Graciela

Graciela (our adolescent with chronic kidney failure) and her mom went to Changuinola, Bocas del Toro today for a 2 week visit with her family. She went will all her dialysis equiptment. She is sleeping at one of our churche's rectories so she will have clean water and electricity to do dialysis!

Glasses

We went and had Susy's eyes tested. She was very cooperative and we also got a discount! They will be ready in a week. These glasses are much stronger in the frames than before! And she likes the frames she picked out! Pink.

Wow

Graciela and her mother are about to goto Changuinola to see her family - this time for 2 with dialysis equipment and all. And we got two free round trip tickets donated by Air Panama!!!

Wonderful news today!

Two great things happened today. A friend called me to say she had found someone to donate enough money for Susy to get a new eye test and a new pair of glasses. This is great because she cant see well even though she learned to read in second grade last year (we are in school vacation now).

I also received notification of receiving a large donation to help a young women in Medical School. There is a group of us supporting and this donation is really wonderful.

A nice Sunday

Today we went to Church at St. Paul's where I go almost every Sunday. We have a 'feed the hungry program' for which I have much responsibility. We serve sandwiches, cookies and juice to about 40 to 50 people who live a lot of their lives hungry. Today we only had sandwiches and cookies as I was too tired yesterday to buy 50 juiceboxes! It is nice to see the people over and over and some days like today some who have been away a time come back. Several of them help serve and clean up and put away tables and chairs.

The two younger girls (Susy and Ana) and I went out for lunch. At the restaurant there is a young woman clown who paints faces which the girl´s love.

A a rest we went as we often do to a nice playground near one of the Episcopal Churches' Schools. It gives them a chance to run around and let off steam.

Hope many of you have had a good day!

Hello Again!!!!

This is a quick note to say that I am starting blogging again. It is part of a resolution to connect again with people I know. Here we are in january, Summer here - the dry season! School was over in December and the Hogar is resting and the kids are with relatives or friends of the home. I have three, Susy (10), Ana (8) and Graciela (17) with me until the end of January. I plan to write at least once a week and will learn to upload pictures again!

Here are some more to meet

The first and the third girls are new.

Beti 13going to 6th grade. We have treated the mark aound her mouth and she looks great. She has two younger sisters whome you will meet later.

Now this is Stefani. She is 10 and going into 3rd grade.

Susi 10 years old. She'll be going to 2 grade. Susi has some vision problems and tomorrow we are going to see an optomoligo. She has a sister Ana who you will meet later.

Sinilda 11 and her sister Maria Isabel(below) 9 have been with us two years. They are the first females in their family to ever go to school. Both are good students and are going into 3rd grade.