In my 10 months here, I’ve noticed a pattern. The new thing drawing the attention of a majority of the kids changes in a wave. For instance, when I arrived, the attention grabber was a trompo, a top. Kids would wind thin ropes around their top, throwing them at the ground getting them to spin real fast before beginning to lift them into their hand or walking it like a dog. New tricks were being learned everyday, the older teaching the younger. And, some of them were still getting the hang of flicking their wrists in the correct direction upon the initial throw. Lots of skill levels with even more tops surrounded the court, sidewalk, and any empty flat area that could be found.
As we shifted more into the summer season, the temperature rose quick and the rain drops fell even quicker. Whenever the sun came out, any free afternoon turned into a water fight. Buckets filled with rain water were dumped over heads. Hoses sucked up every last drop of water saved in the showers. The pilas (sinks for washing clothes) were left bone dry while every inch of clothing worn was dripping wet.
Towards the end of summer and the last couple of days of the rainy season, most of the houses, kids and caretakers, were planting something. The areas with dirt were filled with flowers, greenery, and a variety of plants. The kids were focusing on being responsible for their house’s plants and keeping an eye on the growth. Then, began another season, the season of barriletes.
Kite season! Small, lightweight sticks were assembled together with a thin piece of thread. They were decorated with tissue paper and a long tail, and soon flew through the air. Different techniques were used in both assembly and flight. Kites of all sizes filled the sky. By the time December came, so did a time of another activity. Cuetes… Fireworks!
I couldn’t walk anywhere without hearing some type of pop or crackle from some type of firework. With Christmas and the New Year approaching, everyone was spending their free time outside participating in setting off the fireworks or at least watching/listening. Day and night, the sight and sound of fire was entertaining for girls and boys, young and old.
Now that January has come and gone, the new attention grabber is la cuerda. Jump rope! Again, lots of techniques, lots of skill levels, but the same activity. Some of the older boys are whipping the rope overhead as fast as they can, getting maybe an inch off the ground, from years of practice. Others line up in groups to see who can last the longest. And then their are those younger ones who are on the sidelines of a soccer game trying to master getting two jumps in without needing to take a break in between. Some do it for exercise, others do it for competition, and others for just pure fun and joy.
I’ve also noticed patterns over my past ten months here. While I do have a job to fulfill as a sponsorship assistant and as the “news reporter” of Casa Shalom, I find my attention being grabbed in new roles to fill in the kids’ lives. I have skills in some areas, while others I am still picking up along the way. I arrived at the orphanage last April, and in May, I was asked to fill in as a horse therapist. That included dedicating time to learning how to care for the horse as well as working with the child(ren) to make the most of their time with the horse. May, June, and July were filled with weekly appointments with the horse, with kids and also with the fellow instructors.
August and September came, and I picked up a new role. I became the piano teacher for two of our teens, and myself as well. I was doing lessons with them once a week teaching chords and scales, while also helping them practice using the side of the table or the countertop as a piano. I would open up my room to them and allow them to practice on an actual keyboard for a few minutes at a time whenever they wanted to.
October, November, and December were busy months of the year, with kids all out of school and events being scheduled almost every week, from graduation parties, to outings, holiday preparation, and the occasional shopping trips. I was helping as an assistant, a decorator, a safety monitor, a babysitter, a supporter, an event coordinator, and everything in between.
A new year means new responsibilities. New ways to help the children, staff members, and American volunteers/interns/short term missionaries. Over the past week or two, I’ve been working alongside the new intern coordinator. I’ve been her translator to the house parents, I’ve supplied her with materials making it a little bit easier for coordination between the intern and the house parents. I’ve helped her make a schedule, and assisted in being eyes and ears when she is off campus. I’ve been providing my own feedback on my time as an intern, and have given her new ideas to bring to the internship program, as she sees fit. January brought two new interns, and I will be helping them (intern, intern coordinator, & house parents) get adjusted to one another and provide areas that need improvement or further translation.
I have also noticed a role that I could fill, one that would benefit the kids if someone were there to fill it. Pastor. No, I’m not filling the role of a full time campus pastor, leading services weekly for all of the kids and being the backbone for spiritual growth. That position is still open and needed. I will be spending about a half hour with a house in the evenings, one night with the younger girls and another night with the younger boys. I will be providing them a video, an activity to go along with the video, and a memory verse for the week to remind them of the Bible lesson for the week. This doesn’t only add an hour of work to my week (half hour with each house), but involves watching the video at least once beforehand, writing notes of questions and conversation with the kids, making up an activity, and finding time to grab the supplies from the store, knowing that I am dependent on others for transportation. Plus, everything takes almost twice as long, now that I am having to create conversation and activities in a second language.
That role is a lot to fill, but one that I know is needed. I am nowhere near fit to fill the role of a pastor in 24 young kids, but I can make a spark of difference in these two dozen lives. I am provided with a fun video program (that is in both Spanish and English), I have some extra time that I could be filling for the benefit of the kids, and I’ve taken the time to really plan things out, create exciting activities, and have grown spiritually while doing so. February starts the first of the weekly Bible lessons, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this role will take not only me, but also the 24 kids and 4 house parents (and the intern). I can’t wait to see what the next season’s “attention grabber” will be. What role or activity has grabbed your attention in this season?
(har)Perseverance on a mission 