Wednesday and Thursday - Playing Hard and Working Harder

The last two days have been full ones - full of awesome food, full of the love of Christ for these amazing kids and caregivers, and full of hard work getting our projects done!

Plenty of Chicken Dancing in the music station

The crayons and coloring books were a HUGE hit!

Everybody got to pick out their own coloring book and pack of crayons - these smiles show what a treat that was!

We played some soccer (yes, there was holding)

And some kickball

The kids had a blast designing their own hats

And we had a blast helping them

Ta dah!

And we even did a little Bunny Hopping!

We had an extra special treat on Wednesday and got to visit the new home of three young ladies from Hogar de Amor. Hogar de Amor continues to support these young folks even after they graduate from high school (amazing!) and these women are in university studying psychology and education.

They just moved into a newly donated house and were thrilled to host us for a dessert and show us around. It was awesome to see how Hogar de Amor stays with these kids and continues to encourage them as they launch into adulthood.

Oh, and we continue to eat well. Very well.

On Wednesday night we were invited to a party at Casa Galondrinas. It was a perfect fiesta - lots of rowdy games, a piñata, great food, and wonderful friends.

This is a game of "roosters" where each participant has a balloon tied around their ankle and everybody goes around stomping balloons until only one contestant remains. It's quite the workout!

The piñatas were a big "hit"

And there was lots of work to be had as we tried our darndest to complete all of our projects. We painted, we sewed, we welded, and we did it all with full hearts and mostly no grumbling :)

This team made it through some very hot, very challenging days and did it all for the glory of God and for the love of these kids. If you are friends or family to anybody on this trip, you have a lot to be proud of.

Paint, paint, painting

Almost done, now to start on the back!

Julie takes care of the finishing touches!

We also took on some smaller painting projects in Casa Matriz. Here we have 4 youth madly trying to add a new coat of paint to the infirmary, which badly needed some sprucing up.

It looks so bright now!

We also painted some Matriz ceilings

One of the volunteer rooms hadn't been painted in many moons (decades?) so we also took some time to make it worthy of the folks who dedicate their time to Hogar de Amor. The ceilings were... challenging... to the taller members of the team.

But the smaller team members loved painting a room that was just their size!

And team sewing took on a project to make plastic mattress covers for 18 baby beds in Casa Cuna (the baby house).

Dueling sewing machines

Ben delivers the completed girls' mattress covers

Cutting new curtains for Casa Matriz

Down to the wire trying to finish those curtains before dinner!

We are blessed to have a welder on the team. Shane and Pablo, one of the pastors of Grupo Amor, worked together to make an awning for a patio at Casa Galondrinas.

We've had long, hard, hot, and very rewarding days here at Hogar de Amor. As our trip comes to a close, please join us in prayer that

• our work impacts each child and caregiver's life here in a positive way and that they would know and feel God's love through our work
• our lives are transformed through this week of service - that we bring back to Utah a new passion for loving people as we have loved and been loved here at Hogar de Amor