Christian

Today was our first full day of our "normal" schedule.  We will spend the mornings in the CTC (Community Transformation Center) teaching English to 16-24 year olds.  Lyndsay, Karla and I work with the advanced group, while Edna, Jennifer, and Luis work with the beginning class.  I am getting my feet wet in the teaching world - like making lesson plans and running a classroom.  Eek!  However, the students are wonderful and so eager to learn.  I am excited for the relationships to come out of the class.

This afternoon, we spent some time in the casita (the children are housed by age and gender with a guardian, or tia, for each group) for the special needs children.  I got to hang out with a boy named Christian this afternoon.  He is fifteen, but is unable to use his legs and significantly developmentally delayed.  However, he can follow simple commands.  His mother was using his disability to get more money on the streets, so he was taken to Casitas de Kennedy.  You could tell he enjoyed physical touch and having someone play with him.  Currently, he has to wear a brace during the day to help straighten his spine, but it is very painful.  He would just cry, and there was nothing we could do to take away the pain.  It broke my heart to see him hurting.  Jennifer started singing to him, while I played with this hair.  It was such a beautiful moment.  Later I saw the verse,  Matthew 5:4 "blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted," on the wall of the casita.  Oh how those children in such physical and mental pain mourn, and the Lord is their comfort.  I am amazed that God uses broken humans to demonstrate His love and comfort to those precious children.  I pray that I will be able to show them each day His consuming love and presence.