Transitions

The month of August involves many changes and transitions for most of the children in the children's homes Back2Back serves, the teens in the Hope Program, and our staff. This August, Casa Hogar Douglas has seen new workers come to take care of the kids, new children get dropped off, kids start school again, 12 of the youngest kids are now enrolled in a different school and a completely different homework/tutoring program has begun. The Hope Program has welcomed 10 new students from 5 different children's homes. August can also be a bit crazy because most of our American staff go to the states for a week or two to try and raise support for the next year.

Right now is definitely a big transition for me. I'm not the primary care giver for my 14 this month. There is a new staff couple to take care of them. I've been over there everyday since I've been back though. The kids are kind of confused. They want me to bathe them, brush their teeth, sit with them, play with them, and put my movies on for them. I'm trying to walk the fine line of respecting the new workers yet being there for the boys. By this weekend, I think I will have worked out the specific hours and days each week I'll be doing child care at Douglas. For now, I think I'll be in charge of one dorm each day when it's that worker's day off. So I'll learn how to take care of GIRLS as well- i'm confident that has GOT TO BE EASIER than boys. My only desire is to see the kids getting the hour by hour care that they need. However I can help make that happen, I'll be happy to do.

But it's kind of strange right now. I'm trying to back off and wait to see what the new workers need or want help with. Today was a "good day" for me in this transition period because I got to spend the entire day with my kids somehow. I woke up to find my 2 year old on the B2B property and needing someone to play with him. We watched Veggie Tales in my apartment and ate animal cookies. He was stoked. The photos below are of our morning play session...

I went over to the children's home in the afternoon because we were told that 3 new little girls were about to be dropped off by their mom. That didn't turn out to be true but it meant I got to spend hours with my boys while we waited. I got to snuggle them and bathe every single one of them. I even cleaned up the dorm a bit. I've been eating most days at Douglas with the kids... I need to work on better meal planning for myself.

Best part of my entire day was realizing that Oziel, who was sitting in my lap as I rubbed his back.... was holding LIVE BUGS in his hands and then killing them when he felt like it as he watched spongebob. That child - I love him so very much. I told him that bugs were really gross and holding live bugs in your hands was yucky and he said, "no it's not! Look! I killed them."

Please pray for me:

1. that God would clearly show me how I can best use my time each week to serve the kids in a way that uplifts the other workers

2. that my car would get fixed really soon. Hurricane Alex seems to have destroyed my transmission. Found that out today. Maybe I'll buy a bike at walmart? Seriously considering that.

3. For the new workers at Douglas - that they would feel appreciated, supported and energized.