SaimasCharityTravels

So having slept quite late due to the freezing conditions, it must have been about 1am when i think i managed to sleep, but my feet are like ice blocks and have been all night, no amount of blankets are keeping me warm and the rain against damp walls is doing nothing for me either.  So 5am i heard a cat that sounded like it was teasing about 10 dogs as they were barking like there was no tomorrow, the cat or cats were screaming and amongst it all the cockerel decided to its moneys worth in and starting cock-a-doodling away.  Still not able to feel my feet or hands, i decided to get out of bed and get ready for the day.  Little did i know the bathroom floor would be flooded, so i came straight through to the kitchen/living area.

I filled the kettle with water, gas on and cup ready.  Once the water boils i pour water it into the cup and then sit and warm my hands up, this is my only form of heat.

So as i potter around i look out my window to the ground floor in which the children live and as i stood there freezing, i saw the girls come out of their rooms, smiles on faces just dancing around on their tip toes, ready to start the day.  Some of them spotted me and waved with the biggest smiles on their faces, before helping take tables out for morning prayers.  Cannot ask for a better start to the day, then have these little angels warm me up with a wave and a smile.

So just before the end of prayers i managed to run downstairs, quietly walk in and stand to the side with my head bowed down to listen to the final 5mins before saying Amen, a few of them had spotted me and i was trying so hard not to look at them, as they would have got told off for not paying attention.   Once prayers were over one by one they came over to me and gave me a kiss and a big hug and they had no idea i had sweets in my pocket for them, so once i gave them some sweets they came over again and of course i wasn’t going to complain i had a second round of kisses.

On the weekends the girls tend to spend the day doing chores and the younger ones watch tv, which is on the top shelf in the music room which they watch movies on, today was Tarzan which they had never watched before.  I helped mamita Remigia make the afternoon lunch, it does take time to prepare so i helped her make the batter for the cauliflower fritters, then i sat with the rice and searched for stones and bad rice, they do not have pre washed basmati rice like what we get from the local supermarket.  We played a few games too and time just flew by.

After lunch it was time for chores, which meant cleaning the floors, the tables and doing the laundry. I found it really difficult to watch the girls doing the laundry, in freezing water they would wash the clothes, use a pice of wood and scrubbing brush to scrub the clothes and slowly their hands were becoming increasingly colder and from the water and i was shivering just watching them.  I wanted to take it all and go to the local dry cleaners, but they may never have such luxuries once they leave the orphanage and they were being taught to look after themselves i guess and i had to accept this was their weekend duties.

Just watching these girls is truly unbelievable, as i sat there shivering from the cold i just couldn’t help but feel emotional as this is just one place i have witnessed first hand, this is happening everywhere and they just get on with it and they i just wished i could do more.

Later on in the evening i was still struggling to warm up, after chores we played a few games, and i sat and watched them play a game which they explained to one another in Spanish how to play and they just giggled and laughed and ran around without a care in the world.  They were running up to me and warming up my hands, they were worried about me being cold. These bonita niñas have to live in wet, damp conditions all day everyday, i am only here for another week yet they were concerned about my cold hands and being so cold.

I really can’t say anymore about the emotions that i have experienced today, this page and the pictures may give you an idea though.