space, girls, and fiestas

I think my personal space bubble is shrinking. I feel better when I´m smooshed next to people while traveling in a vehicle. I love the hugs and kisses from the family we spend a lot of time with. It is a big deal when one of the street kids, Javier, does the traditional kiss on the cheek. It is a sign of trust and friendship. It´s almost comical how much space we need in the states. What are we so afraid of? Why are we so afraid of touch? I can see the gift of individuality. We are able to make our own paths and build new things. But what have we lost? Have we lost the ability to make time, really make time, and space for friends and family? Are we so busy with us that we have forgotten how to be family?
I went to a quincianera on Saturday. It is basically a huge party for a girl when she turns fifteen. It felt like a wedding without the groom. There was a mass where her parents told her to continue to listen to God. She made a statement about following God. There was a part where all of us said, "Te amamos Gabriella" which means, we love you. We had dinner and dancing after all of that. It was a big deal. But what I keep thinking about is this, all girls - and probably guys too - deserve to be celebrated like that. All girls need to have a room full of people saying they love them. What an incredible affirmation of becoming a woman.
I was at a coffee shop the other day, when two girls selling stickers came in. I talked with them for a while and drew with them. It was really sweet. They are seven and eight. They don´t go to school because they have to sell stickers. They are already stuck in the system of poverty. If a family is able to afford school, they send the boys first. So these girls wander the city selling stickers because of poverty and desperation. Of course we didn´t talk about all of this, it´s normal for them. Child labor is normal here. And it is breaking my heart. I want to throw a big party for these girls too. The girls in the city are much more difficult to find because they wander the city. The boys are a lot easier because they are mostly in the central park shining shoes. The problems are huge. And it is a system that is difficult to fight and even harder to understand. I am glad to be here and be part of this for a little while. I am glad to know these kids and learn how to see them as God does. They are his children. But my heart is broken too.