Just outside of ancient Antigua at the Rosa DeAmor (Rose of Love) orphanage are five children that will tell you that their angels are named Rosie from Guatemala and Anne from Norway.

These five beautiful children love each other, play together and have huge smiles that will melt your heart. Big sister Anna Marie (upper left) is 16 years old, the second eldest is 13 year old Anna Lucia, Thomas is 12 and displays a beautiful laughing smile, precious Elena is 6 and stands alongside her mischievous little brother Eduardo who is 4. 

I first met Anne from Norway and Anna Lucia playing in a way that I will never forget, so much love and happiness, so much blissful abandon to everything else but each other. Anna Lucia clearly loves and trusts Anne and Anne clearly deserves it. Anne has that spark that energizes whatever space that she enters and the space that she filled in little Anna Lucia’s heart was large.

When I learned the story of these five precious children I wept over the hurt, pain and aguish they endured. Abandoned by there mother and stepfather, they were abused by those whose role it was to protect them, given up by those who brought them into this world. The details I will spare you, but my heart was broken by what I learned.

Rosie, convinced the authorities to allow all five children to come to Rosa DeAmor Orphanage where she serves as director. This is not the first time Rosie has been instrumental in keeping brothers and sisters together, this is her passion, her lifes work and I love Rosie for what she does. The world needs more angels like Rosie from Guatemala and Anne from Norway, angels indeed.

“I want to go barefoot because it’s holy ground; I want to be running because time is short and none of us has as much runway as we think we do; and I want it to be a fight because that’s where we can make a difference. That’s what love does.” 
― Bob Goff, Love Does

Anne from Norway

Rosie, director of Rosa DeAmor (Rose of Love) Orphanage

Anna Lucia, she loved this bracelet I gave her..