Blessings to you and the team.

An update from Neo...he had trouble getting it to post and asked me to post it for him:

jimmy, not to worry... either my preaching or my farting will get them to release me quickly...

Day 5 in Colombia--

oh, what a day. i broke down today, finally i suppose. One of the team brushed by some exposed wires in a hallway and got bit. (We are doing a variety of electrical repairs--replacements) We just had not got to that repair yet. i thought, My God... and was overcome by the horrific condition these kids live in... its even hard for me to type now...

anyway, keeping in mind it gets into the 40s at night here, many windows were missing, several in bathrooms... adding to that, non-functional, poorly wired if functioinal-shower head water heaters (death traps, really), and that makes a very cold shower for a kid. Every heater was replaced and newly-properly wired, around 20, and every window has been repaired-installed, so no more drafts. Still, no heat in the building. I suspect the water bill might go up a bit, though, since the kids may take a bit of a longer shower...lol

Floor repairs are nearly complete, and the second floor is completely painted. (We´re doing two floors, 12 rooms ea.) (And there are about 100 kids in residence, split about even male-female).

The women on the team do crafts with the kids after lunch, and you should see the kids light up with the simplest of crafts that they color--make. Necklaces, hand spin tops, coloring, crosses, and more.

The men do some sports with the boys, but they are killing us at this 8000 ft altitude (wheeze-gasp)

One of the team suffered a ruptured hernia late this afternoon... they don´t know if it will require surgery yet... bummer. He is at the hospital now. Pray for ´John¨.

Thank you all for your support and prayers... it is effective.

To be honest, it´s getting difficult to hold myself together, and I am a team leader. Geraldo, Mauritzio, Juan, Angelica, Alejandra, Diana, Jennifer... I would take them all and more, gladly, and be their father. So many of their stories are nothing short of tragic. If I had a mansion of a 100 rooms...

BTW, if you have the means and the love, please consider, and pray even, about adoption. Fewer things come closer to God´s heart than orphans, and He is quite clear on that.

Two more days of labor and loving to go for these children, though I will not cease the latter. Thanks again, beloved.

Until the next post...

Blessings,

Neo

Great work Neo, hang in there, and prayers sent.

Neo, You are a inspiration to all of us Christians that would love to go and do the Lords' work. I am very impressed by your leadership. I have went on several mission trips myself; and it is VERY hard to explain the living conditions of a 3rd World Country. The experience can be pretty humbling. These people have close to nothing, yet they are happier than most people I know. It really makes you thankful for everything that you have. Neo; whenever you start to have doubts of your leadership, pray for guideance, and remember that you have many people here that look up to you. I will pray that the Lord will give you the strength to continue on doing his work. You are a True Man, and I respect you on a great level. Please take some photos, I would love to see them, as would many of us. Peace and Love to you Brother, Ed

Bogota Day 6

Whew, long day, again! It has been absolutely amazing what has been done. When we started the labors Monday, I thought, no way. As I´ve mentioned, the tasks were many and formidable. God has been so gracious to us, with effectiveness and efficiency, that we have actually added tasks, and we still will finish early tomorrow, which is wonderful, because we will be able to spend more time with the kids.

Today, we fabricated a volleyball net, and played some. It was cool teach how to serve, volley, and best of all, spike! They´re quick studies, though, and with the altitude, it was challenge to keep up with them! (gasp--wheeze! ! ! )

One of things we´ve given them is composition books, and they are drawing, writing letters, writing stories and poetry, and just doodling. It´s cool to just see them sit under a tree and write/draw/compose. They are quite prolific!

A sad story, though, of a girl yesterday, who just turned 18, and by law, had to be release back to her family... she sobbed and begged to be able to stay, distressed at having to go back, but there was nothing that could be done--she could no longer stay, by law.

The mother of three children came for a visit today, being permitted a two hour visit. In the visiting area, she talked on her cell phone the whole time, and left after an hour, still on the phone! I want to say, "What the f%$¿ did you come for?!" I got a little hot, I admit. But this is why this place exists, and I´ve never seen a more dedicated, loving staff tending these children.

Leidy borrowed my sunglasses today, and was just in hog heaven, strutting around silly! She was cute.

I taught a boy how to throw a football today, and wow, the kid picked it up quick. Pretty wobbly at first, but was soon throwing spirals like a bazooka!

Lluvia, how the heck did you end up in AZ from the delightfully mild climate of Bogota?! You loco!

Tomorrow is the last day, we button up finish up, spend more time loving on the kids. Don´t know how that will go. While I can´t wait to get back home (my son says its no fun at home right now... (choke)), it will be hard to leave these kids, who soak up love and attentions so eagerly and genuinely. Not to mention so much that can still be done in the building. Some of us were talking about what it what take to bring the structure up to US building codes and we agreed--it´s a knockdown. Maybe next year.

This evening, we were treated, by the director of the orphanage, to a little Colombiana--a trio of musician playing guitars, drum, flutes, and pan-pipes. Very nice and delightful.

Alright, my eyes are heavy, gotta turn in.

Hope all is well, hope nobody is getting banned (lol), and I´ll catch you all later.

Blessings,

Neo

P.S. John has been released from the hospital, having undergone a small surgery to effect a temporary repair. He will be able to return with us as planned. He is grateful for the prayers.

^posted for Neo

Neo- Mama fell in love with a gringo despite her father's initial concerns that Americans divorce too readily....but Daddy eventually won my abuelo's blessing. They've been married 43 years.

I was born in Phoenix, Neo.

Very cool....

wonderful, isn't it Drafter?

Day 6 Bogota

We finished, but the building is far from finished. Compared with where many of these kids come from, it was better than when they came, and even better now. Tomorrow, Saturday, it´s off to the airport, and home by afternoon to my beloved family.

This afternoon, the children prepared a nice show for us of Colombian dances. Then they gave us gifts! From a shoestring budget... very nice t-shirts. We made simple backpacks personalized with each kid´s name. They were so delighted! Then, thank yous delivered in tears. Then, (gulp) the goodbyes. Man, that was tough. Two kids especially endeared themselves to me... Jonathan Geraldo, and Diana.

Jonathan, 14, because I was working in his bathroom replacing the water heater, and installing a window... I happended to look out the window opening when I saw him, he looked at me with two thumbs up. I told him "No more cold showers!" He jumped and leaped in the air! After lunch, when we spent time with the kids, he came up to me and hugged me so tightly, he was so grateful. He is quite an artist, making very cool graffiti--style pictures in his composition book... He flipped page after page with beaming pride, to my heart-felt approvals, his smiling face punctuated by handsome dimples.

Diana, 14 also, was intrigued by my camera, nothing special, just a 3 yr old Sony Cybershot, but it was so much fun for her. I told her my long lost sister had the same name as she and she said "May I be your new sister?" I said "Of couse!" We took pictures of each other and with her friends. But today, a crowbar was all but necessary to pry us apart. Hey, I didn´t want to let go either. She has a beautiful smile and a huge heart. Another girl was in tears at our leaving, and she flew to her to comfort and hold her. Our goodbye was long and tearful, embracing tight as her head press into my chest, tears staining my shirt.

All this after only 5 days among them.

The staff was so very kind, especially Monica, my cafetera... a hard working housekeeper, she delivered the wonderfully rich Colombian coffee to us several times a day. Always smiling, always singing, always dancing! A delightful woman.

Fernando, in building maintenance, never hesitated to retrieve for us our every need. He had always felt intimidated by the daunting task of repairing the failing building with only a young, limited skill-set. I gave him my multi-tool, to his astonishment. He cried all but uncontrollably as we toured the finished work.

I look at my hands, and they are stained and cut, but they will clean and mend very soon. These children are stained and cut in ways unimaginable, and they will not so easily mend. Abuses, deprivations, neglect, and worst of all, rejection... and the latter is especially incomprehensible to me. I simply cannot fathom it. If you only knew how many times I have to wipe my eyes writing this story to you all. Their stories are simply heart rending. Being literally kicked out of the home... or fleeing horrific conditions to the "better" place of the streets... scraping for survival... being lost in a city of now 10 million, mostly young, urbanized, modernized people with little interest in charity or benevolence... Truly, may God have mercy...

Thank you, again, beloved, for your support and prayers, an involvement that no less puts YOU in a place of genuine minstry yourself. It is an investment of the profoundest, incalculable value. No one person´s contribution was insignificant. The effect is infinite and eternal in scope and value. For that, I am always ...

Your soul´s servant,

Neo

Way ta go Neo !

Thank You Father for Your childrens' Blessings.

Amen.

You rock, Neo and Team!

Thanks, but not nearly so much as ... God rocks ! ! !

What we were able to accomplish is truly astonishing. Major electrical repairs/replacements [you should have seen some of the bowls of spaghetti in junction boxes; I have speaker wire of greater gauge than a lot of the wiring present]; plumbing repairs [broken waste drains and absence of traps allowed constant sewer gas odor--fixed]; a lot of general carpentry, wall repair/patching, bunk bed assembly, painting throughout, cleaning of some pretty nasty areas, scraping and restoration of many surfaces and areas, and the provision and installation of around 100 mattresses with linens and blankets. All in an atmosphere of complete cooperation and submission to team leaders and a superintendant; 22 people, 5 days labor,

And, certainly not least, spending a couple hours everyday with the kids doing crafts, playing games, and just hanging out with them, listening to their stories, laughing with them, crying with them, and best of all, assuring them of God's love for them.

Soli Deo Gloria ! ! !

God Rocks!

Yes He does.