Emmanuel Home of Protection
Our First Girls Arrive
After weeks of preparation and waiting, on September 24th our first young lady arrived at the children's home. She is 12 year-old Luz Marina. Two weeks later, an official from the Ministry of Families pulled up in a taxi-moto with 15 year-old Melissa. They are both settliing in a adjusting to their new life at our home.
September 24th, 2008 was a very special day for Emmanuel Children's Home. On that day, 12 year-old Luz Marina Paladino arrived to start her new life at our home. After weeks of preparation, meetings and praying for this special day, God blessed us with her arrival. Luz Marina came from a very difficult situation and home life and seemed very excited to be with us. It took a couple of days for her to get adjusted and feel comfortable, but she made it and received a lot of attention.
A couple of days after arriving she began telling us how thankful she was to be in our home. She began telling us that her first night here, was one of the first times that she had slept in a real bed and one of the first times she was actually able to sleep laying down to sleep instead of having to sit leaned up against a wall because of the lack of beds and space in her home. She also shared her gratefulness to receive warm food, which was something she very rarely had the opportunity to eat.
On October 5th a taxi-moto arrived at the main gait and an official from the ministry of families got out with Melissa Rodriguez. Melissa came to us from another children's home located nearby. Melissa has some special needs that the other children's home was not able to meet. She is 15 years old and is eight months pregnant. She is due to give birth at the end of November.
Melissa is very small for her age and looks more like a 12 year-old. She was very shy for the first couple of days but warmed up and is now adjusting quite well to her life with as at the home. Our staff is busily preparing a special room for her and her new baby. We will be posting more photos of her and the new baby when that day comes.