A Prayer Answered, A Life Saved, and A Day We Will Never Forget.

I know this is hard to believe...but this day was so emotional I was at a loss for words and it took me two days to write this post...I saw God move on Monday in more ways than I can even express....I am not only stealing the pictures of my friends post but also there words...as I seem to still be at a loss. I have been praying that I would be able to go and visit an orphanage while I was here...Well, God brought the orphanage to me...A PRAYER ANSWERED. A group of girls who live in an Orphanage came to the Marriott to say goodbye to a friend who is going to a wonderful home in the USA.

Julia wrote this on her blog about what happened today:

Today I made a very special friend I made here in Guatemala. Her name is Leslie and she is an orphan. Today she came to swim at the Marriott and say good bye to a friend Michelle that leaves in the morning to go with her new family in the US. While she and the other girls from the orphanage were swimming, Leslie slipped off a steep ledge and could not touch the bottom. She did not know how to swim. She has no Momma and nobody was looking. I saw her drowning as I was in an awkward position to help - I had an 8 month old on my hip! But that mother instinct kicked in and the next thing I knew I was pulling her out of the pool and some lady was holding the baby. I had laid him down by the place she was drowning and told the lady to hold him! She was not breathing - but it did not take long for her to give me a face full of water after a big cough!! Thank God she was OK! She was in shock and frightened but was fine after about 15 minutes. I keep finding more and more reasons why God sent me back to Guatemala for this time. I really think that little girl would have died. Nobody had even noticed her. We became instant friends and had a moment we neither one will ever forget!! She was with a large group of girls and most of them could not swim! My dear friend Holly helped in a big way for this next event!!!!! WE LOVE YOU MRS> HOLLY!!!!!!!!!!!! Holly watched John Bryan and Gia while I dried off - regrouped and then knew I had to do something for those girls - I could not take them all home with me - but I could teach them how to be safe in the water! Holly watched Big John and I taught swimming lessons to the orphans! I taught each girl how to float, doggie paddle, some how to swim well, and all of them what to do if they got in trouble in Grande Aqua!! It was the coolest thing and I can not tell you how much it meant to me. They were all hugging me and thanking me and calling me Mama. They loved my blond hair! They were angels, so happy to have my attention and care. They tried so hard to please me and do everything I taught them. It was amazing! I have no words for how they touched my heart. Each one was so proud. I gave them a test in the deep end one at a time. God blessed me more than you can imagine through those girls eyes and their smiles. They all learned something - and they all knew love and care form one LOCO Mamma for a while! How blessed am I!!And Guess what? Leslie was back in the water and learned how to stay afloat!!! Too Cool!!These are a very small portion of the orphans of Guatemala. These are the overlooked ones. The older ones, the ones with deep wounds and broken hearts. These are the future of this country - only to be pushed out on the streets with no where to go. They are just like your children. They have dreams - hopes and feelings. They long for love, attention and a Momma and Daddy to be there for them. They are the REAL adoption story. They are OUR responsibility. The word of God charges us to care for the orphans and the widows. Maybe one of you out there would be willing to make a sacrifice for the future of a child. They are beautiful children that climbed on my back, played with my hair, asked me to take them home with me and touched my face with love as they thanked me for playing with them for a while. I can honestly say that today was the second best day in Guatemala. The first was the day I met my son for the first time. May God Bless the children of Guatemala and may God touch your hearts and show you a way to make a difference here a gorgeous country - with so little hope for change. These little girls had to say Good-bye to a friend luckier than they - for she had a family and was going to America in the morning. I wonder where these beautiful girls will end up???? A LIFE SAVED!

Even reading this now has me in tears....After the swimming lesson I bought all the Girls and orphanage Staff Ice Cream and they were the most grateful and polite children. They kept hugging me and telling me thank you. One little girl stole part of my heart....That's for sure. Let me tell you my friend Julia and her children are truly in Gods Army....Passive is a word that is not in Julia's dictionary....She really taught all of us a lesson not just the girls. Last night I could not get those girls out of my mind...some of them have not even started abandonment court. That takes 1-2 years then they are referred to a family then they have another year of paperwork to complete the adoption....so many of these children will not have a mommy and daddy for a very long time...that breaks my heart. THIS WAS A DAY WE WILL NEVER FORGET!

My Gift From GOD...who I held even closer to me last night....so thankful she is coming home with us shortly and will not have to endure the pain I saw in these beautiful children faces.

Dear Jesus thank you for my mommy and daddy who love me with all their hearts, thank you that you have a plan for all of us and that today you used Julia to save a little girls life, Please help all of our new friends that we met today find homes so they can know what it is like to be loved by a family.....and thank you for my duck..I love him so much...AMEN

You'll be in my heart....always...Lily and Kya
what's up DOGG....My little Rapper...Lil Miz Doodle Bug!
Bug a Boo
Gia working on her TAN...you go girl!
John Bryan going in for a smooch....
SCORE....I got a kiss from Kya Blu...do you notice she seems to be getting a Kiss from a boy every day...I bet that changes when her Daddy gets here tomorrow...hehe
Ok Julia....we already know you are wonder woman...we knew you could handle all three of them at once...
Mommy tricking Kya with TWO passy's so she will keep one in her mouth...
Julia and Leslie...
Julia teaching the swimming lessons to the girls.
More swimming lessons....

Two different languages....but the same GOD...Friends Forever Michelle and Erin
How our day began....trying to get a good picture of the six of us...Kya looks like she is winking at her Dad and Gia is waving...John Bryan is taking it all in!
This is my new friend Andrea...Who I really hope to see again...she is a ray of Sun Shine!
Mishell, John, Lily and Sandy....They are here on their pick up trip...they are adopting Mishell 13 and Lily 6 months. They are wonderful people with a awesome testimony....of how God works in your life! Congratulations on taking home two beautiful girls. Thanks so much for sharing your last day with us.
The Whole Gang....These are some of Mishell's friends form the orphanage...They are such great girls....Today was a day I will never forget and will always have a place in my heart.