Well... I've made it safely back to MN. I cannot wait to share everything with those who have supported me through this whole journey. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
I miss you CHI!
Adios for now y GLORIA A DIOS!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Almost home.
Home is a funny word. This whole summer I've been saying how much I miss my "home". I know that home is with the people that you love. And I now firmly believe that I have two homes. Children's Haven International has become a second home to me. I have learned so much about myself in these 9 weeks, it sounds so cliche, but it's true. And after I stopped asking everyone if we were going to cry together, and cleared up the whole I'm not married issue, the language thing became a whole lot easier!
In twenty-four hours I will be in MN. How crazy is that.
Too bad I'm leaving half of my heart in Mexico.
Gracias a Dios por mi verano al Refugio.
In twenty-four hours I will be in MN. How crazy is that.
Too bad I'm leaving half of my heart in Mexico.
Gracias a Dios por mi verano al Refugio.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Photo Update!
(See previous post for more in-depth info!)
The day before Dolly arrived, we took a trip to a Colonia. This family had left their home, covering it with this tarp, attempting to protect what little they had. I've been back since, and thanks be to God, after all that rain and wind, the house still stands and the tarp was still there.
Surviving Hurricaine Dolly... I wore this poncho anytime I went outside, it was a part of the experience. The best part was the Mickey Mouse cartoon on the back.
The AMAZING group from Kingman, Kansas and some CHI friends. Day of departure after Dolly. 
BJ's last night/devotional. The kids all signed a shirt and gave it to him as his going away gift. 
The school-age children at their summer classes, preparing for a new school set-up in the fall! 
A photo of me with Casa 2! I love these girls in pink... Silvia (far right with scarf) had dressed them all in pink for their dinner with the TEAM that night.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
After 20 days of nothing...
Maybe it´s the sun, or maybe it is the relaxed pace of everything around me, whatever it is, I have not posted on this blog in 20 days. I had realized that it had been a long time and my goal was to make it to the internet one more time before the end of July. I´m barely squeezing it in! I guess I have a lot to fill ya´ll in on.
T.E.A.M.s and CHI
When I last wrote, I was working with a group from Pennsylvania, it was raining, and the new intern had recently arrived. Since my last post, CHI has hosted three more TEAMs, one from Colorado, another from Kansas, and the current TEAM here is a large group from The Woodlands, Texas. (The youth leader of this group is actually a friend of my mom´s good college friend Jon, small world.) We´ve been putting in a ton of work here and it is so incredible to see the changes. BJ, the ¨new intern¨, was such a blessing to me and to this organization. He is a sixteen year old whose Spanish far surpasses my own. I learned so much from him this last month with the language and so much more. We miss him a lot! The Children and TEAM members are currently enjoying swim time and tonight as a last get together, the group is serving everyone Ice Cream Sundays! Yes. Moving on.
My BFF Dolly
So, many of you heard about and know of the friend that came raging through the coast last week. Hurricaine Dolly arrived in Reynosa midday on Thursday July 24. We had a small group from Kansas that week, 10 amazing youth and leaders, who were game for everything. We all worked up until the point where it seemed dangerous for us to be out and about, and then we spend the afternoon and evening in the dormitories. As far as weather goes, being from MN, I have never experienced a hurricaine, and once was probably enough. I am under the impression that stateside got hit worse than we did, but Í haven´t been there since, so I don´t really know. As far as damage goes, a few trees were knocked down and a few doors were broken off of hinges, but now serious damage was done. Most importantly everyone was safe. One thing that did happen however was the loss of electricity. We lost electricity on Thursday afternoon, and we went without electricity until Saturday night at 945. I will never forget the squeals of glee and the shouts of ¨llega la luz¨ THE LIGHTS ARE HERE! Everyone was so excited, I wish that I would have had a video camera so that I could share it with you.
Whatever else...
My flight will leave McAllen, TX one week from today. I am completely floored by how quickly this summer has flown by. It honestly seems like yesterday that I was here by myself waiting for two families from North Carolina to come and serve. I still have trouble finding the right words to say to explain how I feel, all I can think of is excitement. I cannot remember a time where I felt so excited about my life, and more importantly, excited about what is to come after my life has ended. I am excited to see where this organization is headed. I am excited to be in Minnesota with all of the people that I love. I am excited to see where God is going to take me, wherever that is, I´m along for the ride.
I did my best to fill in some of the gaps of the last 20 days. I will be seeing many of you soon. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts!
Dios le bendiga.
Love Eliza
T.E.A.M.s and CHI
When I last wrote, I was working with a group from Pennsylvania, it was raining, and the new intern had recently arrived. Since my last post, CHI has hosted three more TEAMs, one from Colorado, another from Kansas, and the current TEAM here is a large group from The Woodlands, Texas. (The youth leader of this group is actually a friend of my mom´s good college friend Jon, small world.) We´ve been putting in a ton of work here and it is so incredible to see the changes. BJ, the ¨new intern¨, was such a blessing to me and to this organization. He is a sixteen year old whose Spanish far surpasses my own. I learned so much from him this last month with the language and so much more. We miss him a lot! The Children and TEAM members are currently enjoying swim time and tonight as a last get together, the group is serving everyone Ice Cream Sundays! Yes. Moving on.
My BFF Dolly
So, many of you heard about and know of the friend that came raging through the coast last week. Hurricaine Dolly arrived in Reynosa midday on Thursday July 24. We had a small group from Kansas that week, 10 amazing youth and leaders, who were game for everything. We all worked up until the point where it seemed dangerous for us to be out and about, and then we spend the afternoon and evening in the dormitories. As far as weather goes, being from MN, I have never experienced a hurricaine, and once was probably enough. I am under the impression that stateside got hit worse than we did, but Í haven´t been there since, so I don´t really know. As far as damage goes, a few trees were knocked down and a few doors were broken off of hinges, but now serious damage was done. Most importantly everyone was safe. One thing that did happen however was the loss of electricity. We lost electricity on Thursday afternoon, and we went without electricity until Saturday night at 945. I will never forget the squeals of glee and the shouts of ¨llega la luz¨ THE LIGHTS ARE HERE! Everyone was so excited, I wish that I would have had a video camera so that I could share it with you.
Whatever else...
My flight will leave McAllen, TX one week from today. I am completely floored by how quickly this summer has flown by. It honestly seems like yesterday that I was here by myself waiting for two families from North Carolina to come and serve. I still have trouble finding the right words to say to explain how I feel, all I can think of is excitement. I cannot remember a time where I felt so excited about my life, and more importantly, excited about what is to come after my life has ended. I am excited to see where this organization is headed. I am excited to be in Minnesota with all of the people that I love. I am excited to see where God is going to take me, wherever that is, I´m along for the ride.
I did my best to fill in some of the gaps of the last 20 days. I will be seeing many of you soon. Thank you for your prayers and thoughts!
Dios le bendiga.
Love Eliza
Friday, July 11, 2008
Colonias
I've been here for over a month and I have yet to report on an extremely important part of the CHI ministry. Every Wednesday as a part of the T.E.A.M. program, we travel to a nearby Colonia and hand out food, clothing, little toys, etc. to areas stricken by extreme poverty. I don't have any photos on hand, but to those who have seen the Colonias first hand, they know that these images stick with you.
This week southern Texas and the Reynosa area experienced six days of rain. While this is a common occurance in Minnesota, here, not so much. At one point we didn't think that we would be able to make the Colonia trip with this group, it would have been too much of a risk to lose a vehicle in the mud. But God does provide, and Tuesday afternoon, the rain stopped and the sun came out, so by Wednesday we all loaded into the vans and headed off to a Colonia with our "it's-okay-if-these-shoes-get-so-dirty-that-I-won't-want-to-wear-them-again" shoes.
We handed out coloring books and glow-in-the-dark bracelets to the kids this particular week, simply saying "Cristo te ama." or "Dios le bendiga". (Jesus loves you, and God Bless). I have gone to the Colonias with every group, and each time it doesn't necessarily get easier to see, but I am less shocked by the living conditions.
One thing that hits me every single time is the varied personalities that we meet. There are the people that try to trick you for one more bag of rice. I can't say that I blame them. But the overwhelming majority are people with beautiful hearts. They remain honest when offered a second bag of food, saying that they have already recieved their share. A women this Wednesday, when a group member managed to say "God Bless You" in their broken Spanish, replied "And you, God loves us all equally." This simple statement amazes me still. We come to the Colonias with our simple gifts, attempting to make better the lives of a few that have had a hard road. But God loves us all equally. It doesn't matter what we each have done to get where we are. God loves us all equally. The last shall be first and the first shall be last.
I know I've rambled on and I don't know if this makes any sense at all. All I know is that I have faith in our creator and I am excited to see what plans he has in store for me for my remaining weeks here.
I love you all and will see you soon.
Eliza
This week southern Texas and the Reynosa area experienced six days of rain. While this is a common occurance in Minnesota, here, not so much. At one point we didn't think that we would be able to make the Colonia trip with this group, it would have been too much of a risk to lose a vehicle in the mud. But God does provide, and Tuesday afternoon, the rain stopped and the sun came out, so by Wednesday we all loaded into the vans and headed off to a Colonia with our "it's-okay-if-these-shoes-get-so-dirty-that-I-won't-want-to-wear-them-again" shoes.
We handed out coloring books and glow-in-the-dark bracelets to the kids this particular week, simply saying "Cristo te ama." or "Dios le bendiga". (Jesus loves you, and God Bless). I have gone to the Colonias with every group, and each time it doesn't necessarily get easier to see, but I am less shocked by the living conditions.
One thing that hits me every single time is the varied personalities that we meet. There are the people that try to trick you for one more bag of rice. I can't say that I blame them. But the overwhelming majority are people with beautiful hearts. They remain honest when offered a second bag of food, saying that they have already recieved their share. A women this Wednesday, when a group member managed to say "God Bless You" in their broken Spanish, replied "And you, God loves us all equally." This simple statement amazes me still. We come to the Colonias with our simple gifts, attempting to make better the lives of a few that have had a hard road. But God loves us all equally. It doesn't matter what we each have done to get where we are. God loves us all equally. The last shall be first and the first shall be last.
I know I've rambled on and I don't know if this makes any sense at all. All I know is that I have faith in our creator and I am excited to see what plans he has in store for me for my remaining weeks here.
I love you all and will see you soon.
Eliza
Thursday, July 3, 2008
My land of 10,000 lakes
So, I've been here for over four weeks, and one of the things I miss greatly is WATER! Lakes, Rivers, Rain, water from a faucet that I can safely drink... Since I've been here I've told so many people that I missed Minnesota and how fresh and green everything is.Then yesterday, I woke up in the morning and the sky was extremely overcast. (A welcome sight, when a big day of outside work is ahead of you). Throughout the morning we would feel sprinkles on and off. But then around noon, there was a down pour. It rained and rained and rained. For almost three hours. Reynosa and CHI don't see rain like this that often. The ground is so hard from being baked in the sun that the water just collects and runs into the streets. After the rain stopped, I went outside with some TEAM members, and there were my lakes! For the time I was there, I was surrounded by water, the air was cool, and in a weird way it reminded me of home.
I hope that you all have a happy and safe 4th of July... I'll be stateside, so maybe I'll catch some fireworks.
Love Eliza
The first jump into the pool!
The new and improved photo wall at the CHI office in Pharr. (My job for June!)
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming....
LA PISCINA ESTA ABIERTA!!!
I have just finished a refreshing swim in the newly painted CHI pool! Honestly, I never thought I would be saying that. Little did I know in 2005, when I was tearing out the pool floor with a hammer, that three years later I would be enjoying this scene with so many new friends.
I´ve been reminded recently that every decision you make will change your life in some way. I find it so interesting to imagine how the decisions I make every day will affect my future.
Today is the final day for two of CHI´s house parents, Camerino and Dina. Tonight there will be a devotional service and good bye party. I wish them well... and thank them for their service here. They have blessed the lives of so many, may God bless their futures.
Adios y Gracias a Dios!
I have just finished a refreshing swim in the newly painted CHI pool! Honestly, I never thought I would be saying that. Little did I know in 2005, when I was tearing out the pool floor with a hammer, that three years later I would be enjoying this scene with so many new friends.
I´ve been reminded recently that every decision you make will change your life in some way. I find it so interesting to imagine how the decisions I make every day will affect my future.
Today is the final day for two of CHI´s house parents, Camerino and Dina. Tonight there will be a devotional service and good bye party. I wish them well... and thank them for their service here. They have blessed the lives of so many, may God bless their futures.
Adios y Gracias a Dios!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
I cannot believe that I forgot to tell you...
THE POOL HAS WATER IN IT.
To all who have sweat, toiled, and done the cloud dance in the pool at CHI... an actual pool party is a possibility in the near future!
To all who have sweat, toiled, and done the cloud dance in the pool at CHI... an actual pool party is a possibility in the near future!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Adios Rejoice!
Rejoice just pulled out of the CHI driveway.
This was probably the fastest week of my life. I absolutely loved sharing this experience with my Rejoice family (and some new Paynesville friends!), although we missed Deb! Every week brings something new, Rejoice was the biggest group so far for the summer and the people at the home loved them. They were all very hard workers. The group accomplished a lot this week. I miss them already, and wish them all fun time in South Padre, and a safe journey home.
Last night was the graduation celebration for the children in Reynosa. Unbelievable. One young man, Julio, is graduating from high school tonight. He gave his testimony last night that touched the hearts of everyone. Julio has been at the home for nine years and today was his last day. Can you believe that? How do you say good-bye in that situation? I wish him the best.
Hasta Lluego.
Eliza
This was probably the fastest week of my life. I absolutely loved sharing this experience with my Rejoice family (and some new Paynesville friends!), although we missed Deb! Every week brings something new, Rejoice was the biggest group so far for the summer and the people at the home loved them. They were all very hard workers. The group accomplished a lot this week. I miss them already, and wish them all fun time in South Padre, and a safe journey home.
Last night was the graduation celebration for the children in Reynosa. Unbelievable. One young man, Julio, is graduating from high school tonight. He gave his testimony last night that touched the hearts of everyone. Julio has been at the home for nine years and today was his last day. Can you believe that? How do you say good-bye in that situation? I wish him the best.
Hasta Lluego.
Eliza
My little friend Yadira... she's the youngest child at the home.
Paige and me at the graduation celebration. Generacion 2004-2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
The Office
Location: Pharr, Texas.
Okay, so this isn't Dunder Mifflin, but it's a nice little field trip for me. I've been busy helping out around CHI office this morning, performing misc. duties. (I abreviated because I don't think that I can spell the whole word.) Not much new going on here. Tomorrow there will be a birthday party for some of the children at the home. I think that we're all going to some kind of water park in Reynosa. It should be a fun outing for the kids. I'm excitedly awaiting the arrival of the group from REJOICE! You all will be here on Sunday. It looks like it will be a busy week, but I think that we can get a lot accomplished.
My friends from North Carolina left yesterday! Marcus, Chrissy, Seth, Samuel, Brad, Ann-Marie, Brandon, Miller, and my little buddy Jackson! They are traveling today and I pray for a safe journey. These two families were so kind and welcoming to me. It shouldn't surprise anyone that I cried. I'm sure that our paths will cross again in the future. Especially know that we have this common thread of Children's Haven.
Thanks to those of you who have been sending my letters! I love hearing from you, it is so comforting to read your "voices". I'll do my best to send replys... I sent some out this morning actually. I will try to be a good pen-pal.
Adios!
Eliza
Okay, so this isn't Dunder Mifflin, but it's a nice little field trip for me. I've been busy helping out around CHI office this morning, performing misc. duties. (I abreviated because I don't think that I can spell the whole word.) Not much new going on here. Tomorrow there will be a birthday party for some of the children at the home. I think that we're all going to some kind of water park in Reynosa. It should be a fun outing for the kids. I'm excitedly awaiting the arrival of the group from REJOICE! You all will be here on Sunday. It looks like it will be a busy week, but I think that we can get a lot accomplished.
My friends from North Carolina left yesterday! Marcus, Chrissy, Seth, Samuel, Brad, Ann-Marie, Brandon, Miller, and my little buddy Jackson! They are traveling today and I pray for a safe journey. These two families were so kind and welcoming to me. It shouldn't surprise anyone that I cried. I'm sure that our paths will cross again in the future. Especially know that we have this common thread of Children's Haven.
Thanks to those of you who have been sending my letters! I love hearing from you, it is so comforting to read your "voices". I'll do my best to send replys... I sent some out this morning actually. I will try to be a good pen-pal.
Adios!
Eliza
Monday, June 16, 2008
STATESIDE!
So this is my first time in the states since I first arrived... and you know what? Not extremely different. Less garbage, but same driving style. No... there are a lot of differences, and it's nice to be at the Texas office. I'm doing some office work today, organizing photos, etc. The group from North Carolina has been such a blessing. It is made up of two different families. One man is the Pastor of CHI director Betsy's home church, with his family. The other family has actually recently decided that they will be following God's call and move to Mexico permenantly in the near future. Brad, the dad, works as a general contractor, he will work at the home on the Reynosa side, so he, his wife, and his three sons will be making the move soon. Prayers for the Boyles family!
I see Children's Haven headed in such a wonderful direction, under some very positive leadership. I feel so blessed to be a part of this ministry. I hope that you all get the chance to experience this place one day.
Love Eliza
Friday, June 13, 2008
TGIF
Well, it´s Friday in Reynosa... everything is a little more relaxed (even more than usual!) This week I´ve been helping out with ¨el kinder¨or in other words helping out with the young children in the mornings with their ¨class¨. It´s been fun, and I love the kids, but it has definitely reiterated the fact that I probably won´t be working with kids in my profession. I love spending time with the little ones, but keeping them all entertained and out of trouble is another story. I have the ultimate respect for teachers and daycare providers everywhere! (Mom and MA come to mind).
Wednesday night we had a devotional and every casa had prepared either a song or presentation of some sort. I get by with the comprehension, but it was definitely nice when they sang a song with a melody that I recognized. Even if the words didn´t translate exactly, at least I had the idea. Gloria a Dios.
A new team comes tomorrow from North Carolina. It´s a small group made up of two different families, still, it will be nice to comfortably speak in a group of people again. Speaking in Spanish all of the time is a great learning experience, but it definitely makes a person feel less intelligent. Some of my intern jobs that I will be starting include, taking new photos of all the residents of CHI, and creating a bilingual hymnal for the weekly devotionals. I´ve been asked about jobs for the Rejoice group, and if next week´s group stays on top of it, I believe that Rejoice´s main job will be clearing out the park area of the brush and whatever else is out there. Work gloves will be very important!
This has kind of been a disjointed entry, but it´s been that kind of week! I thank you all for your constant prayers.
Love Eliza
Wednesday night we had a devotional and every casa had prepared either a song or presentation of some sort. I get by with the comprehension, but it was definitely nice when they sang a song with a melody that I recognized. Even if the words didn´t translate exactly, at least I had the idea. Gloria a Dios.
A new team comes tomorrow from North Carolina. It´s a small group made up of two different families, still, it will be nice to comfortably speak in a group of people again. Speaking in Spanish all of the time is a great learning experience, but it definitely makes a person feel less intelligent. Some of my intern jobs that I will be starting include, taking new photos of all the residents of CHI, and creating a bilingual hymnal for the weekly devotionals. I´ve been asked about jobs for the Rejoice group, and if next week´s group stays on top of it, I believe that Rejoice´s main job will be clearing out the park area of the brush and whatever else is out there. Work gloves will be very important!
This has kind of been a disjointed entry, but it´s been that kind of week! I thank you all for your constant prayers.
Love Eliza
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
God is Good
An update...
Saturday was extremely tough. I felt like I spent the entire day in tears or attempting to fight them back. But God is good and he knows me well. Betsy is an incredible woman and she was a great source of comfort when I wasn´t feeling great. She filled me in on some of my responsibilities for the upcoming weeks and that actually made me feel better. You all know me, I always have something going on, keeping busy always helps with runaway thoughts.
Every day gets easier and easier. Spanish becomes easier and easier each day. My relationships with these wonderful people grow with every broken conversation. I see God working in my life, and I thank everyone of you for your continued support.
I don´t know how many of you have had a personal contact with Children´s Haven, or if you only know about it through my trip or Rejoice. These kids here are incredible. The staff is top notch. There are some very very sad stories, but above all there are stories of faith and hope. I am constantly reminded of how lucky I am. The house families have been so welcoming, the food has taken some time to get used to. A lot of beans and tortillas. (I actually had tortillas served with macaroni and cheese this afternoon!). Yesterday Tia Raquel made spaghetti and I had to hold my tongue in order to keep from jumping up and hugging her! Oh the simple reminders of home.
While it seems like FOREVER since I´ve been home, I am reminded that I will only have this opportunity once. I need to savor every moment with these people. Because if I don´t I know that I will regret a missed opportunity when I am back in the states!
Glad to hear that Dharma is alive and kicking, and I hope that I didn´t jinx it my mentioning him! Love you all!!
Eliza
Saturday was extremely tough. I felt like I spent the entire day in tears or attempting to fight them back. But God is good and he knows me well. Betsy is an incredible woman and she was a great source of comfort when I wasn´t feeling great. She filled me in on some of my responsibilities for the upcoming weeks and that actually made me feel better. You all know me, I always have something going on, keeping busy always helps with runaway thoughts.
Every day gets easier and easier. Spanish becomes easier and easier each day. My relationships with these wonderful people grow with every broken conversation. I see God working in my life, and I thank everyone of you for your continued support.
I don´t know how many of you have had a personal contact with Children´s Haven, or if you only know about it through my trip or Rejoice. These kids here are incredible. The staff is top notch. There are some very very sad stories, but above all there are stories of faith and hope. I am constantly reminded of how lucky I am. The house families have been so welcoming, the food has taken some time to get used to. A lot of beans and tortillas. (I actually had tortillas served with macaroni and cheese this afternoon!). Yesterday Tia Raquel made spaghetti and I had to hold my tongue in order to keep from jumping up and hugging her! Oh the simple reminders of home.
While it seems like FOREVER since I´ve been home, I am reminded that I will only have this opportunity once. I need to savor every moment with these people. Because if I don´t I know that I will regret a missed opportunity when I am back in the states!
Glad to hear that Dharma is alive and kicking, and I hope that I didn´t jinx it my mentioning him! Love you all!!
Eliza
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Okay, so Mexican Internet, a little unreliable.
I just spent the last ten minutes writing a long blog entry, pouring out my soul about how lonely I was and how much I missed Minnesota, and then I lost the internet connection and none of it saved. Hmmm....
Truth: I am a bit lonely today. The first work group, from Missouri, left this morning. I remember that feeling all too well. I was glad that I didn't have to get into those vans, but staying has proven just as difficult.
Truth: I do want to be here, Myth: Wanting to be here means that I don't miss home.
I miss home so much. The weather has been unusually mild here, but I miss Minnesota, my family, my dog, Becker, Rejoice...
There won't be another work group for over a week and the language barrier has proven to be a small point of isolation. The people and families are wonderful, but the lack of communication is difficult. Cliff, my sole english speaking counter part from Mississippi, is a wonderful man who will most definitely keep me company.
Oh yeah and there are those fifty children that want nothing more than someone to talk too... sometimes I can be so self-absorbed. I am lonely, but I will be fine. We all have low points!
I do miss everyone and I would love to hear from you.
Adios y Gloria a Dios
Eliza
Truth: I am a bit lonely today. The first work group, from Missouri, left this morning. I remember that feeling all too well. I was glad that I didn't have to get into those vans, but staying has proven just as difficult.
Truth: I do want to be here, Myth: Wanting to be here means that I don't miss home.
I miss home so much. The weather has been unusually mild here, but I miss Minnesota, my family, my dog, Becker, Rejoice...
There won't be another work group for over a week and the language barrier has proven to be a small point of isolation. The people and families are wonderful, but the lack of communication is difficult. Cliff, my sole english speaking counter part from Mississippi, is a wonderful man who will most definitely keep me company.
Oh yeah and there are those fifty children that want nothing more than someone to talk too... sometimes I can be so self-absorbed. I am lonely, but I will be fine. We all have low points!
I do miss everyone and I would love to hear from you.
Adios y Gloria a Dios
Eliza
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Greetings from CHI
I cannot believe that I´m actually here. Yesterday was an extremely long day of traveling. I left my house at 4:15 in the morning and after three flights arrived in McAllen around 4 pm. As I travelled the two thoughts running through my mind and worrying me were 1. I wouldn´t meet up with Betsy, my ride to Reynosa or 2. That the airline would lose my luggage. I can now tell you that one of these worries didn´t become a reality, and since I am currently sitting in Mexico, you can probably figure out which one. The airline lost my luggage. And since I was dressed for the mild summer of Minnesota it´s been quite a day. Luckily the airline put my luggage on the next flight to McAllen, so I have some fresh clothing. I say yes.
I´m currently sitting in an Internet Cafe in downtown Reynosa. The home has internet access, but it is very new and not necessarily reliable, so I thought I would give this a try! The group that is at the home now is from Kansas. They are great and they have a lot of experience working with CHI so that is extremely helpful. Next week I´ll be on my own and I am going to attempt to make it <>, or my "Week without English" I really need the practice!
Last night we had a devotional and I got a lot of opportunities to speak with the children. There are a few familiar faces, but a lot of new ones too! A lot of young children compared to three years ago. The home is more or less the same wonderful place. Betsy, the new director is incredible. For those who traveled with my in 2005, I´ll have you know that the fence is finished and now faces the back entrance, and that although the pool isn´t in use now, it has been up and running within the last year.
I am so excited for the Rejoice group to come! It is going to be amazing.
I miss you all... and more later :-)
Love Eliza
I´m currently sitting in an Internet Cafe in downtown Reynosa. The home has internet access, but it is very new and not necessarily reliable, so I thought I would give this a try! The group that is at the home now is from Kansas. They are great and they have a lot of experience working with CHI so that is extremely helpful. Next week I´ll be on my own and I am going to attempt to make it <
Last night we had a devotional and I got a lot of opportunities to speak with the children. There are a few familiar faces, but a lot of new ones too! A lot of young children compared to three years ago. The home is more or less the same wonderful place. Betsy, the new director is incredible. For those who traveled with my in 2005, I´ll have you know that the fence is finished and now faces the back entrance, and that although the pool isn´t in use now, it has been up and running within the last year.
I am so excited for the Rejoice group to come! It is going to be amazing.
I miss you all... and more later :-)
Love Eliza
Monday, June 2, 2008
Preparing
Today I am busy busy preparing for my early morning Tuesday flight. Lot's of packing, planning, saying goodbye, and last attempts to soak up the Minnesota sunshine. Thank you all for your constant support! I will do my best to keep this updated.
Love Eliza
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