Miguel

Words cannot express how much I am absolutely head over heels in love with each of these children. It's frustrating as I try to come up with words to adequately describe how proud I am of each of these precious boys because it's practically impossible. But nevertheless.... here I go. Miguel has changed so much in the past 12 months. He turns 10 years old next month.

Miguel began violin lessons last summer and learned how to play quite a few tunes. He is a very, very intelligent child and is a fantastic reader. He loves to sit down with me and read a few chapters of Captain Underpants in Spanish each week.

His world literally lights up when he hears anything about his Shelter Child Sponsorship family. Thinking of how much his sponsors' words of encouragement mean to Miguel brings me to tears of joy literally every time I speak about this special relationship (fighting tears now as I type).
Over the past year, I've witnessed Miguel go from being angry, disrespectful, defiant, at times violent with others... to a thankful, charming, sweet, caring, respectful, helpful, playful and all around just beautiful. Last June, Miguel prayed to receive Christ as his Lord and Savior and I'm confident that the new and improved Miguel is a direct reflection of that decision.

Miguel is also hands down the most talented soccer player at Casa Hogar Douglas. As a 9 year old, he competes with the older teen boys and schools them on frequent. Sometimes he gets scared and thinks that he can't keep up with the big boys but then he pumps himself up and shows off. I love every chance I can get to see Miguel play and encourage him to keep practicing and to not chicken out against kids easily 4 and 5 years his senior.

I also find his obsession with his hair to be quite funny. Out of all the boys in his dorm, Miguel is the mirror hog. He has to make sure his hair gel is just right. A few weeks ago, the workers at the home made him get a hair cut and Miguel hated his short hair so much that he wore a baseball cap for a week straight in embarrassment. I cut most of the boys hair at Douglas these days.... but I wasn't the one who made Miguel "bald" on that occasion but Miguel laughs every time he sees me cutting some boy's hair because for the life of him he can't believe that I know what I'm doing.

He is mature for his age and down right compassionate. I am so thankful for all the long conversations I've been able to have with Miguel this past year - about my own faith, his faith, his dreams and my own. The day I moved in to be in charge of his dorm last year, he reminded me and yelled, "Caroline!!! Don't you remember?!?!?! You told me that it was your DREAM to be my caregiver and look!!!! Your dream came true!!! You are taking care of me now!" We praised the Lord on that crazy day in remembrance. Miguel doesn't forget much. One day, we were talking about an upcoming trip I had to go on and he started getting nervous because he thought that perhaps airplanes crash as often as cars in Monterrey do. I assured him that airplane pilots go to school for a really long time and almost never make mistakes. Perhaps one day Miguel will be a pilot. God Bless him... Love you Miguel