5-31- Tuesday

Today we spent more time with the Simpsons. We started by going to the SM hypermart to get supplies for the families the Simpsons sponsor. Lilia's (their 5 year old) quickly made me her companion. She grabbed my hand and led me all over the store. After our visit to SM, we went back to the Simpson's house to bag diapers, vitamins, and powdered milk for the families that the Simpsons took off the streets to live in their apartments for homeless at Lilia's place. I had never seen so many vitamins! The process went pretty quickly with four of us working on it, but I can't imagine how much effort that usually takes for them. After lunch, we headed to Lilia's Place to work on the kindergarten room in their apartments. Two of the apartments at Lilia's Place house several families, and the third one is being used as a kindergarten in order to offer these homeless and poor children the opportunity of an education they would otherwise not get. We helped set up various things around the room before we left to go help another family the Simpson's sponsor. The mom's name is Australia, and 10 of her 12 kids still live at home. Her husband passed away recently, so the Simpsons began taking food to their family. When we pulled up, there was suddenly a swarm of all the neighborhood kids around us. The kids recognized the Simpson's van, and knew that meant we were coming with food. They were all so excited to greet us! They loved seeing the unusual looking Americans. We walked down the road, and through narrow pathways between tiny houses, to get to Australia's house. Her house was the size of a small hallway. Ian was standing on one wall of the house, and I on the other, and there was not enough room between the two of us for another person to fit.

I have no idea how all of her children fit in there. They were so thankful for the food. Even the other kids in the neighborhood were glad that we were bringing food to this family. It was another great day filled with sweet kids, humbling experiences, and inspiring friends.