Today I discovered Marilyn in a new way. Marilyn is a girl of about 10, who has some kind of brain disorder. She is mostly sweet and even funny, but can also be very violent and abrasive. She is not one for affection yet seems to be very curious about others. My experiences in the past have included wild temper tantrums, where she screams for hours on end and throws large objects including CHAIRS at the staff. Yet, there are times I find her so intriguing! I found out she loves makeup. She found an old compact filled with hot pink eye shadow and she went around the orphanage "decorating" the eyelids of every girl she could get her hand on...as well as the eyes of a few boys, much to their dismay!
Anyway, today I had about an hour with her alone. The other children were napping as my Dad and I sat in the office chatting with some of the ladies. In comes Marilyn like a wrecking ball...throwing open the screen door and making her presents known. She stood there for a second, and pondered what to do. That's when she saw me. Her smile broadened and she ran to sit next to me. At first we just starred at each other. I know she doesn't like affection so I didn't try to touch her or welcome her like I would the other children. But then she reached across and held my hand! It was awkward and sweet and I just looked at her. Then she smiled at me and pulled out a deck of cards. The game was Uno! We played for about an hour, using HER rules, which I never did come to fully understand. She won each time of course, but laughed and laughed constantly along the way! I loved every minute of it.
When we were done playing cards, I gave her a special gift from the bag of gifts I had brought for the kids (which were given to me to give to them from some wonderful people....Jacq and Brian Howe! You guys rock! Joseph Wallace! You are so thoughtful! And Karen Pinski! I love you guys!) We're distributing the gifts tomorrow, but her special gift today was a set of markers that Jacq gave! Needless to say she was ecstatic! She ran out of the office, the exact way she had come in, with such force I started to worry about the life of the screen door. Then she ran to wake the others up to show them! This evening they spent hours drawing and coloring! It warmed my heart!
Marilyn....with the Nicaraguan accent sounds like Marry Leen. I dedicate this post to ya girly! Thanks for showing me your beauty and letting me get closer to you! It was a fun day!
The Nicaraguan rains pour hard! Gonna fall asleep to the sound of water, then once again wake up to a festival of tropical birds as loud as a Bon Jovi concert! I love it here!
It is POURING outside! This is what I've been hearing about, a true Nicaraguan rain storm. This will continue on through the summer and early fall! Someone's gonna sleep good TONIGHT!!! ;-)
Oops, the power literally just went out! Okay, now it's back....
Man, that's loud! It's come'n down!
Today was just awesome! Between waking up to the tropical birds, to the children at the orphanage, to discovering my father more deeply and all that he's done....I must say, I want to cherish every second! I leave on Wednesday. That's too soon. But, I'm already trying to figure out how I can squeeze a June trip in. I have so much on my plate with this documentary, and I just don't know, but it would be a shame to go too long! I need to be here.
The moment I got out of the car, the little girls saw me and said "JULIE" and ran to me! It's so nice! Tomorrow we'll go to the orphanage in the morning and I'll stay there day and night until I have to leave! I'm really looking forward to that!
I understand why this is my Dad's calling! When I'm here, I forget about my life and am just swept away! I want to give them everything I have! It's infectious!
Of course, this documentary pulls me home though (along with my Paul and Cowboy). I've got to RAISE SOME MONEY!!!!
It's amazing how loud the birds are! This morning I woke up at 3:30 am, but I thought it must be around sunrise, because the parrots were so loud! It was like a rock concert outside! I woke up again at 4:30 and again at 6:30! It's like sleeping in a rain forest now.
So this begins, the "rainy season" in Nica! Evidentially, from what I've been told, Nicaragua gets apx 6 months of rain followed by 6 months of drought. It started raining a few weeks ago however and nature is LOVING it! My last several trips out here were dry and "quiet"! So this is what May in Nica is like? I love it!
Today we're going to one of the churches that Dad built. I hear their having a baptism, so we're gonna check it out. Then we'll go to the orphanage! I can't wait to see the ninos!
I just got back this morning from my week in Florida! It was so wonderful to spend an entire week with my family! I didn't realize how much I missed them all until I found myself unable to say goodbye!
Yesterday however was a wonderful day for me! I received a letter from Alvero, one of the orphans. It was so unexpected, that I jumped and squealed like a child on Christmas when I got it.
"What have you been?
What have you done?
I know, you won't come to tierra de juda, I'll miss you so much, because you are the only person with whom I can practice my speech in english.
Today was awful to me, because my teacher told me, I have to talk in class, I must say my ideas, but it's difficult, all my life I've been quit and shy; I know, scared is not an option, it's a wall that cause big problems.
Well, now tell me how about you?
I hope you improve your spanish class, in the next month you will be able to communicate with all children and employees in land of Juda.
I'm teaching numbers from 11 to 20 at the children, It's has been difficult, but I'm sure they will be able to learn.
Alvaro"
Alvero is about 11. His English is good but his older brother Juan's English is the best. They look identical, only Alvero is a bit smaller than Juan! I think these two boys are the purest, sweetest, most loving boys on earth! They are both so fun...typical boys in every way, yet they are so full of love and compassion that it makes me stop and realize how different they are from most American teenagers.
I replied...
"Alvaro!!! I was so happy to get your email! Thank you so much for writing! It was wonderful of Silvia to let you use her email.
I'm really looking forward to seeing you all again! I will fly into Nicaragua on Saturday, May 1st, but may not get to the Land of Judah until Sunday. I can't wait to be back!
I'm sorry to hear you had a tough day in school! I know how scary it can be to talk in front of a crowd! It's a very normal fear and it's okay that you feel that way. I'm proud of you for doing it though....even though it was difficult! That is the only way to overcome your fears! You have to just face them! I know it's not easy, but the more you do it, the easier it will get!
I admire you and your brother for learning English. It's very difficult to learn a second language. I'm studying Spanish a little every day, but it's not easy. It may take a long time before I am able to communicate the way I want to, but I know if I keep trying, I'll eventually be able to! If you help me with Spanish, I will always help you with English! Sound good??? ;-)
Well, I can't wait to see you and everyone else next weekend! Thank you again for writing! Please say hello to Estella and Joan! See you soon!
Julie"
I really can't wait to see them!!!
Even with the clouds, even with the light rain, Sarasota is BEAUTIFUL! The white sand beaches are amazing. They are as soft as silk! I have never felt sand so soft!
Friday afternoon I flew into Austin and got to spend the night with Mom. She brought a treasure box with her for me to look through. Inside this box she has stored years worth of journals, photographs, and videos from her trips to Sri Lanka! It contained gifts, and letters from the Sri Lankan people. It was amazing to go through! It will be so useful for me, in making this documentary! I can't wait to read everything she wrote in depth! I set up my camera on a tri-pod and tried to capture it all....but I'm not sure how successful I was. After an hour, I noticed my camera had shut itself off, and I have no clue how soon it decided to do that! Sooooo....I could have a 30 second conversation and I could have an hour. Hmmmm Either way, it was so nice to have that time with Mom and learn more about Sri Lanka!
Then yesterday I met my Dad's side of the family at the airport, where we all flew to Sarasota! We'll be here for a week. Our fist family vacation in a long time! Bring on the sun though! Bring it on!
Peace out! xoxo
I put this together from my last 2 trips to Nicaragua. It's not great because most of it was shot with a flip phone and my iPhone, but I love it. Some of the pics I took and some were shot by my friend Lacy Voight! Thanks Lacy for letting me use them! xoxoxo
