What Would You Fight For? by Ruth Mercy: The Place of Broken.

The Place of Broken.

Hello mis amigos:)! I hope that you are each doing ok and have been able to rise above all the obstacles that life throws at you. I don’t have a tun of time right now but its already been a while so I wanted to let you know I am still alive:) and at least post some pictures. Please excuse any mistakes and typos in this one;).

My family and I have been working very hard here in Paraguay for the last two months. I spent the first week writing letters and meeting with the heads of the schools, prisons, orphanages and different government branches. By the grace of God, many doors began to open quickly in each area, in fact almost too quickly and in a short time we were overwhelmed with events and requests. We have had the privilege to touch so many people from so many different walks of life.

My brother and I doing magic at a school.

The Paraguayan people are very unique from other latin countries I have visited. They tend to be guarded and skeptical at first, but then can be very warm and kind when they come to trust you and let you in. You can clearly see the effects of a country that was previously communist and under a dictatorship. The actual city of Asuncion is in really bad shape. The roads are just horrible, there are practically no working street lights or stop signs so traffic is a nightmare and all the city plazas and parks are occupied with temporary shacks and shelters where families who lost their homes in floods are now living. The city completely floods out when it rains and all the sewers back up. Mosquitos are a real problem as well. I hope things could improve for these beautiful people, but honestly it seems there is little hope and they know it. They just had their elections here and the new president is said to be much better and “the first honest man in a hundred years” so maybe he can began to change things. It has taken a lot of work, thought and time to effectively reach this nation but our heavenly Father has greatly been with us and given us new ways to communicate His love.

Performing a Spanish style dance with my sisters.

Sometimes it can seem that we are so different from each other. Different by country, race, culture, background or belief. You might see yourself as so different from your neighbor, family member, partner or coworker. We deal with conflicts towards a boss or a certain individual because it seems that we are each a world apart. At times we do not forgive others, because we see ourselves as far better or far worse than someone else. We can harbor anger against someone for what they did, but fail to see that we could have done the a similar thing in a certain situation. Families can be torn apart because they just cannot reconcile their differences. Here in South America as I work in prisons and on the streets, I constantly speak to and deal with different gangs and men who cannot mix with other men because they are from a different gang. But you know what? Of all that makes us different and separates us, there is something much bigger that makes us the same and unites us. We are, all of us, broken.

Large event on the boardwalk where we performed for nearly 3 hours.

You and I, you and your boss, I and the prisoners I visit, are all the same. We are from the same "gang". We are all human and we are all broken. We have two arms, two legs, one heart and we bleed the same blood. A blood that has been contaminated by this thing called, “sin”. We fail, we make mistakes. God sent His Son Jesus down to earth to become one of us. Jesus became broken. He "emptied Himself" to take on our weakness (Phil.2:7). Jesus bled our same blood on the cross. He was crushed and broken for us. “..By His stripes, we are healed.” (Is.53.)
He took on our exact broken nature so He can completely sympathize with our weakness (Heb.4:15). Imagine if you had a specific injury, say a knee injury, then later, someone you knew got the exact same injury. You would be able to tell them specifically how to recover and what kind of rehabilitation to do. Jesus suffered our exact same “injury” we all suffer, so now, “..through His stripes..” we can be healed.

It is in this place, on this ground, the ground of “broken” that we can now draw near to God. A ground where there was a hill and a cross. A ground that was saturated with the blood of an innocent man and a ground where there was a grave that could not hold that man down. It is here, my friend that all of us can meet. All of us, the victims and the criminals, the rich and the poor, young and the old, all of us are broken. We are sheep that need a Shepherd, children that need a Father. So let us consider this, and perhaps allow this thought to give us compassion and make us deeper people for we cannot be forgiven unless we forgive.
It is in the place where we realize that we are all broken, where we can be healed. A seed is nothing and will become nothing unless it first is broken. A caterpillar is nothing and will become nothing unless it completely dies. We are nothing and will become nothing unless we will be broken, so we can be healed (Jn.12:24). God said He honors the lowly, the broken and the humble (Ps.51:17/1Pet.5:5).

One afternoon I had a "chance" encounter and met the head organizer for city events here in Asuncion, Paraguay. We exchanged numbers and I later scheduled a meeting so I could explain to them the performance that my family and I do and we could discuss working together. When I showed up for the meeting, they told me the director was busy and couldn't make it (even though I just confirmed it and had ridden my bike 6 miles in 95 degree temps to get here:)). Any way, as I began to get upset, they said, "don't worry, he read the letter and was very impressed and told us to organize events with you” (I had previously sent a letter explaining the work that we do and that we offer it free of charge). So we were able to coordinate different events in different areas to reach the city. The municipality would set up a stage, bring seats, send out flyers and advertise on the radio and social media which drew large crowds.

Preforming for Independence day in Paraguay.

The government asked us to open their Independence day celebration concert. It was large event on a stage and it was an honor to participate in Paraguay's most important day. The event was well organized and because of the quantity of performers, everyone had to be on a tight schedule. It was a very special day for my family and I, we each got to perform our personal act as well as our magic and group choreographies. Through each performance we communicate a message of the Fathers love, hope, forgiveness, change, second chance and family values. My sister performed ballet, I did Irish step dance, we did an act with fire and capoeira, a Tae Kwon Do choreography and clown acts and magic. We were excited to learn afterward that it was broadcasted on live tv for all of Paraguay. Days after people told us they saw us on tv and heard the message of the Gospel through us.

Talking with the crowd on the streets.

The government also organized an event on a board walk that runs along a river. As we performed, behind us there was a stunning sunset, and in front of us a full harvest moon was rising. A lite breeze came off the river and it was just a beautiful night. The crowd grew so large that many could not fit in to see. We were supposed to be on a stage, which would have allowed a lot more people to watch, but the crew that set up the stage put it on the wrong side of the street where there were no lights :(. Many had received the invitations and come from all over the city and from different functions of the government to watch. It was such a privilege and we shared so much over the three hours we were there.

We organized another event with the municipality in the center of the poorest area of the city. This event was for the victims of the flood who are living in temporary shelters right in the city center. These people have nothing and are really suffering, especially the children. They were thrilled to get a free show and see all the magic. One little boy ran up to me with a beaming smile on his face and wanted to play with the bubbles I was making. His left hand had been completely burned off and his whole face was distorted from severe burns. He told me that his house had been burned down and he was trapped inside. His little brother said he always helped take care of him and they both just wanted to laugh and be held. Ill never forget his beautiful face.
I put on our giant frog costume and my sister and I walked through the shanty town inviting everyone to come to the show. Crowds followed us out and I felt like the Pied Piper:) (Except dripping in sweat and walking through mud trying not to fall since I could not seeing anything in the costume with kids hanging on me so yeah, super romantic ;) :)) .

My brothers and sisters and I make simple bracelets that we
give out after our performance so they can have a little memory.
Its amazing how something so small can mean so much to someone.
But in case you were wondering, it takes a long time
to make 500 bracelets that are then gone after one day ;)

We had made over 500 sandwiches which we gave out afterward along with some of our extra clothes, candy and toys for the children. If you have ever been in extreme poverty, you know how impossible it is to give things out and keep order. Desperation takes over and you have to be really organized and have plenty to give. It was difficult and exhausting to manage this situation but God gave us the grace and wisdom. When we left we felt like we were leaving a war zone because of the extreme focus and mindset we had. So many people say that to help people in these desperate situation can’t be done, but when you take time to plan things, it can be done and should be done. Sometimes its just our own laziness that makes excuses and if we make even a small effort to love others, God can bless it in a big way.

Playing with the children after our performance.

On stage in the center of Paraguay.

Within one meeting, I was actually able to meet with the Minister of Education (highest up person who usually takes a while to get to), and she opened to us the doors to all the schools and colleges in Paraguay. Three ladies spent their time driving from school to school organizing events for us at the schools that needed it the most. They did a lot of the leg work my brothers and sisters and I usually have to do ourselves, such as going all over the city, meeting with the school directors and organizing the logistics of, space, place, which grades and times. I really appreciated their help!

Performing a play at a school.

At this one school we visited, there were 800 kids and we had to do a few groups. If any of you have worked with kids, please imagine and visualize working with 800 kids at the same times from preschool all the way through high school age:) This was a new school just built for all the families and children that lost their homes in the flood. It was the first and really only thing the government had done to help. When I first walked in, there was a little girl standing there just weeping. She was so scared and lost. I held her in my arms and helped her find her way but this was the state of many of these children. They were so sad and scared. Many of these kids had no parents and have been moved from place to place with no where safe and secure to call home. They were desperate for love and attention and it was such an honor to bring them laughter and give them seeds of hope.

In our performance we tell a story about a little girl who is chasing butterflies but cannot catch them. Like we all chase dreams and look for change. Through the story she meets a giant frog (me in a costume;)), a cool dwarf, (my sister in a costume), and a prince (my brother on stilts). She learns that she cannot catch butterflies, because sometimes life is hard, and we cannot get what we seek, but she can become a butterfly! Sometimes things on the outside will not change, but if we change, we can find hope.
A psychiatrist who works at the school told us that in 2 hours we had done more for the kids then she had been able to do in months to help them and give them practical answers. When we drove away, a little boy was running full speed after our van wanting us not to leave. It broke my heart and I will never forget that image.

This is where the children live at a certain school we visited.

Because of the floods here, many people are living in shelters all throughout the city center. It is really sad to see all the shacks made out of cardboard and garbage bags all around and when it rains, these “ homes” become just a sea of mud. A lot of these people don’t go to the center, so to reach them we spent time in the evenings just walking up and down the rows, through the villages and going house to house talking to the families. We met some really beautiful people with amazing stories.

One lady we met while walking through a village, started a home for the elderly which she tries to run in her own home. Her husband helped her start in but then tragically, he died, and now she struggles to be able to afford to take care of all the elderly folks that come to her. We gave her 35$ which allowed her to be able to get a lot of rice and beans. She broke down crying, just so extremely grateful. She said God sent her angels today to pick her up.

Originally when I approached the director of the largest prison here in Paraguay, and asked for authorization to enter, he said we could only go in a small room on the side of the prison which would hold around 30 men. But after showing him pictures of others prisons we have visited around the world, and explaining that this was a big event, he allowed us to go in.
This is the largest, most overcrowded prison in Paraguay and is a very, very bad place. Unlike most prisons we have been to, there were no "patios" or separate sections here. As in, all 5,000 prisoners were all walking around the prison at the same time and in the same area. Basically like a huge city inside a prison and just complete chaos. People shouting, the guards blowing whistles, little fights breaking out between the prisoners, soccer balls flying, guys crowding around and begging us for things, ecs... The conditions were just horrible with the walls covered in mold and crumbling, the smell was terrible and the men were starving because they barely had enough food.

We set up in the center and everyone crowded around. It took a lot of work to pull this one off and we had to be at the top of our game every second but the Lord Jesus was with us and we were able to share many things with them. We do a magic routine that has a message in it about time, eternal life and gives them a perspective beyond these walls. It really connected with the guys.

I do an act where I start out playing a flute (a plastic recorder that breaks in half). Someone comes up to me, steals and breaks my flute. I use the flute to symbolize our life or our heart. So many things such as tragedy and mistakes can break our “flute”. In the skit my brother comes out acting as Christ. I take my broken flute and give it to him. He holds each half in one of his hands and stretches them out as if on the cross. He then “rises again” and puts my flute back together. Then he gives it to me and also calls over the one who broke my flute (my brother acting the part). He explains that we are all broken, the criminal and the victim and that Jesus was broken for us, like I shared earlier in this blog. It is always hard to describe some of our acts and theatrical performances to you, but if you picture them with moving music and costumes, performed in a theatrical way, it helps. As I walked out of this prison a man said to me, "Thank you for bring light into such a dark place”. And that is the only thing we are tying to do. That is why we try to use so many different means, acts, music and measures, so in some way we can bring light into their dark world.

Performing a magic routine about time.

Another prison we visited was about a two hour drive out into the country. The director was so cool and allowed us to perform right in the main area so we were able to get the whole prison. As we started, there was some fire nearby that began to blow think smoke and ash into us. I thought we were going to have to leave but then as quickly as it started it stopped, and I thank God we could continue. Literally the entire crowd of 700 to 800 guys were so engaged and listening to everything we shared.
I do a skit where I use words written on large cards like, "Why", “Remorse", "Regret", "The Past", I drop the words on the ground in the pattern of a circle and I explain how thoughts about the past can keep us in a cycle of regret. So many times the cycle begins with the word “why?”, “why did I do that?” “why did he say that?”. We wander around and around in our mind as if lost in a dark forest going in circles of the same thoughts about the past. We end up right where we started, getting no where and change nothing only to start again. Then I take new words out of a New Testament like, "You have a future", "you are forgiven" and drop them on the ground in a line leading away from the circle. I explain how we need new thoughts to change our mind. If we would study the Scriptures, we would find answers and new thoughts that will lead us into a future.

Talking with the men in a prison.

Interacting with the prisons and allowing them to participate in Capoeira.

We spent a long time there and it took a while to leave because everyone wanted to shake our hands, tell us their names and stories and receive personal attention. It was a beautiful moment I will never forget. One guy gave me a beautiful rose made out of medal that he had made to thank me, it meant a lot to me. When we were finally out and had gotten all our equipment back through security, the director, who had watched our whole show, said, "wow, my mouth is on the ground. I never imagined anything like that." He was so grateful and had never seen the men so engaged.

These two girls were adopted sisters and so precious.

One morning we had an event scheduled at the largest orphanage here in a city called, “Luque". Most of us weren't feeling good in the morning and we were really tired from back to back previous events. We thought about canceling, but decided to kick it out;) There was no way we could let these kids down:)
The director of the orphanage was a very kind women and was so grateful and glad that we had sought them out and would come there. It was a smaller group, maybe 100 kids, but they were so precious. It just breaks your heart to see the pain and sadness in their eyes and know they have seen things and gone through things well beyond their years.
At one point in our show, in the middle of a clown act where my brother is crying because he has no one to celebrate his birthday, all the kids came up to him to hug him. It is a funny act about smashing a piñata, and usually everyone is laughing, but it was both touching and sad to see all these kids identify with him acting sad and lonely and having no one to celebrate a birthday with. Each child was so desperate for love and attention and desperately wanted to participate in everything.

I just wanted to keep holding these two little girls who were adopted sisters and not let them go. Many of these children have lost their parents, and many of the children were given away when their parents decided they could not afford them or did not want them. I can't imagine a more tragic reality then realizing your own parents gave you away and didn’t want you. The director explained to us how hard it is when she receives confirmation that their parents are not coming back and she has to try to tell explain this to the children. She told us that she tries to put it off as long as possible before she explains to them that this orphanage is now their home. She said many of the kids, especially the older ones, just loose it and will try to run away, break things and just cry. It takes a while for them to adjust to this home. It was such a privilege to give them some seeds of hope and tell them that they have a Father who wants them, and loves them.

The next week we returned here to a large school next to this orphanage that is run by the same foundation. There are 900 kids here and most of them are either foster kids, orphans or have been through something traumatic. We performed for about 500 of them, which, is A LOT of kids:) They had fun bouncing a massive ball above them as we set up and then we got them all to sit down and they were very respectful and well behaved. We taught them many things to help them and comfort them in all their suffering.
My youngest brother wrote a rap/song that has a message in it about being the bigger person, taking responsibility and helping make peace with others. We act out two people arguing, then my brother comes in and through the song says he is sorry, cares about them and helps them make peace. The words "I am sorry" can be so powerful and prevent heart break, sadness and even divorce. "I am sorry", "its my fault", "I love you" are words we all need to be quick to say. These words can bind a family together, save a marriage or friendship and dissolve friction and tension between two parties. So many of these children come from broken homes and at times hear their parents shouting at each other. Sometimes a little love and humility can make all the difference no matter who's fault it is.

Playing around before we begin as all the kids come out of their class.

We wrote a children's story about a giant frog who feels all alone and wants to give up. Throughout the story we communicate the hope of the Gospel in a simple way and teach to not give up, but that God the Father wants us and loves us. We gave each child one at the end along with a bracelet we made. As we travel we make bracelets so they can have a memory of the day and all we shared. ( It takes a long time to make 500 bracelets :)). So many of the older kids wanted to participate and at the end a lot of the kids joint with us in a participation dance.

My brother on stage at a school using a costume he built to communicate how our free will is like a super hero.

We had a very special evening at the women's prison here. The prison was built to house 200 women and now holds over 500, so they are in a very difficult situation. I was able to get chairs so they could all sit close and they were so grateful and engaged in everything we did.
I sing a song about a wounded bird that flies again and I share how we are all in a sense, "a bird with a wounded wing” (like I shared at the start of this blog) and in our broken state, the Father is by our side and lifts us up so we can fly again.

Performing Irish step dance in a women's prison.

At the end of our performance my whole family and I do a dance where we use all the dance moves we have learned from the cultural dances of the countries we have visited. Afterward, we invite others to join in the dance. It was so beautiful to watch as gradually all the women came up to dance. Many were in tears when we left. One lady told me it was the first time she had been given a bible and would treasure and read it always.

At the women prison.

Most of the women are serving time for drug related crimes, most often carrying drugs to make money to support their children. Some have been set up by their partners, like one young girl whose boyfriend asked her to hold his back pack, then took off. She had the back pack with her when the cops caught her and found drugs inside. She had no idea. The other day I read a story from the US about a women who drew a map for someone that ended up being a drug route. She thought she was drawing the map for hunters. She got a 16 year sentence! Its just tragic. I read a good quote by Winston Churchill that said, "Success is not final; failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” Our mistakes do not have to destroy us, nor are we defined by what we have done, whether good or bad, but what matters is that we go forward and never give up.

The down center is taken over with temporary shacks and shelters.

A certain school we visited was in a horrible part of town, it was surrounded by temporary shacks that all the victims of the flood are living in. At this school the children were older, from 12 to 18. They all brought their chairs out of the class rooms and arranged them in a circle around us.
We do a cool thing where we ask them who wants to be a leader and won’t be controlled by peer pressure. After we get a few volunteers (in this case like 20!), we give them cards to read that have meaningful historic quotes written on them such as, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself", and many inspiring quotes from past famous figures. We then have a competition to see who can read it like a leader with emotion, diction and passion in their voice. It was really cool to see these kids get into it and try to speak with all their heart. This time we had a three way tie for winner. It is a good exercise we use to help them come out of them self and learn to speak and lead regardless of what others think or do. We have a number of games and activities like this.

My brothers in the middle of a really funny clown act about a dog chasing a clown who stop his ball.

This one little girl named Sandra, maybe 13 said she couldn't read but wanted to participate. She was so sweet and I helped her just say a phrase about how hope can be given as a gift. It made me sad to realize how broken the education system is if a 13 year old girl has not yet been taught to read. Another girl named Alisa who was 17 years old girl told us her mother had recently died of cancer. She was in tears, and really touched by our message. She told us that we had given her hope today and given her words to help her begin to heal and get over her sadness.

My brother on stilts interacting with the kids.

We got up super early because it was a loooooonnnnnnggg drive to reach the largest juvenile detention center here. Traffic is insane because the street lights either don't work, don't exist or are taken as mere suggestions ;) Anyway, it was well worth the drive!

Excitement filled the air as the kids came out of their cell blocks and heard our music. Before they sat down they all wanted to come up, shake our hands and tell us their names. Here in this detention center, these young guys can have a sentence of anywhere from a few months, to 8 years. It really surprised me how teachable and receptive these teenagers were. Often when the whole age group is in their teens, peer pressure can be strong and sometimes we have to be a little firm to get them to listen, but in this case, even though many of them looked like cool "bad" kids, they were just little boys at heart.
One boy named Luis who was 16 years old, told us his dad left when he was 7, his mom died of cancer, then his dad came back, but was a drunk and died shortly after he came back into the boys life. He was in and out of foster homes and got into trouble. Many of these kids moms or aunts are now in the women's prison (the one we visited). It was hard to leave this place.

Every young man gave us the tightest hug and didn't want us to leave, even the “ bad” kids, weren’t too bad to ask for a hug. One guy named David, pulled me aside and just asked, "How and why did you find us and come here? Of all the places, how did you find us?" He was so grateful and touched that they were not forgotten. In another life, I would love to adopt some of those guys and be the mother they never had but I pray that God could use my life in this way to give them a seed that some, day, perhaps could become a tree.

Having a water ballon toss at the juvenile detention center.

Awarding prizes after the games we held at the juvenile detention center.

Weeks later we went back to this same juvenile detention center again to give the boys a very special party. For a day, we transformed a prison, into a playground and even though they are here because the are criminals of some kind, inside, like all of us, they are children. We wanted to celebrate their birthdays and let them have fun, so we planned some games, piñatas, a magic show and got some prizes and treats for them all. We divided them up into 6 groups, one for each of my brothers and sisters and I and made up teams with each a different color, name and cheer. We played dodge ball (super crazy and fun:)), had water balloon tosses (even though they all kept stealing water balloons and hurling them at each other so it was a good thing we had hundreds. Obviously the ultimate was for them to soak one of us:)), and had wheel barrel races and other games.

Performing at a school for troubled youth.

Between each game we would take time to sit down in a circle with them and teach them things to help them. Things that can help them get a job like how to give a good handshake, look someone in the eyes, how to speak loud and clear and stand up straight. To not make fun of each other but rather care about each other and look out for each other like brothers. We gave them ideas of ways they can help their community and fix things. We talked about drugs and asked them how much they would pay if someone asked them to carry drugs. Then we showed a picture of a horrible prison and asked them how much they would pay to get out of prison. When they answered they would give everything they own to get out of prison, they realized that no amount of money is worth running drugs, besides the risk of their lives. And we talked about how to focus and tune out all distractions to begin to read the Scriptures and seek Jesus on their own. We broke down the Gospel in a clear simple way and explained it to them.

One of the many "neighborhoods" here.

It took a lot of work to keep everything under control, to include the outsiders and kids who were more rejected, keep order, teach them, plus play with them. Breaking the piñatas got super crazy with big jam piles of boys diving for candy and having a lot of fun. Then we brought them all together and talked with them as a group and did a magic show. Many were in tears when we were saying goodbye and it was all over. Honestly, I was at the point of tears too and really came to love my “green team" of 16 boys who they named, “ Tacu” which is a slang way of saying, “ The misfits". They just kept giving me hugs. The director and all the guards and staff were very moved and grateful to us. It was a very special day I will never forget.

Spending time at a school for children and young adults with special needs.

Speaking to the crowd after the race.

We had been in contact with a school for children with special needs and we got to run a 10k race with them that was for their benefit. It went through the center of Asuncion and along the river. I was not in the best shape because of my leg injuries, but still ran it in 47min and it was fun to run the event with my family;) After the event as the runners gathered in front of a large stage for the prize ceremony, I asked the director if I could say a few words and he gave me the microphone:) I was able to share with the whole crowd, about 7000 runners how even in difficult times and times of suffering, God is a Father who will help us and that no matter what we have been through, we can talk to Jesus and He will be there. I was thrilled to get that opportunity to share with the whole crowd. My mom actually took first place in her category and stood on the center podium to get her trophy! I was so proud of her!

We later went to the special needs school to perform for and spend time with the kids. It was definitely one of the best days of my life:)! Even with all the challenges these kids face, down syndrome, autism, ceribal palsy, they were so precious and engaged. Many of them wanted to dance, sing and speak on the microphone. One little boy with down syndrome walked up and asked for the microphone. He took and it just said, “Jesus!” with his hand in the air. It was so beautiful. No word has more power.

Putting butterfly wings on a precious girl with down syndrome.

After we do our dance with the caterpillar who becomes a butterfly, pretty much all of the children wanted to wear the butterfly wings and dance (we have a bunch of sets of the small butterfly wings we bought on sale after halloween. We let kids wear them to participate, teach them a choreography and introduce them to the crowd so its really special for them, both at schools and on the street).

The director of this school has worked here for 22 years and dedicated her life to caring for those with special needs in Paraguay. The government was trying to implement a rule that there would be no specific schools for those with special needs, but that all regular schools would have to make accommodations for them. The director explained how this idea would never work and only make things very difficult for those with special needs, so she started this school and really loves these kids. It is really amazing what we can do if we just allow ourselves to care a little bit.

Talking and playing with the kids afterward is definitely one of the best parts:) This is Shanon in the picture talking to me.

Another school we went to was in the poorest area in all of Paraguay and even the poorest in much of South America. Just getting to the school was quite a trip! It was a terrible dirt road, washed out by the rain that was one lane but two way traffic with dogs, roosters and people all over. We almost turned back because it was not looking good and we did not want to risk our van, but then a little kids ran in front of us and we realized the school was just ahead. The teachers and administrators came out to greet us and help us unload. They were so warm and grateful it picked up our spirits.

Maybe you saw a while back there was a 60 min episode about a school that built musical instruments out of trash. Kids would rummage through a massive land fill of trash and salvage things they could make into musical instruments. Well anyway, that story was about this village and we drove right by the landfill. This whole area is one of the poorest saddest places I have seen. At the school there were 600 kids and we did two presentations, one in the morning and one in the evening. Of course many of the kids never left, so we were playing with kids and performing for some 8 hours:) Yes, we were dead!

Massive trash heap on outskirts of "city".

Going house to house through different areas.

My sister does a beautiful ballet dance that communicates the idea that we can go beyond obstacles and reach for our dreams. She starts all wrapped up in a black piece of cloth and then slowly unwinds into a ballerina. She explains how we all feel trapped sometimes by our own fear, by others, by our past, by circumstances, but if we can reach beyond ourselves, and reach out to our Father, we can find a dream greater than we imagine. A dream to love others and care for those in need.