Laura-Catherine and I were just about to head out to catch our bus Tuesday evening, after an exhausting day of playing with the kids at the mission, when a sudden downpour delayed our departure. Not thinking to grab our rain jackets before heading out that morning left us sitting in the office with Padre Jose to wait out the storm. My first thought was I am tired, I just want to start the 1 1/2-bus ride home, but two minutes into our conversation my inspiration picked up and I was ready to talk for hours about all of the possibilities and potential with the mission.
Padre Jose shared about the challenging lives of the children, the economic and social situation of the neighborhood and how much love and touch the children lack in their lives. When the children's parents arrive home after working all day, they are either too tired, to drunk or abusive to give these children the love they need. These children just want to be loved and held, to learn and to play. Watching them interact with one another and with us, seeing and feeling the family the after school program at the mission has created makes you realize how important family and friends are, and how important it is to love.
I spent the bus ride sorting through my surplus of thoughts and memories of my first visit to the mission back in September. Padre Jose came to pick me up to spend a day with him at the mission. The city whizzed by and I tried with difficulty to understand what he was explaining to me about the children I would be working with, the mission, the city and something about a very happy church service with singing.
After what felt like an eternity of creeping up the hill in the little twingo car we arrived at the mission; located pretty deep into the south of the city, on the steep Andean mountainside where the weather is harsher and the view of Bogota is spectacular. The buildings are crumbling and tightly packed in, potholes are the size of small ponds and any open terrain is littered with trash and stray dogs.
Meeting with the kids that afternoon blew me away. They asked questions about my family, hot water, what my life was like, if I arrived on a plane and when I would be coming back. I understood about every fifth word they said, and had to try and decipher the words I did understand between their giggling fits. We played soccer in the street and I fell in love.
Some days I don't feel as if I have the energy to teach, to try and come up with ideas that will help the kids to focus, fighting my own thoughts of how much the children should learn, how much progress they are making or if they are even getting what we are teaching, but the moment the door opens to the church and we are bombarded with open arms and smiles from the kids, all of these anxieties melt away. Just being there and loving these kids is enough.
6 comments:
Oh, Audra, you tell the story of mission so beautifully! "Just love the people," as David quoted Susan as saying... That's what it's all about, there in Columbia, here in Kenya, or in our own backyards! Hugs and Lenten blessings.
The difference that one can make may never be known by us until after we are no longer here. Keep up the good work and we send our LOVE. Also we send love and hugs and prayers to all the children. Love YA!!!!
Perfectly put...loving them is enough, the teaching will come. Oh, the power of love; it's amazing. When the Savior was on the earth His most powerful example was love. He taught it, showed it, and I think that all of His actions were motivated by it.
"Your" children are so blessed to have you there with your open and loving arms and heart! I was so happy to see your FB post today and to visit with you by listening to your story here! God bless you during this coming Holy Week!
xoxo
Audra, What a beautiful story, you should be keeping lots of notes and write a book. The children are beautiful! you and they are so blessed to have each other. My thought was how soon can I get there so I could share the hugs games etc also. They are so blessed to have you in their lives, now you realize you cannot bring them all home with you, that suit case you bought just is not big enough, although we would love to have them all!
We had a great surprise this week, your uncle Scott and Jon were here for lunch, they had gone to his (Scott) dad memorial service in Port Angeles and came back thru here, your mom made lunch and we both made brownies had a great visit and hated to see them leave. I was able to talk with Katie trying to figure out when would be the best time for me to go down and we have deceided that going before the baby comes would be best then I can spend more time with the older ones, get to know them, spoil them and releave Katie of tending to them as she says will be to fat to do anything. I am excited to be going, I will be there from 7-15 to the 7-25, by then the baby should be here, the olders spoiled etc then I leave. I will be helping them learn to make brownies, cookies, all kinds of stuff Gram's are supposed to do. Blessed Easter to you and all the little ones - are you doing an Easter egg hunt? what fun that would be.
Keep up the awesome work! and play.
Love you and God Bless
Gram
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