A Padlock for the "Door"

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Published: Sunday, 01 July 2012 15:46

Written by Corina Clements Soria

They say,  “Ignorance is bliss.” I disagree...

Ana María ended up on the streets at a young age...  About  7 or 8 years ago, she came to “El Jordán” for a couple months...  she had a little boy, Herlan Yamil... and was pregnant with her second baby...  Their father, Herlan, never wanted to come to “El Jordan” – but then we really didn’t have anything to offer either...

Back then, I remember Ana Maria having problems with her boyfriend... but they got back together and moved to a mining community in the highlands - in an attempt to get away from the streets...  I didn’t see her again until the beginning of this year...  Yamil is now 9, Nayer (girl, 7)... and little Ana Maité is a year old...   She wasn’t planning on coming to classes at “El Jordán” – she wanted to leave little Ana in a kids’ home...

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The Pink Purse ... and Baby Wipes

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Published: Tuesday, 19 June 2012 15:46

Written by Corina Clements Soria

I love using baby wipes and often wish our girls had the means to buy them to help keep their kids nice and clean...  but it would be crazy and irresponsible to buy wipes when they struggle to:

  -  put basic food on the table  (if they have a table)

  - have bus fares to come to El Jordán

  - pay their rent

  - pay for a school book... or...

  - take their kid to the doctor...

For me, wipes are “special”... I usually rip them into two or more (depending on the quality)...   How do you think that I felt when I opened a gift that one of our girls gave Marlee...  and found a package of wipes!?!   and a little handmade pink crocheted purse...

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A Dog's Life ...

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Published: Monday, 21 May 2012 15:46

Written by Corina Clements Soria

I saw a great picture today… but by the time I got back there with my camera, it was already too late... it was a picture that made me laugh, be sad and pensive all at the same time...

I can’t send you the photo, but I will try and paint you a picture...

There are a group of street kids who live at the main intersection nearest to our home... You can always find them... day or night... rain or shine...  Sometimes, dodging traffic, they “clean” your windshield, hoping for a coin...  Their glazed, reddened eyes; overpowering glue or alcohol breath and their erratic movements point to where that coin will probably go... During cold spells you might find them sleeping, lined up in a row, under cardboard, plastic or maybe an old sheet.  Often you’ll see them sitting around on the grassy median – their glue bottles held up to their nose...

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Marlee ... A Week Old!

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Published: Friday, 20 April 2012 15:46

Written by Corina Clements Soria

Over a month and a half ago my doctor warned us that our little girl might be coming early...  Automatically I made a mental list of everything going on in March... a visit from Uncle Norman, “the Extreme Makeover  Beginning”   (I still want to write about that...), El Jordán hosting a 10 day team from a Kelowna Christian School (including special events for different groups within El Jordan plus “poverty simulation” activities for the team...) ...the regular Bible classes I teach... and my parents arriving on the 28th...  My plea to God was...please help her not to come at least until Mom and Dad get here...

I’m not indispensable – but I also know that we are very stretched at El Jordan and shops for workers.  With one less person to help – whether that person is me or someone else, gaps would be left - and others, who are already busy, would have to stretch a little further to cover those gaps.

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