Here in El Salvador, I am fortunate enough to spend everyday with 60-70 kids from 5am to 8pm. My 15 hour shifts consist of folding, sweeping, shoveling, teaching, cooking, laundry, chicken coops, feeding, purifying water, sweating (A LOT), translating, bathing etc. But above all, the most rewarding is sharing laughs with the kids here. Every newborn baby and teenager alike has his or her own story to tell. My initial reaction when entering the orphanage was to love without limits, but it’s not that simple. Volunteers are constantly filtering in and out, never staying for longer than a week. This month is the first time Remar orphanage is hosting World Race teams, and we stay until the end of March. With more time to spend with the kids, the more time the kids have to grow more attached to us.
I AM TORN. Do I love them as much as I can, knowing it will be harder for them when I leave? Or should I love them from a distance so they don’t have to take our goodbye in the upcoming weeks so harshly? Where is the balance between the two?
…Comment below, I would love to hear some feedback…
I personally have built a relationship with a 5-year-old named Fanny. She follows me around and screams my name from across the schoolyard when she spots me. We are attached by the hip. I love my mini-me and she loves me mucho (she says so herself in the video). The goodbye is going to be hard, but I know that I will soon need to focus my love/joy on someone else who needs it. I wish I could just explain to Fanny what I am doing once I leave. I wish she had an e-mail I could send messages to so she knows I miss her and am thinking about her.
My hope once I leave is for Fanny to be surrounded by so much love that there is no room for misunderstandings and frustration in her 5-year-old mind. I want to challenge readers to always strive to be as loving as possible. Whether that be at home with your family or just walking by strangers on the way to your car. Look people in the eyes and acknowledge their presence with a smile. You never know how much that person just needed a random smile to better their day. Enjoy & Give Joy.
Meet Fanny 
Meet FANNY from Nicole Bouza on Vimeo.
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