OKAY. So i dont even really know where to begin. We spent Monday and Tuesday at an orphanage called Hogar Vista de Mar, which is quite possibly one of the best orphanages ever. You can just tell with how they care for each child and stuff that they are doing a wonderful thing. It made me soo happy to hear all of the kids calling their house moms ¨mommy¨and stuff like that. Most of the time at the orphanage we were unscrewing hinges off of old doors and screwing them back on new doors. Also, we hung some of the new doors.

The most important things from these days though were the relationships we made with Wilbert, the head of construction for Strong Missions, and Daniel, the pastor from Los Guido´s oldest son. We spent these days talking Hawai, helping both of them with their English and them helping us with our spanish. I dont know what it was about last year, but i really just dont feel like i got to know either of them very well last year. This year, though, ive only been here a few days and know them sooo well. I know im going to get to spend a lot more time with Daniel over the next few weeks, and i hope we got to spent more time with Wilbert too.

I havent gotten to know too many of the kids at the orphanage yet, but ill tell you guys about just a few. So one of them is named Michael and he was sooo sweet. Ask me more about him if you want to know why he was immediately my favorite! Haha. But my favorite by far so far is this little girl names Tifany. We played with her a little the first day and she was very shy, but i played with her a good chunk of time on Tuesday and it was soo much fun. The only downside was when i had to leave. She was almost in tears and wouldnt let go of me. She kept saying ¨no se va. No se va¨(don´t go, don´t go) and it was breaking my Herat. Eventually of course i had to go with promises that i would be back soon.

Only other excited thing for the orphanage was that i got bit by a dog. Haha in the dogs defense i was playing around with some kids and got pushed into stepping on the dogs toes. He started to bite me and then backed off really quick though so im fine. Just a big bruise on my knee.

THEN we were off to los guido. For those of you who heard a little about my trip last summer, this is the neighborhood we worked in that whole week. Its kina of a shantytown where a bunch of people from nicaragua and other places fled to so its a very poor place. We stayed with the pastor and his family in the dorms that we worked on last year (hannah, im going to take a BUNCH of pictures of it so you can see them when we get home!) It was kina of overwhelming overall how welcoming and living the family and the people of los guido were towards us. We ate every meal in the pastor´s house, participated in all the services and all that, etc. Since i dont have much more time im going to have to cut this a little short. Basically, the time in los Guido was AMAZINGG and i cant wait to go back. We´re going to Monteverde tomorrow to see the stuff there and then megan and i will probable head back to los Guido on Sunday afternoon or evening. Pastor Edgar invited us to go on a family trip with him and his family to the place where he was born. I´m so excited to spend that time with the family and really get to experience costa rican culture. Then we´re gonna stay the weekend on los guido too so we can help with the kids program on Saturday. Not sure whats gonna come alter that. Before we leave for Monteverde we are going to visit the school for kids with disabilities. Then we´ll decide if we wanna work there more.

I love and miss all of you guys! I am having an AMAZINGG time though so dont worry!

(and ps YAYYYYY that adam didnt go home on american idol!!!!!!!!!)

and make sure you read megans post below!!

-Emma