Here's Blanca

Here's a special profile on Daniel just for the Paramount School, in Meridian, Idaho who is sponsoring Daniel and Blanca. The 5th graders participate in "Wacky Wednesdays" once a month. On that day, the children at school bring $1 to do whatever wacky thing is going on that day (crazy hair, dress backwards, dress like twins, pj's, etc...) and the $1 goes to sponsor Blanca and Daniel. Thanks so much Paramount School 5th Graders! (Note: Daniel is one of our special needs kids who we are trying to help diagnose and treat.)

Blanca also struggles with a speech impediment. Interesting, her three siblings do as well. She has already received an operation on her mouth that has greatly facilitated her ability to speak. Blanca is at first rather shy, which is probably influenced by her speech impediment, but after she gains trust in you, she is far from quiet and calm. This girl loves to dance! When ever music comes on, she immediately starts to dance. Her hips just want to move. She also has a little bit of jungle fever as well, as she loves to hang from monkey bars and climb around in trees. The Tia's had only good things to say about her, as all report that she is usually very obedient and respectful of others. She is always willing to help out around the house and in what ever other thing someone might need help with. Something funny about Blanca is that when she watches television, she mimics almost exactly the dog ''lucky'' off of 101 Dalmations. There was one time that she was watching a movie with some other children in our house and as we were watching the DVD on our computer, the screen was not that big and the sound not all that strong. She sat right in front and it had to be 4 or 5 times that the kids or us had to tell her to sit down so that the rest of us could see. When I asked others to describe Blanca in one word, the response ''smiley'' was quickly returned. She is always smiling and it is one of those big smiles where every tooth is showing. It is rather contagious and one can't help but smile when you see her.

a little break....

I have a business trip for the next few weeks so will be taking a short break. Come back at the end of April for some more great stories!

Natalie

Here's Daniel - sponsored by Paramount School!

Here's a special profile on Daniel just for the Paramount School, in Meridian, Idaho who is sponsoring Daniel and Blanca. The 5th graders participate in "Wacky Wednesdays" once a month. On that day, the children at school bring $1 to do whatever wacky thing is going on that day (crazy hair, dress backwards, dress like twins, pj's, etc...) and the $1 goes to sponsor Blanca and Daniel. Thanks so much Paramount School 5th Graders! (Note: Daniel is one of our special needs kids who we are trying to help diagnose and treat.)

Daniel's situation is unique. He grew up in Brazil, learning Portuguese, and then not so long ago was brought to the Aldea. Supposedly, before he came, he was learning and speaking just like all the other boys. But when he arrived here at the Aldea and no one could understand him and he couldn't understand anyone else, something happened to his speaking ability. Now he doesn't speak any language at all and only makes sounds.

He is still going to the doctor to try and figure out what treatment is necessary and appropiate for his condition. Until now, the doctors still don't know how to help him. Apart from his speech impediment, he is quite like any other boy. He loves to play outside, especially on the swings. He also loves to paint and write. He can spend hours just with a notebook, pen and crayons.

From what I can see when I observe him interact with the other kids, is that he likes to do things that bother them. When asked to describe Daniel in one word, they all responded immediately with mischievious. They told me some pretty funny stories that I think would cause you to laugh too.

One day, Daniel came back to the house soaking wet. I believe he was sick at the time and the Tia didn't want him to get worse. After getting him into dry clothes, he was told not to go out and get wet again. So what did he do? As soon as an escape was possible, out he went only to return soaking wet again. This little game continued two more times until finally the Tia had to lock him in his room after changing him for the fourth time!

On a more recent occasion, this one is my favorite, Daniel managed to flood the house. The Tia left for a while and when she returned, he had turned on the faucets in the bathroom and the kitchen on full blast and it wasn't long till water spilled over onto the kitchen floor and from the bathroom into the living room. Sounds like something one of my friends would have done.

adventurous Stephanie (Cori at Aldea)

This week, I decided to write about little Stephanie. Wow, what an adorable little girl she is, her smile just lights up my day, everyday. I will tell you what that girl can climb anything, she is so petite yet she is so strong. She is so incredible at showing her sincere kindness for others. Each day she gives me the best hugs in the entire world. Just the other day we were watching a movie and she was sitting on my lap and would wrap her arms around me and give me a kiss on the cheek. Simply adorable.

She is really adventureous for her age and so daring to do anything. Swimming in the pool she will do so much, climbing the trees she will go so high, or climbing anything at that matter. Mitch also noticed that Stephanies loves buiding things, loves building houses out of anything. She made a house out of twigs for Mitch, and while watching a movie in our Casa she started making a fort out of the cushions, blankets, and chairs. This girl really is so smart, creative, loving, giving. I love being around these kids, they just teach me more and more each day.

Inspired by Priscilla (Cori at the Aldea)

This week has been so much fun, I have absolutely loved the rain that we have gotten here, for it has made for quite a lot of fun here at the Aldea. Well, a different kind of fun, one of the highlights this week for me was playing futbol in the rain with all of the boys. It honestly was one of the funniest moments of the week, well good and bad. We were all laughing so hard at each other because everyone was sliding and falling, and at one point we did say that one had fallen into a mini piscina, it was hilarious. Aside from Mitch falling in a ditch and hurting his foot it was the time of our lives. The boys here just make me smile whenever I am around them. They just know exactly how to make me laugh and smile with their humor. They are such good kids inside and out, I am so impressed with their characters and the young men that they are. Don’t really know how to explain it, but I just am lucky to be around them.

Which leads me to who I want to focus on this week, which is actually Priscilla. The reason why I feel it ties in specifically to the boys is because she is the only girl living in her casa. She is just like another mom in that casa. I was eating in their casa this week which just really made me curious why she was in that house, but it was so much fun to get to know her a little bit better this week. Most of it are things that I have observed rather then things that I have actually discussed with her, but actions do speak louder then words.

First, I noticed how much the little boys in the casa look up to her. They are always making conversation with her and telling her stories trying to make her laugh. She helps a lot with these boys in the house. Today, the tia asked if she and I could watch for a bit while she took one of the kids to the nurse, and she honestly just knew exactly what to do. She is very responsible and very observant. We got to watch a movie together today and of course she turned it on in English for me, I tried to convince her otherwise, but she insisted. I thought that it was so sweet of her to do that. I heard her sing and she actually has a really good voice and she said how she loves to sing and dance.

However, I feel like I got to see a glimpse of who she really is later in the night during dance class. During one of the dances that most of the girls know already, I looked over and saw her teaching another one of the girls how to do it. She could have easily just done the dance that she had been wanting to do, but instead she took the time to help someone else to learn it. Such a selfless act of service. Then after that I saw her talking with one of the girls who had been having a bad day. I guess I just got the vibe that she is one of the girls who is a really good listener, maybe someone that a lot of girls trust. It was amazing to me to just see that she took the time on the wayside to help the other girls during this dance class. It’s like she was more aware of the other girls then of herself, such a respectable attribute that I hope I can learn.

It is girls like Priscilla who inspire me in my own life. I am sure she has impacted many of the lives here at the Aldea for the better.

Look forward to this next week, hope all is well, and thanks for this amazing opportunity created by Southern Cross to be able to be here. It truly is life changing. –Cori Hoffman

Yenifer's eyes (Cori at the Aldea)

Yenifer (on the right) is simply an incredible girl. There is one thing that I really want to try and describe about her, but I also know that words won’t really do justice. I am going to try to anyways. She has the ability to do something that is pretty rare. When she hugs me, she is able to look up at me with her gorgeous eyes and it brings immediate joy. There is something about the power within her eyes. I wish I could explain, but don’t know if I will be able to, but she has that ability to say a million different things with a look.

She has so much personality and spunk, it is so much fun to be around her. I love how playful she is. When I was eating at her Casa she made me feel so loved. She was always one of the first to give me a giant hug. I can see that she has so much potential with whatever she does because she seems to have a lot of determination. Her ability to make others feel comfortable is incredible considering the age that she is. Seems to me that she is one of those born leaders.

PS - special thanks to Leonie Cramer and Carl Reese for sponsoring Yenifer!!

the most adorable twin girls...Fanny and Sophia

I am lucky enough to be able to write about the most adorable twin girls here. Fanny and Sophia have the ability to literally make your heart melt when you see them smile and laugh. I don’t quite know where to begin, but I do want to share a few moments that I have been able to see take place. They are pretty incredible little girls, now if I can keep track of which one is which in the stories then that would be great, but chances are looking slim.

For starters, there was an experience at the pool in Simbal that was so incredible. I was sitting with Sophia on the side of the pool. She was almost dried off, and the volunteer next to me asked where is Fanny. For a moment I panicked cause I couldn’t see where Fanny had gone. I quickly asked Sophia if she knew were Fanny was, what she did next astounded me. . . she jumped right into the water where she last saw Fanny and started searching. It was so apparent to see the love that they have for each other. I think that Sophia was more nervous then we were as to where Fanny was, and that is saying quite a lot. I honestly was just so shocked that girls that age could understand so much about love and caring for each other. These girls are also so happy, constantly laughing and smiling, curious and excited about life.

Another incredible story that I have just happened today, again leaving me in awe at how much these two girls understand. Today was actually just one of those harder days for me and they just knew that I needed to feel loved. It’s crazy because I feel like these kids help me more then I could ever help them. But they both came up and just wanted to be held and to play. They stayed with me for quite sometime and brightened my day. The joy that they brought me is indescribable. What an example these girls are to me. I am so lucky to have the opportunity to be around them and their caring, pure hearts.