We originally planned this activity as something we could do with a team from Canada…  They would see outside the city while experiencing the sobering reality of many (no running water, precarious wood/tin/tarp/plastic/cloth shack to live in).  They could play with the kids, have a little “church” service with them, cook, wash all the dirty clothes… they would come along side Janeth’s family, helping carry their burden for a day…  

When the team couldn’t come, we decided it was something we should still do…  Lots of students and volunteers from El Jordan brought little gifts of rice, noodles, oil, sugar, soap, shampoo etc. to make a gift hamper…  6 of us (and 6 kids) went out last Sunday to Janeth’s house to fulfill our promise…

There was LOTS of food… enough to fill all the hungry stomachs and still have lots to leave behind for their supper as well…  The men hauled water out of the (dirty) well… Cinthia and Wilma sat under the trees scrubbing clothes… I got the easy jobs of rinsing… and hanging the clothes on the barbed wire…

I forgot the memory card for my camera that day… I thought… “I’ll have to take pictures with my heart…”  Sigh… now that Janeth is gone,  I really wish I had pictures that could print off…

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A couple of the pictures I took that day: 

Kids joyfully running, laughing, worry-free… taking a break from adult responsibilities – like cooking, washing, looking after younger siblings… 

Keiden and Shirley (EJ Volunteer) barefoot and stomping on a dirty blanket in a plastic tub –   (the heavy duty wash cycle)…

Cinthia making little jokes as she was scrubbing away…  Cinthia is one of El Jordan’s most misread students because of her defensiveness and blunt reactions…  Cinthia carries such a huge burden at home… yet  she was the one who asked to come with us…. to wash MORE clothes… (She already washes for her family of 7 by hand!) Wow…

 Janeth softly smiling, sitting peacefully in the shade… watching all of the activity at her home… 

 Little Glenn (a month older than Marlee) enjoying being with his mom… 

Hayley’s smile that lights up her whole face… saying that she liked the food… and could she save a bit on her plate to eat for her supper?

I also took a mental picture of Corina, off to one side of the activities, silent, observing and pensive…  Her thoughts and her pain are kept inside…  …totally different than Keila… whose untamed curly hair matches her personality…  I don’t think anyone will ever have to guess what she is thinking!!!

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Before we said goodbye that day, several of us prayed for Janeth and her family…  We made plans to return one Sunday to go to the river (several kilometres down the road) …and make some chicken/rice soup over a fire for our lunch…

 As you already know from my last letter, during the early morning hours of Thursday, Janeth passed away…  We were so glad that we hadn’t cancelled or postponed our visit to their house when the team couldn’t make it…  Too often we regret not doing something we should have…  Thank you God for putting that on our hearts… Let’s do what we need to do… and not leave it for “later”...

 Janeth did make a profession of faith in the hospital several weeks ago… and we trust that it was a heart-felt decision…  She was only 32 years old… and left behind 6 kids – (from 1 to 14).  My sadness is for them… …for the weight that will fall on Corina’s shoulders… …for Glenn who will miss his mother’s love and care…  Janeth so wanted to see her kids grow up… to make sure they studied… and make sure they kept together as a family… God had different plans… and although we don’t understand the “why?”, it’s not for us to know – rather to trust… His ways and thoughts are “higher” than ours… (Isaiah 55)

I went early that morning to see if I could help with anything because here in Bolivia, the burial needs to take place the following day…  Corina was inside, stoically organizing all their clothes – putting aside her mom’s clothes to place them in the coffin when it arrived (the custom)…  She cried for a bit when I hugged her… but then she went back to folding clothes…  On Friday when we went, Hayley wondered if we were going to come back on Sunday…  Corina quietly said, “It’s my birthday on Wednesday.”   Esteven told his mom a while back, “we don’t have birthdays… but that’s okay… Hermana Corina brings us all gifts for Christmas and that is like Christmas and our birthdays…”  We’re going to break tradition on Wednesday… We’re going to take a cake and gift and celebrate a birthday!

If you don’t mind, I’ll write every once in a while about this family… so you can pray for them… and in that way, walk along side of them from afar… God has already placed them on different people’s hearts to “adopt” them from afar… so God is already at work, taking care of the orphans through His people…  Thank you…

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One other update…  The court hearing was postponed until this Wednesday… please continue to pray for everyone involved… and as always… that Truth may prevail…

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That is it for right now…  Thanks again for your prayers and support for this ministry… We appreciate you so much… Have a wonderful week!!  God bless!!

Corina (for Marco, Keiden and Marlee too…)