Troubles and Visions

¡Hola amado y amada familia, amigos y amigas!

Eider, a visitor who may soon turn out to become a volunteer has been with us for several days now. Recently she lost 100.000$ peso, which is about a 60$ and around here is a considerable amount of money. With it you can sponsor a kids communal dining and leadership program for a month.

It was discussed yesterday evening and before that on Tuesday. On tuesday it was brought up officially. 100.000$ Peso was stolen. We want to know who it was but most remain focused on the fact that we can not just accuse anyone at random, we need evidence without doubt about who it is.

That tuesday we decreed and prayed for the good outcome of this situation and at the end of it I got a name very strongly in my head. I didnt tell anyone for a day. Wednesday we talked again and this time I mentioned that I got a name very strong. It was after one of the volunteers suggested we go to a phychic. I had strong reservations about that, because this person is very dark and used the threat of cursing someone to gain personal benefits. For example, she threatened to curse a policeman unless he would marry her. Because of her reputation as being a true witch, the policeman did marry her. I felt strongly that whatever would come asking for her help would get us into trouble.

It that point, I thought "well if you want a psychic revelation, I got a name tuesday after we prayed and decreed". But I felt very bothered the fact I got a name, because I only have a name and no evidence, no proof! I cant just accuse anyone, this conflict tore me up inside until I told the group I got a name. We agreed that I shouldn´t tell anyone, but that there is a reason I got a name or this name. That feels right in my heart, but I keep wondering why I got a name.

It was mentioned so many times we cant just randomly accuse anyone of things until we are certain based on evidence that they are true facts. And many times some of the kids did something wrong like stealing some money, or intending to and they were given new chances and the explanation that what they did was wrong. In this culture it is generally accepted that stealing is normal and acceptable. Also, almost everyone here did at one or another point in their lives steal one or another thing. On top of that there is a strong tendency to keep silent about things, or lie and avoid issues. Personally I dont remember stealing anything, I do remember lying and trying to hide things to avoid issues.

Some of the kids have seen their parents do bad things so they considder it normal. So if one of those kids then steals and you are harsh on that kid expecting that the kid should have known it was wrong, then you do a lot of harm. Many bad things here are deeply ingrained in the culture. We can not expect everything bad to go up in a puff of smoke and good things to descend just because of our presence. At the end of the day we do our best to have discernment and good judgment, but also compassion and mercy.

Another issue is that sometimes a project gains a lot of momentum, like for example Project Patchwork. When Esperanza came here she intended to stay for just 1 month, but she started Project Patchwork which is a project of making cushions with pretty pictures sewn onto them. Then we sell them at a local small farmers cooperative market. Several kids liked it, even some of the boys. But because it was feminine and because we seem to have taken on that bias against the feminine things in life, it was ignored until the momentum and motivation of the kids had far fallen from its high. So we missed an opportunity to tap into some good talent there.

a while ago a young lady came to the foundation. She was very strong in many areas and weak in another. She was taught and her weak area become her strongest point. She grew a lot, but outside the foundation she liked to dance to regaton and other sexual music. She has the reputation of being promiscuous. Hugo and Walter told her many times that she had to learn the disciplines and so not do these things. If the foundation continued to teach her, she could become a great power for the worse of the planet. So eventually it was decided they have to let her go. It was particularily required of her to leave a friend of hers who was involved in child prostitution but she did not leave him. A while after she was disallowed from coming she came back and wanted to attend the fun activities of Yo Creo En Mi but it was not allowed because even when she was asking this she refused to accept the discipline side of Yo Creo En Mi. You cant just accept the fun side of YCEM alone, but also the more bitter and meaty parts. Later she also asked for some money from both Hugo and Walter because she is in trouble and wants to move to another place because her Grandmother is throwing her out the house. Hugo and Walter did not give her any money, only good advice. She was given the opportunity to choose a better way, but has not shown that she is changing for the better in this regard. Recently we found out that she was known as being promiscuous and that she smokes pot.

I do want to note that 95% of the kids here have principles, they have so much good at heart!

About half of the group that went to the swimming pool yesterday. Eider on the yellow/blue dress. I dont remember everyones names.

In the above photo we are on a walk back from the swimming pool. We went there yesterday. about 15 of us, a lot of the kids with leadership over other kids. There we had a lot of fun and after lunch Walter talked about the vision of the organization. He gave advice about dealing with problems. Like for example if you have a problem with a kid then go to the kids leader and if that leader cant solve the problem, go to that leaders leader and so forth until you find someone who really help solve the problem.

I think if I heard Eider translate Walter accurately then Walter also asked the kids who have iniative to take iniative by creating new activities. Walter also talked about how he has the vision to put more foundations like these in foreign countries and other places in general and I get the feeling he wants very it soon rather then tomorrow and he wants the young leaders to help. That really impressed me, because these kids are young. ¡He truly has a lot of faith in the kids capacity to lead!

Walter while talking about his vision of the foundations mission

15 December the foundation closes for a month. It is sharpening the foundation its soul time then. There will be planning for a month and I will depart before it is over. So 15 December is probably the last time I see many of the kids here. Some of the kids do want to attend the upcoming conference in some way and Hugo requires them to put up some sort of effort, because attendees to the conference are also paying for their stay. Personally I was scared at the prospect of the foundation closing for a month, there wont even be communal dining. This agreement was made with the moms in the neighbourhood. What will I do without activities going on? At any rate, 15 December is about 32-33 days away.

Today the a man of the red cross came and taught the kids and a few volunteers while I was writing blog posts and reading emails. Like how to put a broken leg into a caste and other things which I did not hear. The good man is still teaching at the moment that I type this.

If I am given 10 more sets of hands, I am still not capable of typing about everything fast enough.

Even then, have a good and blessed life!