Visiting Aurelio

Aurelio has been one of my sponsored kids for 9 years and I finally got to visit him.  He lives in Guayaquil and I arrived last night (after being stuck in Lima for almost 8 hours!).

A representative from Children International came to take me to their operation center and I got to meet some of the workers and hear what they do there.  Aurelio and his mom were waiting for me.  He made me a gift and a card - so sweet. 

He was very shy and it took awhile for him to warm up to the day, but his mom was super chatty.  She asked me a ton of questions and wanted to take lots of photos.  She even asked about Charlie and Natalie within 10 minutes of us being there!  She also asked a ton of questions about India.  We communicated quite a bit in Spanish, but Anita was there to translate if I needed help.  

First we rode a ferris wheel which he had never been on one before. 

his mom and Anita - the Children International translator who went with me

Then we went to an arcade and played.  Aurelio, his mom and I played some games together including bumper cars!!  He and his mom played some games together - she enjoyed them as much as he did!!  

We ate lunch and then we went to their house.  He is 12 and has a 10 year old sister, a 15 year old brother and two other siblings who are older and married.  His mom is 39 and has 5 kids and 3 grandkids.  At the house, I met his dad, his older sister (and her 3 year old son) and his sister.  The whole family was nice and very proud to show me where they live.  They definitely live in extreme poverty, but you can tell everyone is loved and happy.  

his mom, sister, dad, sister, Aurelio