What an incredible experience! Today we were finally able to visit Orfanato Pedro Atala, the reason I planned this entire service trip to Honduras. Obviously I have been preparing for this extensively, with fundraisers, donations, purchases, mural planning, etc. Today I was finally able to consummate my travails!
Upon arrival at the orphanage, we were mobbed by all 50 of the young kids. It was so great to see all of their smiling faces again, after more than a year's absence. I remembered many of them - Angel, Miguel, Marvin - and they were as excited to see me as I them. They helped us to unload their gifts, clearly wanting the toys, but I told them to wait because we had a mural to paint first.
I gathered all the kids as I used chalk to sketch the outline for the mural. They watched in excitement, ready to grab the paintbrushes and get to work. Mafer, Chandler and I began painting just to show them the technique, and quickly let them help. With only five paintbrushes, it was difficult to share evenly, as each kid wanted to help the visitors paint this mural. I realized then that as aesthetically pleasing and hopefully inspiring as the mural would be, this was the true pleasure the kids would get out of the experience; the exercising of their creativity and a fun time with foreigners.
As the mural progressed, I stepped aside and let the kids take over. I kept watch and did painting when I needed to, but I just wanted to observe the children and the atmosphere. There was one boy, Angel, who was simply amazing. While many of the other boys lost interest in the mural and went off to play sports (I did this too), he stayed behind to paint. He loved art, and you could tell he was passionate about the project. It was very courageous of him to do what he loved instead of playing soccer like all the other boys, just because it was the cool thing to do. He and I got along very well, and he even gave me some drawings he did, telling me "no los ensenes a nadie hasta que te vayas" - don't show them to anyone until you leave. I wish I could adopt this kid.
So while the better artists put the finishing touches on the mural, I played soccer and baseball with the boys. I had so much fun participating in this common interest. Sports are truly fantastic, as they are often common globally and can help bridge cultural gaps. The kids had so much energy and it was so uplifting to be the most coveted player on the teams.
When playing baseball, sometimes the ball would be hit over the fence. Luckily, I had brought many extras, but they were inside the school which was being renovated. Many of the toys I brought had been distributed at this point, so I was OK with bringing the rest of the baseballs out. When I went inside the school with the boys, they were scared because it was dark and there were allegedly "fantasmas" - ghosts - lurking in the corners. We crossed a doorway and one of the little boys ran into a young girl. He shrieked, thinking it was a phantom, but realized his mistake and blushed.
Upon the mural's completion, all the kids in the orphanage dipped their palms into paint and left their handprints on the wall surrounding the design. This was a final signature of the mural's completion. We took pictures with all of the kids, said our goodbyes, and after a long day of work and play, left for our last night in Tegucigalpa. I felt so satisfied with my dedication to this task, and I was so moved by the experience that I was nearly brought to tears as we drove away. These kids, who had so little, could rejoice in such a small gift. I was so proud of myself, Chandler, Mafer, and her sister for our small service to these impoverished boys and girls. Their smiles are unforgettable.
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