Berline November Update 2012

Happy Thanksgiving from GLA Andrew and Christy,

The holidays are now among us and it seems like they have snuck up on us quickly this year.  We are just beginning to gear up for the holiday season here at GLA.  It is obvious that the anticipation is getting stronger as decorations go up and Christmas music starts to be heard throughout the houses.  We continue to have volunteers and teams here to assist us on a daily basis.  Our work on the Toddler Houses at Fort Jacques continues to progress, especially this month thanks to a construction team that was here in November.  We have also said goodbye to a couple more children as they have found their way into the arms of their forever families!  It is a joy to see this lengthy process come to an end for some families and we continue to pray that the rest of your adoptions move quickly!

As soon as the kids at the Toddler House begin to sense the holidays approaching they are asking at every chance they get if it is Christmas yet. Actually a lot of them will say “is it Jingle Bells yet?”  As annoying as this constant question can get for us adults, it also helps remind us of what it is like to have an excitement and wonder for the holidays like we did when we were children.   It really is a true joy to experience the American Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays through the eyes of the kids.   Molly and Joyce work very hard to ensure that these are special holidays for the kids at the Toddler House.  For American Thanksgiving the kids were treated to a special meal and craft making.  In their English class with Joyce they made paper turkeys and colored pictures that were hung up in their lunchroom.  This year, the oldest group of kids also constructed a tree from paper then they wrote things they are thankful for on paper leaves that they hung on the tree.  Their meal this year consisted of, not necessarily the traditional Thanksgiving fare, but some of their favorite dishes.  They had fried chicken, rice and beans, fried plantain, jello, and cupcakes for their Thanksgiving feast.  Fried Chicken is by far the most favorite main dish among all the kids at the Toddler House.

The kids looked on with wide-eyed excitement and anticipation, as they could smell the frying chicken and baking cupcakes and the older kids began to decorate the dining room.   There was much chatter in the yard about what was to come and what they were going to get to eat.  Berline was especially inquisitive about what was going on.  It seemed that every time I passed through the yard she had a new question about what was happening or what was about to come.  It was obvious that she enjoyed her meal very much although she was not to impressed with the jello.

The older group of kids enjoyed a day at the soccer field in Kenscoff on November 1^st.  That is a holiday in Haiti and also the birthday of one of our older Toddler House kids so the kids excitedly got into the cars for a morning of running, playing, and enjoying the fresh mountain air.  Berline was all smiles as she climbed into the car for the 20 minute ride to the soccer field.  All the way she discussed with her friends what they were going to do when they arrived at the field.  Berline enjoyed kicking around a ball, blowing bubbles with a big bubble blower, and running in the wide open space.  The whole group also enjoyed a game of red rover before heading back down the mountain for lunch.

I thought you might enjoy having Christmas photos of Berline before the end of December so I themed November’s photo day for Christmas this month in order for you to enjoy these photos for an entire month.  The kids loved getting completely dressed up in three-piece suits and dresses.  It was evident that they felt very special in their beautiful clothes.  Everyone put on their best smiles that made for some adorable and memorable Christmas pictures.  Enjoy!

Berline is healthy and growing:

Height: 128.5 cm
Weight: 56 lb