Some Fish, new shoes, and a baby!

I ate octopus, squid and raw fish for lunch today. I'm not quite sure what got into me-must be the smog (the pollution here is unbelievable; the sky is a semipermanent shade of gray). The Buckner office went out to lunch today and I tagged along, the only "gringa," or white person among the Peruvians. That is getting to be the familiar routine around here-but I like it! However, I think eating octopus qualifies me as at least a third Peruvian, dontcha think??Yesterday, I tagged along on a mini-adventure to the middle of nowhere. First we went to a Chinese farm (?) where Buckner stores shoes. We packed them up and headed to another middle of nowhere to hand out the shoes at an itty-bitty Baptist church. We got to put new shoes on kids from the community-it was precious and they were so grateful. I thought I had seen some dirty, stinky feet, (and trust me, I have!) but these surpassed them all! The new shoes and socks stood out in stark contrast to their dirty, ragged clothes. And this precious one gave me a kiss in thanks! He's so proud!
And today, I had the honor of meeting my namesake!! Giuli and I went to visit Sofia, my pregnant teenage friend I told you about. Her baby was born Sat. night (interestingly, 2 hours after we left from visitng the hospital) and her name is Giuliana Kelli!!! I don't have words to tell you what that means to me. Today we went to visit and brought some baby stuff (two ladies from the last trip were so kind to donate money). I have never seen such a smile on her face-she loves being a mother! She told me that she felt no affection for the baby before, but now...oh, it was obvious how much she loves her little girl! I was looking down into the face of one of these babies last week (of the mothers who have been raped) and he was jus so innocent and precious amd I realized no matter how horrible the situation that brought this baby about, God used it for beauty and good. Just as He will do with the "ugliness" in our lives.
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Genesis 50:20

Also, will you please pray for this sweet girl? Her name is Kate, and she is five years old; she has a brain tumor and has surgery tom.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mcraekate