Today I volunteered at an organization called Hogar Para Sus Niños which translates to A home for His children. It's a Christian organization that takes in abandoned or abused children from birth to three years of age. The children remain under the care of the organization until they are adopted into specifically selected families. The facility was maintained very well and has one big house for infants and another for toddlers.
My morning didn't start out especially well. I had to be at the organization at 10:30 to begin the orientation. I told Ruth I needed to leave and grab a taxi by 10:00. I ate a little and was on my way out the door at 10:00 when she placed more breakfast for me on the table. I told her I had to go so I wouldn't be late and then she asked me how I was going to get there. When I told her it was by taxi she insisted on driving me because she knows a family friend who's daughter was either robbed or kidnapped in a taxi [Don't freak out, only the um-registered taxis are dangerous and I NEVER take them]. After 15 minutes of getting dressed, we left and I ended up being 15 minutes late. The director is very nice so she didn't mind my tardiness but I still didn't want my first impression to be of me arriving late.
The children are absolutely adorable. I played with a few of them after we went over all of the regulations. I know I'm going to really enjoy volunteering there. One precious boy gave me dirt as a present so in return I gave him an acorn. I also got to feed a baby before they went for their naps. The way the organization is set up is that they have one "tia" [aunt] for five children and she lives at the facility with the kids. The tia is responsible for taking them to school, the doctors and doing all of the things a normal mother does. The volunteers are there to help our with the tias to play with the kids and sometimes feed the babies. I can't wait to go back! I know I've said this before but I might be coming home with some Ecuadorian kids :)
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