I met Reyna in July 2005 on my second mission trip to Guatemala. I fell in love with her right away and we were inseparable the whole trip. Reyna was 10 years old when I met her and on one of the nights our group was there, with the help of a good friend translating, she told me her story of abuse that brought her to the orphanage. Her mother had broken both of her arms at different times and had tried to "sell her to men". A neighbor had taken her and her brother from their home when their mom was away and brought them to the orphanage where I met them in Xela, Guatemala. I had never heard such a horrible story from such a little girl and my heart was forever broken by it. On that trip, I also got to know her brother Wilber and all three of us became very close. I went back with four other friends in November to visit the kids at the orphanage again and got to spend more time with Reyna and Wilber! I went on another mission trip in July of 2006 and that was the last time I saw Reyna. I was crushed to find out when one of my good friends traveled there later in 2006, that Reyna's mother had came and taken her home again. I was able to get the address that her mother had given the social worker in the orphanage and when I went back to Guatemala to adopt my son in May of 2007...we went looking for them. We found the house after searching down many alleys in terrible neighborhoods in Guatemala City. My friend Pablo went to the door (the house was all sheets of tin put together) with me and spoke to the lady who answered. She said she had no idea who Reyna and Wilber were yest she continued to ask me why I was there and how I knew them. I knew she was not telling us the truth but had to walk away feeling hopeless to find her. The next year though...my best friend Angela went back again with me along with a good friend from Guatemala Romeo. When we went down the alley this time, there were kids playing and we asked them if the two lived there. They told us yes...they both lived there! After being told to come back several times to have them still not be home, the time finally came to see them! I saw Wilber and his mother walking up the alley to see us! It had been two years since I had seen Reyna or Wilber and there they were...but only one of them. The mom said that she hadn't seen Reyna for few years and had no idea where she is. Reyna and Wilber's mom was carrying a tiny baby and also had a three year old daughter with her. The three year old daughter was one of the children who told us that Reyna lives there. It was so frustrating to not get the truth and not be able to find out how Reyna was or what kind of situation she was in. I tried to ask Wilber but he would quickly look at his mom and not answer. My heart broke for her and him also but there was nothing we could do but love on Wilber and tell him how much we loved Reyna and him. This September, Shawn and I are going back to look for them again and are praying to be able to help in some way.
