Carlos Arrived

Carlos Mauricio, the brother of Isaac, came to live with us on Tuesday this week. It has been difficult for him and he wants to go back to live at home. He is 12 and coming from living with his grandmother who was not strict with him concerning food or medicine. When he did not want to take him meds he didn't take them. When he only wanted to eat chips and drink Coke for dinner, she let him. The rules here are much different. The kids take their medicine at 6 am and 6 pm and they are forced to eat their veggies and other healthy food. Like Isaac when he arrived, he throws up after most of his meals and has to eat again which he does not like. It took Isaac at least 2 weeks to get passed this so he may have a ways to go before his stomach adjusts. Also he is coming at a very difficult time for him. They just found out this weekend that his mother died in the U.S. last Thursday. She left the boys with her mom 3 years ago and went to the US and apparently did not have medications for her HIV and she died. Carlos took the news very hard so this combined with his change in home and new rules has made him a very sad boy this week. He stayed in our home the first two nights but since he was having a difficult time eating and adjusting, he was moved to the children's home to the room where Isaac sleeps. Hopefully he will come around soon with the regular attention and medications.

The info is that Gustavo is doing better, although he is still in the Hospital. I heard that he has been able to eat food again without throwing up and that his fever has gone. He has a condition in his mouth and throat though that they say sometimes is common. It is a white looking fungus type condition that is in his mouth and goes all the way down his throat to his stomach. This make his eating painful. The hospital had some difficulty getting the right medicine that the doctor ordered so his treatment was delayed. Hopefully he will continue to improve and can return to the casa soon.

Alba celebrated her 15th birthday yesterday, a really big deal for Honduras girls and they have a big celebration tonight for her. I think it is like a debutant ball. The kids all get really dressed up and they had fancy invitations to all her friends. The kids have been practicing their ballroom dance routine all week. Hopefully I will get some photos, but my camera does not focus well at night so we will see.