Our crew arrived to the Dorcas House by 11am. The Dorcas House is a"casa hogar" which is a privately owned and run foster home where 32 kids aged 2 years to about 12 years live. There is no telling how long the kids will stay here... It could be anywhere from a few months to six years (as in the case of two sisters who live there). Most of the parents are either in the prison a few blocks down the street or they are incapable of caring for their children due to drug addiction, etc.
When we arrived, we were greeted by a swarm of 30 excited, smiling childrens' faces, who immediately hugged, held hands with us, and wanted nothing more than to play with our enthusuastic teenaged crew! Richard introduced us to Sylvia, the director of the Dorcas House and a saintly presence in the lives of the children. She is the matriarch of the home and a truly admirable rock for these children. Between taking them in, caring for them, feeding them, sheltering them, taking care of their major medical needs (i.e. arranging for a liver transplant, appendicitis, etc.), enrolling them in school and walking them there daily, she is the heart of this amazing program. She is a smart lady with a lot of knowledge about local politics as well as a tremendous network which is necessary for the maintenance of the home. She has a grace about her, balancing her strong determination for the success of the program with an amazing and nurturing love towards the kids.
Our next post will show pics of our kids playing with the Dorcas House kids! Stay tuned.... (And apologies for the delay today... Cell phone reception and battery issues today!)
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