Reina de la Paz

March 10

From Sue

We have been away from home for 9 weeks now and we have 2 more weeks left in Peru. Eric is away again, this time in Tarapoto which is in the jungle. He has arrived safely and will return on Saturday. Please pray for his safety and ours. Last Friday night, Emily and I were awakened by what we are pretty sure was gunfire. I never heard any sirens but it was scary nonetheless. We were also handed a letter from the mayor of Miraflores about what to do in the event of an earthquake or a tsunami. Between those things and some of Eric's adventures, we have keenly felt God's hand of protection and the prayers of His people. Thank you.

We went for our Tuesday visit to Reina de la Paz, this time with Giuli and Raul. The psychologist was there and scheduled for the same time we are usually there and so we only had an hour to talk to the girls. As often happens, the conversation takes a turn very different from the one I anticipate. I wanted to encourage the girls to invest in the lives of their little ones (one of our themes) by working hard in school since their school starts next week. Giuli started to talk to them about loving themselves and respecting themselves, when one of the girls told us that another girl asked her if anyone will love them because they have a child. The girl then asked us what we think. We told them that they are worth loving and that they should wait for someone who is worthy of their love. We keep trying to warn them about not allowing guys who only want to use them into their lives and to remember what God says about them. They need reassurances just like all teenagers.

Since the daycare had opened that day, Eric and the kids headed over there to see if they could help out with the little ones. Cecelia, the director of the daycare, gave Eric and Maggie jobs of gluing foam pieces on the playground area to cushion the cement. The rest played with little ones. The daycare cares not only for the RdlP kids, but also some neighborhood kids and some children from another home, Domi. The workers there are good and they work hard as they have many babies per worker. Emily, Rebekah and I also helped to feed some of the toddlers their lunch. They are sweet children and soak up our attention. Giuli and I spotted a little girl whose one eye was swollen and looked seriously infected. Giuli asked Cecelia about it and was told that this little girl had been kicked in the eye by her father while he was beating up her mother. Apparently, she has lost her vision in that eye. Giuli told me that it was all over the news when it happened a month earlier. It was this little ones first day at the daycare as she is now at Domi. When children are seized from their parents in Peru, they are placed into a home (orphanage) because there is no other recourse. This little girl was so sweet and beautiful. She had big cheeks and a cute little smile. Her shoes were about 3 sizes too big so Giuli measured her feet to bring her new ones. Please pray for Fiorela that her mother is alive and she can return to her and that she wouldn't feel lonely or afraid.