Yesterday I celebrated my one month anniversary here at the foundation. Looking back at my month here, I´ve realized how lucky I am to have found such an amazing life in a totally foreign environment.

The children that I have been involved with, have completely accepted me as one of there ´mothers´. This past Sunday was Mother´s Day here as well, and for the first time in my life, I was invited to take part in the celebration as a mother! The children prepared a program for all of the ´tias´ including myself. They prepared songs, dances, poems, and skits. Even though the presentation was clearly put together by the children, I´ve never appreciated and enjoyed a show like this one. At the end of the presentation all of the children gave us ´mothers´ flowers and a kiss on the cheek. That very night, the adults from the foundation, attended a ´block party´. This party was in the local basketball court where a concert was prepared for everyone. Several traditional folkloric dances were presented as well as live music. I´ve never danced so much in my entire life! It was so much fun.

These children have touched my heart so easily. All of them have amazing stories, that I would never have overcome myself. Let me give you a couple of my favorite examples:

Antia- she´s my favorite child here. She´s an eleven year old girl with four brothers and sisters, and one more on the way. Her mother is nine months pregnant and is a major drug dealer and prostitute in Quito. In Ecuador, there is a law that prevents any woman who is pregnant from going to prison….therefore, Antia´s mother gets pregnant simply to keep selling her drugs and stay out of prison. Her mother hides marijuana and cocaine in Antia´s back pack because the police won´t check a little child. Antia, is a smart cookie, she knows exactly what her mother does for a living. Antia sees her mother every weekend, and every weekend asks her mother once, to stop this life, and change. Antia returns to the foundation every Monday, and tells me how she never wants this life for herself. She never wants to become her mother. Imagine how hard it is, at eleven years of age, to know that what your mother does is bad, and to make a conscious decision to never do that. She is one of the strongest people I know, and is currently my heroine!!

Santiago- He´s a sixteen year old boy that lives in my house for two more weeks. He works fifteen days straight with one day off, and then has to begin fifteen days of work again. He works twelve hour days.

How much money does he make for all of this work? $180 PER MONTH!! He works at a flower packing plant, with chemicals that could kill a person. His goal in life?

To finish school, go to College, and become an Architect to prove to his mother who abandoned him, that he is an incredible person and doesn´t need a damned thing from anyone. He´s another one of my heros.

These children are two out of forty four that I have the pleasure of sharing the next five months of my life with. I know these children are making my life much easier, and happier every day, I´m so grateful to have found them!!!

I miss all of you guys at home, and hope everything is great. Take care!

Much Love,
Heidi