Let me tell you about my favorite day in Sri Lanka! This was a day filled with playing with some of the most beautiful girls in Batticaloa. Instead of a regular Joy Project for this month, I decided to do a photo blog with some of the girls that inspired me. Although these girls have gone through sex trafficking, poverty, or just a lack of love, their smiles are filled with joy and excitement when you walk through the doors. On this particular day, my team decided to go to the girls orphanage that we visited on Palm Sunday. This would be the last time we see them but that made the afternoon even sweeter. As we walked through the gate to the orphanage, we were greeted with huge smiles and squeals of excitement. My heart overflowed with love in that moment. I didn’t want to tell these girls goodbye.
When we got there they set up plastic chairs in a circle under a shady tree in the back yard.
We started off with playing a game of fruit platter but it turned into a dance performance.
I love seeing them laugh with eachother and joke around.
Even though they come from different backgrounds and different places, they call eachother sisters. And they truly love eachother like sisters.
Some of them are shy to have their picture taken.
Some of them are definitely not shy in front of the camera but you can see their personalities shine through the camera.
This girl in particular is one of the prettiest girls I had met. She was always sitting next to me and I had a chance to share with her pictures of my family. I had to tell her she is beautiful no matter what she does for her to want a picture taken. I’m just glad I snapped a photo of her for my memories.
After a few short hours spent loving on those beautiful girls, we waved goodbye as we hopped on a van to a school that housed girls who came from low income families. These girls are able to stay in the hostel as they attend school for a cheaper price so that their families can afford for them to get an education.
They were super shy at first but after an art class and teaching them a new game, the smiles were coming out.
They brought us outside to play some badminton and learn some hand clapping games.
The girls always loved when we were able to teach them a new game! Those smiles just make my heart melt.
I was able to give this little girl a flower and my painting so I could see a smile on her face. She reminded me a lot of me when I was a little girl, super shy and observant. I loved getting to put a smile on her face.
This girl was another stunning girl that caught my eye when we were at the hostel. She has a gorgeous smile and we got to talk a little bit in English.
I told her my favorite color was pink and she brought me a beautiful pink flower.
Everything about that day was perfect and I know it will be a day that I won’t soon forget. I am glad that I got to give these girls a great experience filled with love and a bunch of smiles. My team and I were definitely exhausted after the long day but we were also filled with energy to see what the rest of the week would hold. I know that this won‘t be the last amazing day while on the race. I can’t wait to see the relationships to come!
