Day 10

Yesterday was the first day of the Staff Retreat here at Casa Bernabe!  This day found every one in our group sent out to cover different houses, so that all the staff could attend the retreat and know that the children were in good hands.  There are 8 homes for children here with anywhere from 12 - 20 kids in each house.

Judy did not feel well in the morning  (yup - that yucky stomach bug) and Stacy has many bug bites that kept her itching all day.  The other team that is here had 4 people down sick as well, so our team motto of "Flexibility" really came into play.  Josh, Lindsey and Amy were all really great when throughout the day we had to move them into different houses to cover whenever our staffing was short.  They all had amazing attitudes about switching houses mid day.  Cornerstone donated many fun games and activities that we could do with the children - thank you all!

Alyssa and Susan had the baby house shift (babies ages 9 months to 3 years) , Stacey took Casa Promesa which is girls aged 11-18, Kristen and Pete had Casa Samuel, the co-ed house ages 6-9 (a VERY active group!), Josh and Amy both worked in Casa Lamar throughout the day.  These girls are very good - ages range from 6 - 18.  Casa Alabanza was covered by Lindsey.  George and Judy (she is such a trooper - she got up late afternoon and went to work!) covered Casa Ester - another girls house age ranges from 8-18.  Nuevo Esperanza, boys aged 9-12 (VERY active) was covered by Josh and Amy as well during different shifts.  I worked in Nuevo Pacto part time as well as "floating" to every house and covering where needed so people could take breaks, along with Tom.  Mike continued on the plumbing project so that it will be completed when the team leaves on Sunday, and then went to Lamar in the evening.

During our evening debriefing, we play the High/Low game and always share highlights of the day, as well as things that were difficult, so that we can pray for each other.  We all decided that Mike won for the Low of the day. He shared that he had put signs on a couple of bathrooms not to use them, as he was working with the live sewer pipes... well.... he was sitting under a 4" sewer pipe when oh-no!!!!  He got a shower of raw sewage!!!!  YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everyone else admitted that while it was a very long day (7:30 AM - 10PM) it went amazingly well.  All were exhausted and collapsed into bed, but it was an amazing time of really getting to know the precious children in their houses.  This is how relationships are formed.

Oh yes, one more thing to share - a beautiful moment.  Susan decided to 1/2 sponsor the son and daughter of the parents in the baby house.  They have wanted a sponsor for a year now.  I had actually prayed in the past with the daughter for the Lord to send her a special sponsor.  When we shared that Susan was her new sponsor - the tears that ran down her beautifully smiling faces were so full of joy! It was a beautiful moment.  I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to know that these kids are being covered in prayer and supported financially by people who love them.  We only have a couple now that need sponsors.  What a blessing!

Well - this morning all woke up smiling, ready to cover the houses for Day Two of the Retreat!  Thank you for your prayers, and please continue to pray for us today, as it is another long day in the houses. God is so good!

-Jill