Casa de Sion

Well I have alot of stories to tell. The first picture is of my adopted baby who turned 3 today. We just had a great birthday party for her. Holding her in the picture is my almost 21 year old daughter who is currently in China teaching English to 4 year olds. She wrote us on Sunday and said she had decided to go on a mission for our church. This will be such a great experience for her.
The next picture is of some of my children standing beside the children of the orphanage gardener. Anselmo has worked for us for 2 years now and his mom is my personal housekeeper. All their money goes to educating their children. Juana, my 70 year old maid, did not go to school and Anselmo, our 38 year old gardener, only went thru 3rd grade. They could use help if anyone feels so moved with paying for Claudia's high school and Alex's middle school. The kids are very conscientious students.
It has been an exciting week here. We started our first building on Monday. We have hired a building team and they are in the process of leveling the ground and will put in the footers next week. Of course, our building is the only one in the last 10 years that had to have building permits, septic permits,etc. in this mini aldea of Los Robles pop. 1000. But we managed to get it all together. We are having a well dug by hand. The diggers are thinking they will only have to go down 8 meters which will be a very cheap water supply. Start raising money now so we can afford to build the second building in 5 months.
The girl on the bridge is Fernanda. She came to live with us 2 years ago when her mom went to jail for drugs and her dad took the 3 younger children and left her, then 12, to fend for herself. The dad, btw, had broken her arm twice before the age of seven. Her mom got out of prison last spring and instead of coming and getting her, left to illegally go to the USA. Fernanda overdosed on aspirin when she heard. Well Tues. was her birthday and her grandfather visited and told Pedro, my director, that her mom had been killed by a drug gang in Guate City two months ago. Shot 15 times. Fernanda is handling it well.
Her grandad loved the orphanage and has asked us to take her 6 year old sister and 9 and 15 year old brothers. They will come next week.



The last picture is of one of my nannies. Eva [ she has a 3 year old with cancer] is holding our newest baby. He came on Thurs. He was left on the side of the road between Los Encuentros and Chichi. People walking by found him. Just born and a premie. He has been in the hospital for a month and now lives with us. What a sweetheart. My husband wanted to name him Edwin for some unknown reason. We came to find out that his legal papers were on his body when found and his birthmom had named him Edwin, much to our surprise.
We are getting a one year old next week when Pedro goes to the city to get Fernandas sibs. I don't know his story yet. Our two month old, Noah, who we got a month ago is now so fat and cute. He is starting to smile at everyone.

Well that's the news.
Vicki
http://www.safehomesforchildren.org