I wish that each of you reading this post could have been with us.
84 boys and girls call The Purple Palace home (http://www.thepurplepalace.org/). The children come from backgrounds of neglect, abandonment and abuse, but The Purple Palace becomes a fresh start for them. They are loved, fed, clothed, schooled and disciplined at the orphanage. We are humbled to send our San Diego Summer Project staff and students to participate in this ministry.
This year we are doing more of a Vacation Bible School theme to our visits. David and Goliath, Daniel and the Lions Den...you get the picture. The students prepare the costumes, crafts and snacks the day before then we take the trolley to the border and walk across.
At the orphanage, we start with an opportunity for the students to play with the kids. Then, Marta reads the lesson from the picture book (in Spanish--she is GREAT at this). After the story time, the boys go to the snack and craft time (drawing the picture while someone re-tells the lesson) while the girls go outside to put on the costumes, hear the lesson again then act out the lesson. (You see "King" Saul with the crown above and the army of Israel in their armor!) Then the boys go out to act out the lesson. The boys go second because the costumes don't usually last after their active participation! Our time with the kids finishes with lots of games--soccer and jump rope are the favorites--and lots of holding the kids. I can't say exactly how God works in the lives of the kids, but I know that He works powerfully in our lives as we play with, teach and love the children. (I won't preach the sermon, but I am reminded of how God adopted us into His family [Rom 8] and am humbled by His goodness once again!)
The kids go to school at 12:30 so the college students roll up their sleeves and get to work with whatever will help the staff at the orphanage. They are cleaning and painting this year.
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