When in Peru... : The Ripple Effect

I have never been a popular person, nor will I ever be; and that's okay, because that isn't something that is important to me. So when word got around at church that I was going to Westfalia orphanage and some of the youth were coming up asking if they could come with me, I was more than ecstatic- I felt blessed. One person can make a difference. I have a firm belief that even the smallest of act of kindness can do far more good than you could ever hope for or even imagine. But with a group, all invested, excited, and with a desire to do good, we can accomplish amazing things. Eleanor Roosevelt once said: "Small people talk about other people, normal people talk about places and events, but great people talk about ideas." One of my favorite children's authors, Dr. Seuss, wrote, "Unless someone like you, cares a whole awful lot, nothings going to get better, it's not." Both of these influential people had the idea that with great people, and with passionate drive, anything is possible. People have the power to change the world.

Today, eight of us went to Westfalia Orphanage and two more promised to come on Friday. We all pitched in and helped them finish cleaning their houses and classrooms in preparation for a visit by some important people from Germany.

Diana and Nicole decided to tackle what we would call the laundry room together.

Zach, Rebekah, and Yanela cleaned the kitchen and dining area.

While Deborah and Sammy picked up garbage from outside, Julia and I cleaned the bathrooms.

After we finished, I asked Tia Sara if there was anything else they needed help with in very broken Spanish, while the others were content to sit back and laugh at my measly efforts instead of offering to help. Thankfully Tia Sara is a very patient person and figured out what I was trying to say. When we were sure there was nothing else to do to help with the cleaning, we decided that in a place with a hundred kids running about it shouldn't be too hard to find some to play with. And it wasn't.

There was one girl sitting all alone in the back of the room spinning wool, so Diana and I decided to go and talk to her. She was really quiet when we first started talking to her and we could barely hear anything she told us. Her name is Milagros, she is ten, and has been at the orphanage together for at least a few years from what we could understand. She told us she learned to spin wool when she seven or eight and spent an hour or more each day doing so. Watching these little girls spin wool was something that I had never seen before. Intrigued, and hoping to get Milagros to open up I asked if she would teach me how to spin wool. She was a little surprised that I did not know how to spin wool and looked doubtful but still got me a stick and started teaching me. I never realized how hard it was to do and was quite impressed with their ability to spin wool with both speed and grace.

The experience of being taught something that seemed so simple but proved challenging was something that made me realize how humble we need to be as people to understand, accept, and even learn the valuable lessons that shape you as a being, challenge your strengths, and defines your weaknesses.

Nicole reading to a few of the kids.

Diana and Julia were playing pirates or something with a few of the boys. I'm not sure what they were doing exactly, I just know if involved play swords and light sabers.

Rebekah and her host sister showing some kids their phones.

Zach reading, and Julia taking a breather from all the running!

Sammy was there today and spent time reading with the kids too.

Me and my friend Melissa were playing with my camera.

We played with the kids until they needed to go eat lunch and then after a long lunch filled with fun stories and lots of laughter I showed Diana, Nicole, Zach, and Julia the animals.