And suddenly I'm an Aunt!

Monday was my first day of work. After a month of preparation, orientation, and language lessons, I was ready to start doing what I came here to do: help the orphanage, abandoned and abused children of Santa Cruz.

Talita Cumi is a lovely orphanage that is a fifteen-minute bus ride where I live. It has a history of darkness and God’s grace. It is currently home to 25 children, ages 4 – 18. Each child I’ve met has greeted me warmly, with a Bolivian kiss and hug but I’ve already heard enough to know they each carry heavy baggage and old wounds. Many of them have already known a lifetimes worth of tragedy, betrayal and hurt from those that were supposed to love them the most.  There are about 10 workers plus additional volunteers who help take care of the children. All adults are given the title of Tio (Uncle) or Tia (Aunt).

Have way through the morning, I found myself sitting on a small stool outside, in the warm sun. To my left, Tia Hidie was finishing a handpainted scarf with two of the boys. To my right, a young girl was finishing the English homework I had been helping here with. I watched the girl whose hair I had just French braded run off to join a soccer game and Tarisa behind me slowly combed through my hair and began weaving small French braids around my scalp. How did I get here? I thought to myself. What a beautiful place and how incredibly lucky I am to be with these people.