Pack of Puppies!

This house can never be boring; there is always something to liven it up. One morning last week, someone left three puppies on our front door. They were newborns, not even old enough to open their eyes; squiggly, helpless, hairless little bundles, whimpering and wriggling around the box. As soon as Magda said we had a surprise in the entranceway, Sheila ran to see; delightedly picking up one of the puppies from the box. The puppy, a Boxer, was antsy and looking for food. With a bowl of milk, Sheila began dipping her finger in milk and offering it to the puppy who sucked it up, possibly eating the first meal of its life. It was such a precious moment.

Sheila begged Magda to keep them; but, sadly, we couldn't.

Sheila has this maternal tugging at her heartstrings whenever she sees a pregnant woman, baby, or baby animals. She craves to care for things. She touches the bellies of pregnant women she doesn't know, plays with babies who are perched on the backs of mothers during mass, sleeps with three dolls in her bed and cradles our dog Pucca in her arms. The generosity of her heart is enormous even though her own has been hurt so much. Whenever she sees someone begging or a very elderly person on the street, she comments on how sad it is. She knows because she has lived it.

The puppies are gone but her desire to care for things is not. Though in many ways she seems a child herself, she is most definitely a mother first; always wondering how her children are, always having this idea she must save up money to send to them. It really amazes me the generosity of people who hardly have anything themselves. Living in this community in Chorillos is really teaching me about how communities look out for each other, care for one another, and making me think of the everyday little things I can do to help.