Karla

I want to start something new on this blog. While I’m sure you all love to hear about my life and my struggles and the ins and outs of my daily life, I feel like you might also be interested in my kids. You are, after all, reading the blog of a full-time missionary/surrogate mommy. I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about my kids everyone once in a while. So I’m going to take the time to talk about my girls one by one, one a month, and hopefully you’ll get to know them a little better, too.

Karla is a hard little girl to pin down. She was brought to Esperanza Viva in September 2011 along with two of her brothers. I don't know the full story concerning the circumstances for which they were brought to us, but from what I do know and what Karla has told me, the children were grossly neglected. Upon arriving at Esperanza Viva, all three children had their heads shaved because of the filth that was caked in their hair, not to mention the lice.

Since coming here, Karla blossomed into a loving, serious and slightly mischievous young girl. The reason she’s on my mind, I think, is because she’s about to celebrate her tenth birthday, and this past week she was telling me that she was sad she wouldn’t be able to see her family. Since coming to Esperanza Viva, Karla’s aunt and uncle have visited her twice. Her immediate family has never come. And for Karla, family is everything.

The most important thing you need to know about Karla is that she would die for her brothers. They are the most important people in her life, and she would gladly give up everything that she had for them. Like normal little boys, they take advantage of this, and constantly hound Karla for candies and treats, but it doesn’t even faze her. She would rather give her candy to her brothers than eat it herself-pretty amazing, for an almost 10-year-old.

Although Karla loves to laugh and play, she has a serious side that sometimes comes out. She doesn’t like to be alone, ever. She’s almost afraid to be alone. I don’t know why she feels this way; all I know is that if she is by herself, it’s never on purpose. Karla needs and seeks the company of others at all times.

What I find most amazing about Karla is even though she has been hurt, it doesn’t stop her from pouring love into others. In her shy, affectionate way, Karla loves everyone she comes into contact with. She is a child who has every reason to shy away from people, coming from a past where the people who should have loved her chose to hurt her. But instead of avoiding people, she seeks them out. She is a friend to everyone, from teens to little children to the various groups that come down. Everyone knows and loves Karla. And while I wonder at the kind of people who could have mistreated this clever little girl with bright eyes and a big smile, I can’t help but thank God that she is with us today.

Karla will have the chance to be loved here, something she never had at her house. She will be cherished, maybe even a little spoiled. She will have a good education and, most importantly, she will grow up in the knowledge that there is a God who loves her more than she can imagine. Although the circumstances that Karla and her brothers came to us out of were awful, God has given these children something they never had before: a future. And right now, I get to be a part of that.

For more information about sponsoring Alisha Tomsen please email alisha.tomsen@gmail.com.