New Home 2005

I walked into the large bedroom to wake the girls for church. Pretending to be asleep, giggles and slight movement of the blankets gave them away.

“Good Morning chicas.”

That opened the door to a chorus of Mama Carroll this and that. Astrid’s resounding voice described the frogs that sang all night. The excitement of being in their temporary home and a new town vibrated in all the bedrooms.

Questions entwined in my thinking. Would we be accepted into this Monjas community? Would the girls be subject to cruel remarks about being orphans or troublemakers? We would soon find out as we prepared for church on our first full day.

The other co-founder of James Project of Latin America moved to Monjas a year before we moved the children from San Cristobal. The building of a wall around the property needed to be complete before construction on the first duplex could begin. Joanne wanted to prepare the way for the Home as she met with individuals and shared the vision and goals of JPLA. She met some resistance.

“We don’t want problem kids moving into our area.”

“This will encourage gang activity.”

“There will be a negative influence on our children.”

It hurt to hear the thoughts of people who had never met the children. Our girls worked at being servants of the Lord. We determined to use opportunities for the citizens to view our kids in positive ways. Shadow’s girls reached out to others as they received ministery.

At Home 2018

Now, thirteen years later, I watched hundreds of people gathered in Central Park for supper. The thoughts from the past replayed in my mind as I viewed the scene below me. A team from the States sponsored a free community supper inviting all of Monjas. The group bought the food, paid to have it cooked, and served it. There were 15 local churchmen in orange shirts ready with Bibles and words of prayer for anyone with special needs. I saw community effort and received verbal thank-yous for the involvement of the Project in the community.

I perused the courtyard as Shadow girls helped organize the line, served food, carried full plates and drinks for moms with babies and the elderly. My heart burst.

James Project of Latin America became an essential part of the community in many ways. No longer misunderstood strangers, but members of Monjas allowed us to call it home in our hearts.