"beautiful day"

me at sports day- we were clearly the black team

me and my roommate lauren on sports day

some of the kids at work got ahold of the costumes

what a face

what a week it's been so far and it's only monday night,

Yesterday i had what i like to call a "beautiful" day at work. Two of the boys at the "bait hanoar" have a particularly troubling story- they all come from "broken homes" but this one is a little more extreme. The kids witnessed their father murder their mother. So the "bait hanoar" has arranged for the kids to get counseling. So, yesterday I had to leave work to go pick up one of the brothers and his two little sisters from counseling. I went to get them, the boy is part of my work but his two sisters are too young to be part of it yet. The place was definitely not easy to find and the people in charge had a hard time giving the kids over to me as they didn't know me and didn't understand how i didn't speak hebrew well. I took the 3 kids to the bus so that they could go home. The boy i know very personally as he is at work everyday- he's one of the kids who creates trouble and is very loud, but at heart you know he's a good kid. This was proven to me on our journey home yesterday. As we got on the bus from counseling yesterday it was very crowded and we were all standing. When i saw a seat open up i told the boy "yesh kise sham" (there is a seat there). He smiled and went to sit down. Then i saw his little sister walk over, when he noticed her he got up looked at her, said "at rotza?" (do you want) she shyly nodded, and he helped her up into the seat and stood next to her. I couldn't believe what i was seeing, the little boy who gives me trouble everyday at work really is a great loving kid deep down who just has a troubled past. That's why i like to say it was just "beautiful", to see his progression. It truly is a great feeling to see something like that, that the "bait hanoar" and i for the time that i'm a part of it can help the kids the way we do. Today by the way, the little boy was a lot more obedient toward me and warm, though just as crazy and loud as every- i think he just has great spirit. 

Today at work we had about 30 soldiers come to do activities with the kids. As they entered one of them asked me if I worked at the "bait hanoar" instead of the army (as the other girls or counselors do). At that point i told her no and that i was american, and she realized how bad my hebrew was and we switched over into english. It was a great thing to see the kids with the soldiers. I couldn't stop smiling as i watched the little kids wearing the army hats that the soldiers let them wear, and playing games and laughing with the soldiers. All i saw was the kids futures' right there. It was also great to see the soldiers having fun with israeli youth while on duty.

It's a hectic week- michael and orna are coming wednesday night. Then, i have a end of the semester party thing thursday night. Two of the boys in Petach Tikva on my program and leaving this next week so friday night we're having "Family shabbat dinner" and then after i have my friends birthday party in tel aviv. 

xx-steph