January: An Acrostic Poem

January: Here is an adapted version of an acrostic poem updating you all on the events and happenings of this past January:

January, one of my favorite months: It’s true, I love the fresh start of the new year, snow falls, hot chocolate, my birthday, Martin Luther King Jr., the NFL playoffs, College basketball, NBA games, it’s simply a quality month.

A new perspective, Luz takes La Ceiba: This past January Luz, an amazing little 7 year old girl from the finca had a surprise visit to our apartment in La Ceiba after an extended doctor’s appointment. While a tired Lily and Ashley (volunteers accompanying her) attempted to rest a bit on the couch, Luz found her second (third, and fourth) wind. She continued to touch and move the girls and my own personal things, take 60 beautiful photos of our apartment, played amazingly loud music on the key board, and even managed to delete some of Marina’s music off the computer. Despite all this, call me a softy, but I couldn’t find it in me to do anything but give her a big hug. Most visitors try to play it cool and chill out with the teens. Luz taught us all a little humility and followed her own heart’s desires. The purity of a child’s heart is truly a beautiful thing.

Nature returns, Fase II Retiro: The Fase II retreat to Pico Bonito was a huge success. We all relaxed, enjoyed the river, ate very well, and found some much needed time and space to simply relax, reflect, and be with one another.

Underestimated teens…truly amazing kids!: With each day more I am blessed to call myself a Fase II encarcargada (caretaker of the teenage program), I am more in awe of how amazing our five teens are. Yes they are teenagers, and yes they are highly susceptible to their raging hormones, but they are also truly amazing human beings who inspire my heart daily.

Amable… mes lleno de gente amable/ Kindness…a month full of kind people: I was blessed by so many kind visitors this month, Deirdre on my birthday, Luz’s surprise stayover with Lily and Ashley, Betsy, Amanda, Tami, and Kate returning from vacations, a month full of truly kind souls visiting my new home in La Ceiba.

Risa…la major medicina/ Laughter…the best medicine, Fase II Visit to the Finca: Our Fase II long weekend mini vacation to the finca was one full of smiles and laughter with the amazing kids, volunteers, house parents and tias, neighbors, etc. This truly rejuvenated our souls and showed us how truly blessed we are to have such an amazing community of support.

Ya se fue…pero recuerdo bien/ It already over…but I remember it well: This month is now in the past, but I will always remember it fondly.