Day 2 Sunday at El Hogar

Day 2
Hola loved ones!

To catch everyone up, since last night´s blog was brief, we had a blissfully easy trip. Flights were on time with no "weather" like I encountered en route in Chicago on Friday. There were no close calls with connections. Susan M. made a new BFF who apparently runs the airport in Tegu, and got his card for Raul, should he ever need an "in" there.  Susan H. overheard the pilot telling someone who asked that it was a great flight ¨"until the end."  He apparently thought he could have done the landing better (apparently it was only his second time doing that tricky approach).  We thought he did a great job and were relieved not to know that he´d only done it once before. Customs was a breeze until they got to the last bag -- mine. Apparently, they are not used to people bringing cat food into the country. The officials poured over the ingredient list, brought in supervisors, asked me whether I spoke Spanish. I pantomimed whiskers and meowed, more or less with a straight face, and they let me through. I am certain the younger of the guys muttered something about my making his life complicated. It was the one time I was grateful Liz was not with us. Betsy told me to make no mistake, she was going to hear about it. Sorrrrrrry Liz.

Having been at El Hogar a year ago, everything from the smells to the shape and color of the flowering trees felt familiar. There were no shortage of greeters as we pulled up. Raul, Matt and the kids sweeping the driveway made us feel like long lost relatives. We got settled in quickly and took ourselves on a quick, self-guided tour, during which some of us successfully laid eyes on "our kids." After some extraneous activities like unpacking and eating, we went off to look for the children.  They were squirreled away indoors in various locations, due to the unexpectedly cool, blustery weather.

We found the youngest boys in a classroom watching a video while their teacher got the room ready for the next week. As soon as we stuck our heads in the TV went off, and legos, puzzles and crayons materialized. I excitedly beckoned to Carlos to come say Hola to his Madrina. He reluctantly stood next to me for a minute, barely tolerating my fussing over him, before taking off to play something that involved smashing toy cars into people and things. Fortunately, several charming young men were more than happy to play lego football with me (we invented it), while another with a fever and a runny nose fell asleep on my lap. Every time I stole a glance at Carlos he was pelting or pounding someone with something. After a few gentle discouraging facial expressions, I gave him what we call in my family "the hairy eyeball." He grinned diabolically. I wondered what had happened to the shy, snuggly little guy I met last year.

This morning, as we were filing into the sparkling new dining hall for breakfast (cinnamon buns made by the kids no less), I was tackled in a huge hug. I looked down and realized that the hugger was Carlos.  It made my week right then and there. I was so glad I had impetuously decided to join this great group of women in the eleventh hour. I also laughed thinking "great! one more moody child in my life."

A while later, we met Raul for church and found out about Matt's accident last night (he fell off a ladder breaking his wrist and hurting his ankle). It put a big damper on our spirits, until we arrived at church and saw that all of the boys from the Technical School were joining us. After everyone else in the packed church had received communion, a solemn line of little boys from El Hogar marched up the aisle, hands clasped together. I looked at the proud, serious expression on Carlos´ face, where there had been a diabolical grin the night before, and realized that he found the Holy Spirit as palpable in that place as I did.

We took the children for the usual "treat" of lunch at an American fast food restaurant, in this case McDonalds. When we came back, some of the more weary among us headed back to the guest house to do something quiet or "rest their eyes."  The rest of us changed and went over to the auditorium where we had our own treat, a private yoga session with our in house guru. It was wonderful to have a chance to tend to our own travel-tensed muscles before the week begins in earnest tomorrow. We are off to the countryside to plan a garden. Thanks be to God!

Good Night!
Janet