I was finally able to get internet connection!!! YES! (I'm actually not on my lap top...but that's okay).  Anyways, we arrived in Venezuela Tuesday night.  We flew into Caracas and spent the night there.  The next morning we had a nice and VERY long bus ride to Barinas...9 hours!  It was okay though, and a really good opportunity to spend time with the team and get to know everyone.  Everyone on the team is so nice and so fun!  It seems like we are going to have an amazing mission!

At around 7:15 AM we were off to the hospital.  I was so anxious and excited to finally arrive!!  As we just pulled into the hospital I was able to see crowds of mothers holding their cleft lipped children, and families gathered with their children by their side.  To be honest, I think was my first time ever seeing a cleft lip in real life.  It was just an unreal experience.  Being able to witness all of this, and be a part of it was just so incredible. 

At first it was a bit chaotic and overwhelming for me.  I was a bit intimidated at first but as soon as screening began, Andrea, the other student here with me on the mission, and I immediately began playing with the kids.  Screening is the process that the patients must get through and evaluated on whether or not they are fit for surgery.

As the parents and children were waiting in line to be screened, Andrea and I began playing with them.  There were a few of the children that just were permanently stuck to us.  Alejandro for example, he was so sweet.  Whatever we brought out he just pounced on, and played with everything and anything he could.  He must have put at least 20 stickers on me, and another 20 on himself!  He seemed to have had a previous surgery on a bilateral cleft lip, meaning both sides of the lip once had openings.  He was only four years old and just couldn't leave us and the toys we brought out.  There was another beautiful little girl, who was only six years old, who was playing with me outside the screening area.  She was adorable and just loved the beaded necklace I gave her, and loved drawing pictures.  I happened to walk by her during her screening process and she got up from her chair and came and gave me a hug.  She was just so cute!  I fell in love with almost every single child, despite the fact that we didn’t speak the same language!  My Spanish is actually improving, if I may say so.  For now my most important phrase is, “Hablo mui poco Espanol”, and “Hola”, but it is for sure getting better by the minute!!

There were so many other children that were so adorable!  Edimar, another young girl for example, who is four years old, kept coming back to me and loved to draw and show off to me what she can make out of her play-dough.  She was just so adorable, and loved taking pictures with me (which I can hopefully upload)!  I knew that wouldn't be the only connections and bonds I would make with the children here, and I am just so excited and looking forward for the rest of the mission!!!