safe haven

Hi all, we just got back from an hour trip up into the Andeas to another village with an orphanage but when we arrived we discovered it was a very poor village and this orphhanages was really a safe haven for the poor kids as they need it. They offered a meal or two and a place to hang out if needed. We understood it was for about 25 kids but they said no. There are about 22 kids usually but they often bring their friends so we ended up giving away 75 hygiene kits that they could all have one then we followed the people in charge of home and walked to many of the poor homes to give the families quilts--1-2 or3 per family. They were so appreciated and it opened our eye (once again) to the poor conditions and how blessed we are. It is so humbling.. In the same sense the husband and wife in charge are older and love the kids and say it is their second home. The children come because--parents work in construction , are drunk, single moms working and must walk away from the kids to earn enough to eat. Housing conditions are deplorable. Again they have just bricks and wood to burn for a stove, kitchen also houses ginea pigs, feed, clothes, pots and buckets to carry water. Toliets are a hole in the ground with a curtain around it--it works for them. The ground it not level--just rock and dirt and adobe homes. The difference from poor conditions in our country is that there is no govt. help whatso ever. These people try and work hard and make do and smile lots and have little trinkets to try and sell. If the children come to the safe haven for help all they pay is an opportunity to hear from the Bible about how the Lord loves them and other teachings of Christ. It gives them hope.
We stayed over nite and this haven--it was preplanned and clean and neat and excellent food. They take in boarders as a way of earning money to help the children. They only had two rooms--one with a single bed -but did have a matteress and blanket for the floor and the girls had a double bed and all three slep in it. It was funny. They were so good to us and wanted no pay because we too were trying to help the children with quilts and kits and soccer balls. We went to the market with them and bought them $!00 worth of rice, oil and sugar. They were so happy and grateful because this would help feed the children. The girls played soccer again with many of the children that wanted too. We left some quilts too for the couple to give out to familieas that really need them. The county side is absolutely fantastic. The Andean mts. are so beautiful and magestic. Our hearts are touched by these good people that work so hard for others. They too left us with a blessing of gratitude and safety.