Getting back in the game at Jesus Divino

Reporting on a weekend at Jesus Divino is guest blogger Brock:


Luke and I resumed our bimonthly stays at Jesus Divino, one of our partner organizations that takes in children whose parents are incarcerated, after a short hiatus due to our conflicting schedules.  While our partnership has continued in the last couple of months from us going to paint some of their houses, having spring break volunteers stay and work there, and summer volunteers going and giving charlas, they were still really excited for us to start spending the night there every other weekend allowing a tía to have a rare weekend off.

The familiarity we have gained with the kids over the past several months has allowed these weekends at Jesus Divino to be very enjoyable and practically problem free.   From gaining the respect of the kids we are able to play, watch movies, and hang out with the children rather than only act as authoritative figures.  Luke and I arrived on Saturday afternoon and immediately jumped into things with the kids by playing soccer and billiards – they now have a child-sized pool table that is a favorite with the younger boys.  We had a typically Ecuadorian dinner and then put on the movie Rio as a treat for the kids.  Halfway through all of the younger ones had fallen asleep, while the older kids continued to enjoy every bit of it.  


We woke up to a beautiful Sunday without a cloud in the sky.  We ran around outside all day with the kids only taking breaks to eat or for do their chores.  Admittedly Luke and I were not extremely enthusiastic about spending a weekend a Jesus Divino but being there with the kids, who are so cute and precious and did everything they could to not let us leave, along with seeing the gratitude on the tía’s face, made every second worth it.  

Kelly, Diana, Tiffany, and Vanessa sit on the front stoop of the house Luke and I were in charge of.

Little Willey was my favorite kid of the weekend, always wanting to play sports with the bigger kids.

Everyone took advantage of the beautiful day!

Jefferson smiling as he continued to go undefeated in pool.

Luke eating lunch with the kids who never want to sit still. 

Me hitting another terrible shot while someone else beats me.