Suprise!

August 5^th – Tuesday

                Almost everyone slept in today, so Arielle and I worked on preparing our room for tomorrow. We then went and sat with the three that were awake and played with the dirt, stickers, rocks and took a bike apart. As people woke up we helped a little with laundry and I think we figured out why everyone has been giving us funny looks or laughing at are laundry. Apparently you are suppose to use the tubs for rinsing and the sink for soaking and we have been doing it the other way.

                We then had a nice devotion time. Lilia told everyone about tomorrow and it was a sad thing. But it was still enjoyable to share my last devotion with them. They are all such amazing children, youth and adults. They have such a desire to know and please God.

                We then went to the grocery store to pick up some items. After groceries and lunch we started a picture project. The children/youth were making little scrapbook pages with themselves on it. Lilia headed this up, Arielle helped with cutting things out and I worked on finding pictures of a couple of the kids. Once I found the pictures I then set up the computer in the new computer lab so that we could print them.

                As this was wrapping up Arielle and I went outside and tried again to learn how to use the Rip Stick. We are getting a little better, as in if we hold someone’s hand we can actually move around. Some of them are extremely good at it.

                We noticed that everyone had left to take a shower which was unusual since it was before dinner. Arielle and I just puttered around for a little offering our services in the kitchen but everything was under control. Lilia told us the girls wanted to have dinner at their place tonight as a special treat. So we waited the designated time and then headed over.

                This is what we found….

                It was an amazing evening and we were able to talk a little with everyone, Lilia translated. We also played games and had an awesome time. Arielle said she almost started crying multiple times. We are going to miss these sweet and loving people so much! It has been a huge blessing to come and be a part of their family for the past 5 weeks.

Oh on a humorous note we showed up before they were done and they were slightly sad because it was suppose to be a surprise. So when everything was ready they turned off all the lights, and then turned them on and yelled "Surprise!" Arielle and I had the appropriate I'm so surprised reactions.

Oh, Oh they also gave us all the pictures they made earlier in the day! As well as two matching sock monkeys! But mine is the cuter twin!!!

Monkeys and Aprons!

The Imuris Kid's Kingdom is a faith based ministry. If they believe God is telling them to do something they pray earnestly and do it, even if they don't know how the financial side is going to work out.A good example is the couple that went out today. They came and talked to Lilia and Arturo and said they really felt God was calling them to Empalme. They spent a week in prayer and agreed that the Lord was calling them and they prayed over them in church. This couple is heading to a large city where all they have is a piece of land, they are taking a couple of tables, benches, small cooking stove and propane and they are going to do God's business. There has been many times when they didn't know how the bills were going to be paid here or how food was going to be purchased. But God has always been faithful and the funds have shown up.

How would you like an opportunity to be a part of the answered prayer? Well you can and come to own a adorable Sock Monkey or cute and functional apron! When I saw these Monkeys I was amazed at how cute they are and the craftmanship is top of the line.The same is true of the aprons. These were all made here by the youth and ladies as a means to raise money.

The Monkey's cost $15

The Aprons cost $10

Aren't they the cutest little monkeys! Just think you can adopt one for just $15 (the sock monkeys not the children ;-). Or the aprons are also a great find...

If you are interested please let me know. We will be bringing some back home and would like to have a somewhat accurate count. We can mail them to any one in the USA or who has a APO box. You can leave a comment or email me, you could try calling but my phone will be down for a couple of weeks.

My email is kristinagoecker@newhope.edu

If you are unable to own one of these adorable Monkeys or Aprons. They still covet all prayers!

Crazy Project Day

August 4^th – Monday

                Arielle was up throwing up all last night, her two meals did not stay down even though they were small. I also was awake most the night with a stomach ache. So when this morning rolled around I breached the subject of possibly going home early. Because Arielle hasn’t been eating and has dropped over 15lbs and everything she does eat is not staying in her. We decided to arrange to leave Wednesday and play it by ear and see how she was doing. Lilia found her another type of medicine that seems to be helping a little more.

                Okay so moving on from that. I quickly noticed when I left the room that there was a frenzy of activity, I soon learned that Lilia’s and Arturo’s youngest two children, daughter in law, and grandson will be arriving tomorrow! Their middle son, and his family, live in Tijuana and they went there the end of June for his University graduation and left their two youngest with them. I’m sure my mom can relate that you can have many children all around but if there are any missing it can still be lonely. So everyone was frantically getting things ready for their return and the visit of the other two.

                Then in the midst of this activity the men tackled putting up the cupboards in the craft room and converting it to a craft/computer lab for the older children. (School starts next week for them) This turned into a major organizing project as many things needed to be sorted, thrown out, put away, or a new home found. This project spilt into needing to clean and organize the sewing room. These different projects took all day. Arielle and I went in and out and helped where we could and just watched when there wasn’t anything to help with.

            They were also busy getting ready to send a couple to Empalme to start a church and a feeding center for children there. This couple has come forward and asked to be sent even though there is nothing established. They own a piece of land but that is it. They have said that they lived homeless in Mexico City for three months and they can do it again for God. Be in prayer as they are heading out first thing in the morning.

                A few hours ago we talked to the parents and it was decided that we are going to head home on Wednesday. We are sad to be leaving a week early as we have come to love all the children and adults here, and are a part of the family. But we have been told we are always welcome back, although Arielle needs to bring a pharmacy with her. We will write more about how God has moved at another time. Please keep the fact that we are going home quite as we are still going to try and surprise the children it just won’t be a birthday surprise. Oh for those that don't know we were going to get home on Stacia birthday but she didn't know it and thought we were going to miss it.

Church, "Shopping", and Pizza

August 3^rd – Sunday

                This day had a little bit of a rough start, as far as health goes. But by the time church started we had a craft ready and were feeling okay. We made mask with the children and they were really creative and had a good time. There was left over chips from the baby shower and we gave those to the children as snack. The chips were all placed in plastic bags and some of the younger ones started coming to me and asking me to tie them shut. I thought “wow they are showing self control and saving some for later.” Well I quickly relieved that they just wanted them closed so they could smash the chips up, bite the corner off and eat the chip crumbs through the bottom.

                After snack was finished we went outside and played at the playground.

                We church was done everyone had lunch and Arielle and I both ate half a bowl of soup! At this point we were really thirsty, we ran out of water that morning, but didn’t trust the water in the big containers because the ice wasn’t filtered. So we asked a couple of the girls to walk with us to the store and buy some water. The first store we went to was closed, the girls told us it was okay and we headed out again. The second store we went to was closed, they once again assured us it was okay and we once again started walking. The third time was the charm and we found an open store and some water! We discovered there are three little house stores within walking distant of the compound. We have also adopted Tamina’s rule unless we hear the sound of it opening, we are not drinking it. 

                A little after we got back twenty of us piled into the truck and took off. We knew that eventually we were going to the grocery store so we could get stuff to make pizza. But we made a couple stops first and at each stop someone jumped out so that we came home with only eleven people. One of the stops was one of the rivers, we were having flash backs of last Sunday and the dire results, but we just let a kid out. The last stop was the grocery store and we picked up all the needed items.

                When we got home we cleaned up the main area and then started on the pizza’s. We had six dedicated helpers and by the end of the cooking time we had twelve ish pizza’s one being completely without cheese, meat and lard! Everyone enjoyed the pizza but many over ate and spent the rest of the evening holding their belly’s.

                Arielle was so excited she ate two meals today! She had half the bowl of soup and a piece of pizza. She also had a little belly going on, which made her really happy. Also we were both feeling fairly good at this point in the day.