Love

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Hello dear ones!!

First of all, W-O-W.

I can hardly believe the outpouring of kindness, love and acceptance that has come our way due to my last post. This has been and continues to be an audience we just cherish so much.

Our hearts just kept expanding more and more with emotion and gratitude as the weekend and days continued. We'd go on a walk, and then come back to more beautiful comments. LOVED your questions, by the way. It was really meaningful to converse back and forth here on the blog and on Facebook. Thank you for that round table and feeling of community. I listened to Mormon hymns while writing you!

Today, Danny and I have a delightful announcement and we hope you like it!!!

 

 

One of my great dreams for the blog has been to work on various service projects - together - as a community! 

And so today, I am giddy to announce that we'll be hosting a project for us all for the holiday season!!!

 

We found a girls' orphanage here in Cuenca, Ecuador, in the "old town" of Cuenca: Hogar Miguel Leon Orphanage. They house 31 girls, from 1 month old to 18 years of age, many whom have been abandoned or abused. They are raised by the most lovely nuns, like this one, who has raised orphans for 20 years! The orphanage also cares for 65 elderly women (abuelitas) whom would otherwise be homeless. 

 

 

From now until the end of December, we thought it would be such a gift if we all could help provide them with some of their most urgent needs: 

  • All 31 girls are badly in need of shoes and some clothes.  
  • The 65 elderly abuelitas need some sweatsuits as they are too cold here in the Andes. 
The funds needed for this are $1,400. 
 
Though the nuns told us that even if we just bought them rolls of fabric, they would sew new clothes themselves! Oh my goodness! I just about died when she said that! These nuns really are such good caretakers and they are used to making things work with an extreme budget.   
 
So my dear friends, don't you think we can help these girls and women?
 
Danny and I will match every dollar that comes in up to the $1,400. 
 
And if even more monies are raised...here's where it would go:
 

-A Holiday Dinner for the Girls and Abuelitas on December 12
-Materials and Support To Train the Girls in Reading, Computers, the English Language, Cooking, Sewing, Artisan Crafts (they have no education and need ANY skills for possible income potential)
-Self-Esteem Classes (so very needed!)
-Sex Education (sooo needed here!)
-Reading Classes
-Books for the Orphanage (until recently there wasn't even one book on the property for the girls!)
-First Aid Classes
-A Big Meal Every Saturday (once a week they give the girls a meal more nutritious than rice and potatoes, which is their normal diet during the week.)
-A Job Placement Program (for the girls who are turning 18)
-A Halfway House (for the girls who are turning 18)



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