DR day 2

We were greeted with great enthusiasm at the project we visited on our second day.  They welcomed us at the door with this banner and the kids were all sitting in their classrooms holding signs up for us and they also sprinkled us with confetti.  Meeting sponsors is incredibly exciting for these kids, even if it isn't even their own sponsor.  The last group of sponsors to visit this project was three years ago.  Walking into this school was incredibly overwhelming emotionally.  Notice their smiles and how gorgeous these kids are!

 Again, we watched the children in their classrooms, asked them questions, answered questions they had for us, took pictures, served them lunch and then proceeded to the church for a service and program.  When asked, most of the children told us they wanted to be baseball players, doctors, teachers, engineers and lawyers. 

 The following pictures were taken along the way to the home that we visited.  It was situated up on the side of the mountain with the only route being a steep, slippery, muddy, rutted path up the mountain.  When it rains the homes on the side of the moutain get more and more washed away.  The family that lived in the home have 4 children,with the oldest being in the Compassion program.  Again, this family never knows when their next meal will come.  When asked how being in the sponsor program has changed their daughter, they commented that she is a much better child, happy and hopeful.  When her father checks on her at school the teachers always tell him that she is doing very well. 

 This is the family that we visited.  The oldest girl (Caralina) is the one in the sponsor program.  When asked if she recieves letters from her sponsor she quickly brought out one of the letters from her sponsor.  That is what she is holding in this picture.  The letters and pictures these kids receive from their sponsors are the most important items to them. 

 Our group in front of the home.  We were able to leave a box of non-perishable food with the family that will feed them one meal a day for approximately one week.

 This little cutie was found walking the trail ahead of us.  She was very curious of us! 

 This little girl is one of the students from the Compassion project.  She followed us all the way from the school to the home we visited, just to hold my hand. 

Again we were all drained emotionally after spending the day at the project.  It is amazing the work that Compassion International is doing in this country (and so many others).  God is so good!