Today Maria Jose's grandmother came to pick up her school supplies as well as Maria's Jose's sister's. Maria is an special case of ours since she is located outside of the barrio Villa Esperanza where we are currently concentrating.
I met Maria Jose (see left as a street kid) over
several trips to Granada. She was always somewhere in the city selling something and we seemed to constantly meet up. She
and I became friends. Last year, in January 2005, I was in Granada helping to procure all the supplies for school and I ran into Maria Jose at the market where we were purchasing uniforms . She came in and asked what I was doing and I told her. She looked sad. I knew she was attending my friend Donna Tabor's school Yo Puedo for street kids regularly so I asked if she wanted to got to real school. She said 'yes'!!!
So we went to see her
Grandmother who was her guardian and she agreed to allow Maria Jose to go as well as her sister Maria Luisa. Well, we had a change of staff over the year, and due to her location, we almost 'lost' Maria Jose. Anielka set off various days with Jude armed with a picture of Maria Jose and finally found her. It turns out she and her sister finished the year with utmost success, pride, and joy.
Well today, when the Maria's Grandmother came, she took me and grabbed me with so much joy and love. Tears welled up AND openly steamed down her face as she shared her gratefulness and pride. 
Her girls were doing so well in school AND she decide to take them off the streets to make me proud. We sat down and talked and we laughed and cried and laughed and cried. Never have I felt so much gratitude....well it at least compared to the crowd of 300 and the party the barrio threw for us. The grandmother said I was an angel from God. Well, I would not be that angel without all my angel
backers (donors and volunteers).
I really wanted to see the girls so I invited them all for a dinner at the house that evening. The next thing I knew we started inviting everyone. Peder
from another organization, Carita de Feliz, our renter Amara, other local friends and of course all of the staff and volunteers. It was a blast! Dancing, legos, the girls proudly reading to me, yummy local food, laughter, joy and love.Several said it was the best party they ever attended! I must agree!
I met Maria Jose (see left as a street kid) over
several trips to Granada. She was always somewhere in the city selling something and we seemed to constantly meet up. She
and I became friends. Last year, in January 2005, I was in Granada helping to procure all the supplies for school and I ran into Maria Jose at the market where we were purchasing uniforms . She came in and asked what I was doing and I told her. She looked sad. I knew she was attending my friend Donna Tabor's school Yo Puedo for street kids regularly so I asked if she wanted to got to real school. She said 'yes'!!!
So we went to see her
Grandmother who was her guardian and she agreed to allow Maria Jose to go as well as her sister Maria Luisa. Well, we had a change of staff over the year, and due to her location, we almost 'lost' Maria Jose. Anielka set off various days with Jude armed with a picture of Maria Jose and finally found her. It turns out she and her sister finished the year with utmost success, pride, and joy.
Well today, when the Maria's Grandmother came, she took me and grabbed me with so much joy and love. Tears welled up AND openly steamed down her face as she shared her gratefulness and pride. 
Her girls were doing so well in school AND she decide to take them off the streets to make me proud. We sat down and talked and we laughed and cried and laughed and cried. Never have I felt so much gratitude....well it at least compared to the crowd of 300 and the party the barrio threw for us. The grandmother said I was an angel from God. Well, I would not be that angel without all my angel
backers (donors and volunteers).I really wanted to see the girls so I invited them all for a dinner at the house that evening. The next thing I knew we started inviting everyone. Peder
from another organization, Carita de Feliz, our renter Amara, other local friends and of course all of the staff and volunteers. It was a blast! Dancing, legos, the girls proudly reading to me, yummy local food, laughter, joy and love.Several said it was the best party they ever attended! I must agree!
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