I'm sitting on the roof of the volunteer house, having just finished lunch. I go back to my placement at 2:30. This morning was full of getting to know the children, wiping noses, feeding, playing and rocking. Right now I need to reflect and take everything in.
When Katie and I entered the orphanage, we looked around at the dirty walls and metal bars. There were religious photos placed about and a steep staircase. When we could finally go up to see the kids, we climbed to the second story and a nun opened the metal door. Almost immediately a little todler named Simone, with Downs Syndrome came running up to me. He hugged me and held my hand. Dragging me to the barred window he climbed on his metal bed and pointed out the window to a bird. He stuck his hands through the bars and screamed with excitement. I made chirping noises and whistled for him. He laughed and continued smiling with pure bliss. After leaving his hand, I looked around and tried to take everything in. The 2 children in stollers that were frothing from their mouths, clearly had Cerebal Palsy. The older one twisted his body with a pained look in his eyes. Some of the other children were running and laughing and trying to show us everything. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a baby sitting up in her blue-barred crib. He was quietly crying and looking around. I picked him up and he immediately rested his head on my chest and the tears stopped. I rocked him and swayed side to side until it was time to meet the head nun, Miss Lilly. Another nun tried to grab the baby from me but he cried and held to me like glue.She said, "he don't want to leave mama." Finally separating us, the baby screamed and it took everything not to cry. I later learned that the baby was taken from the streets just 2 weeks ago.
Katie and I climbed another flight of stairs to a small room. Miss Lilly introduced herself and and kindly smiled. She is from India and has been a nun for 25 years. She had thought I was staying 6 months but was content with me staying 6 weeks.We were told when lunch was and what times we needed to be there. After the introduction we walked back down to the children.
The Cambodian women working there told us to put the todlers in a small room while they cleaned up their cookie mess. It was tiny and hot, with a metal bed lined with a thin mattress and a bunk bed. The children were definitley testing us and trying to get away with everything. One boy kept climbing on a stool and trying to open a cupboard. I took took it and put it on the top bunk. He climbed up to it and would not come down. Then another boy climbed up. Keep in mind that all while this was going on,I was trying to listen to Simone tell me about the pictures and had a baby on my hip. Thankfully Miss Lilly came in. Those boys hopped off that bunk as if their lives depended on it!
Next was play time. This was absolute chaos until more volunteers showed up. Then it was just mildly chaotic. A girl with Autism wanted to do nothing but rip books and paper. We were warned not to let her do this. Some of the children were looking at a book of animals. A four year old boy (who looks 2 years old) could speak English and say the animal names. Then the autistic girl came and snatched the book... I yelled "NO" in Khmer and chased after her as she tore the animals in half. I felt so bad for the other children because it was pretty much the nicest thing they had.
Getting a closer look, I saw how dirty the babies and todlers were. Their hands and feet were filty and their ears looks disgusting. Most had dandruf and I'm suspecting lice as well. They are sweaty from the heat and have cloth diapers, so it's very hard to tell when they've wet themselves.
At lunch, the kids returned down to the second story. They ate rice with cabbage, carrots and what looked like chicken. It seemed as though they had plenty to eat. They were given seconds and even thirds, if they pleased. I sat at the low table and helped a small boy (probably 2), eat his meal. After lunch they received tangerine wedges and then it was time for baths and naps. The kids were barely hosed off, then placed in "clean" clothes. I rubbed a child's back who has CP and brushed his hair from his forehead. He squirmed and drooled but I think he appreciated the touch and affection.
So, now, as I try and bare this heat, I'm feeling no regret whatsoever. I cannot wait to see what the next 5 weeks bring and I cannot wait to buy the children new toys and supplies. They absolutely love this ripped and tattered disney princess tent and these cheap knock-off legos. I wish I could spoil all these babies and make their pain go away. I'll try my best and keep my hopes up.
When Katie and I entered the orphanage, we looked around at the dirty walls and metal bars. There were religious photos placed about and a steep staircase. When we could finally go up to see the kids, we climbed to the second story and a nun opened the metal door. Almost immediately a little todler named Simone, with Downs Syndrome came running up to me. He hugged me and held my hand. Dragging me to the barred window he climbed on his metal bed and pointed out the window to a bird. He stuck his hands through the bars and screamed with excitement. I made chirping noises and whistled for him. He laughed and continued smiling with pure bliss. After leaving his hand, I looked around and tried to take everything in. The 2 children in stollers that were frothing from their mouths, clearly had Cerebal Palsy. The older one twisted his body with a pained look in his eyes. Some of the other children were running and laughing and trying to show us everything. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a baby sitting up in her blue-barred crib. He was quietly crying and looking around. I picked him up and he immediately rested his head on my chest and the tears stopped. I rocked him and swayed side to side until it was time to meet the head nun, Miss Lilly. Another nun tried to grab the baby from me but he cried and held to me like glue.She said, "he don't want to leave mama." Finally separating us, the baby screamed and it took everything not to cry. I later learned that the baby was taken from the streets just 2 weeks ago.
Katie and I climbed another flight of stairs to a small room. Miss Lilly introduced herself and and kindly smiled. She is from India and has been a nun for 25 years. She had thought I was staying 6 months but was content with me staying 6 weeks.We were told when lunch was and what times we needed to be there. After the introduction we walked back down to the children.
The Cambodian women working there told us to put the todlers in a small room while they cleaned up their cookie mess. It was tiny and hot, with a metal bed lined with a thin mattress and a bunk bed. The children were definitley testing us and trying to get away with everything. One boy kept climbing on a stool and trying to open a cupboard. I took took it and put it on the top bunk. He climbed up to it and would not come down. Then another boy climbed up. Keep in mind that all while this was going on,I was trying to listen to Simone tell me about the pictures and had a baby on my hip. Thankfully Miss Lilly came in. Those boys hopped off that bunk as if their lives depended on it!
Next was play time. This was absolute chaos until more volunteers showed up. Then it was just mildly chaotic. A girl with Autism wanted to do nothing but rip books and paper. We were warned not to let her do this. Some of the children were looking at a book of animals. A four year old boy (who looks 2 years old) could speak English and say the animal names. Then the autistic girl came and snatched the book... I yelled "NO" in Khmer and chased after her as she tore the animals in half. I felt so bad for the other children because it was pretty much the nicest thing they had.
Getting a closer look, I saw how dirty the babies and todlers were. Their hands and feet were filty and their ears looks disgusting. Most had dandruf and I'm suspecting lice as well. They are sweaty from the heat and have cloth diapers, so it's very hard to tell when they've wet themselves.
At lunch, the kids returned down to the second story. They ate rice with cabbage, carrots and what looked like chicken. It seemed as though they had plenty to eat. They were given seconds and even thirds, if they pleased. I sat at the low table and helped a small boy (probably 2), eat his meal. After lunch they received tangerine wedges and then it was time for baths and naps. The kids were barely hosed off, then placed in "clean" clothes. I rubbed a child's back who has CP and brushed his hair from his forehead. He squirmed and drooled but I think he appreciated the touch and affection.
So, now, as I try and bare this heat, I'm feeling no regret whatsoever. I cannot wait to see what the next 5 weeks bring and I cannot wait to buy the children new toys and supplies. They absolutely love this ripped and tattered disney princess tent and these cheap knock-off legos. I wish I could spoil all these babies and make their pain go away. I'll try my best and keep my hopes up.
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