Let me start by describing the scene that I'm enjoying right now:
I am sitting at the kitchen table sipping hot tea. Home alone and enjoying the quiet for a few minutes. I am watching the end of a beautiful sunset over the freshly harvested fields. Playing on Ericka's computer is "Amazed" by Lincoln Brewster. The lyrics are "Lord, I'm amazed by you (3 times), and how you love me." It's one of those moments that make life worth living, those moments when God gives you something beautiful to say "Hey, I love you!"
It's been a great day! It started at 7 'o clock by the annoying beep of my alarm. I reluctantly rolled out of bed, showered, dressed, did my hair and went to the kitchen for a delicious meal of french toast. At 8:25 Yehudy and Ana were there to pick me up as we headed to work. Oh yes, the details finally came together at the organization and I have begun working!!
I met with two people from Roblealto in November. They were excited about having me work with them and asked me to stay in touch and that I would start in January. Well, there was some miscommunication and a lack of responses to emails. I then started looking into another organization called FundaVida and thought I would work there. However, I discovered that it was located in a very inconvenient spot where Ericka would be unable to take me/pick me up and it would be very difficult and dangerous to go alone by bus (it's located in a little suburb called Alajuelita that is very poor and the people there are unused to seeing people from the States -- and if you've seen me you know that I'm very obviously not from Central America -- automatically making me a target). So when that option was out I was pretty bummed because I really wanted to work somewhere else now that I'm done teaching.
Luckily that same week I received an email asking me to start working this week at Roblealto. Roblealto is very easy and safe for me to get to. I ride in the morning with Ana and Yehudy and take a 3 or 4 minute bus ride down the road, walk a block and there I am!
When I arrived this morning I was told which classroom I would be working in. I am helping a teacher who has 15 students from the ages of 1 to 4. It's just the two of us and I can't imagine how she was doing it on her own. I admire her greatly already. The kids are adorable. When I walked in I was greeted with a sea of smiles and a chorus of "Hola!" I then received several hugs and immediately the kids started playing with me. It was amazing how easily and sweetly they took to a stranger talking to me, playing with me, and asking for attention.
The kids who are at this foundation are children of parents who can't afford childcare. The centers are "free." I put free in quotation marks because when a child is enrolled in the program the parents are required to sign a contract. When they sign the contract they are agreeing to see financial planners, social workers, therapists, etc. It is more then a free daycare, it's a radically life altering organization. They work with the whole family to help break the grip of poverty by: finding honest jobs for the parents that pay enough to support the family; not allowing the parents to be involved in prostitution, drugs, or alcohol and providing the resources needed to stop these detrimental activities; feeding the children breakfast and lunch ensuring that they receive at least two healthy and substantial meals every day; requiring abusive parents to see Christian therapists and many other things. As the family progresses in the program they ask that the family begins paying a small amount (based on their financial abilities) for the childcare thus restoring the dignity that handouts remove from people and giving them encouragement and pride in their improvements. All the while they are sharing the love of Jesus with the children and often it's the only place they experience love and the true joy that love brings.
They have 3 locations. Two of them are daycare centers open from 6am to 6pm. This is where I work. Their third location is a home where children are placed if it is dangerous for them to live with their family. The foundation takes the children in and works with the family to restore or create a loving home where the children can thrive and not fear abuse or where they aren't forced into child prostitution or other horrible things. This house is a step before the child is removed by the government and given to foster parents. They have a 98% success rate of the families literally "comin' to Jesus" and cleaning up their lives to provide the children a healthy, loving atmosphere in which to grow up. They stay in contact with the families and check to make sure that they are continuing live healthy lives and working in honest jobs. It really is quite amazing the impact that they have had in Costa Rica. If you are interested in more information here is the website: http://www.roblealto.org/mainpage-eng.htm. I really encourage you to look at this and see the amazing impact of a Christ centered organization full of people who have heard God's call to remember the poor (the Bible is full of this call) and taken it to heart and seeing it realized. It's amazing and awesome in the true sense of the word -- awe inspiring.
So this is where I will be working for the next 2 months. As you can probably tell I'm very happy about it!
Well, the family is back, the sun has set, and my tea is gone; therefore it's time for me to go for now. I will send another update soon! Thank you for your prayers and support!
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