Gladys (Albergue house psychologist and my BFF), me, and 2-yr-old DianaLove them, love them, love them, love them. Their warmth, inclusivity, hard work with the girls, patience, and senses of humor have been an unspeakable highlight of my time here.
The Albergue women: Gladys, Maria Jesús, and Tomy ("Tomitaaa!")
The Albergue women: Gladys, Maria Jesús, and Tomy ("Tomitaaa!")
Pics above are from the staff retreat earlier this month!:
I love seeing them do anything to love on these girls...
- RossMary (my boss), Ariane (Mosoj Yan secretary and one of my closest friends here), and Danitza strike a pose, happy to be in Santa Cruz
- Ross and Ari participating in the staff talent show (it's... a long story...)
- Singing worship songs together on the first night of the retreat
I love seeing them do anything to love on these girls...
Chacho with Leni and Jamnaleth
Hermano Tino swimming with Maria Eugenia and Estefani on Albergue's special pool day
Gladys and Maria Eugenia are very excited about our pizza to celebrate October birthdays!!...And I am so, so grateful for how they've accepted and loved me.
I love the staff meetings where they with great compassion talk about each girl individually, going over what her needs are and how they can work hard to meet them.
I love how they just raise their eyebrows and laugh the girls off when they try to get their own way- relying on senses of humor to keep the atmosphere light, but still managing to give the girls the stability they so need.
I love that the ENTIRE Mosoj Yan staff greets me with "AMIIIIGAAAA AMERICANNNNAAAA!!!!!!" every time they see me (that would be part of the long story from the retreat!), and that I always return it with "COMO ESTAN MIS AMIGOS BOLIVIAANNNOOSSS!!!!".
I love how we all crack each other up every morning, but as soon as we start praying everyone's heads are in their hands and their faces are furrowed and their voices heartfelt as they murmur, "Sí, Señor... sí, Señor". "Yes, Lord... yes, Lord... bless these girls."
I love that when they found out a girl had been lying, in the conversation where they called her out on it and arranged discipline, they kept repeating, "This is because te queremos mucho, hija"... because we all love you so much.
I love that the other night I sat around Ren for an hour with two of the women workers, talking about two of the girls we're the proudest of, in whom even in my short time here I have seen so much growth. That these women humbly refused to take credit but beamed as they discussed them... as Pamela put it, "Nada más necesitamos". We need nothing more.
I love in a different way, though, that when Carola (the other woman) and I went out to lunch the next day and talked about one of the girls who'd left the program, despite the fact that we had just been talking about their successes, about how many girls do so well in Mosoj Yan... just the thought of that one girl whose future she doesn't know, had her in tears. (I mean, I didn't love that she cried. But I love that she cares that much.)
And I love that a minute later, after drying her face with a napkin, she told me, "Emily, I know God can do ANYTHING with these girls, even the hardest case. Our job is to pray."
I am SO, so so so lucky to be a part of this organization and I am inspired every day by these faces.
I love that the ENTIRE Mosoj Yan staff greets me with "AMIIIIGAAAA AMERICANNNNAAAA!!!!!!" every time they see me (that would be part of the long story from the retreat!), and that I always return it with "COMO ESTAN MIS AMIGOS BOLIVIAANNNOOSSS!!!!".
I love how we all crack each other up every morning, but as soon as we start praying everyone's heads are in their hands and their faces are furrowed and their voices heartfelt as they murmur, "Sí, Señor... sí, Señor". "Yes, Lord... yes, Lord... bless these girls."
I love that when they found out a girl had been lying, in the conversation where they called her out on it and arranged discipline, they kept repeating, "This is because te queremos mucho, hija"... because we all love you so much.
I love that the other night I sat around Ren for an hour with two of the women workers, talking about two of the girls we're the proudest of, in whom even in my short time here I have seen so much growth. That these women humbly refused to take credit but beamed as they discussed them... as Pamela put it, "Nada más necesitamos". We need nothing more.
I love in a different way, though, that when Carola (the other woman) and I went out to lunch the next day and talked about one of the girls who'd left the program, despite the fact that we had just been talking about their successes, about how many girls do so well in Mosoj Yan... just the thought of that one girl whose future she doesn't know, had her in tears. (I mean, I didn't love that she cried. But I love that she cares that much.)
And I love that a minute later, after drying her face with a napkin, she told me, "Emily, I know God can do ANYTHING with these girls, even the hardest case. Our job is to pray."
I am SO, so so so lucky to be a part of this organization and I am inspired every day by these faces.
"Doy gracias a Dios por su trabajo"- I give thanks to God for your work. What I wrote in my card to my "Secreto Amigo" on the retreat (like Secret Santa), but it could have been written to any of them.
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