First sunday of our project, Magis... April 23, 2006... a lot of hope, great expectations for the group, a great will to work... since very early that morning, every corner of the classroom we managed to get (borrowed) for our meeting is decorated and by area: "Storytelling", "Drawing and Painting", "Games", "Creative Hands"... the only thing left: waiting for the kids to arrive... Butterflies in our stomachs... What are we going to do? Will they participate in the activities with us? Will they like all the things we prepared for them? Will they come back? So many questions running around inside our heads!... Doubts disappear with Milagro's shy smile. She's 7 years old and sells candy every night, she's tired because she hasn't slept just to get in time for our little meeting, she stares at us and says hello, one by one she gives us a kiss and a hug! So much love! Her eyes shinning while she looks around, finally she finds the table with the handcraft projects, she sits down and starts asking, a few minutes after we discover that she's got an extraordinary ability, she quickly fills the wire with beads to make a beautiful bracelet. While she works she tells us that she can't go to school because she hasn't got the supplies, she says she's good in math and talks about her mom and sister. After a couple of hours she's still cheerful, she wants to keep making bracelets! We tell her that it is time to say bye for now, that she can take the three bracelets she made with us and that we look forward to teaching her how to make earrings the next time, her face lights up and once more that smile appears. All the doubts, frustration, problems, everything disappears with that smile, our hearts feel bigger and the satisfaction is immense... Thank you Milagros! We'll keep up the work!

"For a world within the reach of children"