First Thoughts

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Hey everyone,

Sorry it has taken me a week to get this blog going. I thought it would be best to be settled in before i really recorded my thoughts. To tell you the truth I love this place. The people, the surroundings, and the atmosphere are all awesome.
Everything about the orphanage is enjoyable. The house itself has around 50 kids, and i think about 18 or so are infants. It is located in a little community and is surrounded by a bunch of overgrown trees but is a very peaceful place. The kids themselves really teach me a lot everyday. In the house each kid has his or her own story. There are kids who's parents we're murdered, or they just abandoned them. One girl has serebal paulsy, two have brittle bone disease, one is blind, one is missing a leg, and the list goes on and on. But despite all their hardships they don't let it effect them. All they want is to play and be loved. I walk into the dining room in the morning and about 5-10 will want me to pick them up, or tickle them or whatever else. For once i my life i feel like i am doing exactly what i was meant to do, at least for the time being.
Basically my job is the intern to the director here. I really do whatever is needed. SOmetimes that means being a dad to the kids, sometimes it means doing construction or acting as the host to the missionaries, who usually are church groups who com down to help out for week. I was even just informed By Steve, the director here, that he will be leaving for about a month to go take care of some business in the states and that i will be taking over starting in August. A little intimidating, but i think by then i'll be ready for it.
In just a week I have already done so much. I have been to a town named chichicastenanga which is a small Mayan village about two hours north of where i am living. There was this 500+ year old church, which if it were located in the states it would be a landmark, but here it's just another church.
Last weekend me and my roommate, who is a 24 year old local, took a mission group to the Pacayo Volcano on their day off. The view overlooked a little town called San Vincente and the entire time, while the other people were complaining, i was walking up ahead with a tour guide by the name of Felix. He said he climbs the mountain twice a day for tours and i believe he gets 20 bucks per tour. On the way down he was showing me all these plants to eat that give your body a lot of vitamins and minerals and also what to avoid.
I really feel like these next 5 or so months i will learn more than i will in any other 12 months of my life.
I would like to again thank everyone who has helped me with their generosity in getting to this awesome place.

Until next time,
Brennan

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Photos

Volcano
Another volcano visible from the Pacayo view

Pacayo Volcano
Looking at the town of San Vincent

Older Kids
Right before the older kids ate lunch

Babys
A lot of this going on

Comments

[mary]

Glad you are having such a good experience. I look forward to hearing from you again soon. Good job. Mary