SaimasCharityTravels

So today has been an amazing day and so much has happened and i can’t believe it’s over so quickly.  Last night i slept with 5 blankets on and i managed to stay warm over night, but i was quite excited for the morning ahead as we had quite a few things planned with the chicas.

So i was up by 6am and as i knew the girls would all be up by 7am, i braved the shower which was surprisingly tepid which was nice, usually i am faced with cold water which i have become quite accustomed to.  I showered and got ready into a white dress as i knew i would be going to church with the girls, put a little make-up and did my hair and before having breakfast myself, i could hear the girls talking so i went straight downstairs to say good morning to them first.  The welcome i got was just the most beautiful welcome ever, again one by one they came up to me showering me with kisses and hugs but this time, i got the thumbs up for looking ‘muy bonito’ as opposed to seeing me in my jumpers and house clothes and not particularly special.  They loved it and it made me so happy was incredible.

So once they had finished breakfast i went back downstairs and watched them get ready for church, it is always so nice to see them help each other come their hair and make sure they have their coats on and shoes, although as the weather has been so cold they pretty much wear their coats from morning till bedtime. We then had to make sure we all knew who’s hand we were going to hold and of course i got the little niña Jesenya as she needed to be with a grown-up, she is just so tiny and the cutest little thing ever and probably weighs less than a bag of sugar.

So we all walked to church in pairs and it just surprises me as i follow 6/7yr old girls crossing roads where no-one stops to give way and they know exactly where they are going.  I guess they do go every Sunday but it just amazes me the way they put their hand out to each other when crossing roads with any sign of danger to protect one another.

We arrived at church and the boys from the boys orphanage were already there, one by one they get up to say hello and then the Pastor will come over and do the same.  I didn’t know what to expect but the girls certainly did and they started sorting out where they wanted to sit and who they wanted to sit next to, before being told off by mamita for taking too long.  Once everyone had taken their places, the hymns began and i wish i could have taken pictures of the girls clapping and singing at the top of their voices the hymns they know so well.  It was lovely to watch them praising the Lord and singing at the top of their voices, it was all in Spanish almost like a karaoke event as the words were up on the screen for everyone, but it was quite moving.  I didn’t quite understand what they were singing about but i felt for the time we were there that the girls felt they had everything and were probably in the safest place they knew.

The younger girls went upstairs once the ceremony started to make pictures and i guess would not be able to sit still like the older kids.  The pastor started reciting verses from the bible and again it was all in Spanish but i did understand the moral of the service today was Importance.  It was very moving and as i sat there all i could think of was the girls i have grown to love and i prayed to God that he looks after them and looks after all these children whether they are in Peru or the rest of the world.  I prayed that they are always protected and that although these are good times for them as it is all they know, in my heart i want him to give them more, i want him to really help these children through life and give me the will-power to assist in doing so.

So after church we came back home and we all helped cooked lunch, they would not be eating until 1pm but it takes a little longer to prepare food for 14 girls.  I helped chop the tomatoes and peel and dice the cucumber but it got a little crowded in the kitchen so i decided to play with the girls whilst they waited for lunch to be prepared.  Lunch for them today was rice with lentils and salad and it did look good and they seemed rather hungry as they managed to lay the table out in no time at all.  I didn’t eat with them this time, maybe the emotions from the church service had left me full on prayers for them, so i made my excuses and said i would have soup a little later, but i watched them and stayed with them whilst they ate.  They all wanted me to sit next to them but i simply told them i wasn’t eating and they soon gave up asking.

After lunch i cleaned and washed all the dishes, the water is freezing and they do not have hot water to wash up in but i just got on with it, then i dried them all up and got told off by mamita for washing up as i am not used to the cold and i will get ill, but i told her it was fine and carried on.  She made me have a hot herbal drink which i tend not to say no too as it is nice, it is simply fresh herbs including oregano infused in boiled water with sugar and simple as it may sound it really is a warming drink that the girls all have after dinner.

So the girls knew that today was the day they would be going to the cinema, they could not thank me enough and they had not even got there.  We were planning on leaving at 15.00 even though the movie did not start until 15.50 but we needed plenty of time to get the girls ready and in taxis and popcorn etc. It was approaching 15.00 so we all got ready and again we were paired up when leaving home to walk to call a taxi, we had 2 taxis and managed to get 7 people in 2 cars, they are tiny girls but then sat on each others lap and we made our way to Plaza de Real to watch the movie Intense Mente (Inside Out).  The girls loved it and they sat through the whole film, we bought them popcorn and they really were the happiest girls ever.  The littlest Jensenya sat on my lap as she is so tiny trying to sit on the chairs at the cinema they kept closing on her, as funny as she thought it was i had to sit her on my lap.  The movie was quite sad towards the end but was really really sad for Jensenya as during the movie i was getting random hugs and kisses, she suddenly went really quiet.  As i looked at her she had tears rolling down her face and i nearly cried just looking at her.  I know she misses her mum and dad and she still does’t quite understand why she was taken off them, but those tears rolling down her face, was one of the most heartbreaking moments for me.  I wiped her tears and started clapping her hands together to make her smile and the movie got a little more funnier again so i tried to lift her mood a little but it was not easy.

So after the movie it was time for dinner as it was now approaching 18.00 and they knew they would be getting pizza. We managed to grab a few empty tables and bring them together so we could all be together as much as possible and keep an eye on them of course.  I went up and got pizzas and drinks and they happily sat and ate all their food and were just well behaved giggling girls enjoying their treat.

After food we were then ready to leave and i can’t even begin to put into words the appreciation these girls had, they were so happy, so well behaved and at every given opportunity they would come over to me and thank me.  I didn’t need them to thank me at all, i am just so glad it went well, they enjoyed themselves and came home happy and safe.

It was such a lovely Sunday and very emotional from the start, i have bonded with these girls so much and i have learnt so much from them too.  I wasn’t sure what to expect when i came to Cusco and i didn’t know what to expect when i walked through the doors to the children’s home but i can only tell you this, regardless of how much or how little we have in this world, spending time with the girls has made me open up my eyes to reality in its deepest form.  I may have watched stories on tv and read articles about things that have gone on around the world, to witness things first hand i will treasure for a lifetime, experiencing life with the girls may be one of the most challenging things i have done, but they are absolutely breathtaking and words cannot describe how i feel with them, but to be able to witness and be apart of children lives in this way, i would do it a million times over because they really are worth every second of my time.