A Little Bit of Love - by Haley

I officially love the kids at the school in San Marcos.

I think I started loving them a long time before this, but now I realize that I only have 3 more days left with them, and I am really going to miss them. It´s funny, because I feel about them rather like I feel about my family. The kids misbehave a lot, and don´t seem to respect me much when I try to correct/scold them. But they´re awesome. We´ve developed a relationship, and I love them. No matter what. I think they all call me ¨Haley¨ now, instead of ¨gringa.¨ When we see each other on the street, they call my name excitedly. They make conversation with me, instead of acting all shy. They ask me to tell them stories. They teach me how to play games like ¨cebollita¨ and ¨landa fruta.¨ They play make-believe with me. They ask me to teach them songs and English words. They give me huge bear hugs around my legs, and then lean back to look up at me with big eyes and even bigger grins. They fall over each other to let me take their pictures. They play with my hair, and tell me that it is beautiful. And today, one of the 7-year-old boys stretched out his arms for me to pick him up. When I did, he wrapped his arms and legs around me, gave me a peck on the cheek, and laid his head on my shoulder. We stayed like that for ten whole minutes.

It feels so good to be loved by these kids, and to love them in return. I´m going to miss them so much.

Thank you, Lord, for bringing me here.

--Haley