My heart is overwhelmed upon meeting 13 year old Francesca, a little girl staying with Kellie and the crew here at the Adventures Base in La Antigua, Guatemala. Kellie met Francesca almost 4 years ago when her World Race team helped tear down Francesca’s family home to rebuild one with a better foundation.

Francesca’s mother recently had to have surgery forcing Francesca and her 10 year old brother to drop out of school and become the bread winners for the family. The scars on her fingers tell the stories of 6 and a half 10+ hour days she and her little brother work sewing jeans in a factory each week.

Her dream is to one day have a job that is not as difficult. On the side she makes and sells vibrantly colored bracelets for 5 quetzals (approximately 75 cents) a piece.

Remarkably Kellie was given permission by Francesca’s mother to invite her for a sleepover at the base.

Today is the first time Francesca…

-left her village

-2^nd time she’s rode in a car

-saw a flock of more than 5 birds

-felt cobblestone under her feet

-sliced an onion, which made her cry and she didn’t know why

-made pizza

-sat in a hammock

-ate a donut

-took a shower

-heard someone snort when they laughed

And tomorrow she will have the opportunity to swim in a pool for the first time.

This is the first day Francesca has been able to just be a kid. When I look at her she is filled with awe and wonder, almost as if it were all a dream. Oh to be like this precious little one and to see things with fresh eyes.

Watching Gabe Sanchez interact with Francesca, was like watching the Father’s heart for each one of us. He so desperately wants the very best for us and longs for us to know that love.

Kelsey put it so beautifully, Hoy es un dia llena con cosa bonitas! “Today is a day of beautiful things!”

Today is a day of firsts.

Francesca's first time at the pool