Playing house means something more...

Playing house is universal. And no matter where you go, little girls want to play with your hair.
These are some of the things I learned today with Casa Lamar- the house where the two and three years-olds live.
This is where I spent most of my time today and yesterday (and may be there for the next two months working alongside Andrea and Beth.) Every morning breakfast is at 7, and the day starts with los ninos at 8am. And from 8 till lunch at one we get to privilege of watching these kids and helping their house moms. Then at 1 we hand them back over and go back and eat lunch with the team. We have until 4 to return to the house and take the kids again, or stick around the house and help them there. Today during free time I ate lunch and then took a 2 hour nap:D. Because two and three year-olds don't stop moving. They don't really stop needing hugs, they don't stop falling down, the little boys don't stop running and the little girls, well as we all know, don't stop whining. And I love it, because these kids have been given the love of Christ, the love of parents here, and because of that they have the freedom to run, fall, cry, laugh, be 'monos' (monkeys) and they can whine. And all day today I got to sing a song- Tu tienes un amigo que te ama, te ama, te ama Su nombre es Jesus. You have a friend who loves you, his name is Jesus.
My prayer through this rewarding and exhausting work is that the physical touch and attention that these kids get from us will be for the purpose of allowing them the reassurance that they are so loved. And for these three single ladies that they will be blessed with moments of quiet to themselves and will be refreshed by maybe not having to do 25 dishes for at least one meal that day. These women are amazing, but their job and ministry does not allow for great moments of rest- so may God give them those moments! And may we not be discouraged.
Playing with little ones is hard work, but today when I was playing house in Spanish and little girls were doing my nails- with magnets, and my little friend Moracio came up to me hugged me and told me he was my papa I had to laugh. Because this kid knows what a papa is like. Because he's got the love he needs from God, and ironically I don't think I believed that God's love was actually enough before I came here.
So it took Moracio, tiene 3 anos, to tell me he was my papa before I really acknowledged the depth of this love of my God who me ama, me ama... su nombre es Padre.