Round number one...

There couldn't be a better moment to start a blog... It's a gorgeous sunny day outside and I'm in bed with nausea! If you didn't know yet.. I'm 2 months pregnant and some days are just rotten! But, everyone tries to give me hope and let me know that it gets better after 3 months. =) We'll see about that! 

This is Evelyn in the childrens room. She loves doing
crafts and other special activities with the kids!

The good thing is - it's Friday! This week has been especially challenging for several reasons. Dulce Refugio is going into it's 3rd year of existence and I thought we were starting the year with so well, with a great team and some of the support we needed for our staff! Well, I am first having to try to figure out what and how to help one of our team members that literally burnt out last year. She is one of our teachers that worked from April to December last year in the childrens room. Not only is it a place that demands a lot of physical energy and mental alertness.. it's a place where the spiritual battle is intense! This young woman came in with amazing vision and passion to lead the children to God, she wanted them to experiance His love first hand and said that it was only when the children could leave Dulce Refugio knowing that God was with them that their lives would actually change. It was so refreshing to see her passionatly teach the children to pray and search for God. But, soon after the challenges began to rain down. Almost all of the children began to have horrible problems at home and when they got to Dulce Refugio, it was havoc. There were signs of abuse, frustration, rebellious and violent attitudes that were extremely hard to work with. That was what this teacher had to live through here in Dulce Refugio, never mind all the challenges she was facing in her personal life. She is from Uruguay, so all of her family and friends were far away. She wasn't getting enough financial support from us as a ministry and was constantly without money for transportation, food or health! She had to keep up with a rigorous study load and cover many extra hours of work at her university in order to get a discount from her tuition costs! Who wouldn't burn out with all that going on?? But, she was determined to come back this year and still longs to see God complete the good work He began here. It's been really hard for her and we are trying to support her as best we can. She is now working from 8 - 12 noon and just started up with her classes again. 

   I ask that you would keep Evelyn in your prayers as she strains to see God in all of this and get her feet back on the ground again. If there is anyone that is willing to send her an offering or support her monthly, it would be more then welcome! Just let me know and we'll get the money to her. She is working on finding more support here through our church members and other friends, but it's very challenging!

This is my Dulce Refugio team!
Now in March, we have one more member - Yenny, our much needed psychologist!