Fathers Day

Not only is he an amazing Daddy to our three children, but he has also become a loving Papa to the kids at Casa de Paz.  For some the only father they have ever known, lack of a  father being the reason many of them are here in the first place. With the father out of the picture and the single mother not able to support the children on her own they end up here. And for others - ones that come from abusive homes where all they know is to fear their father - Jake is their first picture of of what a loving father really looks like.

I love watching Jake with the kids. Whether he's holding baby Tahlia, or playing cards with the boys, there is no doubt about how much he loves his kids. Sometimes after a long day of fixing broken pumps and pipes or gates, and sorting through problems with people, and all the other little things he deals with everyday, I know he would rather just sit down at the end of the day and relax, but instead he goes out and spends time with the boys. Jake and I both know what it means to grow up not having a dad around to spend time with, he put food on the table but other than that we knew to just stay out of the way; not that it was really their fault, it was simply the culture they were raised in. ( today they are different people) So to see kids coming in here looking very timid and afraid, our hearts go out to them. Jake has a way of approaching them where they soon turn that timid face into a smile when hes around. He often comes in with his shirt all stretched out of shape and I know he's been wrestled down by a whole bunch of little (and some not so little) boys wanting to be tossed up in the air, sometimes his throat is sore from them hanging on his back with their little hands wrapped around his neck.

Fathers Day gift from the boys

Today for Fathers day Jake got three gifts from three of the kids, something they had worked on as a school project. One of them came to our house bright and early cause they just couldn't wait! I thank God that this year a few more kids had someone to give their fathers day gifts to.