Christmas time is here. 

This year again several sponsors from the US have helped us give extra blessings to Milk Project children and their families.  

I am continually humbled and surprised to see what Maria discovers when she visits the homes as to what they want for Christmas.  

It is definitely a different mentality than the society/culture from whence I come.  Yeri here asked specifically for a gift he could share with his family.  In his case, that meant grapes and apples (a very traditional Christmastime food/gift.)  

The amount per child varied quite a bit, meaning other children did get more, and most got nothing extra (something we are going to be talking about and praying about addressing in 2017...we are still growing/learning/changing year after year little by little!) 

But...none of the kids really wanted toys or just silly fun stuff.  Given their family's overall financial state, it is not surprising that priorities change.  To be sure, when groups give them toys and such they love that too, but when given the option, I think only one of the boys even mentioned a toy in their list.  

Jhoan above requested a dresser, a place to put his clothes.  Before he was using a sort of metal shelving unit, no drawers.  

Having new clothes to show your family and extended family for Christmas is a big deal here...one thing that most cannot actually do.  Used clothes are the norm here, and for some of our kids Maria bought them some used clothes, but most of the time when she could make the budget work, they got brand new clothes, first worn by them.  That is the exception, not the rule for most of the clothing they own.  

How about just getting a trip to the mall?  That is a big deal.  Kind of hard for most of us to fathom.  Getting an ice cream cone, maybe meet Santa, and pick out your own clothes...this is a memorable expeirence.  

Many of the kids also asked for food for their families.  Maria does a great job and is in a great position to tell me how to best spend the money.  We bought another bed for one of the boys, she bought quite a bit of food, figured out which dressers would be best (we were able to buy three total...plastic units that are a mix of utilitarian, inexpensive, but not too flimsy/easily breakable) and then managed all the clothes budgets remarkably.  

I am thankful to the sponsors that made it possible to bless these families in this way.  

I am thankful to everyone this year that has prayed for us, for the ministry, for various concerns and in general, and for those that have sent generous donations to not only keep this Milk Project going, but to fund the construction of the new building, to keep the clinic and Churches going, those that sent donations for our family support, and support for everything else that the mission does, so many different arms, ministries and people in this family.  It really is amazing and more than I can take in fully.  

Thank you, and thank God.  We could not do it without either.  And Merry Christmas however you celebrate or not...it marks the greatest gift ever given.    















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So today was the official Christmas program for the Milk Project.  They have worked on this for weeks.  Rehearsals, off the clock costume making, manger making, choreography, and just some good old hard work.  

Time to come clean...I was impressed, but also had to tip my hat, because there is no way I could or would have done this.  It was on another level.  

This could not have been pulled off without a great, enthusastic and commited staff, and donations/prayer.  I was there for just over two hours today, and I was wiped out mentally.  The kids are great, and most are extra well behaved.  Some though have extra needs, and express those in different ways.  Maria, China, Lesli and the other volunteers handle that with grace and peace that is beyond my understanding.  I would have been ready to start showing kids the door after about an hour.  But I also have to think/remember...what have they already faced today, what is going on in their lives that makes them react in certain harmful, destructive or just not nice ways?  

So I went back and forth from having to provide some tough love...to getting mobbed with very thoughtful hugs, requests for selfies, and then the just brutally honest comments/conversations, sometimes overlapping:
"Touch the ceiling!"  "You are tall!"
"Man you are fat!"  "Do you know the new slang word for fat?  Yeah, that is you."
"Your shoes are like clown shoes...the colors and they are so big!"  
"Your feet are like semis they are so big!"
"Felipe, I do not have any clothes."
"What is that...a watch?  What does it do?"
"Why doesn't my padrino (godfather or sponsor) write me a letter?"
"You have legos on your keychain!"
"My cousin has 19 legos!"
"I don't like beets"
"Gracias" (and also in English by several kids very well pronounced)
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They love to have someone pay attention to them, for good behavior and sometimes for bad.  And man they are big on hugs.

China/Briselda made an extra special Christmas meal...chicken with potato salad and a special beet salad (which although quite healthy...was only hearily eaten by about 75% of the kids...the rest ate it but thought it tasted a bit too healthy.)  They had cake for birthdays this quarter, and then got a gift bag, apple, grapes and a cookie.  It was quite the Christmas haul.  

Cecilia got to go with me today since she was exempt from finals, and she did amazingly well as usual.  She made a custom ornament for every child there (which took her several hours last night and this morning) and reminded me of her mother consoling one of the littler girls who was crying after getting hit by one of those pesky boys.   

It was a great day.  Looking forward to what 2017 will bring for the Milk Project and its staff, and how we can pour more Christ love into this kids and their families.  We will be looking at some new ideas, improvements, etc...may God guide us, and strengthen and encourage everyone involed in carrying out this important ministry every day!  
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Is this everyone?  I hope so!  This took, about as long as you probably think it did to somewhat successfully pull off.  

​As the year somewhat draws to a close, this year is a little different than many in the past. 


Usually the clinic closes for two weeks and the construction altogehter also knocks off for the same amount of time.  


This year (as with last year) the schedules have been rotated so that the clinic will not have to close (except for the holidays) and for the construction...the guys are pushing to finish the walls and footer for the second floor before they leave on the 23rd.  


The good news is that we have received enough donations that we can offer Rolando full time work again next year, which is good news since he is the foreman and should have enough for materials as well, and Lenin and Santos to keep helping as well.  Especially it should help if we get the help we are anticipating from groups in June, July, August and September...likely our only time this coming year to have teams that will do any construction if you can believe that!



There is quite a bit left to do...but if the donations stay steady, and the help comes, I now think it possible to finish in 2017!  That could be a huge change among many of our anticipated changes going into the new year!  



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I am also going to take the opportunity to let you know about changes also going on here...they seem constant in a way, changes here.  This time it has to do with our sleeping arrangements for groups.  As many of you know, we save money where we can.  One way for the future though where I felt we needed to invest more, to invest in those that come to invest in us and the ministry, was beginning the slow change of our bunk beds.  We know a very talented local carpenter from another Church, and using group funds I had saved throughout the year, we added another bunk bed, but a much different style, to the current mission house, seen here.  ​