Welcome to "Paradise Mills"....one of the projects we visit weekly....but it doesn't look anything like paradise. About 3-4 afternoons a week we visit the projects to play with the children who live there, love on them and give them attention. This project in particular is located right across from the airport, has little to no green grass and or plant life...it looks like run-down old apartments that are deserted and the live styles of the people within are about the same. When we roll into this area in our big red van, we see some people and children just sitting around, smoking (usually weed), yelling with a look on their faces of not caring at all..about anything. Our purpose here is to draw the children out of their sad, depressing situations for an afternoon of playing, fun, listened to and being loved on. So far we are doing just that. :)
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| Melissa with one of the girls, Qudiva |
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| Hanna playing with a girl |
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| Leah and her faithful friend who is connected at the hip to her...Qushan |
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| Solveig helping girls swing |
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| Solvieg sharing her camera |
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| Leah and Hanna getting some chapstick on :) |
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| Malene and Qudiva :) |
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| Just chilling on the playground |
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| Qudiva... |
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| Mindy playing some baseball with a boy |
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| Hanna |
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| :) one of the girls |
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| Melissa having fun swinging |
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| Jared helping to pump up balls |
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| Josh chilling with one of the boys |
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| Solvieg helping one of the girls on the playground |
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| Jared chilling with some of the boys |
We have also gotten a couple of chances to bond as a team with different activities...such as kitchen duty that we have every day....
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| Mindy and I...the two non-morning people making breakfast together... |
And we found a lovely ice cream place that we visit as often as we can :)
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| Malena, me, Mindy, Leah and Solveig...with our ice cream! nam, nam, nam... |
The other project that we visit weekly is called "Kennedy" and we are told is a little more "intense"...meaning a lot of gangs and other such dangerous people are residents here and the living area is a lot more dangerous. Don't worry..we proceed with caution and do a lot of praying. At Kennedy we can definatlely see a difference in the children as opposed to the children at Paradise Mills...they are so excited to see us roll up on our big red van and get out to play with them. They are so hungry for attention in any way...and for someone to play with them. The playground area goes from being dead with no children to children running out of their houses over to the area that we are and begin playing. I love it! Already we have an effect on these children who live in such trapped and abusive homes...I pray we will continue to shine the light of Jesus on them :)
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| One of the boys at Kennedy...he has just started to smile recently... |
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| Malene reading to a couple of girls |
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| Solveig loving on kids |
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| Hanna and one of the girls |
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| Malene :) |
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| Melissa with a girl |
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| Joo playing baseball with one of the many boys |
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| A bunch of the kids after we did a trash pick up around their houses |
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| Mindy reading with kids |
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| Me and one of the girls |
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| Leah chilling on the playground with kidos |
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| Divante playing basketball... :) so cute |
God is certainly wanting us to continue being with these children......Giving them love and attention..being Jesus with skin on is what He's called us to do here. I cannot wait to see what God is going to do here... :)
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