My top 5 photos from my trip

So, recently I had to send my Top 5 favorite pictures from my Buckner SOS trip to Peru to Buckner's Marketing Manager TK. TK is awesome and we got to hang out some in Peru, so she knew it would be hard for me to pick just 5 photos. I took over 300 photos while I was there!

I thought and prayed and then picked 5 pictures that I thought best portrayed some of my most memorable moments from my trip. I want to share them with you here.

By the way, I apologize that it is taking me so long to add to this blog. It takes a while to blog, for one thing. And I have a lot going on in my life, as I am sure you do. Another thing slowing me down is that I have been sad that I had to leave these children behind in Peru. I love my own son and family and friends, etc, but if you've been on a mission trip and worked with orphans, I'm sure you understand what I mean.

Anyway, without further ado...my top 5 fave pics!

Me and Bryan (I know that's not the way he spells it but I don't remember how he did) hugging
at the Hogar where he lives in Ancon (I think that's where this was). I got to help him with his new shoes.
Bryan has a piece of my heart and I hated leaving him. Leslie (Buckner Staff) explained after our visit that he is a true orphan. And not only has he dealt with the death of his birth parents, but he was "returned" by a set of adoptive parents as well. :( When I heard that, I wanted to go back and get him!
I wish he was adoptable! I love this precious boy. (This photo was taken by Jenny Pope of Buckner International.)

Thalia (age 14; she has been there since she was 12) and me at the girls home for girls rescued from sex trafficking Sunday 3-18-07.
Thalia really took to me and I to her--even though she wasn't in my group. I got to help her
with her new shoes, anyway! :) (The pic of me helping her with her shoes is an extra one I'm including in this blog--doesn't count toward the 5.)

5 year old Melindina (spelling?) at a Baby Home reaching out for some love.
I think this is a great representation of how eager these precious children are to receive true,
godly love. Once I picked her up she didn't want me to put her down!

Nyada, me and Dionicia at their girls home in Cusco. They made the "chal" I'm wearing. :)
They were so happy to show me all around their home! In fact, I was dizzy from the high altitude and could barely keep up with them. Another trip participant who is a nurse told me at one point that I didn't look well and then she asked them in Spanish to take it easy with me.

Me and Vladamir at the Boys Home where he lives in Cusco. I got to help him
with his new shoes, which happened to feature my college's colors! :) (Go, Campbell University!) I also got to play with him a little and hold him on my lap during VBS time. :) He's a sweetie.

I just noticed how he has his hand on my hand--eager for innocent and loving touch--even though he's sitting in my lap already. Love is the language that pulls us all together! We speak different languages and our skin tones are different but we have the same Father God who loves us. Praise the Lord for sending me to Peru with Buckner International's Shoes For Orphans Souls!

Go to www.buckner.org for more information!