Two good full days that have worn me out

First off, if youd like to see pictures of some of the girls go to www.padremickey.blogspot.com and see the posting for Tuesday, March 6. Yesterday we had a wonderful blessing and surprise. In the morning, Beni the secretary told me we might have a visit form some extranjeros (foreigners -- myself for example) arounf 10 with some puppets. Just after 10 11 people arived including two clowns. It was a group from Conneticut called Hands of Peace who felt called to take their puppet show to another country and chose Panama. They are from a Non-denominational Christian Church that ministers to students at the University of Conn., but these are older members of the church. They brough a nurse from NYC who gave the girls a talk about handwashing and tooth brushing - along with a toothbrush and a tube of toothpast and some stickers to decorate the handle while the show was setting up. There was a vantriloquist, the two clowns and other helpers, some young people from Panama and a couple of people to translate. There was a strong and visual Christian message and it was well done. One of the clowns confessed that she 'took a shirt' but that is ok!! During each recounting of stealing someones shirt she dripped someting into a plastic bottle. First it turned yellow and then blue, which she said was pritty and that everything was alright. Then she told about stealing yet another shirt and this time the bottle turned black. She was shocked. She promised God she would return the shirts and not steal again. This time the drops turned the water clear again. It was well done, with about 6 or 7 skits and then each of us got a flower made of long balloons.

Today we interviewed the mother and socialworker of three girls we will welcome tomorrow. The two oldest, 9 and 10 did not go to school last year - the oldest will go to 3rd grade and the younger to 1st. The youngest just turned 5 and will go to kinder. After they left the director called one of the primary schools where our girls attend. We discovered that the new director is the nice man who was sub director last year and so knows us. We have a place forr each of the girls!

Tia Sue