THE TEEN TIES PROGRAM IS OFF TO A GRAND START...and I would like to share with you some very happy and positive moments I have experienced when Chris, 20 years old, from NJ and Susannah, 20 years old from NY together with her Mom, came to visit Bogota on May 29 for a ten day stay. The main purpose of their trip was to visit FANA, maybe ask some personal questions, privately to Flor and Mercedes, look around their birth country, and just absorb what the culture and the people are all about!!! And wow, they did it!!! What fun was had by all. I truly feel that these kids, who didn't know each other before this trip, and who just coincidentally are the same age, and may have been in the same FANA nursery, and whose Dad's even work for the same company, will be friends forever now that they have re-met in Bogota! First day, a tour of FANA, and meeting all the people that were very important in their lives when they were adopted 20 years ago. Then each morning after breakfast, they were picked up and brought to FANA at 10am to begin working with the older children ranging in age from 2 to 10. Teaching them games, sports, helping the nurses feed them lunch, and giving them lots of love of hugging! Work ended at 4pm when they were picked up. We filled in any spare time on the weekends with touring, Chris went to a Soccer match, "awesome" both kids, went to Montserrate and Zipaquira, had lunch in the countryside. We had a fun dinner at Carbon de Palo, while enjoying enormous steaks and Colombian music (I personally think that this was high up on their list of favorites. We had dinner at my house one evening and dinner out another. Mercedes invited us to lunch at a trendy pizza and pasta place in Usaquen, and we shopped for souvenirs and for coffee. Susannah found these great jeans at the mall, and Chris a soccer ball and Colombian uniform. And the last evening, we just decided to take it easy, so we went to the movies !!! There wasn't enough time for a day, or overnight trip to Villa de Leiva, where recently the Cronosaurus prehistoric reptile was found, but we can save that for the next time, it is most certainly worth the trip out to this lovely colonial town. Well, Chris' dad arrived yesterday from NJ, and will take Chris to Cartagena tomorrow morning for two days before they return home. I can hardly find words to express what I felt seeing these wonderful and fine young adults return to visit, when it was so long ago that I saw Susannah leave in her parents arms. Chris and Susannah has agreed to write a few words as a testimonial of their stay, and have also offered email contact with any other FANA kids and their parents out there that might have some questions and like to know more about the possibility of visiting. In June Maggie from Pa. (16 years old) will be visiting, also Katie and her friend Clarissa. Then in July, Andres (13) from Boston with his three brothers and sisters. Thanks to Chris and Susannah for giving me the opportunity to host them, and share in their joy and fun!

I miss you!

love Tia Betty