Shocked.

Today, we had to say goodbye to one of the girls. She will be returning to her family, and her departure from the home was announced less than a half an hour before she left with her cousin. This came as a complete shock! The girls who are home during the afternoon were sitting in the study room when the psychologist walked in and announced that she would be returning to her family. However, as of now, it is uncertain where the young girl will end up. She has many different family members--her father, her grandfather, her grandmother, and cousins--traveling into the city during the next few days to sort out where and with whom she will be staying, and who will have legal guardianship. It is incredibly sad to me that she has a multitude of family members who live in the area, and many of them have said they have no interest or desire of taking her in. Her mom died when she was younger, and her dad lives and works in a mine in a very small, rural town in the Yungas, the jungle area in the department of La Paz.

She had previously lived at the girls home, and eventually went to live with her cousin. About two months ago, however, she showed up at the home bruised and crying because her cousin had been abusing her--mentally and physically. Transitioning back into the house has been very difficult for her, especially since she was given too much freedom for a girl her age while living with her cousin. Lately, she has seemed very unhappy because boundaries have been set in order to protect her, but she does not see it this way.

So, to say goodbye to her today was very strange and very sad. She has bounced between the homes of different family members and Ninos con Valor, and I only hope that she can find a stable, peaceful, comforting environment. She is an extremely sweet girl, but has been damaged and scarred by her experiences and the unfortunate circumstances she was thrown into.

I hope our paths cross again one day, and I hope she finds peace. I know that I will think of her often, as I think of Camila who left in January to live with her sister. This is definitely the hardest part of this work--saying goodbye to kids, especially knowing that they will not be returning to an ideal situation. But, we must have faith that things will work out.