The orphans from Alto Refugio had just arrived at our camp when a little girl came up to me, grinned, and held up her swimsuit. She had sparkling brown eyes and feet that didn’t want to keep still. We were going to have a camp introduction session before we let the kids go swim, so I asked Rachel to tell her she could swim later. She listened and nodded. A few minutes later, I saw her wearing her swimsuit. I soon learned the girl’s name was Anageyli. She looked about 5 or 6, but she was 8, and she was in my small group “Equipo Azul” (blue team). I figured she would keep me busy, and I was right. Anageyli would climb trees, venture too close to the pool when it wasn’t swim time, and wander off from the rest of the group.

The first night of camp, one of the other Northwood moms, Shelley, brought me a handful of blue markers and Anageyli. She plopped the little girl in my lap for a little impromptu face painting. Anageyli asked for a “flor” on one cheek. I asked Rachel for a little translation help. Flower, of course. As I brushed back her chin-length hair to draw the flower, I noticed a two-inch scar running down the edge of her cheek. I carefully drew the flower, although my hands shook a bit. Anageyli turned and offered her other cheek. “Corazon,” she said. Thanks to “Romancing the Stone,” I knew that corazon meant heart. Once I was done I took pictures of each cheek because there were no mirrors handy. She smiled and nodded when she saw the digital images on my camera, gave me a quick hug, and off she went.

The next day during our small group Bible study, Anageyli—by far the youngest in our group–did not want to sit still. I took her to a nearby table with our notebooks, pens, and markers. She was trying to write her name, but had trouble with the “g.” She had me write it several times before making the attempt herself. I started drawing pictures for her. Flor, corazon, mariposa (butterfly), tortuga (turtle), and more. Lori, the camp director, brought us a brand new 24-pack of Crayolas, and we colored. The picture Anageyli wanted to draw over and over was the mariposa.

I gave her a beaded necklace of flors I had made earlier. Her eyes lit up. “Si, si, gracias.” She talked very excitedly as I tied it around her neck. I heard the word “mama” in there somewhere, but didn’t understand much. The hug and kiss are universal, though.

We had more time to draw and visit during the camp. Her propensity to wander reminded me of my youngest daughter, Anna, when she was little. She could get into trouble when she was bored but also could be very sweet and affectionate.

On the last afternoon, Rachel and several other teens went with the orphans to help them carry their belongings to their old school bus parked a few hundred yards away and say, “adios.” Rachel said that Anageyli was crying. She didn’t want to leave. Moments later, Anageyli was back at the campsite. I gently took her by the hand to walk her back to the bus. I noticed she was barefoot. “Donde estas zapatos?” I asked in my broken Spanish. She pointed at the bus, and I lifted her up onto my hip. I began humming, and so did she. We both sang snatches of songs. I told her “es mi amiga” (You are my friend) and “te amo” (I love you). She agreed and rattled off something sweet in Spanish as she gave me another hug.

I learned Anageyli had only been at the orphanage for a few months and was just coming out of her shell. Her body bore witness to a very rough 8 years, and the reason she was removed from her home. She had dozens of scars. Despite the violent abuse in her past, this little girl radiated a lively, loving joy. I was reminded that God longs for us to experience His healing and embrace His love.

Transformation is God’s business, like the caterpillar to the butterfly.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
2 Cor. 5:17-18

Anageyli and her corazon