Service con los ninos

1st day of service was a blast! The childcare group was split into three groups in the morning - my group which is Emily, Kristin, and Anita went to a boys and girls orphanage. The other groups worked at an all irls orphanage and with special needs children.

The moment we walked into the orphanage the children ran up to us and welcomed us with hugs. They also wanted to know our names, and they quized me on knowing theirs (I did badly). We took some of the smaller ninos to the park and played futbol. We also played "lift me up so i can hang off the goal post" and "spin me around" OVER AND OVER. Once you did one thing with one, they ALL had to do it too. It was very fun, even though I know my arms will be sore tomorrow from all the lifting. After a while we just sat and they would come sit on our laps and cuddle. It was obvious they just wanted someone to hug and get affection from. It was funny they were very intrigued by my bracelets two cheap ones - but they kept asking "how much?" and I assured them not much - very cheap. They wanted me to take them off and give them to them, but I wouldn´t. It would have started fights between them since I didn´t have one for everyone. Not speaking Spanish well (or really at all) is more frustrating than I thought it would be since I would love to have converstations with these children but I can´t figure out what words to use.

After that we left there to meet up with the rest of the childcare people. We went to the center that all the other groups (construction and teaching English) were at. At this place they are helping to build three new rooms to get primary school for the children of the area. They also have a workshop for mothers and women to make jewelry and weaved goods. Since there is discrimination against women in Peru, I guess projects like that are rare. In this area - the outskirts of high up of Cusco the children have no primary school. I asked if there were laws demanding school - and there are they are just not enforced.

We arrived and were given a tour - we were not 100% certain what we should be doing. Some started helping teach english - I learned quickly I was not good at that. I went outside and was talking (or trying to) to some older kids - they were making fun of me because I couldn´t understand them. They told me one girl was from Italy and other things - probably bad words and would then look at each other an laugh. One girl said she didn´t speak Spanish well either, and taught me how to say "what is your name?" in Quechan (the indigineious language). They were listening to music on an MP3 player, I asked to listen and I started to dance and they really got a kick out of that. A girl asked me if I dance "hip hop" and I said yes mucho but not well! I played mostly with a little three year old girl - she was very sweet but I can´t rememeber her name.

I´m tired but excited for more playing. It´s clear these children are looking for love and I hope we spent more time at the orphanage. I felt they need us to just smile at them and hold them. Even though the other children come from poor, sometimes abusive and broken families, they are not as starved for someone to love them. Since tomorrow is a holiday we have a "free day". Tonight we are going to the Plaza for the New Years celebration. ¡Feliz Ano Nuevo!

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