Final Thoughts...

The past two months have been extraordinary to say the least. I didn't know what to expect, but knew even before coming down here that I was going to have an incredible experience. Some days are easy to describe, other days are hard to put into words what I see, hear, and feel - even with pictures I feel like I am only capturing half the moment. Seeing firsthand the direct benefits and beneficiaries of the Coprodeli programs has given me a new found respect, appreciation, and admiration for those who help make it all come true. Edisa is bound for sainthood - her tireless efforts to correct, control, console, support, encourage, and love those boys is a type of selflessness I have never seen. Most recently, one of the boys, Campos was left behind - on the day where everyone got picked up or went home for break, he stayed - his mom never called. 3 days before Christmas and no phone call. Instead of going home to her family the next day, Edisa took Campos to Lima to walk around the Cathedral and municipal buildings, see all the Christmas decorations, and watch the people. They got home, had dinner and put in a movie. I came in about mid-way through, rather surprised to see them there. No matter how often this happens, I can't help but feel a near overwhelming amount of anger and resentment towards the parents. Campos is looking for a scholarship to study piano at conservatory and like many of the other boys, he won't be receiving any help or guidance from home...
These are good kids who, like any kid, needs love, direction, and support. They are so eager to love - offering big hugs and kisses at any time - its hard to understand how someone couldn't love them back. One of the girls the other day was really sad because she won't be going home to her immediate family for Christmas. Even though her dad hits her and her mother either screams or is totally negligent, they are her parents and she misses them. I can't even begin to comprehend, but try to be somewhat comforting. These are just a couple examples of the kids Padre Miguel has dedicated his life to helping. The brains behind it all, Padre is always looking for new communities to help, programs to develop, and people to bring it to life. The office feeds off his contagious energy and motivation - he has that uncanny ability to be everywhere at once even if he's not physically present. Because of Padre's efforts, these kids and families have an opportunity to make a better life - or simply, a life, for themselves. Its hard to keep up with him sometimes, but his leadership and inspiration is what makes Coprodeli a success.
My last day with the kids was full of mixed emotions. Feeling happy and fulfilled, yet sad to be leaving my new friends behind. They are used to having people come and go in their lives and were consoling ME as we said goodbye!! I have learned alot from them as well as from the various directors and staff. They provided a different perspective, a behind-the-scenes look into how these programs are run. As I've mentioned before, their dedication is also inspiring - working long hours, weekends to make it all come together. I used this blog as a way to share with others my experiences and my thoughts - I realize it probably only provided mere glimpses, just shreds of what I've seen and witnessed, but hopefully it was just enough to make readers want to experience it for themselves...
As Christmas nears, I am so incredibly grateful for the supportive, loving family and wonderful friends who encouraged me to make the jump and take some time to "live this life." I am a better person because of it, so to all those who helped make it a reality - GRACIAS! I can't wait for what lies ahead....

Last day with the boys....

The boys also had a Christmas party that was put on by someone in the parish who always sees the boys and Edisa at mass. The morning was filled with last minute chores (washing sheets, folding clothes, packing bags) - once they were done, they were free to play. Here is Pablo in the middle holding the string for Miguel Angel and Campos...





The family brought music equipment and led the boys in Christmas carols....we blew up balloons, but they didn't last very long as the boys got a total kick out from popping them.





Here is Vega with the prized Santa hat...haha love his expression....










Here the boys are putting together a micro-mini car set they received as a house present. They wouldn't even talk to me as they were putting it up!!







The one posing with his hands is Freddy - hes graduating from the orphanage, so its quite likely the last time I'll ever see him. But he's definitely ready (except for the fact that he loves calling me mayonesa) , so its not a sad goodbye, but more a happy best of luck & keep in touch type of goodbye...


Group photo - about the only 5 seconds of the morning I was able to get them to stand still long enough to take a picture...












The family bought a soccer ball for every boy, so they were absolutely thrilled. This is them playing with their new toy - they're whipping the soccer balls at eachother, kind of like dodgeball, but every man for himself and no one was spared. It was like a warzone...

Last day with the girls....

One of the Callao parishes who also support another orphanage in the area put on mini-show in the girls backyard. There was a dj, a clown, and obviously a Santa Claus. The festitives were held in the morning until about lunchtime. I stopped by for a couple hours to join in the fun and say goodbye...





They were energized, happy, and excited for the most part. Again, dancing is obviously involved - here we all are totally groovin'...





































This is Janette - she's the oldest one in the house and is graduating this year. Her home situation is extremely difficult and her aunt can't support her, so there's really no where for her to go once she leaves the house. She's been living there for over 3 - 4 years so is familiar with all the rules, the girls, the way of life there. Instead of sending her out, Coprodeli will "hire" her to take care of the house and girls - whom better than someone who has been living there for years and has demonstrated an unbelievable amount of responsibility and maturity? She will continue to go to school, but will help Rosa and Betty (the two primary house keepers) with running activities, chores, helping with the girls homework, cooking, etc.

Santa! There was a barbie doll for every little girl and a purse for every older girl - it was so fun to watch them receive their gift and hug Santa!!

Amiga Secreta!

Tuesday night was Amiga Secreta (aka Secret Santa) at the girls house. This evening every girl announced who their amiga secreta was. During the week they were supposed to write notes of encouragement or well wishes, or do something nice for their amiga. No gifts were exchanged, but it was more a celebration of friendship and companionship.

The house is fully decorated - Nativity scene, christmas tree and candy cane cut outs, Santa Claus, a paper mache type Christmas tree, and streamers decorated the house. Pictures from previous years' Christmas celebrations were also put up...the Christmas spirit was definitely alive and well!


Here is a picture of all the girls before the ceremony....Christmas is a happy time for some, but definitely not all. Not all the kids go back to their home - some stay with other relatives or good family friends. The hype of Christmas tends to illuminate the fact that there is something big missing from their lives, which is why they are brought here in the first place. The directors and psychologist spend alot of time with them this month, planning various activities and events to distract them from the rather ugly truth behind the scenes. There is significant amount of support from the community, either parishoners who get together and donate gifts or mini panettons and chocolate milk, or families who put on a small party for them. It was really neat to see the amount of activity and energy that has been going on these past few weeks, even the simple distractions were warmly welcomed.

This is Cathy - her birthday is in a couple days, but since they will be on vacation, they were celebrating it this evening. She didn't exactly have a cake; instead panetton, which is similar to our version of a fruitcake, but signficantly better. Peruvians first sing Happy Birthday in English and then do the Spanish version with more clapping - some of them don't retain any other English words but those used in the song!
Cathy's older brother, Jason, is in the boys orphanage - typically, if there is a sibling in the house, Coprodeli tries to keep them together - there are several brother sister and cousin pairs in the orphanages and CAEs.

This is Julia and Gloria - an amiga secreta matchup.











The party obviously included dancing - mainly salsa and reggaeton. I was copying them pretty much the entire time....these girls can move!!







Posing, obvi.....











Gabriela and I....she's adorable








Hahaha....I love this picture - so much going on at once - it was basically like this the entire time. In the front is Corpusa (I think thats how you spell her name) - she's trying to get us to join their picture / circle. In the back is Stefanny yelling for someone's attention. Then there's Carmen and Sandra is the one with the pink jacket who manages to sort of just fade in and out...

Tocando Cajon!

Earlier this week, five of the boys were invited to play cajon for an end-of-year party that was being held in one of the bigger clubs in Callao. They don't get too many opportunities to perform in front of an audience like that, so it was not only an honor, but quite nerve wracking as well!

Here we are on our way to the show, each of them holding their cajon....




The teacher is a professional dancer, a black belt in several types of martial arts, and a cajon player / instructor. He volunteers twice a week and comes to the orphanage to teach the boys dance (critical for when they go to celebrate quincinieras), cajon, and tae kwon do. As a kid he had ADD and in order to get him to concentrate on something and hopefully settle down, his parents enrolled him in a dance class. He was instantly hooked. Its unbelievable how patient he is with the kids. I watched several of their classes and he was lucky to get half of them to really pay attention. Not all of them are equally engaged in each activity, so you inevitably have some that are advanced in cajon, others in the dancing. But regardless, its a wonderful way for the kids to focus on something else, something fun, when school's out.

Here's the fab 5: Vega, Miguel Angel, Campos, Cruz, and Jose. The little guy on the end is not part of Coprodeli, but his teacher is friends with the other instructor. We borrowed him for the show - he's 3 years old and can play nearly as well as the bigger kids. So cute!




Cajon is supposed be accompanied by dancers and they dance according to the rhythm and beat of the drums. In this case, "Profe" tends to lead so the kids watch his movements while they feel / hear their beats....the two together are a beautiful combination...

















Also in the show were the traditional Marinera dancers. This pair is a champion and won a big contest last year....the rest are a group in Callao that came to perform















This is a traditional dance from "la sierra" - there were about 10 guys and 10 girls, so it was quite a big group. The girls outfits were absolutely beautiful - the colors literally lit up the room. There was a lot of jumping and twirling going on and in the middle they had a load of "tunas", a Peruvian fruit that kind of looks like a mini cactus without the spines. I'm guessing it was a traditional dance to bring the harvest because they had the fruit gathered in a basket, then dispersed them, and later gathered them up again....whatever it was, it was very fun to watch!

End of Year Party!

So much has happened in the past week its been hard to keep up! The school year has wrapped up so there are many end of year activities for the kids - everything from reviews with the psychologist and teachers, to exams, to the annual party celebrating the end of another school year. Not to mention some down time of just hanging out and chillin'. It has been a fun past couple of weeks to say the least!

Much of last week was spent preparing for the party - coordinating with the different centers transportation, schedules, directions, etc. I had the very fun task of helping the director of the kids programs (at risk youth centers, orphanages, padrinos coordinator) go shopping for the event. We bought soccer balls, volleyballs, beach balls, prizes, candy, and (my favorite) water balloons for the kids to play with day of. The celebration was at a huge park in Callao - there were jungle gyms, soccer fields, a zoo, a mini-stage and enough room for the kids to run wild. And run wild they did! Over 450 kids from the Coprodeli orphanages and at risk centers (CAEs) arrived bright and early (9 am) at the park. I mainly hung out with the boys and girls from the orphanages, so readers will likely see familiar faces!

Below are the pre-party pictures - everyone was up by the usual 6 am, ready and waiting for the 8am bus. The boy in the non-Coprodeli shirt is an orphanges alum. He graduated from the program about 2 years ago and visits every now and then to help out, visit Carlos and Edisa, and hang out with the kids. During the day, four of the older boys were pretty much glued to his side. It was pretty neat to see not only the companionship between them, but the "big brother" admiration that was quite evident.










Total mayhem on the boys' bus. This is what it looked like from the front - while the bus was moving! They were sooo excited it was about all we could do to keep them from jumping out the window!







It was HOT outside, especially with the kids running around. A guy was selling popsicles (think Flavor Ice) and a few of the kids were dying to have one...I made the mistake of buying a couple of them and within minutes kids were coming from every direction. We literally wiped the stand clean and it wasn't even noon yet!













We're taking a break. With me is Rafael, Evans, Luna, and Rosas. This is pre-water balloon fight, before all hell broke loose. We filled them up in the water fountains that were located throughout the park. I was thinking we'd start with a water balloon toss and go from there...oh no. Within about 30 seconds the boys were reaming them at eachother. At first they were hesitant to throw any at me, but they got over and by the end I was SOAKED from head to toe. After lunch they took the empty 2L pop bottles and filled them with water, snuck up behind me, and drenched me. Luis was on my side, but there wasn't much we could do against the other 8 or so who were against us. What a blast.


Gotta love the contrast between boys and girls. Here the girls are nicely playing in the park. I also gave them water balloons to partake in the fight, but they really didn't want to have too much to do with it....






The party included a show - here a couple of the girls bravely got on stage and danced to a popular Reggaeton hit, "Rompe". They were AWESOME - much better than the so called "professionals" that were hired. I was a bit surprised by the ones who go on stage - Brigette was a given, but Gabriela and Gloria are normally more shy - no stagefright here! We were all cheering - including the teachers!











CHOW TIME!! Lunch was pollo a la brasa - roasted chicken, french fries, a side salad, and pop. I don't think there was a french fry left.







This is Samantha. I met her on my first trip with Coprodeli in April 2005 and we've kept in touch ever since. She attends one of the CAEs in Pachacutec. Her dad left when she was young, her older sister has a little 2 year old boy - also a single mom. The sister doesn't have a steady job, the mom volunteers in the school as a cleaning lady. And despite the hardship, Samantha is one of the happiest little girls I've ever met. She wants to be a teacher when she grows up and one of her biggest dreams is to fly in an airplane and travel. Luckily, her mom and sister are behind her 100% - they don't want her to "end up like us" - they want her to focus on herself, her future, her dreams. I can't wait to see where those dreams take her...



Me and the girls.... :)

All things are not Peruvian...

...and John Lennon lives. At least last night that was the case. The district of San Miguel in Callao organized a John Lennon tribute concert to honor the artist's life & music. It was free and interestingly enough the beer that sponsored the show (Pilsen Callao) was not served although there were ads for Pilsen everywhere. But then again, this is Peru. The show lasted several hours and various musicians / groups were brought on stage to sing the Beatles classsics - including the mayor of San Miguel! I guess he is a huge Beatles fan and was the main push behind the event. So we jammed to a bunch of Peruvians singing Beatles tracks and I have to say, they were pretty decent.
After the event we went for drinks at a nearby bar that had German microbrews. And while the Kolsch wasn't as good as the real thing, again pretty decent. And to round off my international culture sampling, I went to a Botero exhibit this morning. The pieces came from the National Art Museum in Colombia and was the first time most of those paintings had been in Peru. The focus of the pieces were depicting the pain and terror that has gripped Colombia these past few decades. Sad, but impressive - and real.
Tomorrow we are going to a huge market (think El Rastro in Madrid) about 45 minutes outside of Lima. The Peruvian version of bargain shopping...just in time for Christmas....

6-1, 6-3

That would be the score of our tennis game on Sunday. Padre beat me, but I have promised revenge. I don't think its a fair match-up - he has God on his side...in Callao there are several public parks with tennis courts, basketball courts, and soccer fields that anyone can use after paying the 7 soles ($2.25) entrance fee. Unfortunately, they are not very well maintained, but we lucked out and found a decent court and net.

After playing in the hot sun, it was time for the beach. We took the girls to the beach in Miraflores - a relief to what has been so far, a sporadic summer. They all had hats (which came donated from Coprodeli USA clothing drive - note the Goose Island Brewery in the front!!), matching swimsuits, and t-shirts. They were sooo excited!! We loaded up the Coprodeli combi (which can fit about 16 people), Padre manned the wheel, and we were off. The girls sang practically the entire way there. As we got closer and the traffic got heavier, people just stared at our car packed with 29 girls and 3 adults...which only encouraged them to sing louder.


I wasn't planning on getting in and stayed behind to take pictures of them running into the ocean, shrieking when the cold water touched their toes, and laughing at one another. I tried to have them turn around, but they were much too busy running in the other direction.





Most of the girls didn't know how to float, much less swim, so after about 5 minutes of me attempting to take pictures, I got in (hence the lack of pictures). Instantly the little ones started to crawl all over me, hanging on as the waves rushed over our heads. Thankfully, the ocean was tame...









After the initial surprise / shock of being in the water wore off and each younger girl was taken out to the "deep end" at least once, we started to have floating lessons. Several of them got the hang of it, others either couldn't stop laughing or were just too nervous to let go. I was helping Elizabeth when this huge wave came over and she swallowed a huge gulp of water. Oops. She wasn't very happy with me...




It was finally time to go, so the girls dried off and loaded up the car. The ride wasn't very comfortable - we were sticky with salt, clothing was wet, and we were packed in like sardines. When we got back to Coprodeli, everyone showered, quickly had dinner and reunited in the office for a movie. It was movie night and Gladiator was the feature of the evening.



They had seen it before and the ones who I thought would be disturbed by the fighting and blood (like Susanna and Julia) were telling me what was coming next!! They brought with them a giant bag of animal cookies (think Costco, 5 lb bag) which was passed around the room.
By the end of the movie about 25 of the 29 were fast asleep. It was late - about 10 pm - and the girls get up around 5:30 am, so they were ready for bed. Exhausted and sleepy eyed, the girls sauntered out of the room. What a day....

School days, school days....

Last week I accompanied Padre Miguel on a visit to some of the Coprodeli schools in Callao. He was there to say hello to the students as well as do a routine check-up on the schools condition - looking at the actual buildings, classrooms, furniture, etc to make sure things were up to par. When vacation starts, the maintenance begins - painting, construction, and repairs begin shortly after the New Year and are completed by the end of March, in time for the new school year to start. We were there with a member of the engineering team who was documenting all that needed to be done.

Watching Padre entertain the class was by far the best part. He walks into the room and the kids jump up with an enthusiastic "Buenos dias, Padre!" Its not often he makes a visit, so they are quite excited by his presence. He says hello, asks them what they are studing - sometimes quizzes them - and ususally starts a song of some sort. They are captivated by every word, giving him every ounce of attention.




As we were walking around the school grounds, recess started which gave the kids a chance to hug, kiss, and play with Padre. Again, absolute love and admiration for this man - and he was so patient as they asked 100001 questions at once.







Another classroom at San Miguel. The bookbags and additional school supplies are donated from their Padrinos, individuals generally from the US and Spain who financially support the kids' education. The cost? Just $1 / day ($360 / year) gives them an education, school materials (bag, uniform, supplies), books, glasses (if needed), and offsets part of the cost for food (which is also funded by USAID).
Would YOU like to sponsor a child? Visit www.coprodeliusa.org to learn more!




Hula-hooping during recess - this game never gets old!







Every center has a library - here a student is using his recess to catch up on some extra reading. The library is accessible to all students and they can borrow books at any time to take home.
Coprodeli USA is collecting books to renew and fill these libraries. Children's English books, Spanish novels & classics, and Spanish texts (math, literature, science) are needed. On December 17, Coprodeli USA in Chicago will be having a book drive - we would love and appreciate your support! Visit our website at www.coprodeliusa.org , or email me at vkeating@hotmail.com to learn more how you can help!



Two girls peering out as I was peering in...










Another classroom at San Miguel. The school was funded by a very generous donation from an international company in Peru. In addition to the construction and infrastructure of the school, the company donates money every year for maintenance & upkeep, which costs about $12,000 per year. The students have their own notebooks which they use for nearly all their subjects. Because school books are so expensive, the books are used for about 3 - 5 years and in order to keep them in good shape, the students write in their notebooks instead.


Gym class! The little ones are lining up into teams before their race begins. I was tempted to participate.... :)

Preparing for the future

One of Coprodeli's programs - Coprodeli Empleo - focuses on job training and development. The three directors of the professional centers are Francisco, Bessi, and Gabriel, do everything from coordinating business classes to contacting companies for new hire placements to recruiting students for enrollment. There are three opportunities for students to enroll throughout the year and classes generally last for about 3 months. Internships are organized with the assistance of one of the directors following the completion of a course. There are no requirements or entry exam which is both good and bad. It encourages students to come, but during the holiday months (Oct - Dec) when companies are on a hiring spree, about 30-40% of the students leave school for work. When I went to visit the center, most of the classes were about half full. After the student has met the necessary requirements set forth by the Ministry of Education, they receive an official certificate of completion which can be presented for permanent employment. Cost: 50 soles ($15) per term. This is actually higher than what a similar public center charges (20 soles / term) because the government sponsors all the public school programs and maintenance. However, the Coprodeli center offers more variety in courses and job training and is more involved with the job placement process. Scholarships are given to about 20% of the students and Ministry of Education guarentees at least 6 scholarships / term.

Class offerings include everything from baking class (looking for a stove, blender, and oven in order to turn it into a full on cooking class), costmetology (looking for new salon style chairs to enable more students to work at once), sewing / clothing design (need new sewing machines), nursing & pharmacy (desperately need new texts on these subjects), entrepreneurship (desperately need new general business texts), marketing, computer (need new computers), graphic design, electronics, English, and jewelry to name a few.















Attendance IS tracked and if a student misses 2 consequtive classes, the teacher has to follow up. Before each term, all faculty and staff flyer around the neighborhood with the new class offerings. About 3-400 students matriculate each time they participate in this type of PR. Clearly quite effective in attracting people and it also gets the members of the school out in the neighborhood.




For students who are completing their courses, they offer classes such as Personal Marketing. This class goes over appropriate dress code, manners and etiquette, protocol, the importance of a resume, how to follow up after an interview - all standard Career Center offerings. I sat in on a lecture and was quite impressed how interactive and engaged the students were. The picture to the left caught my eye - how to properly sit while wearing a skirt.



Another important part of the Empleo (job) program is Incubusiness, which focuses on entrepreunership / the creation and development of a business. The idea is to have one "mother" business that then spawns off smaller jobs. One "mother" is CoproNet that utilizes Linux, a free software system designed to be an alternative to Microsoft Windows. New variations and additions to Linux make the system more competitive and more compatible to what most people are used to. CoproNet works on improving Linux to fit the needs of businesses and schools, installing the system in these institutions, and providing technical support. They also work on security issues (i.e., hacker prevention), Internet control (installing website restrictions), and courses to help transition the system into the market. Dani , the dude with the long hair, is head "WebMaster" and in charge of directing the CoproNet efforts. Gabriel, as mentioned above, is one of the directors of the overall Empleo program.
Similarly, CoproVivir is another "mother" business that focuses on housing developments and construction. Coprodeli's idea is to provide dignified and affordable housing to those who couldn't otherwise afford it - one of the many forms of supporting CoproVivir is through the Touchstone program where support from a donor and the Peruvian government help provide the funds necessary to provide a house for a family in extreme poverty. And in line with the efforts of developing the community from within, CoproVivir hires local labor to man the construction efforts - providing housing and employment to the community.

The story of Luis Taco is the definition of a Coprodeli success story. Luis arrived in Pachacutec in 2000 with his wife and two kids and a used truck he bought from a friend. Quickly he heard of Padre Miguel's plan to build a church, schools, and homes for the families of Pachacutec and offered his truck to help transport materials. Bit by bit he started to help in the actual construction efforts - with no previous carpentry experience he learned quickly. Coprodeli at this time was hiring an outside contractor to primarily be in charge of the construction efforts. Luis learned the work and was eventually hired as the primary contractor. He hired and trained workers (local labor) and his core team is now 8 - 10 people large. He took business courses offered by the Empleo center, including financial management and planning. His first loan from MiBanco was for 1000 soles, ($320) that helped fund badly needed materials – wood, nails, etc. His next loan was for $1000, then $2,000. Most recently he applied for a $5,000 loan. Before approving his request, MiBanco came to Pachacutec to visit his work shop, evaluate his short term plans, finances, etc. Two and half weeks ago they offered him a $10,000 loan of which over the next two years he will pay off at $700 per month.

His story doesn't stop there – his oldest daughter, Yessinia, 18, is preparing to take the entry exams for medical school. After medical school, she would like to dedicate her life to service – enter a monastery and practice medicine for those who couldn't otherwise afford it. His other daughter, Stephanie, 15, would like to follow more in her father's footsteps and become an engineer. His other children – Jose Luis, 7, and Maria 2, are too young to have career plans, but will at least have the opportunity to dream – and dream big. Luis is “forever indebted for the opportunity Coprodeli has given him. There was no work when I first came to Pachacutec – I had to invent work to do, which is why I started by volunteering my services transporting materials....Coprodeli has given me and my family a life – practically everything. I don't know how to repay Padre for the opportunity he has given me to have a new life and to God for giving me a second chance. His energy, idealism, and ingeunity is contagious and keeps me motivated...” And THIS is just one example of the CoproSuccess story.

Beachfront madness

Two weekends ago I took the girls to the Punta to hang out, soak up the sun, and play. For the rest of the week the boys complained that I love the girls more, that I never take them anywhere, that they want to go too, etc. OK. So Sunday I took the 11 boys who didn't go home for the weekend to the beach. They each grabbed a hat from the closet (the sun is wicked harsh here, as I found out for the second time) and were running out the door before I could even grab my keys.



Unlike the girls who walked in two or three giant packs calmly, they ran down the street, smacking eachother on the back, racing, kicking the soccer ball in and out of the street. I had about zero control and they totally took advantage.

I love this shot - here are Marcelino, Campos, and Jason. The three of them walked together, arm in arm, for almost the entire time.







When we arrived, the boys quickly changed and ran into the water. Most of them aren't very good swimmers and thankfully they stayed in shallow water. Cruz, the one to the far left, was by far the most fearless. His dad taught him how to swim and he proudly showed off his skills. He wanted to go cliff jumping. NO WAY - not with me!




Practically like seals, they would come out of the water to warm up, dry off, and then would dive back in again. This beach only had rocks - no sand - so while it was difficult to walk, it was quite comfortable to lay down. I was master keeper of all the cool rocks and by the end, we had too many to carry home. I told them we'd be back and we can dig for cooler rocks and hermit crabs...a promise they will obviously not forget.



This is Michael (pronounced Mitchell). He's the oldest, mos responsible kid. He didn't get in, so him and I talked the whole time. I asked him to tell me about himself - anything - and that was all it took for him to open up. He talked about his first soccer coach who taught him how to play goalie, his past soccer teams, his previous schools and houses before coming to Coprodeli, his plans for when he leaves, his dreams about studying in the US - across the board. I just listened as this normally pensive, quiet kid came out of his shell.

This is Cruz and Campos playing in the nearby park. They were like little terrors running through the park. Again, zero control!









Pablito on the monkey bars. Him and his brother, Jose (below) are totally adorable - they are always smiling, happy, polite - so cute. Pablo is 6 or 7 and while friendly, he tends to keep to himself alot. He has 2 micro mini cars that his brother gave him and he plays with those. He's also at the age where imaginary friends are great company. He has trouble at school, but tries hard - one of those that needs a little more coaching / extra help.




CHICAGO PRIDE BABY! Saving the best for last....I nearly flipped when he put this hat on. All I gotta say is you don't see any Yankee or White Sox caps around, clearly proving our dominance at an international scale.....

This is Jose - just as cute as his Pablo. What I love most is how he takes care of his little brother without being overbearing or pushy. He watches out to make sure he's OK - checking up on him every now and then, but leaving him be to do his own thing too.

So that was the day at the beach. I was exhausted by the end - they seemed to be more energized than before. I don't know how they do it!

Happy Turkey Day!

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, a holiday unique for the US, a day set aside for us to reflect on all that we are grateful for in our lives. On Thanksgiving we spend the day giving thanks and remembering our blessings we have had over the past year. The day is about sharing - sharing company with good friends and family, sharing food with one another, sharing laughter, sharing stories and memories, sharing friendship and love....all of which can be celebrated anywhere in the world, at any time, not just on a specific day.
It was my first Thanksgiving away from home (although I was fortunate enough to spend it with family) and I was a little sad about it, but as a good friend pointed out to me "...a day like today and being away from your family will actually make you more thankful for everything that you have in your life...you really have to appreciate everything...that has allowed you to follow this course in your life." And he couldn't be more right. The phone calls and emails from friends and family helped me focus on the fact that I have so much to be thankful for. Thankful to those who love and support me, who have given me this opportunity to be here & now, who have confidence and faith in me even when I might lack it, who continually encourage, motivate, and inspire me in various ways to ultimately be a better person. For all that and more, I am truly thankful - yesterday, today, and everyday when I am constantly reminded that I am so very lucky.
I realized I needed to take a step back and reflect on where I am and what I'm doing here. I am surrounded by kids and families who despite all the cards stacked against them, are thankful for the little they have in their lives and take solace in the fact that at least they have eachother. I am surrounded by boys and girls who love and accept me as if I had been a part of their lives from the very beginning. I am surrounded by amazing people who work so hard every day to provide a better life for those who otherwise wouldn't have a chance. All of these things embody the spirit of this great holiday, Thanksgiving.