One week later

Well, I've continually intended to write this blog before now, but haven't, either due to fatigue or the internet not working! But Saturdays are a good time to catch up with these things, so here we go. :-)

After one week, I've now seen every aspect of the ministry here! In one rather busy day, Patty, the lady who met me from the airport, took me to all the different homes here. I thought you too might be interested to hear how things work here. The first place they have is a reception home called El Toborochi where they take the kids to stay for a week on coming off the streets to get come one on one attention, full medical and dental checks, and an assessment of their emotional situation and needs. The two main homes are El Camino (for boys) and El Alfarero (for girls) and I've had the chance to spend a bit of time in both of them now. I was really impressed at the facilities that they have to offer, with a full education program, the support of a psychologist, sports facilities etc. Its unbelievable to me that the same kids that I met in these homes come from such troubled backgrounds of drugs, gangs and even prostitution. The final home I went to see has only just opened this year, and is their reintegration house where they have four boys who used to be at El Camino and are now at university and reintegrating into society. I think that the real difference between what YWAM are doing here and what a lot of the other organisations working with street kids do, is that they are working to get to the root of the problem rather than just providing over night facilites or food packages but not dealing with the reasons that these kids are on the street in the first place.

Perhaps the most impacting thing of the last week was the two days where I joined the first contact team in going out to visit the kids who are still on the street. I think that its something that you cannot really believe until you see it first hand, that people, especially such young children, are able to live like that. I found it quite overwhelming the first time, even an assault on the senses from the strong smell of the glue that most (if not all) of them sniff. Perhaps the most difficult thing was to see those who have already hit their early twenties, and realising that in many ways its already too late for them.

The aim of the first contact team, as well as providing basic first aid, is ultimately to encourage the kids to get off the street and either return to their families, or, if thats not appropriate (as in many cases it isn´t) then to move into one of the ywam homes where they can receive the help that they need. The other night we took one of the girls out for dinner to talk to her more and try to assess their needs. One of the most difficult things for me is not quite knowing what to say to the kids, especially when they've been taking drugs so I don't quite understand what they are saying. But I think that seeing the way they live, especially the girls, will help me to understand the girls at El Alfarero more when I move in there.

I'll be with the first contact team for one more week before moving in there. I'm beginning to settle into casa alfa, and get to know the people about better. If you're thinking (or even praying) about me, then one of the things I'm concerned about at the moment is that i might get lonely at El Alfarero because there will be no other workers my age there.

I'm sending you all love!