I haven’t yet introduced Gemma, she is also here through Original Volunteers and arrived here a few hours before me on Tuesday. I will only be staying here for 2weeks, however she is planning on being here for the next 6weeks. She is much younger than i but the fact we are both here together and helping out doing something for these kids of Cusco, i feel regardless of background, ethnicity or wealth, we are 2 of the same people and the only thing that makes us different, is our skin colour!
So yesterday was a very unplanned day of events, started off by going to the local market for cooking essentials, so we managed to buy milk for tea and coffees and eggs (a major essential), bread and oil. We took Roxanna to the market with us, as we needed to know where we were going and it was just so funny to watch her make facial expressions on the items we were picking up, as to whether or not they were good or bad. I was also able to ask if there was a cheaper version, as they use that here at the orphanage and food and drink tastes amazing so didn’t feel the need to pay extra. It was incredible to have this 6year old girl guiding me around the supermarket, telling me what was good and not so good, trying to explain to me in her broken english and sign language how much something cost. She was adamant on helping carrying the bags and she just knew her way around everywhere. I think of children back at home and how we would never trust a baby to be able to go out on their own let alone do the grocery shopping, it was amazing to watch.
So back at the dorms, walked in and a few more girls had come home from school, again kisses and hugs and asking how we were. We stayed with them for about 10mins before heading back upstairs to drop off the groceries and get ready for further activities. We came back downstairs just as the girls were getting ready for afternoon prayers, they were all sat around the table with the bibles open, going through verses one by one. I can’t understand a word but they were debating about what they were reading and asked questions as well as Mamita (mommy) explaining to them what was right from wrong. These girls aged between 4 and 7years happily read to one another, before telling each other to bow their heads ready to recite their prayers. As the first child raised her hand to ask to say first grace, we all bowed our heads and i just listened to her thank the lord and give thanks for everything she had, to me she had very little and it upset me because little did i realise in her eyes and in her heart, she had so much to be thankful for, she once lay on the streets with nothing but tears and dirt surrounding her, she now has sisters, a mum and a roof over her head. Once she finished they went on to another 2 of them before finishing off and we all helped bring food to the table.
After late afternoon meals, i helped clear the dishes away and then asked mamita (mommy) if i could bring down the gifts and treats which had been donated so generously and brought especially for them, it was a very exciting time for me to be able to share all these wonderful donations and be the one to hand them to them and receive kisses after kisses of thanks.
I couldn’t have asked for a better response and i wasn’t actually expecting anything, i just wanted them to have warm clothes and new gifts and i think the pictures says it all.
SaimasCharityTravels 