Well last Tuesday was my final day at the orphanage Casa de Paz. It was extremely hard saying goodbye to all the kids and people who work and live there. I am missing them very much right now and hoping that I can one day return for a visit. But for right now life must go on. It's been a little bit of a hard transition these first couple of days. I came back and my mom had fallen on her bike and broker her shoulder the day before so she couldn't come to the airport to meet me, then Friday we had to put down my old dog Cole who I got on my 12th birthday.
For some going away festivities the kids threw a "surprise" going away party for me. All the older kids went to Maribel's house and lured me up there so when I walked through the door they all jumped out screaming surprise! The party included a lot of dancing (there are videos of me dancing with kids and house moms but you will never see them...ever.) as well as eating some good food and cake. The after the cake they had what Joey B would call "Barnabas time" where they went around a circle and told me all sorts of heart touching things. Afterwards I could only manage to get out a few words to everyone but they knew how much I loved them all.
On my final day there a team from an organization called "Inca Link" came with a bunch of volunteers to throw the kids a party. It was the Dia de San Pedro so all the kids had the day off school. It ended up working out really well because I was able to spend the early morning with the kids all to myself and then hang out and play some games with them and the big team of 40 people who came around 10:00 am. The big team served as a pretty good distraction to keep me and the kids from completely losing it when I left. Yes there were still plenty of tears but they had something they could jump into and try and take their mind off of it.
So anyway, I will go ahead and sum up my time there. It was an amazing learning experience. What I have learned in this past year will benefit me and others who I come in contact with for the rest of my life. I learned about a lot about business and management, Peruvian government, politics: but the most important things I learned were relationships, parenting, love, sorrow, patience, and myself. I would say that Ecclesiastes 3 would be a pretty good summation. There were good times, and there were definitely bad times. But this year I spent living with these kids and all the experiences good and bad that came along with it I would not trade for anything in the world.
I would like to go ahead and use this entry to say that as one chapter ends another begins. I am very certain that in the future (~6 months - 1 year) I will be starting work on a new project in Peru. The project right now as it is shaping up is looking to be an organization that does youth development programs in the area of Trujillo Peru. Our first, and maybe our largest scale project will be an orphanage. I am still ironing out some details and as soon as I have everything ready to go I will disclose everything.
The kids and I
Surprise!
7 comments:
great post hard to express tears :)
I know this past year has been an amazing and life changing year for you! I'm so proud of you and think you're the most amazing brother and uncle! I loved seeing the pictures of you and the kids! The surprise picture with all the confetti was awesome!
You giving of yourself so sacrifically speaks volumes about the young man that you are. I'm sure God is saying "well done my faithful servant".
Good stuff Kevin...it is good you are taking time to reflect on your time in Peru to wrap your head around what you learned and what God showed you...it is important to hold onto those times of clarity that God gives us so we can remember later. The Armstrongs look forward to hearing more and having you over. I will also echo what the Rothaus' said referring to the Parable of the Talents in Matt 25, "...Well done, good and faithful servant..."
You are dearly missed here.
People do not have to say it to know it.
Yhonson wears the shoes you gave him.
Sparky howls a lot at night.
I saw a picture of you and Maribel dancing!
And I want to hear more about you returning to Trujillo and the possibilities of an orphanage...
God will lead you Kevin.
You are greatly missed. You left an imprint on the hearts of everyone here, nothing you did was in vain! And don't you ever forget it!
Kev - I have tears reading this. What a great man you have become (from a great "kid")! Lots of love to you ~ Aunt Sara
Thanks for sharing so many stories through your time in Peru. It's been such a blessing to us to see how God has used you. I'm sure you have lots to process as you transition home. When things settle down, Jimmy and I would love to have you over for dinner to hear more stories!
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