Summer "Vacation"
Marhaba!
It has been a month since my last post but it feels like a lifetime ago. We are soaking up the last days of summer vacation before some of the children get back from their families. A little over half our children are able to go home with their families during holiday breaks. The rest stay in the Hogar. With less children, we are able to have more excursions outside the house. This also gives the sisters time to visit their families or just take a few days of retreat in another part of the country. With multiple sisters traveling, this left us a little short handed but it was important for the sisters to rest after the year we've had. The children were still able to go the pool, park, and an ice cream parlor! We spent many evenings outside praying the rosary which for you may seem like a simple task but with the amount of children we normally have to feed, change and then move outside in their wheelchairs, it is quite time consuming.
One of my favorite moments over the past month was getting Layal her own custom AFOs to walk in. We have been using ones that were for others and these, she will be able to use for a few years. She had to wear casts for 4 weeks and then we went to a specialist to create the mold and choose a design. Design options were limited but she did end up with a cute pair with butterflies. Then her and I went out to buy her a new pair of shoes to go with the AFOs. When we got home she kept repeating "my shoes" in Arabic. Normally she would say "shoe" or if I would ask her "Who's are those?" she would reply Layal. It made me tear up because her language was developing but also she knew that those were hers and no one else's. In the United States, if we want something we just buy it. The sisters do not have that luxury. Yes, the children get new things, but only if it is actually necessary, or it's their birthday or Christmas. Next time you go out shopping, ask yourself if you really need the new outfit or shoes. If in your heart it is truly a "no", I challenge you to donate the money you would have spent on yourself to the poor. You don't have to give your life savings away to make a difference. Our little daily acts of kindness can sure add up to a life well spent.
This summer came with light and with some darkness. Tensions are rising in this part of the world and we are all waiting to see what comes next. Many of you are probably wondering what this means for me. We are praying for peace while preparing for the worst. Being the sole nurse of the home while Sister Qalb is on retreat, I had to inventory all the medical equipment. I double checked our emergency kit that we created in the beginning of November, making sure that nothing had expired and we had enough medicine for all the children for 2 weeks. We have medical supplies for feeding, sickness, wounds and anything else we may face. We pray that these peace talks ease the tension in the region and we never have to use our emergency supplies.
As you can see my life is not all sunshine and rainbows. This life can be quite difficult at times and sometimes I do wish for my life before this. I want to be back on the beaches of Hawaii or my home in Nebraska. With my volunteer visa expiring this month, I was given that choice. I know that life may get harder than it is now, but I choose it. This week I renewed my visa for the upcoming year until August of 2025. God has called me here and I trust that he will guide me in my next steps no matter where they may be.
Agape,
Elizabeth
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