a bag of chips by intern Cori at Aldea

This week has been so incredible- I feel like the kids are teaching me more then I could ever teach them. . . I feel so inspired each time that I am with these kids, there is so much each day that they teach me. It's hard to even know where to begin with it all, but I will do my best. I am still trying to get to know these kids on an individual, more personal level, and with the language barrier sometimes it makes it hard, but I have realized that actions speak so much more then words, so I decided to highlight a moment that I will never forget.

Some of the boys have made me feel so comfortable and so at home, feels like I have a bunch of younger brothers who have become more and more special to me each day. But it started out last week when I was sitting on the court at night after a run, and three boys came up and started to talk to me and Brianna. It was Juan Carlos, Juan Estevan, and Junior. They started talking to us and teaching us different words. They were so patient with us, and really tried to teach us which I thought was so sweet. The boys seem harder to "crack" a little harder to reach, especially at that age, however from the first time I talked I felt there is a way to help these boys feel important to feel special, but they have made me feel that way instead. I just can't get over their kindness.

But this past Monday we were in Truijillo waiting to go to swimming lessons there with the older kids. While we were waiting there, which lasted quite a while, these 3 boys Juan Carlos, Juan Estevan, and Kenny came back from buying some snacks and they handed me a bag of chips. They wouldn't let me turn them down and insisted that I take them. I was so inspired by their kindness. None of them would take credit for who actually bought it (partly because I think they were embarrassed), but I just couldn't believe how giving they were. To someone they didn't really know that well they were willing to give, when they don't really have a ton to give. I was so impressed by their unselfishness. They made not only feel welcome, but cared about.

That's what I wanted to highlight this week was the kindness and generosity of these teenage boys. They help take care of other people, other kids in the orphanage including the volunteers. As the week went on, they continued to talk with me, mostly joke with me cause I have quite a lack of words (poco espanol). It made my week, playing futbol with them was the highlight of a lot of the days this week. These 3 boys brought me joy each day that I was there. . . I am looking forward to getting to know them even more as time goes on.