the BEAUTY and the MESS

My heart is a bit heavier as I write this next blog... A lot has happened in the last week and a half, both good and bad. Villa Israel got two new Quechua orphans: Franz (2) and Elian (6). They only speak Quechua, and theirfirst few days here, I was honored with the chance to speak to them in their native language. It was such a gift to reassure them, and to be able to ask them questions when everything else around them was so foreign and upsetting. It ripped my heart, though, when at the end of our time there, Elian came up to me and said "Jaku wasi", which means let´s go to my home. I told him that this was his home now, and he began wailing with such deep pain that it was all I could do to keep from wailing alongside him. The last week has been a bit better for both of them as they have begun to adjust to their new reality, but every time we leave, Franz whimpers or cries all over again, reminding me that they will always have a piece of their hearts that will be broken.

Early last week, I had the priviledge of taking Franz by trufi (local transportation) to the clinic for treatment (he was sick). As I carried him and held him as he slept on my lap, I was overwhelmed by the incredible sense of responsibility I felt for him, but also the beauty that comes with caring for God´s children. We chattered away to each other, both in our broken speech: my broken Quechua and his broken baby language... a mixture of Spanish and Quechua.

People on the street and in the trufis kept asking me how old my son was, or what his name was, and I was struck by what a funny pair we must look like; a gringa in braids and sandals with a beautiful Bolivian boy on her hip. Taking Franz to the doctor also gave me a sense of fulfillment and gave me an anchor of purpose in the midst of a sea of helplesness.

These boys both need your prayers as they continue to learn Spanish, adjust to their new siblings, and try to make sense of what has happened in their lives in the last two weeks. Their mom died suddenly 2 weeks ago of an epeleptic seizure, and I imagine that the shock of that is also a part of what they are processing and dealing with.




After describing all that pain, here´s a little more beauty for you... This is beautiful Ana from Villa Israel, the only girl there. She has a beautiful heart, and has also taken upon herself to translate and care for the two new boys, as she is fluent in Quechua as well.




Thank you for your continued prayers, friends. There´s so much more to share, especially about the sovereignty of God, so I´ll keep saving up the rich stories.

con cariño,
Katie