Time to Start Teaching!

Today I spoke with Cindy, who is second in command here at Renacer and she is tica, about how I was feeling about the program and the girls. I told her that I was really impressed with the quality and set up of the program and how the girls respond. She asked me with what phases of the program I would really like to work with. I told her I really didn’t have a preference and I believe I could do work well with all the phases.

We also discussed what my role would be, Formacion Cristiana (Christian formation) or Trabajadora social (social worker). I went out on a limb and asked if I would be able to split my time between the two since I would love to do both and feel that I’m qualified to do both.

The result was that I would start with tallers (workshops) from the social worker perspective with the highest two cottages (Deborah and Tamara) and I would do Formacion Cristiana with the first two phases (Rut and Ester). She asked me if I would start by doing 4 tallers next week, one on each of the 4 core things; respect, responsibility, honesty, and acceptance.

As you can imagine I was a bit overwhelmed by this task. So I asked if I could just do 2 and gradually work up to the 4 since it takes a lot more time to prepare in Spanish. She said yes and gave 2 tallers on respect and responsibility, which will be an hour and half each. She also wants me to come up with a sport type activity that combines the two, which also is an hour and half long. I have to have my write ups in on Monday.

Wow! This is really happening! I’m overwhelmed, but excited as well. I’m glad to start my actually work now. It’s time to start planning.

3 Ran Away and 1 Returned

I planned on writing a very different blog today but I will wait until tomorrow. Instead I will tell you about what happened today at work.

First of all, you must know that I love it up there with the girls. I’m building rapport with the girls and staff members and tomorrow (Tuesday) we will be discussing what my exact responsibilities are going to be.

Second, let me introduce you to three girls that this blog is about. Wendy is about 15 years old and has been in our program for 1 ½ months. Last week she just moved into the second house and phase of the program. Wendy came straight from the streets and had spent a long time there. I was told that everything about her was of street manners and behaviors, but she has changed so much in just the short time she has been here. She and I have connected some and at times she will rush to be the girl who is sitting or standing by me. She has a sweet heart and a very hard exterior.

Shenara is also about 15 years old and she has been in the program for 4 months. She is in the second phase and I believe the second level of it. She is a sweet yet quiet girl. She interacts well with her peers and has come a long way from where she was at. Shenara has a family but I don’t know what her home life is like.

Carolina is 16 years old and has a birthday coming up. Today was her 1 week anniversary. She is a short and quiet girl. Her parents are not involved and she is part of a program called PANI which is what our foster care service program is in the states. She appeared to be making friends and starting to adjust to the program.

So back to today’s events. We had been at work for only about 10 minutes when we looked out the window of the cafeteria and saw Wendy walking up the road to the gate. We got worried that she was going to try to run. I thought it was going to be pretty hard since the place is surrounded by high gates with barbwire and barbwire gates as well. But she climbed right up that thing and struggled a little with the barbwire before she was gone. Staff went after her but she refused to come back and hid.

This sent many of the girls into a panic of anger and sadness. While the more advanced girls (in the program) tried to comfort those who were hurting. It was incredible to see the family life that they have created and how they do try to look out for each other.

After our devotional service, about an hour later, all the girls were doing their daily chores when all of a sudden Shenara was gone. She climbed a barbwire fence and went through a little forest area to the street where we saw her meet up with Wendy and they began walking away.

At that moment Carolina was getting mad at one of the social workers and out of her anger she ran up to the gate, with staff in pursuit. She was screaming and being irrational but couldn’t be talked out of it. She climbed up the gate, with much struggle, and got caught on the barbwire for a few but finally made it over. Staff went out the gate to try to get her in but she refused to and took off down the mountain, trailing close behind the other two.

Once again many of the girls were really upset. While the girls were in groups Wendy and Shenara came back but Shenara would not stay. Wendy reports that she was really scared once she was out there. She knows what the streets are like and didn’t want to go back. She apologized in the group and said she is happy that she is getting her third chance and is committed to change. She didn’t want to go back to that lifestyle and knows she has it well off here at Renacer.

So that was today. Please be praying for Shenara and Carolina as they are out there, who knows where. Pray for safety and that they will find help and not turn back to the lives they came from.

My First Day at Work

Today was my first day at Renacer, a drug and alcohol rehab center for teen girls 12-18 years old, and it went very well besides a bump here and motion sickness. I can tell that this day was prayed over by so many of you, which I am so grateful for.

Jesus and I has some time last night preparing me for the day ahead. He and I worked through fear, anxiousness and releasing my rights of what I think should take place. Then He brought me to Psalm 96 which speaks of how great our God is and how His name and works are to be proclaimed everywhere and by everyone, even creation. It was an incredible date with Him as He encouraged me only as He can.

I went to bed and woke up without being nervous, which is nothing like me, so it was only a work of God! To God be all the glory! I got to the office at 7:15am where I was suppose to meet the van and others who go up, to the top of the mountain where Renacer is, but no one was there. I knew I was 15 minutes early and thought nothing of it. But when 7:30am came and went and it was approaching 8am I really got worried. (This part made me the most nervous – how do I tell my boss I didn’t come today because the van that takes everyone didn’t come, nor anyone else for that matter.)

A young lady came at 8am, named Pricilla, and I spoke with her. She took care of me, by letting me hang out with her for an hour and half for the van to come back down and get me. I guess there was a miscommunication issue and the driver wasn’t aware that I would be going and everyone was there so he left.

I got up there about 9:45am and met with the psychologist, Cindy – who is second in command, and got the introductory stuff of your first day on the job stuff, except of course in Spanish. I then got to hang out as the girls did dance aerobics, which next time I’ll join them. Raquel and Denna, a couple of the girls, got me out there to teach me some dance moves. Afterwards we had lunch, rice and beans.

Afterwards I was with the Mis responsibildades (My responsibilities) group which is the level 2 group. I sat in with them as they had Informacion Cristiana (Christian Information) or Bible study with a missionary from Cuba name Loida, who has been there for the past 3 years. She works on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Afterwards they had a group with the social worker, Ingrid, about social and personal esteem. Then it was 4pm and head back down, in which I got motion sick going down the winding and bumpy mountain road. Not sure what to do about that.

An answered prayer was that Spanish all day didn’t give me a headache. There was enough little breaks away from having to concentrate that it helped. Now of course this is going to increase my listening skills because if I zone out on another thought just for a moment I’m completely lost. They already talk 100 miles an hour, less alone that I’m not fluent in the language yet. But one day at a time.

It was a good day and I love watching how God provides. I know things are going to look and be different than I thought, but hey that’s okay. I’m just excited to start getting to know the girls and their hearts and allow God to use me however He pleases. I can’t believe it’s already here and I feel so inadequate for such but I do know that my God is more than adequate, in fact He’s everything so as long as I trust Him for the strength and power there’s nothing that He can’t do through me and for me.

YEAH JESUS!