Christmas Visit

Yesterday V went to visit Gerson and Elviz and to deliver some Christmas gifts.  If I have not mentioned it before, V is incredible, and I have no idea what we would do without him.  Because I had no good way to send multiple gifts from here, he was my personal shopper for Christmas gifts.  I am so very grateful that we have his help!

He met the boys at their house.

and delivered a food basket for their family.

 Little Jeferson is such a cutie.

 Handsome, handsome Gerson

 Waiting to go -

 Then, they went to deliver gifts to their cousins.  I just know G&E thought they were hot stuff riding around in the back of the truck :)

Siomara, Emanuel Artoro, and David

 Next, they went to visit their grandmother at work.  (On a side note, I have been in the yellow building before.  And months later when I was trying to tell V how to find it, I kept telling him that it had office supplies painted on the side. . . he thought I was crazy!  Ha ha ha.)

 Finally, they went shopping to get some new shoes, jeans, and shirts. 

 Baby Britany was too tired to shop!

 Merry Christmas, Gerson and Elviz!  I love you all the way, all the time, and no matter what.

(And next time, I will add a stop at the barber shop to your trip!!!)

Elviz's 7th Birthday

Elviz celebrated his 7th birthday in November.  Fortunately, someone was traveling to Guate around the same time, so I was able to send down a small package for both boys.  One of my sweet friends showed some love to Gerson and Elviz and picked up some bilingual children's books for them while she was on vacation this year, so we got to send those down as a birthday gift! 

V met them in the usual place to deliver the gifts and pinata and to let Elviz pick out a cake.  He chose chocolate :)  The family told V that the boys, their mother, brother, and sister were now living in a different place with the mother's boyfriend / husband.  V (because he is awesome!) offered to drive them home so that he could see the place. 

Their new home is still not in the greatest area, but the area is at least "safe" enough for V to visit.  That's an improvement from the grandmother's house.  Here is Elviz opening his gifts -  

 Gerson, Jeferson, and Elviz

 The mother's husband (coincidentally, his name is Gerson), Gerson, and Jeferson

 Yay, books!  Thanks, Ang :) :) :)

 Gerson, cousin Marlon Josue, Jeferson, and Elviz

 This is at the side of the house. . . probably not very good during the rainy season.

 The grandmother and mother standing outside.

 Gerson, baby Britany, and Noemi

 Sweet and precious boys

 Hanging out with their cousin and brother

 It is simply amazing how beautiful, strong, and brave these boys are.

 Sister & Mother

 Gerson coming up the stairs to the street.

September Visit

As I am looking forward to an update this week, I realized that I had not posted anything about our last visit.  No better time to catch up than now!

After the ultra-short July visit, I decided to try something new.  I wanted V to be able to spend more time with the boys to find out more about how they are doing and also to help build our relationship with the family.  So, we invited them all to lunch at Pollo Campero to celebrate Independence Day.  It worked out to be a nice visit.  Gerson, Elviz, their grandmother, their mother, and 6 of the other children came to play and have lunch.  There are 3 other adults and 3 other children in the household who did not come. 

Gerson and Elviz seemed to be doing fine.  They both look like they have gotten taller and still pretty skinny.  Gerson ate a lot, and then asked for extra to take home.  Elviz didn't eat much.  They also asked if they could take some home to their cousins who did not come - very sweet!  Their grandmother told V that Gerson and Elviz are like twins, because they are always together.  She also said that they are very good at taking care of their younger cousins and are always looking out for them.   

The family shared that the government has given them materials and labor to build a new house.  They said that there were 3 laborers to help them, but only for 1 month's time.  So they have all been working a lot to try to get the house built in that short amount of time.  This has a mixed blessing for them, because the time that they have spent working on the house has had a very negative impact on their business.  Also, it is a better structure, but it is still in the same dangerous location.  At the time of the visit, they said that the walls were half way up on the house, so hopefully it is now complete and they are enjoying their new home. 


Gerson & Jeferson (brother) playing on the slide



Gerson & Karolyn Avigail (cousin)

Maria & Karolyn Avigail (cousins)

  

Yesica Siomara (cousin - I love her name!) and Jeferson

Handsome Gerson

Sweet little Elviz

Gerson, Marlon Josue (cousin), & Jeferson

Karolyn Avigail & Maria (cousins)

Getting ready to eat

Our friend holding G&E's new 1 month-old baby sister, Britany



Gerson & Elviz's mother and baby sister



Gerson & Elviz hanging out with their brother & cousins

July Visit

After over a month of trying, V was finally able to get a short meeting to deliver my packages and check on the boys last Wednesday.  Unfortunately, we didn't really get any information about anything . . . that is frustrating, but I am trying to keep a good perspective.  It may not be everything that I want, but just knowing that they are physically OK means a lot.  As I've mentioned before this relationship is a complicated one.  I recognize that these people do not owe me information or their time.  They do not owe me anything*, so I am grateful for anything that we get. 

*They DO owe very, very much to Gerson and Elviz, but that is a different subject. 

Gerson and Elviz look like they are doing well, and V reported that they were very happy to receive their gifts.

I think they look incredibly grown up, and of course, incredibly handsome.

They have changed a lot since that first delivery of Ziploc kisses back in July 2007.

Un-Update

I wish that I had an update to post here, but I do not have anything solid.  I sent little care packages to the boys earlier this month, but so far V has not been able to deliver them.  He had a meeting set for last Friday, but the family did not show up . . . and they have not been answering their phones. 

Right now we are unclear about where Gerson and Elviz are living and who they are living with.  Two weeks ago V spoke with the boys' mother on the phone, and she shared some disturbing news.  If what we have been told is true, then they have had a very difficult month.  I am so worried about them, and still so angry / sad / stunned that they have been put in this situation.  I wish I knew how to fix it. 

I hope that V can see them soon and make sure that they are OK. 

Easter 2011

This past Thursday we sent some sweet bread and drinking chocolate to the boys and their family as a gift for Easter.  The meeting to drop off the gifts also gave V a chance to talk to their grandmother again about how important it is to get the boys back in school . . . not sure that she agrees, but we will keep trying.  

It is good to see G&E looking well, even if Elviz is making a grumpy face.

I love them and miss them, and I am still in denial that *this* is reality.