Our Guests Enjoy Themselves in our Luxurious Pool!

5-26-2011

Three Nights and Four Days in Sunny Beaufort, South Carolina.

 Itzel asked us over month ago if she,  her little sister Vanesa, and brother Chris could stay with us when her mother had to go into the hospital for several days. I don't think we had a chance to say no. The 3rd grader was quite persuasive. They were our guests from Wednesday night until Saturday morning when Rachel and I drove them back to the migrant camp. 

They loved swimming in our olympic size swimming pool, watching the boats on the Beaufort River from the Henry Chambers park, and feasting on ice cream of all flavors. When Vanesa was born two years ago, Itzel and Chris stayed with my family while their mother was in the hospital . It is so amazing to me that Itzel seems to remember every little detail about her stay in our house: our dogs names, our day at the beach (and the fact that we accidentally left all her shells at the beach that day), and Rachel's bedroom full of all kinds of wondrous things. 

I wish that all the children who live in the small rooms of the camps could spend time on the beach, playing in the waves, and eating ice cream on hot summer days. I am concerned that these visits to our house make it difficult for the children to return to their home in the migrant camp on St. Helena. We tend to really pack in a lot of activities during their visits. I just don't want to complicate their lives any more than they already are. 

Depending upon another doctor visit this week, there is the chance that these little guys might be staying with us for an extended period of time. Amy and I realized that we are not as young as we used to be, but we are trying to figure out the best way to proceed in the event that their mother might need to spend an extended time in the hospital. 

Without Rachel, who will be in the Dominican Republic for most of this summer, it's hard to imagine that Amy and I can provide the care that we would want to give these kids should they stay with us again. We shall see.