Saturday, April 24, 2010

The Hogar's Little Flower

It had been a long day.  We had trekked throughout the big city Santa Cruz, trying to get our visa papers – when finally we made our way back home.  Our home that night would be the hogar – it was too late to make it back to Oki and all I could think about was getting there ASAP to grab some chamomile tea and go to bed.  The fatigue, heat and confusion of the day had left me near tears, but I kept telling myself we were almost there. 

Upon arrival, the hogar volunteers fumbled for keys as anxious-squealing-orphan girls waited for them to open the large white metal gate.

The squeals and laughter were clearly intended for the hogar volunteers, who live, work and play with them all day. “They won’t notice me slipping by, they hardly know me,” thinking this, the door swung open.  As predicted the hogar volunteers were attacked, they couldn’t even make it through the door.  But, I could get by and I was making a B-line straight to the kitchen for my “nightcap”.

Then, I heard a tiny boisterous voice yell, “MICHEEELLLLLE” and a little figure immerged from the dark running straight toward me.

It was Daisy. 

I had spent extra time with her that weekend, noticing that she was alone, not always included with the other girls.  That’s common for most children, but Daisy’s face was noticeably scared when she was a little girl in Oki from an accidental burn – so I felt she needed a little extra love.

I had barely turned around before she leaped and jumped to give me a hug. But, this was no hug – her entire body held on for dear life, shaking as she tried to hold tighter with all her tiny might.  Clearly I wasn’t the only one who’d had a long day.  My tears that I had kept in all day silently fell as I laughed out loud, “¡HOlA! ¿¡Como Estás mi amor!?” – this is the kind of hug the prodigal son must have received upon his arrival home, it was AMAZING! It still makes me smile! :)

*Daisy has her arm around Adam’s neck, our SLM director who is currently working on getting her medical care and treatment at a hospital in Boston.

“¡Alégrense! Porque este hijo mío ha vuelto a la vida…se había perdido y lo hemos encontrado.”  Luke 15:32