I arrived in Arequipa, Peru on the ninth of December. And on the tenth of December I was blessed with the opportunity to meet the girls and the rest of the Casa Hogar Torre Fuerte team. In my short time spent at Casa Hogar, I have gotten the chance to get to know the girls. What they do and don’t like, their favorite games, foods, colors, so on and so forth.

The house has been calm since school has been out. My guess, is that the younger girls have more time to run off their energy. Every day I get a little closer and more accepted by the girls. The younger girls usually welcome me with open arms yelling “Hermana!” right before two or three climb onto me like a jungle gym. My everyday welcome at Casa Hogar melts my heart.

Last week I played a board game that we call back home, Trouble. And when I was losing terribly, the girls took my turns and moved my pieces so I wouldn’t be in last place. This simple little act really meant a lot to me. Most kids I meet are eager to win and sometimes even competitive. But not these girls!

Due to the lack of my Español skills, I don’t have a lot to offer to the older girls. Since they probably don’t want to play dolls, or hang out on the swings. Most teenagers like to share stories, watch movies, etc. All things that require a bit of Spanish. They are still very patient with me and even help me with some of the language barrier. BUT, today I finally found something I can contribute to the older girls, Volleyball! I played in Varsity in High school and miss the game every day. Lucky me, the girls at Casa Hogar not only love Volleyball, but they are very talented!

My time spent here has been nothing but a learning experience and pure joy. I hope to make a regular yearly visit for many years to come.