We emptied out our big 65L packs and filled them with bags of food to deliver. I had at least 5 bags of food in mine that probably weighed a total of 50lbs or so.
We got to our location and it was locked and fenced in. However, inside was beautiful. There was a pool, a recreation center and upon further exploration old classrooms and a basketball court. And the views….gorgeous! The building itself where we stayed was nice. We didn’t have to sleep on the ground, but the beds were still pretty hard. However, I was just happy to have some space.
Something happened with our food when we arrived, so we went out in groups to deliver some food and try to get kids into the program until lunch was ready. We ended up passing out food for a few hours and didn’t eat until about 2pm. After ate, we hit the streets again. I can’t even fully describe the poverty…. The streets are filled with trash (worse than Medellin!). Like literally, when you walk, the trash is mushed into the dirt. Trash is everywhere and no one seems to want to pick it up. Someone said they watched a kid buy food and just throw the wrapper on the ground. They have no respect for their land.
We played with the kids as they followed us on the streets. We hiked up tons of steps and down steps—searching. I saw kids playing with marbles and they were SO HAPPY! The simplistic toys meant so much to them. We passed out food until about 5ish and we still had bags left. Carly, Jon, and I continued to pass out bags with some of the translators until about 6pm. We got back and had dinner and then planned for Saturday which is when all the kids were coming for a program.
The kids arrived Saturday and started out by playing on the playground and inside the gym area. I was playing with some of the girls on the monkey bars helping them across and one just wanted me to keep holding onto her. She became SUPER attached to me. She wanted piggy back rides and did not want put down at all. I tried communicating with her and failed miserably but she still loved on me and I loved on her as well. Then we did songs with them, the teaching with activities, gave them lunch, and let them play some more.
The time was so rewarding. The kids and people are beautiful. They are trying to renew their lives and I hope the people we interacted with felt the love of Christ through our team. They are seen as the lowly, but God sees them as pearls. <3
“Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar. Psalm 138: 6
“Seek the Lord and His strength; seek his face forevermore.” 1 Chronicles 16:11
