the kiki adventures: We Need A Little Christmas...

We currently have no volunteers! Nice break from volunteer drama but the children need the volunteers. Katie and I go down in the mornings to help feed and dress but that’s about it. I’ve been tired lately, wanting to sleep in but can’t. I’ve been fighting a chest cold since before Thanksgiving. Not sure if that’s why I’ve been so tired but I wish it would stop. Katie and I have been busy cleaning and reorganizing the volunteer house so we're ready for the new group in January.

Parque Caldron Nativity

We started prepping for Christmas. We went through donations to stuff stockings and buy the children who know what Christmas is something new. My mother donated $300 for the children. There is no Christmas budget so mother’s money is all we had. With her money we were able to get Laura a new wheelchair!!! I am so excited for Laura! She is in desperate need of a new one. We also got Bryancito a new shirt, Martin C. some body spray and a cool new Ecuador soccer watch, Bryan and Christian new soccer scarfs, and Christian and Jorge new high tops. I also was able to get each of the tias and all the workers a scarf for Christmas. Rodrigo and Genaro got a chocolate bar! It’s not hard to find that I got my good heart from my mother. She always wants to help those in need, especially during Christmas. I remember as a kid, my mother picking a family who needed some Christmas spirit. We would have a box full of presents and box full of food. We would take it late at night on Christmas Eve and leave it on the doorstep. We always did the Angel Tree at McDonald’s too. We would pick a couple of children to buy a present for so they would have something to open of Christmas morning. When I worked at the Salt Lake Clinic, we did an Angel Tree for Primary Children’s Hospital. It was always fun shopping for those children. My mother left an everlasting impression on the true meaning of Christmas and giving to those less fortunate.

All the children are happy and healthy. Martin and Christian are fighting a head cold. Hopefully they get better before Christmas. They are all very excited for Christmas! Laura and Martin keep saying “Ho Ho Ho” in reference to Christmas or Papa Noel. It’s so great! I’m really excited to see their faces Christmas morning! Especially for Laura to see her new chair and waa waa!

We keep working with Bryancito on his walking. He’s doing so well! Not walking solo but doing so great! We just need to strengthen those little legs of his.

Today we made Christmas tree ornaments. Martin C. was my buddy. He got on the ground and sat right next to me in his awkward “W” position. He helped Laura, Jhon, and Dome pick out pom poms for their ornaments. He would assist with new glue sticks for the glue gun. While I was gluing he was busy playing drums on his wheelchair and using the glue sticks as microphone. He would commentate the tias practicing their dance for the Christmas program. It was pretty funny! I was laughing! That boy is so funny! He plays the too-cool-for-anything 17 year old teenager but then will play the small child who enjoys doing princess puzzles and listening to the Frozen soundtrack. He keeps you guessing! I wish I could do something cool for him, like a movie or soccer game. He gets that he’s in an orphanage and is stuck here. Just wish we could do more “normal” activities for him. I’ll have to make something happen!