New friends and favorites

Wednesday and Thursday have been my favorite days so far. Joshua, Caleb, and I met up with Isaac and the kids from the orphanage at the park. Isaac is 22 and is originally from BC Canada. His family lives in Riobamba, Ecuador and runs an orphanage there. He moved here to Macas last year to start an orphanage after hearing that there was a need for one in the city. There are about 12 kids that are living in the orphanage, and most of them are jungle kids. Isaac says he's strict about rules with them because a lot of them have never had anyone care before about what they did or when they did it. I had so much fun playing with the kids! One of the little boys in the orphanage, Daniel, is 7 and has a mental and physical disability. He always runs up to me and tugs on my shirt to pick him up. When I do, he gives me a big kiss on the cheek. Isaac was telling me (while Daniel was hitting him) that Daniel only hits people he likes. I said that was pretty funny, because so far all he's ever done is kissed me. He told me Daniel must hate me then. :) 

Another wonderful thing about the park is that it is at the top of a hill that has a 360 degree view of the city and surrounding jungle. It was BEAUTIFUL. We could see the Sangay Volcano because the sky was so clear; I was told you're lucky if you see it 5 times in a year. You could see the whole volcano and it's HUGE. It's so close to the city! Another gorgeous view was of the river that runs through the jungle. 

I think I've found my new favorite spot in the city. I'd like to make the walk out to the park ocasionally in the evenings just to sit and look out at the beauty God has created encircling Macas. 

The orphanage house is on the other side of the city from where I live, and I went there yesterday to visit Isaac and the play with the kids. He doesn't really get to spend a lot of time with people over the age of ten, so he invited me to come over whenever I had some free time. After talking to Isaac for awhile, I asked him who cut all the kids hair. He said someone at church usually does, but the kids hadn't had haircuts in months. I told him I cut my brothers' hair every now and again, and he got really excited. I told him I like cutting hair and would gladly cut the kids' hair sometime. "How about right now?" was his response, so I said of course. For the rest of the afternoon, I gave haircuts to 10 of the kids. He didn't have a buzzer, so I had to cut the boys' hair by hand and it took a little longer than I'm used to. I cut Anaela's hair first of the girls, and she wanted a chin-length bob with bangs. After I cut here hair like that, all of the girls wanted the exact same hair cut. So I guess I'm responsible if Isaac can't tell the girls apart anymore. :)