enough to tend to the needs to the children during the evening).

Leigh and Therese have told me that they will be here at 6:00am (rather than the traditional 6:30) so that I can go to the BIG circle, if they haven't cancelled it due to the rain we've had overnight. This will be the first circle, big or small, that I've been able to attend the entire 3 weeks I've been here...and I couldn't be more joyful. I know I've been serving where Emmanuel has very much needed me and am glad to have helped. Because of seemingly "working all the time", once again the time has flown by and it's hard to imagine it's coming to an end.