7/29/10

Today was pretty low key. Aside from the morning trip to the smoothie shop for fresh fruit and coffee time with the doctor we didn't have to leave the house. That left plenty of time for playing with the kids, and getting to know more of their individual personalities. Two new volunteers arrived today. Two students from USF that I already know. We planned our trips to be at approximately the same time. So there are now 7 USF students here, two volunteers from England, one from Ireland, one from Grand Rapids, Michigan, and one from Germany. It's a great group, and with such a large group of volunteers there is more time to spend one on one with the children.

Coffee time is each day from 4-5pm, and it is just Dr. Tony and the volunteers. There is a coffee and pastry shop a few blocks from the Hogar, La Morochita, and it is the only place Dr. Tony goes for coffee. The desserts are all homemade, and so delicious. In addition to coffee they serve fresh fruit juices, including strawberry, pineapple, orange and lemon. The strawberry juice is my favorite, and is what I usually get. We spend the hour just talking about the events of the day or things that have nothing to do with the Hogar. It's a very relaxed hour, and is much needed in the midst of so much that is done each day.

We have just finished dinner, and the children will be going to bed soon. The children eat at 5pm, but the volunteers have a separate dinner with Dr. Tony each night at 7:30. It is the only meal that he does not eat with the children.

Tomorrow begins a new adventure. The children of the Hogar will be creating artwork to be sold for donations, and the money will be used to care for the children. Each volunteer is assigned a specific child (or two or three) and will work with them over the next week to create their piece of art. It will be fun, and I have no doubt that some beautiful artwork is soon to be created.

Laura with Esmerelda during baby time. Baby time is from 9-11am and 3-4 each day. It's a time when the volunteers take all of the babies from the infant room and bring them outside for some time outside of their cribs. They all love it, and so do we.

Deanna and John.

Iliana (one of the two new volunteers that arrived late last night from USF) and Andrea.

Josh (the other arrival last night from USF) and Sebastian.

Luis Sanchez and Jair on Victor's bike.

Orlando sans one of his shoes. He was too busy to be bothered with getting it put back on.

Some of the children playing the games that we brought with us.

A few of the olders learning about the internet. The laptops were donated to the Hogar just recently, and the children use them to help learn English.

Demi feeding Jair the rest of his dinner as he falls asleep. No child is allowed to get up until EVERY bite of food is eaten. No exceptions, ever.

Andrea's hand that has been surgically repaired. Both were deformed, and the fingers were all fused together as a result of apoptosis (cell death) that did not occur in the womb, allowing the bones between the fingers to form. This hand has had the fingers separated, and the other hand will be done soon. Andrea's deformities are the result of Apert Syndrome.

Andrea with her baby.

Sean with Esmerelda during baby time.

Laura with Esmerelda. She is a major snuggle baby despite the fact that she makes no noises and can't move herself voluntarily. She loves to be snuggled.