my new boyfriend

I'm always intrigued by the connections that just happen between people--how you can meet some one and in ten minutes just feel a love and friendship. I always think those connections are somehow divine--God creating a link between lives.

In El Salvador, there are a whole lot of cute kids. And I love just hanging out, giggling and getting to know them. But every once in a while, a kid just grabs my heart...And so, I would like to introduce you to just such a kid.

Everyone meet Julio.

Julio lives in San Martin near the Good Samaritan church. Two weeks ago we were building a retaining wall right below the church and early in the morning Julio showed up to watch the action. Julio is 4 (although he will sometimes tell you he is 2--who doesn't lie about their age from time to time?) Well, he hadn't been there too long before he was playing and giggling amidst all the work. And his laugh is simply infectious! I could listen to it all day long--and well, I think I did listen to it all day long, because Julio knows how to have a good time. He was playing in the dirt, with the dirt--in the tires, with the tires--in the trees, with, well you get the picture. His favorite toy is a length of rope that he used to create a swing and that entertained us all for at least an hour. Although I doubt that there is any item that Julio could not make a toy out of.

And in his way, I learned some important lessons from Julio. Have fun. Always have fun. If things aren't fun, then whip up some fun. Giggle. Giggle a lot. In fact, try giggling nonstop and just see what happens. How great is it that a 35 year old can learn such important things from a 2 year-old, oops, I mean 4 year-old.