How Ten Days Can Change Your Life Pt. 3

I bet you thought I was done talking about Guatemala, But I don't think I'll ever be done. I can't stop thinking about it, and it's really given a new meaning to my life. Before my trip, I was really focused on myself, my future, my past, who I was, who I was friends with, who I was gonna marry, everything. It was all about me. Welp, the truth is, is that it's not all about me. There are a whole bunch of people in this world, who sometimes just need something as simple as a hug, or a smile, or a hand squeeze.

The biggest thing that made me realize this is this kid:

This is Oscar. He is two years old. He just came to Hogar De Vida this fall. His mom brought him there because she was pretty much living on the streets, and she couldn't take care of him. He is totally sweet. He loves to laugh. He loves to eat. And he has my heart. 

To be honest, I have never been good with toddlers. I felt completely awkward around them. I never knew what to do with them. Until one decided to attach himself to me. After that, it just came naturally. I know it sounds crazy, but I honestly felt like his mom. He called me "ma." I can't describe it. 

Oscar picked me, and I have no idea why, but he did. And that has changed me. There's not a day that I don't think about him, and I am so glad to know that God has His hand on Oscar. He's blessed him so far by putting him in Hogar De Vida, and I believe that He will continue to protect Oscar. 

It was so hard to leave because I know he's been through that already; he's already been left by his real mom. I can still see him, through the bus window, beans on his face and all, crying. I didn't really think he'd understand that we were leaving for good (he just turned two for goodness sakes), but I think he did. That's been really hard for me, because I hate thinking of hurting him. But I know now that we went there for two weeks to love those kids, and to be parents for them for the week and a half we were there. 

In life, all you can do is love people when you have the chance. Sometimes, it doesn't matter how little, or insignificant it seems; you never know how much it means. 

I'm going back. And I know that, and I can only hope that Oscar knows that too.  And I know it sounds crazy. It sounds crazy to me, too. but someday, I really want to adopt him....