Local Things to do...

Wednesday and Friday afternoons we volunteer with local organizations. This week onWednesday we went to Casa Viva and learned about their foster care program. In the up-coming weeks we will volunteer there and spend time with 5 siblings who are in separate foster homes. We'll pick them up from their houses, and they will get to spend time with each other and with us. This week was just orientation, but I am excited to get to know the kids next week.

Friday we went down town and prayed in the parks. The area has a lot of street children and prostitution (which is legal here), but also child prostitution (which is illegal). Thursday evening we had watched a documentary called “Innocence Lost.” One chapter was about San Jose. Some of the tourist who were interviewed said things like, “these girls enjoy their work” and “they like to please a man, it makes them feel good about themselves.” The truth is most girls are trapped in prostitution for various reasons. Some were kicked out of their house, or left because of abuse, and life on the streets and poverty has forced them to find some way to make money in order to survive. Others may have been kidnapped or sold into prostitution. None of them enjoy it or want to be there. Most all of them feel worthless and have no other way to get a job and making a living.