Our "Adopted Daughter" - Esthela Sanchez

We arrived back from Michigan with the news that Esthela, the girl who had the kidney transplant, was ready to come with us! What a surprise! We thought that she would be in the hospital for another week after we got back - if everything went well. The doctors said that she was recovering so fast that she was ready to come with us, much sooner then expected. Praise God. This also meant that we had a bit of work cut out for us. Esthela has a special diet plus many medications she has to take throughout the day. The first couple months we had to arrange people to give her medicine at the correct time. But now that she is in a routine she is able to take the medicine on her own. Her mother, who is living with her here at YWAM, is still healing from the surgery of donating her kidney but is also recovering quickly. This precious 10 year old looks like a different girl then when we met her in the hospital only a few months back. Along with the chubby cheeks that came along with the couple pounds she's gained, her face also has the new look of a smile. She is full of energy and excited that the doctor has given her permission to go out more. We’ve been able to take her to new places and see her experience things that are “normal” for a child in the states. We’ve been able to take her to the park for the first time, to the movie theater, and now her favorite activity, going to the beach.