Suly

As I mentioned before, when I left Emmanuel 8 years ago, Suly was 14.

I remember her as being silly, fun-loving, tender, and very loving.  The kids seem to choose "extranjeras" to attach to when they live at the orphanage.  Probably because mostly the "extranjeras" are able to be affectionate and giving, whereas most other people in their lives are authority figures in one way or another.  Suly attached to me.  I remember when I would be in the volunteer house and she would be in the yard right outside the window yelling for me over and over and over (totally against the rules).  I would sometimes have to ignore her because I was resting, and I needed to take care of myself.

But I remember those times with fondness, and love having the memory of 14 year old Suly yelling my name again and again outside the window.

Every year that Snowbird has returned to the orphanage, she has asked for me, and sent letters home with a friend to give to me.

The first night we were there, someone yelled, "Michelle, Suly's going by!" and she was sitting in the back of a truck riding down the road and I rushed out to wave to her.  I could hear her yelling, "You came back!" and she was literally dancing.  I finally returned.

As I mentioned before, she is now employed by the orphanage and is provided room and board and a small monthly salary.  Not much, but her needs are met and she is warm and fed, which is a lot to say in a country where 60% of the population lives below the poverty line.  She also speaks English quite well, although I wouldn't go so far as to call her fluent.  She made me talk in Spanish to her though, and then laughed at all my mistakes.  I enjoyed speaking to her, because she would correct me so that I say the right thing.  And if I couldn't get it, I could switch to English and she would usually get it.  Between my Spanish and her English, we did a pretty good job of communicating.  

She teaches preschool during the school year, and manages a house of boys ages 7-11 (about 40) year round.  That includes ensuring that they get their two daily Bible studies, are manageable during meals, and are dressed for the day in the morning and showered and dressed for the night in the evening.  She goes home about 5 and helps the baby house shut down for the night and then she is free, but when I went there, the babies were up every night (and from living with babies, I know that "free" doesn't mean "free." 

Olivia and I spent a good deal of time in the yard where her boys were playing.  I went down by myself and spent time with her while Olivia was napping or being cared for by other ladies on the trip.  I also spent about an hour with her at her house after she got "off" work, which is normally not allowed but in some cases you can get permission to do that.  We talked and shared our stories.  She asked me how my life has been since I left the orphanage and I was able to tell her.  She shared with me her story, which I had never heard before (we were always told not to ask the kids to tell us).  She told me of her conversion to Christianity and her baptism.  I was able to encourage her in the Lord.  It was so obvious to me that she strives to please the Lord with her life.  I am so grateful to have had the chance to fellowship with her, and I believe she was encouraged and uplifted. 

We sat together through two church services and she wrote me several notes, a piece of which I will share after I share these photos (with her permission!).

Suly was one of the the three girls I was looking forward to connecting with when I went there.  My time with her, though limited by the presence of Olivia and the limitations we had concerning her, was excellent.  I would call it a resounding success.

Here is an excerpt from one of the letters Suly wrote to me.  I've cleaned up her English to make it flow.

"Thank you Michelle because you are my sweet friend and thank you because you are here again.  God protected you in your home and in your trip.  Thank you for making me happy in this week, its been a good time in Emmanuel.  I love you.  Every day I work with the small boys they are so special to me.  But thank you again...I hope that you come back next year, I pray for that.  I hope everything is fine with God and I pray a lot that you come back next year to see me.  Thank you for spending time with me and thank you for everything."

I'm convinced, through observation and words like Suly's, that it really does matter whether or not people go to places like Orphanage Emmanuel, and not just go once, but multiple times over.  Thank you for your prayers, support, and generous giving that made this all possible. Thank you.