La Casa de Maytén: April Update Part I! Noticias Abril Parte I !

1st Karate Class with Alberto

Dear friends, this April has been quite special and busy for the kids and us at LCDM. We have been working hard on our final house repairs, offering creative workshops, academic support, and taking kids on weekend group retreats to give them a spectacular month. Luckily Andy and I got some help from our dear friend Abel, and our new friend and volunteer Alberto. The four of us have been able to offer the kids opportunities for learning new, fun, and interesting things. Alberto, our Karate instructor and movie night coordinator has been of great help this month and the kids could not be happier to have him. Abel as always has been working with us to give kids the extraordinary gift of music and boy are they hooked with the guitar! Our house is filled with life and activity and the kids are enjoying every bit of it!

Discussion after movie night!

Queridos amigos, seguimos trabajando para dar a nuestros chicos nuevos talleres y nuevas herramientas para crear y generar bienestar. Este abril hemos estado ocupadisimos con reparaciones de casa, talleres creativos, apoyo academico a los chicos, y pasando mucho tiempo hablando con ellos en retiros los domingos o durante nuestros talleres de creacion literaria. Gracias a la vida nuestro querido amigo Abel como siempre nos ha dado una mano ofreciendo clases de guitarra a los chicos, y nuestro nuevo amigo-voluntario Alberto tambien nos ha ayudado mucho no solo ofreciendo clases de Karate y coordinando noches de cine y conversatorios, si no tambien pintando, cocinando, ayudando a los chicos con matematicas y ajedrez. Queriamos dar a los chicos un mes maravilloso y sentimos que realmente este mes es especial y estamos agradecidos por todos los momentos lindos que seguimos viviendo juntos los chicos, voluntarios, Andy, ustedes que nos leen, y yo!

We have tons to share but unfortunately we no longer have a working computer at home so my entry will be shorter this time....sorry guys! I really hope though that each of you reading and seeing these pictures can sense all the love, life, learning, friendship and fun impregnated in these images. Enjoy with us and know that meaningful friendships are not only possible but incredibly enriching. Until next time friends!

During our chess workshops...taller de ajedrez!

Queridos amigos, tenemos mucho por compartir pero ya no contamos con una computadora en la casa asi que esta entrada sera breve pero espero aun asi puedan percivir todo lo maravilloso empapado en cada momento aqui capturado.....y sigan visitandonos que partes 2 y 3 ya vienen en camino!!! Hasta prontito!

We finally finished painting our giant recycled chess pieces!

Arts and Crafts workshops...repairing our beheaded puppets....arreglando nuestros titeres que perdieron las cabezas en una de las varias inundaciones que ha sufrido nuestra casita...pero ya estan bien! :)