The Duck Frenzy
We head out and are greeted by the massive wall of heat that is always patiently waiting for us… Off to the orphanage to see the kids for the afternoon. We notice the giant rainclouds in the sky and pick up our pace a bit, glad that we have our rain jackets with us…
The kids nap between 12pm and 2pm each day…When we come back around 2pm, they roll out of their little beds one by one. The sleepy faces… stumble in every few minutes, tiny hands rubbing their eyes, slowing gaining focus… hair all messy.
The kids are always so happy to see us and today our squad leader Jamie brought his ukulele to play for them. We sat down and Jamie starts strumming away…. Surrounded by pairs of interested eyes…
Then the pitter patter of raindrops begin…
Here the rain begins each day at 3pm, almost on the dot. The rain clouds we noticed earlier were much bigger and much darker than usual. The light rain turns into real rain, then the real rain turns into heavy rain. The songs that Jamie was playing and we were singing to… become unrecognizable as the sound of rain gets louder and louder and louder… The wind picks up and is blowing the rain all around, even inside too… the roof starts to leak water all over. The upstairs bedroom where all the girls sleep is just a watery mess, the water is flowing through their roof, onto the their floor and now through the ceiling above us… we shuffle toward the wall… trying to remain dry… rain picks up… we shuffle more… we’re looking at an inch of water on the floor… INSIDE!
Outside the circus has officially begun… the kids are having the absolute BEST time ever… our team is out there running around with them, twirling in the rain, bikes are circling in the tiny yard with even tinier Cambodian kids pedaling away, the buckets have come out from the kitchen and the water war is in full stride, the soccer game in 6 inches of water is so fun to watch, tiny kids come running toward you, hugging you and getting you all wet.
They are laughing and playing and smiling…
The rain has made a pool out of the orphanage… everyone loves pools!
Everyone loves water fights!!!
We’re in business….
What could possibly make this moment in time more entertaining…?
You’re thinking… it sounds pretty interesting already….
How about a couple of DUCKS!!!
I’m completely serious… one boy comes around the corner with two ducks hanging upside down and begins to untie their legs… the ducks have not made even a hint of a move.. I’m thinking… these ducks are dead?
As soon as the tie is undone… ALIVE come the ducks!!!
Off they go… running around the orphanage’s new pool…
And what happens when ducks go running around 20+ tiny Cambodian kids…?
They go charging after them…!!!
We have kids running and laughing, arms are flying, we have ducks jumping and flapping, wings are splashing… It’s absolutely hilarious…!!!
I’m not sure what I’m seeing….. is truly happening…?
We are literally in the middle of a Duck Frenzy!!!
Our animal loving teammate Ada is having an absolute heart attack. It’s one thing that these ducks came from the kitchen and are on the menu for dinner but to torment them is too much for her…
Off she runs to intervene!!!
Stay tuned for the next episode of….
A day in the life of a Cambodian Orphanage!!!
