I noticed quickly when I arrived that the kids know very well that Casa Bernabe is a safe and joyful place. But as I've been here longer, I have come to know that the safety and joy are not because of the work of man, but because of the work of God. I love the way that they pray; one child (or adult) will pray aloud and the rest of the children repeat each sentence in unison. It might sounds a little strange, but I've seen that it is a beautiful way to thank the Lord together and be involved in really knowing what you are saying Amen to. In every prayer the children thank to Lord for their Mami and Papi and often they pray for los ninos de la calle (street children).
I so admire the way I see my house parents interacting with the children and reminding them to thank God for each blessing. I am so grateful to them for being gracious with me and also with the short-term volunteers who come through Casa Bernabe. I've learned a lot about how they run their house and I've found that it is a challenge and an honor to be able to explain some of the cultural norms and rules of the house to the short term groups.
I like knowing that at least one soccer game happens per day on campus. I like seeing rain at least a little everyday. I like that the kids here are obsessed with Frozen just like my pre-schoolers in Texas. I like the comradery from talking about each of our night shifts at the baby house. I like being able to dive into a culture that doesn't put such a huge emphasis on schedules or time. I've loved getting to know other longer term volunteers and hearing their stories and advice. And Oh there is so much more that I could say.
Sometimes it can be easy to see Casa Bernabe as a sort of camp or boarding school, but it is important for me to remember that it is so much more than that because these children have nowhere else to go, no other place to call home. These past few days have been a reminder of how beautiful of a refuge this is, but it has also been a hard reminder of the great demand for places like this. A child returns to an abusive home because a court case took an unexpected turn, the police bring a newborn that they found abandoned in the dump, two sisters go to court to continue an investigation and maintain their 'adoptable' status, and suddenly I'm shocked into the reality that each of these children has a crazy story of rescue. Although it breaks my heart that there is such a need for homes for children who have been abandoned, orphaned, or abused, at the same time I can not help but to praise God for the fact that this place is full of beautiful lives and that is well known among the police and the court as a place where they can send a child in totally confidence that they will be loved, cared for, and taught, all in the name of the Lord.
I've been taught to not ask about a child's story (and even the ones that I have learned I am not allowed to share specifics on the internet). And my prayer request for my team and I is that we would be observant, remembering the importance of watching to see how each child responds to others and to their house parents so that we can learn how to best love them.
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