Monday, June 25, 2012

Monday afternoon

With tired eyes and brown(er) arms and a satisfied heart I am happy and grateful. It's been a great day. We were up early, rolled out of bed and into our work clothes and flipflops and down the stairs for breakfast, which consisted of coffee for me. 
Then we squashed into the bus and drove to Parque Industriale. I realize it's getting rather repetitive, but nostalgia flooded once again. It is so impressive to see what they've done, though. It looks so different from last year. 
The construction crew stayed there and we female folk (minus Cat, aka, the Beast) tagged along with the medical crew, back to the place where Sarah and I worked our last day, last year. It's at a dear, generous lady's home -- willingly opened up for us. As soon as we arrived, I spotted a precious girl, Katie, who was there last year (it turns out she lives just a couple doors down from the lady's house we were at) and I almost cried because I had no idea I'd ever see her again. I couldn't tell if she remembered me but it was so wonderful to see here again. She has grown and matured and is sweeter and more beautiful than ever. 
We plopped ourselves down in the dust and pulled out our american treasures. Christina and Allison did face painting, and they have skillz, I am telling you what. I painted nails and gave out stickers and candy and boucny balls and poppers. Then Allison and I tried our hands at balloon making which kept the kids charmed for hours. We made more dogs and flowers and swords than we care to remember and we popped even more.
I know it is terribly cliche, but it astonishes me again how there are no barriers when it comes to our laughter and tears and hugs and sticky kisses. Plopped on the dirty ground with the kids bundled on top of us and I so quickly forget that we have so few words we both can understand. We feel and breathe in the same language, and in our hearts -- our corazones -- we break and fill and love the same.
The sun finally showed his face and my arms graciously browned, slightly. Dennis and Llenel (sp?) and Iban stayed the longest, and learned how to make balloon dogs and swords and flowers and we played ball with them and learned each other's names and smiles. Dennis and Iban didn't want to call Mrs. Dollar Pam, so they sweetly called her Senorita Dolar. It was adorable. 
Lunch was at Arevalo, cooked by Pastor Ricardo's wife and another wonderful lady, Miriam, and her daughter. It was amazing. The construction crew was dirty, tired and happy, and we exchanged stories from our semi-uneventful but productive day. 
Seth and Joseph and I are basically new best friends. I made them balloon swords and we shared seats on the bus and played I Spy and I promised them more balloons tonight when we go to their house. 

At the moment I am enjoying a blissful combination of having just showered, wet hair, clean clothes and stunning sunset with a Peruvian breeze making things feel just right. My purple bracelet is helping feelings too. 













This is a picture of Katie from last year
And here we are together. <3



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