Micah 6:8

Yesterday morning Mary andI arrived at Mission Miqueas. We are here to experience day-to-day life at a children's home, and offer some help while Melody and Jacob (the house parents) are gone to the States. Miqueas is just outside the town El Progreso, down some dirt road and in a compound. Shew.Not like city life at all. There are two buildings on the property: One is the main building where the kids live, sleep, eat, play, and do homework, and the other is the staff house. Mary and I are staying in the staff house in our very own room with our very own large beds! It's awesome. There are 38 kids living here, ranging from infancy to age 14. There is a team of nannies (tías) that help corral the kids day to day, Walker - the full time tutor, Lauren - an intern, and a young couple- Melody and Jacob who run the place (Mama and Papa). The adults (minus the tías) all live in the staff house together.

I have never encountered such loving kids. Yesterday Mary and I spent the day getting to know the kids (it is a challenge to remember 38 names!) and helping the tías. Mary, Lauren, and I helped tía Dueña and tía Yolanda make baleada tortillas before dinner last night. [note: baleadas are a delicious Honduran food that consist of puffy tortilla, beans, eggs, honduran cheese (crumbly like feta, sharp like cheddar), and mantequilla (butter/sour cream combo)] It was awesome to help, because I doubt I will be able to live without baleadas in the States, so I NEED to learn how to make the tortillas :-)

There are so many amazing stories here - both happy and sad.

Karen is 10 but behaves like a toddler. There is nothing wrong with her mentally, but for the first 7 years of her life, no one talked to her, interacted with her, or fed her regularly. She

is simply completely behind socially. She has only just begun speaking and playing with others.

Antonio is 18 months old, but cannot crawl or speak. He has crossed eyes and came to the home completely malnourished. If you look his direction at all he is all smi

les and flirtations - the tías call him a "coqueta." With help and plenty of food, he is just learning how to sit up on his own and is trying to stand.

All of the kids here attend the best private schools the home can afford, and they all do some form of extracurricular activity: dance, soccer, swimming, band. They are so fortunate to be here, and the home takes great care of them. I have loved every second here. The kids are all so affectionate and love attention. My lap never stays empty longer than 3 seconds when I am sitting down and when I'm standing some adorable kid is begging with his hands raised for me to pick him (or her!) up.