Captains Log-Star Date July 21, 2006

This will be fairly short tonight. It was our last day at Villa Hermosa barrio. There were a lot of tears late this afternoon. This morning we spent some time doing some construction. We started building some of the trusses for the roof of the community center. Dinner with the group and then story time for the kids.

It is the highlight of our day. This was also the second day this week that we got to feed the kids. I handed out sandwiches for them at lunch and to see some of the sad eyes turn to smiles when they get a simple piece of bread with a thin slice of meat and a drink. They are precious! I have wondered over the week whether they really realize they live in such terrible conditions. Some of the kids look,and quite frankly smell, like they haven´t had baths in weeks.....or they slept in a puddle of urine over night. None the less, you can´t help hugging and loving them!

We had a final supper with our barrio missionaries Loys Pezo Ramirez, his wife is Teresa Paredes Rodriguez. They are very special people. They told us at supper that they really did have some different recreational activities planned for us when we got here. That all changed when they saw how the kids had taken to our 12 member team. They couldn´t believe how each one of us had 6 to 7 different kids around us during the times we had with them in the afternoon. Here´s the kicker to the whole trip....we had quite a bit of money left in our budget. Enough in fact that we are leaving it all behind so that home can have a bed so that the children don´t have to sleep on the floor. A family that has no home is going to get one built for them! And there will be enough money left over to help with some medical needs.......medicine etc..

I think that this trip has been as rewarding for me as it has for the kids in the barrio. I hope that they feel the love for a long time to come and they hold it in there hearts until I can return next summer.

This will be my final entry until at the very earliest Sunday night. I will be traveling beginning tomorrow morning and returning to Phoenix on Sunday. I hope this finds you all healthy and happy and enlightened. I will share pictures when I return!

God Bless to all and thank you for your support on this mission!

All my love!
Mitch