What's New

I sometimes go to the houses at night to check on the girls. This particular night, I went because the rain had knocked the electricity out and we had only 3 candles. I went to make sure the little ones were in bed, and that things were in order. Well, I went into one of the houses and I noticed smoky haze in the house. The school teacher answered the door and was looking a little bewildered. I asked her if she was cooking something on the cook stove. She said, “No”. “Then why is there smoke in the house?” I asked. She looked a little spooky with red blood shot eyes under the surveillance of my flashlight. Before she could answer, I heard scuffling noises in one of the bedrooms. I took my flashlight and opened the closed wooden door, and beheld two of my older girls looking up at me from a squatting position on the floor. On the cement tiled floors was a pile of rocks. On the rocks were some kindling wood and twigs and some large pieces of wood over to the side of the now smoldering coals. It looked like they were on a camping trip. They had gotten cold and were tired of the dark, and so it just made perfect sense to them to start the fire on the floor in the middle of the two bunk beds. Because they were cold, they decided to keep all the doors and windows closed. After I shared about the possible fire hazards of campfires being to close to blankets and sleeping children and the effect of smoke in a closed house, I left. I know that it was a very serious situation, but I couldn’t help but laugh at all the different expressions I saw on the faces of the ones that were living in the house. 

They decided also that because of all the rain they would mop their floors, which was commendable, but then they decided to use these floors like a Slip N’ Slide. A couple of days later in a torrential downpour they decided to play outside like they were washing clothes on a rock. They were kneeling down and letting the water from above wash over them. When I saw them I only thought of all the contents of contamination that had flowed from the cow pasture from above. 

There has been some quarreling, a lot of tattling from being so closed up with one another. The older ones were trying to get to the outside world with Internet and when it rained the satellite dish wasn’t working. They had to unplug the connection and plug it back up again and wait expectantly for the little green blinking light that signified that the Internet was up and running again. Frustration had moved into the camp.

Well, we have done some creative things to keep them from collapsing into complete bedlam. We have been watching some old movies, like the Music Man; afterwards we had a “shapoopee” dance contest. We have done movie night on Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday evening. We buy Chinese take out on Saturday afternoon. Sarah and I found a large cache of games that had never been opened in the top of my library. We got them out and showed the girls how to play checkers. We had carpet matted checkerboards, wooden checkerboards, travel checkerboards, and the ordinary red and black checkerboards with the plastic pieces to match. Sonia, one of our 10 year olds, caught on the quickest and she challenges anybody to a game. We opened and explained the rules to Chutes and Ladders, High O Cherry O, Bingo games, matching games, pick up sticks and a fancy deluxe version of Candyland. The girls love the competition and they are diverted from the weather outside. 

Another change that had to be made was that we opened our unfinished kitchen and dining hall. For quite some time the girls have been carrying their pots and plates to my house where apparently the central kitchen of the farm had been established. At mealtime however, though I tried, I couldn’t house everybody to sit and eat a meal. If they left with their plates, I noticed they were eating with their fingers on the way to the house, and discarding their plates before they arrived. If they did arrive with their plates to their houses, they were eating on their beds or wherever. During all this rain, it was extremely dangerous for them to walk in a lightening storm in the pouring rain with stainless steel pots. Not to mention the water they would have to drain out of their food before they arrived home. There has been no sense of a family sitting down to supper, so we needed to make change.

We took the tables and chairs from the mission house. I took the stove from my house and then we had two stoves in the other houses that were identical. We robbed parts off of one to put to put on the other to make one functioning stove. The refrigerators from the other two houses we commandeered for this project also. We called in a carpenter and he made us a temporary serving table to go over the cement blocks that ran down the middle of the room. He is also making the back door and the door for the pantry. There was a large stainless steel sink that Pat Schaer, Corrie Schaer’s mom, left years ago. The carpenter installed that in an old table from the bakery, and Chilo got the sink plumbed up. We brought one of the larger gas cook stoves, that had been sent down and that makes the hot chocolate every morning for 30 people, 23 children and three teachers, Angela and Jessica Wyman, who have recently come to help us, Sarah and me. Our table is strategically located facing the tables to help them to be able to remember to use napkins, and all their other table manners. Chilo poured a cement pad at the entrance and blocked in steps at the back door. I bought a couple of large potted palms to go beside the glass door entrance this week. The girls all said it looks like a fancy restaurant. This new dining hall/kitchen is also the new location of all the boxes of games. The girls rush in at any available extra minute to play a board game on the dining room tables. We have all thoroughly enjoyed fellowshipping, cooking, and taking our meals together.

Doris, our newest temporary (but is looking permanent) girl, is settling in quite nicely. I think she used to be a vendor on the street, because she will call the girls to supper and you can hear this tiny little girl all over the farm. I went to get the paperwork for her and for Norma. Norma needs her birth certificate before she can graduate from the 6th grade. Norma has been here five years without knowing her birth date. We just made up one for her to have. She was so excited to find out that her birthday is January 1st of 2001, that she is an official citizen in her country. She is a year older than what she thought. She will be twelve in a few months. While I was waiting on my documents, another court official that I know walked in, with a large group of angry folks. There was a discussion about the paternity of a baby. I wasn’t paying attention, because I was trying to get my paperwork. The official looked at me and said “What do you think about this baby?” I said, “He is adorable.” He said, “Wouldn’t you like to have him?” I said, “Sure, why not?” thinking we were all teasing. Five minutes later, I had the paperwork for Doris and for the 3-month-old baby boy. His name is Angel Gabriel, and only when he is hungry does he tell the good news. He is the sweetest baby and of course, it is temporary. 

We have purchased new uniforms for the girls. Their clothes were showing signs of a lot of wear, and after talking to the Board, we decided to get the girls uniforms. The name of our school is the David Wilson School. Our colors are now red and black. They have a pleated black skirt and white shirt, with white socks and black leather shoes. They have a jogging suit that has black pants and a red hooded jogging suit top that has PTC written on the front with black tennis shoes. They also have a red and black paneled skirt. I am starting yet another website. You can see our girls’ new look there very soon. It is www.jesuslovesptc.faithweb.com Jessica will be helping me, but for right now, it is a work in progress. Thanks for all the folks who sent the undergarments and socks for this part of our makeover.

I have mentioned Jessica several times. Jessica Wyman is from New Hampshire and stayed with us years ago for about 3 months. She is a musician and graduated from Elim Bible College. She is a tremendous blessing to all of us. She is running the school right now. Next week she will have the girls back on the ABEKA video program. They study Spanish in the mornings and English in the afternoon. The girls are doing so well with their studies. We appreciate all the hard work Jessica is putting in to get this part of our school operational.

We have had some wonderful new changes that have happened this month. We are anticipating a new family that is coming to help us continue with the vision of Project Talitha Cumi. Their names are Keith and Johanna Daniels and their son, Tanner. They have been appointed the new directors over PTC. We are looking forward to their arrival and the blessing of the Lord they will bring with them to share with all of us. 

Please pray for us during our time of transition. There have been many positive things going on recently and some things that have been very sad to us. Some of the older girls have gone to work as translators with another newly established ministry. Some have left smaller siblings and family members behind. Because we have been together so long as a family, we all feel their absence. Pray that they will be blessed in their new vocation.

Thanks to all of you who continue to pray and support the girls here. Sarah and I are so blessed to be here with them. Pray that we will continue to go forward in the plans the Lord has for us all. Blessings, Pam, Sarah, Angela, Jessica, Brenda, Anastacia, Ezequeila,(Kayla) Cruz, Carina, Lucy, Zulmin, Lizzy, Caterine, Sonia, Yency, Keiryn, Norma, Esmerelda(Mera), Cinthia, Evelyn, Reina, Kency, Angela, Gabi, Lina, Meri, Rosi, Doris, Angel Gabriel.

October 2006 

Greetings,