Thee are some things that I do not share just because they are not solvable by anyone from afar. But one of the areas that we struggle with is the continued emotional abuse of the children as they grow up. This is normally done by parents or other family members who have had little or zero input on a child here. Lately we suffered through two such painful experiences although they are not the worst case scenario.

First, we had Geidy I who was in her last year of school, career, and capable of continuing her education in college next year. While at school her aunt contacted her to tell her that her grandmother was ill. Geidy left school and went to the grandmother's home whee the family told her they needed her to help provide for the family. She bit into the lie & called to say she would not return. I was able to meet with her and pay the remainder of her school year and convince her to at least graduate. She did that but what her future holds I cannot say.

Then, most recently, one of the foundations of the oldr girls, Johana, came to me on Saturday to weeks ago to say that she did not want to go to college following graduation but rather accept a good paying job for a year. I told her that not going to college in January would make it more difficult to go in one year. But I would let her decide. Sunday at lunch she says to us that she decided to attend the university in January. So I was pleased by her decision. Two hours later she enters my office crying and saying that her mother had called to tell her that she had lost her home on the Mexican border and that Johana was responsible to help her. Now the mother was already living with family members in Hue Hue and over 2 weeks had passed since the hurricane so this was just a ploy to get Johanna to work for them. Again she accepted the lie just as Geidy did and left the next day. Now she also graduated and I am proud of that for both girls, But here are examples of how parents steal the future from their own children. Abuse is more than a belt, a rape, an abandonment or verbal belittling. Maybe the "USE" of a child ranks at the top.

I am proud of their accomplishments and what the Lord did for them over the years and the fact that they love Jesus and know what is right and wrong. I am sickened by parents who would steal the future from the child they birthed and abandoned for most of their lives until they were profitable to that parent.

Last night a little girl ran away. We looked for a long time & thankfully found her. She had asked Lily if she could go home with her for the visit weekend. This little girl has no family and never has had a visit by a family member. I brought her into my room last night and talked with her. She feels so abandoned, so unloved and I suppose so isolated. Most of us cannot understand that pain. And even after many years of being around these children I am still surprised at some of their decisions. Blood is indeed thicker than water.

Tim took some of our teens to begin construction of homes for folks who lost theirs in the hurricane. They will begin with a pastor's home.

By the way I will be going to the Minister of Ed this morning with Walter and the new director. After tht I will take that little girl to the city to run around with me while I do things I need to do before I go to Washington, DC tomorrow.