If a generation is about 18 years, then I've been coming to Our Little Roses (OLR) for almost a generation -- long enough to have fostered familiarity and make long-lasting friendships.

The first hour of my very first trip was an eye-opener. As soon as our group arrived on property, we were approached by many of the girls who were eager to meet us. They took us by the hand and led us around their home. Quickly the girls found out that there was a married couple in our group. Now the question was, "Who's married to Rick?" The girls guessed every white woman (blonds, then brunettes). And then they stopped guessing. It never occurred to them that he was married to me -- a brown-skinned woman of Filipino descent. And that we had been married for 20 years was even more astounding to the girls (we'll celebrate 34 years this year). By the end of the week, we felt we had served as positive role models for the girls at OLR.

Returning every year has made OLR feel like a second home. I feel at ease when I see the gates of the home. Everything feels right as the bus enters the property. Although the color of the walls and the furniture have changed in the apartment over the years, it's completely familiar to me. I look for the literal signs that indicate I've made my mark on the home - because the signs taped to the doors are in my handwriting: Bathroom A, Bathroom B, Bathroom C, San Jose, Sagrada Familia, and the signs in the bathroom stalls "Do not flush toilet paper. Please put it in the waste basket." I look forward to the meals prepared by Miriam and her sous chefs (the girls). I love to cook and I cook a lot, but I wish I spoke Spanish better so I could more fully express how much I appreciate her cooking.

Each visit to OLR is familiar, yet different. I know the routine of the girls getting ready for school. I know I'll have three delicious meals each day. I know I'll be doing crafts with the girls and possibly helping with English in Holy Family Bilingual School on property. I know we'll celebrate birthdays at the end of the week. What I don't know is which girl will want to hang out with me. Maybe it's the same ones from last year, but then again, maybe a new mission team member will be more interesting. I also don't know which girls will have left the home since my last visit. Some I get to see again -- and it's great to be able to catch up with what's going on in their lives. But many others I haven't seen since they left the home and I wonder how their lives turned out.

Rick and I suffered a tragedy that no parent ever wants to know. A part of us died when our younger son, Eric, died in July 2015 at the age of 21. The staff and the girls at OLR worried that we would never return to their home. They had known us for 11 years and had met our sons. I think they worried that they would never get the chance to grieve with us in person. But we did return seven months later. As expected, it was highly emotional. It was also a productive step in our grieving process as we were surrounded by people who care.

It has been an incredible and humbling opportunity to watch a generation of girls grow into caring and confident adults. Rick and I attended the graduation of Holy Family Bilingual School's first high school class. One of the university girls graduated with her degree in dentistry, completed her graduate studies in cosmetic dentistry, has been the OLR girl's dentist for several years, and now also teaches at the university. Another is studying psychology. One graduated from cosmetology school. Another completed her studies and is now a chef. We've met the beautiful babies and young children of several who are now living on their own. One teaches English to children in El Bordo -- the large slum area that runs along the river. We had the pleasure of meeting the husband and mother-in-law of one of the young women who works making tortillas in Guamilito Market.

To me, Our Little Roses is a familiar place with familiar people. Like all families, they struggle through the daily difficulties and celebrate the joys in life. I am thankful to be an observer and a participant in this awesome home for girls.

Cordella Miessau
Outreach Missioner and Youth Chaperone