Te Sakam

Yesterday was the first day with the kids! Upon arrival at the orphanage we were greeted at the bus by a few of them with smiling faces. They couldn't wait to give us hugs and say hello. We met some of the staff, then got an overview of more about the kids and why most are there. That day was spent playing outside all day, learning games, making bracelets, playing sports, and just loving on the kids.

Very quickly the day came to an end so we went back to the hotel for a little relaxation before dinner.

For dinner, we went to a great place called Trend which has a beautiful outdoor patio.  Our friends Anet and Marina met up with us. Then they walked us around the City Center where we saw beautiful marble bridges, fountains, and a very large statue of Alexander the Great. Overall it was an amazing first day!!!

Today we headed back and had a great day with the kids. We had lots of fun coloring and making more bracelets. The kids were quick to greet us and helped US color and draw. We also realized that we had quite a few amateurs photographers--they loved taking pictures with our cameras. The staff were not too happy that the kids tried skipping school to stay with us but we didn't mind :) We started our murals too and it's off to a really good start. We didn't see the girls again but we will try to reach out again tomorrow.  For dinner we met up with Matt and his wife Sarah, their daughter Sabina, Alexander, Anet and her daughter Gisele Maria. Looking forward to working on the mural tomorrow and playing with the kiddos!

Here are a few photos of the past couple days!