Musings & Monkeys

Today was a rare day...a day I got the opportunity to spend some time with just part of our new family and I took advantage of it. With the three little boys in for a nap, the two oldest boys in school at home, and Fabiola off to dance class I took the middle four, Rosa, Karen, Antonio, & Cesar to the tree house in our neighborhood. It's a great tree house located in what amounts to a tropical rainforest surrounding. As I sat watching them play without any inhibitions or fear I couldn't help but think back to the way their lives were when they lived in Alzira. Their faces were filled with fear, doubt, worry, & insecurity, but now just a few short months removed from that they were playing with complete freedom, enjoying their surroundings without any concern of what might happen to them next or whether or not they would be getting dinner tonight. It was a great picture of what God has done in their lives! This is your reward, for it is your prayers that set them free and that keeps them free! I'm sorry I didn't have a video camera with me to record their glee for you to see.

Then God gave us a special treat...the compound trapped all of our other monkeys because they had been breaking into too many houses and reeking havoc. They were large monkeys, some could stand on their hind legs and put their hands on your shoulders. So, now they were gone and we didn't see any more monkeys. As the children were playing one of them quickly ran to me and excitedly pointed up in the trees and there was a small monkey...all black with a white face and shoulders! They were coming down off the mountain to check us out (there were two of them). They moved about the trees rapidly and if we stood still and quiet they would come down almost to ground level to get a better look at us. If we moved they scurried back to the tops of the trees only to return again if we settled down. They are really cute, about 18" in size and actually bark like a dog...which drives our dog, Princess, crazy! They ended up teasing her jumping from tree to tree as she chased after them barking as if she could do something to them.

I can't help but think of all the prayers that have been and are being poured into these children and to see the results is a special treat. On behalf of all the children I want to thank each of you. You are truly making a difference in these lives...please continue to keep them in your prayers!