Project #3

I am happy to announce that Project #3 is underway. While helping casa 7 clean their rooms and bathrooms, I noticed that there was a lack of toothbrushes, and the ones I did see were worn and dirty.  I made a mental note about it and when deciding what my next project should be, it came to mind. I will be making hygiene kits fort each child as well containing a toothbrush, toothpaste, a bar of soap, and a soap holder. 

There are just under one-hundred kids living there, and about one-hundred-twenty including kids from the surrounding area and the ones who are attending college. It's a lot of toothbrushes, and soap but it is something that will benefit each child.

Project #4 is also in the works. I want to make a basic first aid kit for each house. I talked with Tio Ivo, he said that they do have one in the main office, but not in each house. I think for emergency reasons one is needed in each house. I will be starting on this soon, hopefully in a few weeks.

One Of Those Days

I came home yesterday afternoon after spending the morning at the orphanage. The first things out of my mouth were, "I've been hit, kicked, tackled and bitten. I want a shower." My mom responded with "Oh, you had one of those days." Yes, yesterday was one of "those" days, and despite the brutal beatings it was perfect.

We were greeted by happy faces when we walked into the kindergarten. Each kid was working on a puzzle. I watched for a moment until I heard "Mira" look, and turned to see a girl holding up her completed puzzle. I walked over and knelt beside their table as I exclaimed "Que bueno, muy bien."  Not to be outdone, one of the boys tugged my hand and said "ayudarme" help me. I started helping him put pieces together. I pretended to put them in the wrong spaces and they would say "No!" and point to another spot. Occasionally a little hand would grab the puzzle piece and put it where it belonged. It was fun to see how they figured out where to put the pieces, some by trying  everything, some by matching up lines and colors.

We did puzzles, and then we sang songs and colored. They sang a song where the teacher would ask how are you today, and they would yell back their reply. It was the cutest thing.

 

We played outside. We played pato-pato-gonzo (duck-duck-goose) and then a game that resembled red rover and tag combined. I think they really just wanted to see us run around teasing them.

 

A few of us also climbed trees. We were feeling a bit sloth-like.

 

After we sat down, listened to music and ate cake to celebrate one of the Tio's birthdays.

It was a great day, my favorite part though was seeing Alejandro-Victor and Eduardo. I helped Alejandro practice his multiplication facts while Eduardo asked me all sorts of questions I couldn't answer. They talked to me about their day and about living at the orphanage and about foods they liked. I split my piece of cake between them to share. It was fun just to be with them and see them get excited over something like cake.

It might have been one of "those" days, I might have a few bruises and I might be a bit sore, but it was worth it. I saw smiling faces and got a few warm hugs and that's good enough for me.

The Power of Words

Three  years ago I picked up a book. On a car ride home we stopped in Palmyra New York at the Deseret Book Store. I quickly picked out two books to read, one was Spare Change by Aubrey Mace.  

 

In Spare Change, Riley Madsen has a New Years resolution to save all her Pennies for a year and donate the money  to a Cancer foundation. Of course it grows when her friends ad family help her by saving their pennies too. Add in a budding romance a secret admirer it was just the book I was looking for.  The story was well written, funny, and sweet. 

 

 It got me thinking; here I was, on a family vacation, just back from a month long summer camp and asking for a Nook for my birthday and of course a bunch of other little things. I was being selfish. I already had everything I needed and more. Then I thought, why can't I do something to help someone else?  College was still a few years away and I didn't have anything pressing I needed to save up for. I did quite a bit of babysitting for a few families in the ward and neighborhood.

 

As I thought more about this I remembered the kids at an orphanage in Arequipa we used to visit. We would bring cookies and play with the kids on Sundays. Sometimes we would bring old toys to donate or blankets and supplies. I remembered the feeling I got when I did something to help them and how fun it was seeing them play with their new toys and get a simple treat like cookies. I decided then that was what I should save up for. I figured in a few years I would donate the money. I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to come back to Peru.

 

My goal was 50,000 dollars. I now realize how unrealistic that goal was. Nerveless, I saved 90% of all my babysitting earnings, leftover lunch money, and all the coins I found floating around the house. If it wasn't in someone's bedroom, or in their personal belongings it was fair game.  In the first three months I had scraped together a little over 300 dollars. I started spending evenings rolling change so I could take it to the bank. It was a lot of work. 

 

I didn't make my goal of 50,000- not even close, but for being one person, and only babysitting I think I did okay. 

 

That book may not have been all that inspired me- but it gave me an idea, pushed me in the right direction. Would I still be here if I hadn't read the book? I don't know. Would I have still saved like a mad woman? I don't know. I don't know if it had a big impact- but I am a firm believer in the ripple effect and maybe along the way other ripples effected my course- but that first idea, the first drop in the pond, was there.

 

So that is how it started. On a road trip, with one book, and a lot of time to sit and stew about my life.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Words have the power.To create ideals, to destroy faith; To make critics into believers and dreamers into realist.  A few words inspired me to do something selfless and kind.

 

Be careful with your words- They are Powerful.